Airline tickets for the Lunar New Year (Year of the Snake) are selling slowly.

With more than two months until Tet (Lunar New Year), the airline ticket market is quite sluggish, although tickets are still available for many routes that are usually busy in previous years.

At this time of year, many flights usually sell out early. However, this year's survey shows ample availability, with only a few flights on the peak days of the 4th and 5th of the Lunar New Year experiencing temporary ticket shortages.

Ms. Hoang Anh, the communications director of a consumer goods company in Ho Chi Minh City, and her family usually book plane tickets from the beginning of September to be able to return to their hometown early to prepare for Tet. However, this year, due to financial pressure, the whole family is still considering their options.

In a similar situation, Mr. Thanh, a delivery worker in Ho Chi Minh City, said that instead of flying like in previous years, he switched to taking a bus to save half the cost.

Ticket prices for the Ho Chi Minh City - Vinh route on January 26th (December 27th in the lunar calendar). Screenshot.

To date, popular routes such as Ho Chi Minh City - Hanoi , Da Nang, and Vinh still have tickets available, with round-trip prices ranging from 5.7 to 7.4 million VND (including taxes and fees). Routes to Central Vietnam such as Ho Chi Minh City - Chu Lai, Hue, and Dong Hoi are only sold out on the 4th and 5th day of Tet (February 1st and 2nd).

On routes to popular tourist destinations like Nha Trang, Phu Quoc, or Con Dao, where tickets usually sell out quickly every year, this year there are still many options with flexible schedules. Round-trip tickets cost only from 2.6 to 3.6 million VND - not much different from normal days and even lower than the same period last year.

According to Ms. Pham Thi Huong, the owner of an agency in Tan Binh District (Ho Chi Minh City), this has been a particularly difficult year for the airline ticket industry. "Last year, I had to pay half a billion dong in advance to reserve tickets, but this year the number of customers has dropped sharply. I only issue tickets when customers place orders," Ms. Huong said. Over the past month, the number of customers booking Tet holiday tickets at her agency has decreased by about 30% compared to the same period last year.

Not only travel agencies, but also airlines themselves are clearly feeling the decline in purchasing power. All airlines report slower ticket sales compared to previous years. A representative from Vietnam Airlines stated that the airline continues to increase flights and add tickets to niche routes to ensure sufficient supply to the market. To meet the demand during the peak Tet holiday season, Vietnam Airlines plans to lease four additional aircraft, adding nearly 130,000 seats.

Specifically for tourist routes like Con Dao and Phu Quoc, airlines have reported lower demand, partly due to recent natural disasters and the economic impact that has reduced the number of tourists from the North traveling for New Year's pilgrimages.

Airline tickets from various airlines in Vietnam. Photo: Anh Tú

According to the Vietnam Civil Aviation Authority, domestic airlines will release more than 5 million tickets during this period, with Vietnam Airlines accounting for over 2.5 million tickets, Vietjet Air offering 2.6 million tickets in advance, and Bamboo Airways also launching a similar plan. However, ticket prices this year are higher than the same period last year due to escalating input costs and limited aircraft supply.

The agency will continue to closely monitor booking situations and price developments to direct airlines to increase capacity as needed, ensuring good service for travel needs during the 2025 Lunar New Year. However, with the current low purchasing power, the picture of this year's Lunar New Year air ticket market clearly reflects the challenges from the economy and changes in consumer behavior.

Source