Vietnam Domestic Flights & Airlines

A quick glance

The air travel market in Vietnam has only 5 key players. The biggest and most influential one is Vietnam Airlines, a state – owned airway corporation, which makes up approximately 50% of domestic market share. Following it are the two private airlines named Vietjet Air and Bamboo Airways, which focus more on low-cost air market. Some other small and subsidiaries of Vietnam Airlines such as Vasco and Jetstar Pacific operate on a less frequent basis.

Domestic flights in Vietnam are rising in both number of routes and frequency. The most frequent flights are between main cities, especially those with larger airports such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang. There are also many direct flights, though at fewer frequency to tourism destinations such as Dien Bien, Nha Trang, Hai Phong and Dalat.

Vasco operates mainly the routes to Southern islands such as Con Dao and Phu Quoc.

Vietjet is now rivaling Vietnam Airlines in terms of flight routes and passenger count.

Vietnam's most popular domestic routes:

•  Ho Chi Minh City- Hanoi: over 30 daily flights back and forth, operated by Vietnam Airlines, Jetstar Pacific, Bamboo Airways and Vietjet Air. One way ticket is around $50.
• Ho Chi Minh City- Da Nang/ Hanoi - Danang: daily flights by Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet Air and to a lesser extent, Jetstar Pacific. One way ticket is around $70.
• Hanoi- Phu Quoc: flights operated by Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet Air. One way ticket is about $85.
• Ho Chi Minh City - Nha Trang: flights operated by Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet Air. One way ticket is about $45.
• Ho Chi Minh City- Phu Quoc: flights operated by Vietnam Airlines and Air Mekong. One way ticket is about $50.

Vietnam's domestic airlines

Here we round up the advantages and disadvantages of some greatest players in the Vietnam aviation industry.

Vietnam Airlines

Photo by Rebius

Established in 1956, Vietnam Airlines is the largest airline in Vietnam. It is internationally-recognized providing high standards of service and care to customers. Currently, VNA has around 49 domestic routes to 19 provinces and cities throughout the nation. The airline flies to 42 destinations worldwide in Asia, Australia, and America also.

Vietnam Airlines Aircrafts: Boeing 787, Airbus A350, Airbus A330, Airbus A321

Domestic flights: Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Danang, Phu Quoc Island, Nha Trang, Buon Me Thuot, Can Tho, Chu Lai, Con Dao Island, Dalat, Dien Bien, Dong Hoi, Hue, Pleiku, Quy Nhon, Tuy Hoa, Vinh.

International flights: Bangkok, Tokyo, New York, Singapore, and Australia, to name a few. In fact, Vietnam Airlines provides a variety of international flights to major international airports in North-East Asia, South East Asia, Indochina, Europe, Australia, North America, the Middle East, and Africa.

Pros: Vietnam Airlines’s network is expanding constantly to multiple business and leisure travel destinations across the world. With almost no flight cancellations, guests can enjoy levels of service excellence and professionalism.

Cons: relatively high fares

Vietjet Air

Photo by Markus Mainka

The first private airline in Vietnam, Vietjet Air ranks second with one of the most cutting-edge aircraft fleets. This multi-award-winning airline provides cheap flights to domestic airports and numerous points in Asia. Founded in 2007, Vietjet Air occupies a remarkable number of 48 planes and 200 planes expected in 2025.

Vietjet Air Aircrafts: Airbus A320, Airbus A321

Domestic flights: Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Buon Ma Thuot, Can Tho, Chu Lai, Da Lat, Danang, Dong Hoi, Hai Phong, Hue, Nha Trang, Phu Quoc, Pleiku, Quy Nhon, Thanh Hoa, Tuy Hoa, Van Don, Vinh.

International flights: Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Busan, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Ma Cau, Mumbai, Seoul, Siem Reap, Singapore, and so on.

Pros: Vietjet Air is the most popular budget carrier in Vietnam with favorable fares and promotions. It offers both scheduled and non-scheduled passenger and cargo services.

Cons: flight delay and cancelation are quite frequent

Bamboo Airways

Photo by Jeffry Surianto

Bamboo Airways is the youngest member but perhaps the most dynamic one. Despite being a newcomer, in a relatively short time of 2-year operation,

Bamboo Airways has grown to 17 aircraft. While prominently exploiting domestic flights, Bamboo Airways extends to international destinations in Asia and Europe.

Bamboo Airways Aircrafts: Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, Airbus A321Neo

Domestic flights: Buon Ma Thuot, Can Tho, Chu Lai, Dalat, Danang, Dong Hoi, Hai Phong, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh, Hue, Nha Trang, Phu Quoc, Pleiku, Thanh Hoa, Tuy Hoa, Van Don, Vinh.

International flights: Kaohsiung, Prague, Seoul, and Taipei

Pros: most planes of Bamboo Airways are brand-new and modern. The flight schedule is punctual. Additionally, prices are affordable and there are plenty of promotions.

Cons: the number of flight routes is still limited.

Jetstar Pacific Airlines

Photo by Huy Thoai

Founded in 1991, Jetstar Pacific Vietnam is a subsidiary of Vietnam Airlines Group. Pioneering providing cheap flight tickets, Jetstar Pacific became the first low-cost airline in Vietnam. It has over 18 aircraft in operation and links more than 75 important international airports in Asia, Australia, and North America.

Jetstar Pacific Aircrafts:Boeing B737-400, Airbus A320, Boeing 787 Dreamliner, Airbus A321, Bombardier

Domestic flights: Buon Ma Thuot, Chu Lai, Dalat, Danang, Dong Hoi, Hai Phong, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hue, Nha Trang, Phu Quoc, Pleiku, Quy Nhon, Thanh Hoa, Tuy Hoa, Vinh

International flights: Phnom Penh, Changsha, Tokyo, Seoul, Bangkok, Brisbane, Penang, Yangon, Honolulu, and more.

Pros: Jetstar Pacific Airlines is one of the biggest operators with a global network. It caters to the middle class with cheap fares and enjoyable service quality.

Cons: flights are sometimes delayed or canceled with advanced notice.

Besides the 4 aforementioned air-carriers, Vietnam has several private brands such as Hai Au Aviation seaplane and VASCO Air. The formal offers direct flights from Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi to Halong Bay with option of sightseeing tours while the latter uses small civil aircraft to fly to Con Dao, Phu Quoc Islands, and other regions in the South of Vietnam.

How to reserve and book your air ticket

To book tickets for your flights, you can either book online on the airlines' websites or contact a travel agency as you arrive in Vietnam. Either online or by phone, you will be able to check the time and ticket price. Price for domestic flights do not have a wide range between the agencies; however, it matters how long in advance you get your tickets.

Most air tickets now take the electronic form, which will be sent to your email. Make sure that all the details on the ticket such as your name and flight date are correct to avoid any unwanted problems.