The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV), after considering reports from air carriers, has reported empty flights during Tet.

The demand for flights from the south, especially HCM City, to Hanoi and northern and central provinces such as Hai Phong, Thanh Hoa, Vinh, Quang Binh, Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh and Phu Yen, and the Central Highlands is high on 2025 pre-Tet days, while demand for flights in the reverse direction is high post-Tet.

Therefore, the occupancy rate on the flights from HCM City departing from January 25, or four days before Tet is over 50 percent. Some flights are fully occupied (90-100 percent), such as HCM City - Hue (99.3 percent), HCM City - Pleiku, Tuy Hoa, Quy Nhon and Quang Binh (100 percent), and HCM City – Chu Lai (99.76 percent).

A survey on November 26 found that airfare for Tet flights (including taxes and fees) on January 21, 2025 (8 days before Tet)), on the busiest route from HCM City to Hanoi averaged VND2.9-3 million one way with Vietjet Air and Vietravel Airlines, and VND3.7 million VND one way with Vietnam Airlines and Bamboo Airways.

After Tet (February 2, 2025), ticket prices for flights from other localities to HCMC are also high, mostly ranging VND3.6-3.7 million one way. The prices are VND2.37-2.4 million per ticket for flights from HCM City to Hue and Quy Nhon one way.

Thus, one-way airfares on these routes during Tet are as expensive as return tickets on normal days.

By contrast, airfares for flights from different localities to HCM City before Tet are very low, which means that airlines have empty leg flights in the reverse direction (HCMC to other localities). 

The flights on Hue - HCM City, for example, are only 12.2 percent booked, and from Pleiku – HCM City 12.8 percent, Tuy Hoa – HCM City 7.7 percent, and Quy Nhon – HCM City 5.66 percent.

As demand on these routes is cheap, airfares are very low.

Passengers looking to travel on these empty leg flights during Tet will have the opportunity to purchase tickets at very reasonable prices. 

For instance, to fly from Hue to HCM City, passengers just have to pay VND900,000-1 million one way (Vietjet Air) or VND1.1-1.7 million one way (Vietnam Airlines). To fly from Quy Nhon to HCM City, VND 600,000-700,000 one way.

To satisfy demand during Tet holiday, domestic airlines have planned to increase transport capacity. Vietjet Air plans to use six more aircraft and Vietnam Airlines five.

Ngoc Ha