Buzz
Discussing this issue, Mr. Nguyen Van Dat - Head of the Ticket Department at Mytour Travel Company, stated: 'In my experience, flight tickets have never shown signs of cooling down during Tet. Immediately after the government's announcement, the number of Tet flight bookings at our company increased dramatically. The peak period for flights will be from February 1, 2016 to February 8, 2016 (from the 23rd of the Twelfth Month to the 1st day of Tet), with flights from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi, Hai Phong, Thanh Hoa, Vinh...; and the post-Tet peak period will be from February 13, 2016 to February 21, 2016 (from the 6th to the 21st day of the First Month in the Lunar calendar), with the opposite direction.' Sharing the same viewpoint, Mr. Nguyen Duc Hoang, currently working in Vung Tau, shared: 'Last year, due to work commitments, I couldn't book tickets early to return home with my family. It wasn't until close to Tet that I managed to book a ticket from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi, and at that time, only Business Class seats were available, so I had to book at a much higher price.'
During peak periods like now, customers need to note the following things to book tickets at a good price and have a smooth flight during Tet 2016.
Airports are always overloaded during Tet.
Booking early means cheaper fares.
For frequent flyers, it's common knowledge that booking flights well in advance results in lower prices. The same goes for Tet holiday flights. Secure your tickets as soon as you know your holiday schedule or as soon as you can arrange your time. By booking early, you'll have more options from airlines, dates, and even seat selections on the plane. While some 'hot' routes during Tet may not offer discounted tickets, like Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City to Thanh Hoa, there are still some routes with cheap tickets starting from 600,000 VND if customers book early, such as Hanoi to Da Nang or Da Nang to Ho Chi Minh City.
Stay updated on airlines' Tet ticket release dates.
Remember to update yourself on the official Tet ticket release dates from airlines. This is when airlines officially update ticket prices for all routes during Tet, as well as add additional seats. Domestic airline ticket prices typically fluctuate at three different times: 1/ Right when tickets are released, prices are average; 2/ About 3 weeks before Tet, prices are pushed higher; 3/ During Tet, from around the 4th day onwards, ticket prices drop. Therefore, consumers should consider their timing and schedule to book tickets at the best prices.
According to our records, this year Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet Air released Tet flight tickets from September 2015. The average ticket prices for Vietjet Air on some popular routes are as follows: Ho Chi Minh City - Hanoi: 2,200,000 VND, Ho Chi Minh City - Vinh: 2,620,000 VND.
Notably, this year Vietnam Airlines has increased its capacity by up to 600,000 seats on domestic flights during this peak period to alleviate pressure on flights and help keep ticket prices from being excessively high. During this period, Vietnam Airlines' prices for the Ho Chi Minh City - Hanoi route are around 2,500,000 VND.
Among domestic airlines, Jetstar is the latest to release Tet tickets, not until early November 2015 did the airline officially start selling tickets for Tet 2016. Overall, the ticket prices for Tet 2016 from Jetstar have not seen much fluctuation and are not significantly different from the other two airlines.
Opt to book tickets through agents to save time, payment fees, and minimize risks.
Instead of booking directly on airline websites, passengers can book through online flight ticket agents. Customers can consider Mytour.vn, which has a clear price comparison system for various airlines. With just a click, information about the itinerary and airline prices will appear, rather than having to visit each airline's website individually. Additionally, booking flights is flexible in terms of payment methods. You can choose to pay with international payment cards, domestic ATM cards, bank transfers, have the ticket delivered and pay at home, or pay directly at agents, making the booking process faster.
Booking flights through agents is gaining more consumer support.
Furthermore, due to errors in names, dates, and times when booking tickets, customers are prone to ticket cancellations, disrupting their Tet plans. Therefore, booking through agents helps minimize mistakes in booking and provides quick support for any changes via a simple phone call.
Common mistakes during Tet flights:
- Missing your flight: During Tet, congestion and overcrowding are common from the streets to airport check-in counters. Therefore, passengers should arrive at the airport approximately 3 hours before departure time.
- Forgetting or losing your flight ticket: To prevent the possibility of forgetting or losing your flight ticket, passengers should take a photo of the booking code or save it on their phone. At the check-in counter, simply provide the booking code and ID, and passengers can board the plane as usual without needing a physical ticket.
- Incorrect baggage: Many people travel home during Tet or go on long vacations, often bringing along regional specialties and belongings. Remember to adhere to the size and weight limits for carry-on luggage set by domestic airlines, which typically allow up to 7kg. Wet or frozen food items should be securely packaged and checked in as baggage.
Thanh Tu
