Airlines offered major fee discounts to launch flights to Vietnam’s Da Lat

The airport is scheduled to resume operations after more than five months of closure for infrastructure repairs and upgrades.

To stimulate airline expansion, ACV has introduced incentives focused on newly launched routes rather than across-the-board discounts.

The program places particular emphasis on international services, which are expected to play an important role in expanding Da Lat's tourism market.

Under the scheme, eligible new international routes will receive a 50-percent discount on takeoff and landing charges for up to 24 months.

Ground handling fees will also be reduced.

Regular flights will benefit from a 50-percent discount during the first year of operation and a 30-percent reduction in the second year.

Seasonal charter flights will receive a 30-percent discount during their first year.

An airline executive who attended a meeting between ACV, Lam Dong Province authorities and carriers on Tuesday told Tuoi Tre (Youth) online newspaper that the incentives are designed to give airlines sufficient time to develop new routes before they become commercially viable.

Launching a new air service typically represents one of the riskiest phases for an airline.

Carriers must maintain flight schedules, invest in marketing, build passenger demand and establish brand awareness while load factors often remain below profitable levels, the executive stressed.

Airport charges, including takeoff, landing and ground handling fees, are fixed operating costs that airlines must pay regardless of passenger numbers.

Cutting those costs by half for two years could significantly reduce financial pressure during the market development stage.

For regularly operated international routes, the savings from airport and ground service fees could amount to hundreds of millions of Vietnamese dong each month.

Those savings provide airlines with greater flexibility to maintain flight frequencies, adjust fares and invest in promotional campaigns.

International services to Da Lat require additional time to establish stable passenger demand, build partnerships with travel companies and develop tourism products tailored to overseas visitors.

According to the airline representative, the incentive package effectively serves as a financial buffer until new routes achieve sustainable commercial performance.

ACV has adopted a similar strategy for Long Thanh International Airport in Dong Nai City, southern Vietnam, which is expected to begin operations in December.

Under the planned ‘Long Thanh Launch’ program, airlines could receive aviation service fee discounts ranging from 20 percent to 50 percent during the 2026-27 period to encourage route development at the new airport.

Rebuilding Da Lat's air network

ACV said financial support is necessary to help airlines quickly restore capacity at Lien Khuong International Airport, particularly on international routes that require longer lead times to develop demand.

ACV deputy general director Tran Anh Vu said the construction process of the airport once faced challenges related to securing construction materials and fuel supplies.

However, support from Lam Dong Province and local authorities helped resolve those issues and keep the project on schedule.

With the airport's reopening approaching, airlines have begun finalizing plans to resume operations.

Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet and Vietravel Airlines have all prepared to restore flights to Da Lat.

Several carriers have already started selling tickets for travel from August 19, with one-way fares generally ranging between VND800,000 and VND1.1 million (US$30.5-$42) depending on travel dates and fare classes.

Vietnam Airlines plans to operate two daily round-trip flights between Hanoi and Da Lat, four daily round-trip services between Ho Chi Minh City and Da Lat, and one daily round-trip flight connecting Da Nang and Da Lat.

The national flag carrier also intends to reinstate its Can Tho-Da Lat route after a six-year suspension, providing a new air link between the Mekong Delta and the Central Highlands.

Meanwhile, Vietjet is preparing to resume multiple routes to Da Lat from August 19, reconnecting the popular tourist site with major domestic markets including Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

Alongside domestic airlines, international carriers are expected to gradually restore flights to Lien Khuong International Airport, particularly from South Korea and Malaysia, two of Da Lat's most important inbound tourism markets in recent years.

The renovation project at Lien Khuong began after operations were suspended on March 4.

The works focused on upgrading the runways, taxiways, aircraft parking aprons and supporting infrastructure to improve the airport's operational capacity and service quality.