New Year's Day flight tickets are in high demand.

Booking tickets for New Year's holiday travel is very difficult right now. During peak hours, only business class tickets are available, with limited options. Even to seemingly affordable destinations, ticket prices are not high or cheap.

The Ministry of Interior has proposed extending the 2026 New Year's holiday to four days, from January 1st (Thursday) to January 4th (Sunday), through the swapping of working days. If approved by the Government, this proposal would create a longer holiday than the current regulations, which only allow workers one day off on January 1st according to the 2019 Labor Code. Following this proposal, many families and workers are starting to plan to extend their holiday to four to six days by requesting additional leave at the end of the year. However, rushing to buy plane tickets now would be quite difficult.

Tickets for prime time slots are scarce and expensive.

On the afternoon of December 24th, according to a survey by Thanh Nien newspaper reporters, during the peak period from the weekend of December 26-27, 2025 to January 3, 2026, the market for airline tickets from Ho Chi Minh City to popular destinations such as Phu Quoc (An Giang), Nha Trang (Khanh Hoa) and Hanoi during peak hours was almost fully booked, and ticket prices were also very high.

Many people rushed to find plane tickets for the afternoon of December 24th.

PHOTO: VO HIEU

For example, on Saturday (December 27th), the Ho Chi Minh City - Phu Quoc route only has afternoon and evening flights available, with relatively high ticket prices. Mr. Nguyen The (Phuoc Kien, Ho Chi Minh City), who is currently searching for Phu Quoc tickets, said that on online ticketing platforms, morning flights from Ho Chi Minh City to Phu Quoc are rare. One of the few options is a flight around 7 AM with Sun PhuQuoc Airways, costing approximately 2 million VND per way. For more convenient times, around 9-10 AM, economy class tickets are almost sold out, leaving only business class tickets with Vietnam Airlines , priced between 3 and 5 million VND per way.

"My family of four plans to go to Phu Quoc from December 27th and return on January 3rd, 2026. If we choose a morning flight to avoid losing our vacation days, the total cost of round-trip airfare for the whole family would be around 16 million VND. If we accept an afternoon or evening flight, the cost might decrease, but the total ticket price would still typically be 12-14 million VND, in exchange for almost no time to enjoy the first day. Adding the cost of accommodation, food, and activities for a few days on the island, the total cost for this vacation would be tens of millions of VND, which is quite expensive, so I'm still hesitant because the Lunar New Year is approaching and there are many expenses to worry about," Mr. The shared.

Compared to Phu Quoc, the Ho Chi Minh City - Nha Trang route is somewhat "easier" because most flights depart late, between 8 PM and 10 PM. With these flights, passengers arrive at Cam Ranh Airport (Khanh Hoa) late at night, and the travel time to the city center takes up the entire first day. "The ticket price isn't too high, but arriving almost at midnight means the first day is practically wasted. With a vacation of only a few days, I still feel quite regretful about the wasted time," shared Ms. Tran Thi Lan, an office worker in Xuan Hoa Ward (Ho Chi Minh City).

On the Ho Chi Minh City - Hanoi route, the clear advantage is the high frequency of flights, spread from early morning to late night, offered by various airlines, resulting in relatively affordable ticket prices. If you want to fly on Saturday morning (December 27th) to keep your holiday, a one-way ticket costs around 2 million VND, even with budget airlines. Flights costing less than 1.5 million VND per way are mostly in the afternoon or evening, meaning you have to sacrifice some of your holiday time.

Not only popular tourist routes, but also less attractive routes such as Ho Chi Minh City - Hue or Ho Chi Minh City - Buon Ma Thuot (Dak Lak)... areas recently affected by floods and expected to be less severe are experiencing fewer flights and higher prices, especially in the morning. For the Ho Chi Minh City - Hue route on December 27th, there was almost only one morning flight operated by Vietnam Airlines, with tickets costing nearly 3 million VND one-way. The remaining flights were mostly in the evening, with prices ranging from 1.5 to 2.3 million VND per way. Similarly, the Ho Chi Minh City - Buon Ma Thuot route only had about 4 flights per day, with ticket prices after taxes and fees ranging from 1.5 to 1.8 million VND per way, not as affordable as expected.

Trains and buses also need to be booked in advance.

With airfares for peak flight times soaring, sleeper buses and trains have become popular options. Compared to air travel, these options offer significant cost savings, especially for families or those taking short holiday trips. However, surveys indicate that demand pressure is also likely to emerge in this segment.

Passengers check in at Tan Son Nhat Airport.

PHOTO: LE NAM

On the Ho Chi Minh City - Da Lat (Lam Dong) route, the busiest bus route at the end of the year, standard sleeper bus tickets from major companies like Phuong Trang, Kumho, and Thanh Buoi... commonly cost 300,000 - 450,000 VND/one way, depending on the time and bed location. Limousine or high-quality buses are slightly more expensive, ranging from 450,000 - 600,000 VND/one way. Much cheaper than airfare, night buses are a popular choice as they save rest time, and seats usually fill up quickly.

Mr. Dang Nhu Khanh Duy (27 years old, residing in Tan My Ward, Ho Chi Minh City) said that on the afternoon of December 23rd, when he contacted bus companies to book a night sleeper bus ticket from Ho Chi Minh City to Da Lat, he had almost no options left. "All the bus companies reported that all the good seats were taken, only the last berths were available. If you want to travel by night bus to make it in time for Christmas and New Year, you have to book a few days in advance, whereas during normal times, if you travel at night, you can still book plenty of good berths the next morning," Mr. Duy said.

For longer routes such as Ho Chi Minh City - Nha Trang or Ho Chi Minh City - Quy Nhon (Gia Lai), sleeper bus tickets typically cost 250,000 - 500,000 VND/one way, while limousine buses can cost up to 650,000 - 700,000 VND/one way. The Ho Chi Minh City - Phan Thiet/Mui Ne (Lam Dong) route has the most affordable price, 150,000 - 300,000 VND/one way, thanks to the shorter distance and frequent trips, making it suitable for short vacations.

Compared to airplanes, buses and trains help reduce the financial burden, but in return, they require longer travel times and early booking, especially for night trips or those in convenient locations. For many people, this is a way to "save their day off" instead of spending an entire day just traveling.

In reality, even though the New Year's holiday is still a few days away, train and bus tickets are already in high demand. Even buses and trains, considered more affordable options, are running low on popular tourist routes, making it difficult to secure good seats on long journeys if you don't book quickly.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/ve-may-bay-tet-duong-lich-cang-185251224220801451.htm