Airfare prices are less high now.
At the end of April, Mr. Nguyen Hoang Minh (37 years old, Hanoi) decided to postpone his plan to take his wife and two children on a summer vacation to Phu Quoc (An Giang). The reason wasn't the hotel or entertainment costs, but the airfare. At that time, the total cost of round-trip tickets for the whole family was nearly 35 million VND, far exceeding his planned budget. "I intended to travel domestically to save money, but the airfare was too high. The whole family had to postpone it and wait," Mr. Minh recounted. In early June, when checking ticket prices on online platforms, he was surprised to find that airfares for the same route had dropped significantly. The total cost for the whole family was only about 18-20 million VND, almost half the original price, so the summer vacation plan was revived. Mr. Minh's family is not alone; many tourists are experiencing similar situations on domestic flights.
Tourism businesses expect more stable ticket prices to help stimulate travel demand in the summer of 2026.
PHOTO: NHAT THINH
Surveys on several online ticketing platforms show that airfares on many key tourist routes have decreased significantly compared to March and April, when the market was heavily impacted by the increase in aviation fuel prices. For the Hanoi -Ho Chi Minh City route, the busiest in the country, round-trip fares are currently around 4-4.5 million VND per ticket; whereas in April, many flights at the same time were sold for 6-7 million VND. The Hanoi-Da Nang route has seen a similar trend. While passengers previously had to spend 4-5 million VND for round-trip tickets during the summer, many flights now cost only around 2-3 million VND.
Most notably, the Hanoi - Phu Quoc route, once one of the most expensive routes with prices reaching 8-9 million VND per round-trip ticket at times, now sees prices commonly dropping to around 4-5 million VND depending on the booking time. In the south, the Ho Chi Minh City - Phu Quoc route is also witnessing strong competition among airlines. Many round-trip flights are being offered at 1.5-2 million VND per ticket if booked early, significantly lower than during the April 30th - May 1st holiday period.
Ms. Tran Thu Ha (35 years old, an office worker in Ho Chi Minh City) said she recently decided to book plane tickets for a trip to Da Nang in July after noticing that prices had become more reasonable. "At the beginning of April, I saw round-trip tickets for over 5 million VND per person, so I hesitated. At the beginning of June, I checked again and the price had dropped to around 3 million VND, so I booked immediately. For a family of four, that difference is a significant amount," she said.
Speaking with Thanh Nien newspaper on the afternoon of June 15th, Mr. Pham Anh Vu, Deputy General Director of Viet Travel, explained that the recent decrease in airfares is mainly due to airlines increasing capacity and competing for customers, rather than a direct impact from lower fuel prices. When airlines add more flights and increase seat supply, businesses are forced to offer a quantity of low-priced tickets to increase occupancy rates. In a highly competitive environment, one airline lowering prices will prompt others to adjust their prices to retain customers. This explains why many routes are offering attractive prices even during the peak summer travel season, a period when airfares typically tend to increase. However, according to travel businesses, the current low prices are mainly concentrated in tickets booked early or for specific time slots. Prices closer to the departure date remain quite high, especially on popular tourist routes.
Opportunities for summer travel
While competition may lead to short-term price reductions in airfares, the evolution of aviation fuel prices is creating more sustainable expectations. According to data from the Vietnam Civil Aviation Authority, after a period of sharp increases due to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, the price of Jet A1 aviation fuel has decreased significantly in recent weeks. By the end of May, the average fuel price was only about $141.6 per barrel, nearly 25% lower than its previous peak. This is a positive sign for the aviation industry, as fuel currently accounts for about 35-40% of the total operating costs of airlines. However, the decrease in fuel prices does not necessarily mean that airfares will immediately follow. Airlines usually plan their fuel purchases well in advance. Furthermore, given that businesses still face numerous other cost pressures such as exchange rates, aircraft leasing, and technical maintenance, the immediate benefit from lower fuel prices could be used to improve business efficiency instead of being entirely translated into ticket price reductions.
Airfare remains a major factor influencing many families' travel decisions.
From the perspective of travel businesses, Mr. Nguyen Duc Hiep, General Director of Viettourist, believes that the current price reductions are not enough to create significant changes in the tourism market. This is because most travel companies have already developed their products and purchased tickets months in advance, so short-term fluctuations in the airline market have not significantly impacted the prices of tours already sold. "Travel businesses usually prepare their products very early, perhaps 3-6 months in advance. Therefore, short-term price adjustments by airlines almost do not change the price structure of tours in the short term," he explained. Regarding the international market, the supply of flights is still not as abundant as in previous periods, making it difficult for ticket prices to fall significantly. Nevertheless, the overall assessment of domestic tourism demand this summer remains quite positive. Many travel businesses are tending to cut back on overseas tours to focus on domestic itineraries, thereby contributing to maintaining the number of tourists in the domestic market.
In reality, airfare is always one of the most important factors determining the cost of a trip. For many domestic tours, especially those to Phu Quoc, Nha Trang, or Da Nang, airfare can account for 30-50% of the total tour price. Although current airfare reductions are not yet significant or widespread, the availability of more affordable options is still a positive development for consumers.
With Vietnam having just welcomed over 10.6 million international visitors in the first five months of the year, the highest number ever, and domestic tourism entering its peak season, the cooling down of the airfare market is expected to contribute to stimulating travel demand and tourism spending.
While airfares may not yet have returned to their previous "affordable" levels, after a prolonged period of sharp increases, the appearance of cooling-off signs at the beginning of summer is still noteworthy news for both tourists and tourism businesses. A reduction of just a few million dong in travel costs for a family would make the decision to pack their bags and travel much easier.
A travel expert
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/ve-may-bay-ha-nhiet-dau-he-185260615222757385.htm
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