Vietnamese airlines expand fleets ahead of 2027 Tet travel rush

According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam, 258 aircraft were registered under Vietnamese nationality as of Tuesday, the highest number ever.

Vietjet leads with 107 planes, followed by Vietnam Airlines with 94. Together, they account for nearly 78 percent of the national fleet.

Sun PhuQuoc Airways and Vietravel Airlines have also added aircraft.

Sun PhuQuoc Airways, the country’s newest carrier, on Tuesday took delivery of its first Airbus A330 as part of a plan to add eight aircraft of the type by April next year.

The aircraft, with 247 seats and a range of more than 13,400 kilometers, is expected to serve long-haul routes from Phu Quoc, an island off An Giang Province in southern Vietnam, to Russia, Kazakhstan, Japan, Australia, and some European destinations.

Vietravel Airlines added an Airbus A321 on Monday, bringing its fleet to five. The airline plans to launch Ho Chi Minh City-Hai Phong and Ho Chi Minh City-Thanh Hoa routes in early October, and begin regular service between Hanoi and China’s Shenzhen.

More planes will allow carriers to increase flights, open new routes, and reduce disruptions caused by maintenance.

If seat capacity grows faster than demand, average fares could ease, particularly on off-peak days or competitive routes.

However, the figure of 258 aircraft does not mean that all are used for domestic passenger transportation.

The total also includes aircraft for general aviation, specialized operations and training.

Wide-body jets like the A330 will mainly serve international routes, meaning their direct impact on domestic Tet ticket supply will remain limited.

Tet 2027 airfares are therefore unlikely to fall sharply on routes with strong, one-way demand, particularly flights from Ho Chi Minh City to central and northern Vietnam before Tet and flights in the opposite direction after the holiday.

Fares on peak travel dates are also likely to rise quickly once lower-priced fare classes sell out.

Tet 2027 fares have increased on several routes from Ho Chi Minh City.

A one-way ticket from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi on February 4, 2027, or the 28th day of the final lunar month, starts at VND3.3 million (US$127) with Vietjet, up VND500,000 ($20) from last month.

Vietravel Airlines and Sun PhuQuoc Airways charge VND3.5-3.6 million ($135-139), while Vietnam Airlines tickets start at VND3.7 million ($142).

On February 1, or the 25th day of the final lunar month, one-way fares from Ho Chi Minh City to Vinh ranged from VND3.5 million ($135) to VND3.7 million ($142), while fares to Thanh Hoa reached around VND4.3 million ($165).

Tickets to Chu Lai start at VND2.3 million ($88) with Vietjet and range from VND3.1 million ($119) to VND3.7 million ($142) with Vietnam Airlines.

Popular tourist routes such as Ho Chi Minh City-Da Lat and Ho Chi Minh City-Nha Trang are priced at VND1.7-1.9 million ($65-73) one way, while Hanoi-Da Nang fares stand at around VND2-2.4 million ($77-92).

Airfares have risen as Jet A1 fuel prices climbed to $184-188 per barrel amid tensions in the Middle East, up from around $170 just days earlier.

Airlines said expanding their fleets would help prevent seat shortages, provide passengers with more flight-time options, and curb fare increases compared with a scenario in which no additional aircraft were added.

Carriers recommended passengers with fixed schedules buy tickets early, compare total costs including taxes and fees, and consider traveling outside peak days to save money.