Air travel is a popular choice to get to Vietnam. For many, traveling to Vietnam will have a specific budget and mostly consider ways to get cheap flight tickets at a reasonable fare. Our travel guide has information and tips that you might find helpful to choose the best way and the best time to book cheap flights to Vietnam.
Airlines with Flights to Vietnam
Due to the huge demand for many overseas Vietnamese and foreign visitors, there are now many flights to Vietnam from various parts of the world. Regarding Vietnamese air travel service providers, Vietnam Airlines is now on the top list for its highly dependable service and a large number of international flights operated daily. Not only are there many flights from Asian countries such as China, Japan, and Korea to Vietnam but the airline also operates many direct flights from Europe linking from major cities like London and Paris. Besides, America and Australia are also in Vietnam Airlines’ route network with flights to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Many flights at lower fare require transits or layovers, but they are quite good for getting around and taking a break on a long trip.
For budget airlines, Vietjet Air has recently opened its network operating flights within Asia. The flight fare of this airline is lower than that of Vietnam Airlines, which is an advantage for Vietjet as it meets the budget demand of many people. Besides, Jetstar Pacific is another trusted airline brand in Vietnam with many cheap flights to Vietnam.
The downside of these budgeted airlines is that they often get delayed or you might have your flight changed and announced a few hours prior to scheduled departure due to late aircraft arrival. If you have time to spare and don’t have the high possibility of this downside, using these budgeted airlines could make a difference in airfares.
And if you’ll need to travel on a long flight, check out these ideas on how to spend time during a flight.
International Airports in Vietnam
There are 11 international airports in Vietnam, and the biggest ones are Noi Bai International Airport in the capital of Ha Noi, Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang International Airport as the main airport in Central Vietnam. Phu Quoc Airport on Phu Quoc Island is also another busy airport in Vietnam, but it operates fewer international flights than the above 3 mentioned.
Tan Son Nhat International Airport (SGN) as one of the busiest airports in Vietnam
Best Time to Travel to Vietnam
Knowing when to travel to Vietnam not only allows you to have the best experience and well prepared, like what to pack but also gives you information on when to book the flight ticket.
Vietnam has 3 different climatic zones and it is hard to choose a perfect time of the year for the whole country. However, the time between November and April is the most popular time to travel. The North and the Central experience from cool weather in autumn (July to September) and cold days in winter (October to December) to refreshing spring between January and March. This is also the ideal time to travel to the South as it is during the dry season. Many people choose to come to Vietnam this time because of the Tet holiday or the snowy winter in Sapa.
Snow in Sapa at the end of the year always attracts a large number of tourists
Ho Chi Minh City in the dry season
Tips to Get Cheap Flights to Vietnam
- As mentioned before, there are many airlines operating flights to Vietnam and to get the best deal you should have a look at them all before choosing one airline to go. Cost-wise, you should choose a budget airline instead of a full-service airline and consider pay only for services needed, such as insurance, seat selections, meals, and baggage allowance.
- The international tourism season in Vietnam is from November to April while the domestic tourism season includes Tet holiday (January – February), summer starting from early June to late August and other Vietnamese holidays like Vietnam Reunification Day and Vietnam Independence Day. The flight ticket at the peak of the season is much higher so you should book the tickets in the offseason. With that information, March and April, or September and October are ideal months to book cheap flights to Vietnam.
- You should book the tickets 3 months in advance. That may be the best tip to get the lowest fares for everyone planning to travel somewhere. Midweek booking and avoid booking flights during office hours and weekends (early morning and late evening) are also helpful tips for booking cheap flights to Vietnam.
- Book the airline tickets yourself instead of via an agency can also save you some money like the payment for the service fee.
- You can subscribe to your favorite or budget airlines as they will send discount and promotion information to your email on a regular basis.
- 2 one-way tickets are usually cheaper than a return ticket, so consider buying them, even from 2 different airlines, to save money. When our team members travel domestically, we usually save on average approximately USD 20 – 30 for the roundtrip by booking with different airlines scouting different flight times on the same day.
- Last but not least, there are some places in the world that offer destination deals, which has many cheap flights to encourage other tourism services like shopping and hotels.
More on What to Prepare for a Long-haul Flight to Vietnam
Summary of Best Time to Book Cheap Flights to Vietnam
Booking cheap flights to Vietnam means researching the airlines, booking time, and travel time. Avoid going during the peak season or booking flights early can help you to get affordable flights to Vietnam. Everything in Vietnam, wonderful from the scenic views to the amazing food can treat you well when you come to the S-shaped country.
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