Domestic flights in Vietnam are a solution. With a coastline as long as the American east coast, it can be a challenge for travelers to travel from north to south: the distance between the capital Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City is 1,150 kilometers, a journey of 38 hours by train and can take even longer by bus.
But the rapid development of the economy has created an ideal environment for the growth of the aviation industry in a way that you would not expect from a developing country.
With the arrival of a number of budget airlines, domestic air travel became an affordable option. The 38-hour train journey between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City now takes two hours by plane, the fare is essentially the same and it is much safer than the bus.
Book airline tickets for domestic flights in Vietnam
Domestic flights in Vietnam are not expensive, but not as cheap as the bus. Sometimes you have competitive offers, especially if you pre-book an airline ticket. Always check the booking conditions, in many cases the date is fixed and you will not get a refund if you want to cancel.
You can book the cheapest domestic flights via traveloka. This website is also 9 out of 10 times cheaper for other destinations within Asia than other websites, including the prices you find via websites such as Skyscanner and Momondo.
To give a broad estimate, charge for a single ticket in Vietnam between $ 35 and $ 80. The prices depend very much on the season. Expect to pay more in the high season. Are you traveling during Tet New Year? Make sure you have booked your flights well in advance.
Keep in mind that you always have the credit card with which the tickets were booked. Due to the action against credit card fraud, strict checks are carried out. In addition, always offer sufficient time (at least 2 hours, but longer recommended) between two flights, especially if one of the two is an international flight.
Airports in Vietnam
Domestic airports in the north of Vietnam:
- Hanoi Airport (HAN)
Location: 40 minutes from the center of Hanoi, 3.5 hours to Halong Bay, 4.5 hours to Sapa - Hai Phong Airport (HPH)
Location: 2.5 hours to / from Hanoi and 1.5 hours to Halong Bay
Domestic airports in the center of Vietnam:
- Da Nang Airport (DAD)
Location: 10 minutes to the center of Da Nang, 30 minutes to Hoi An and 2.5 hours to Hue - Hue Airport (HUI)
Location: 20 minutes to the center of Hue, 2.5 hours to Da Nang and 3 hours to Hoi An - Nha Trang Airport (CXR)
Location: 35 minutes to the center of Nha Trang and 2.5 hours to Dalat - Dalat Airport (DLI)
Location: 45 minutes to the center, 3.5 hours to Nha Trang - Vinh Airport (VII)
Location: 15 minutes to the center of Vinh
Domestic airports in the south of Vietnam:
- Ho Chi Minh City Airport (SGN)
Location: 30 minutes to the center of Ho Chi Minh city - Con Dao Airport (VCS)
Location: 10 minutes to the center of Con Dao - Phu Quoc Airport (PQC)
Location: 20 minutes to Duong Dong
Flight times
Some examples of flight times of domestic flights in Vietnam:
| From | To | Flight times |
| Ho Chi Minh City | Hanoi | +/- 2 hour |
| Ho Chi Minh City | Phu Quoc | +/- 1 hour |
| Ho Chi Minh City | Dalat | +/- 50 min |
| Ho Chi Minh City | Da Nang | +/- 1 hour |
| Hanoi | Da Nang | +/- 1 hour |
| Hanoi | Hue | +/- 1 hour |
| Hanoi | Dalat | +/- 2 hour |
| Hanoi | Phu Quoc | +/- 2 hour |
Airlines in Vietnam
The four largest airlines in Vietnam are:
Vietnam Airlines is still the main operator on most routes, both within Vietnam and from Vietnam to other international destinations. The company has flights to most cities in Vietnam and offers reasonably good services for its size.
Jetstar Pacific and VietJetAir are budget airlines and therefore often a lot cheaper. You can fly safely with these airlines. Just keep in mind that these airlines have not a good reputation for departing on time. Bamboo Airways is the newest airline company in Vietnam, started their first commercial flights in late 2018, but already building up a good reputation.
