Source: vnexpress.net

The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) has increased the hourly takeoff and landing capacity at Tan Son Nhat and Noi Bai airports to 46–48 flights per hour, while also requiring several regional airports to operate 24 hours a day during the Lunar New Year peak period.

During the peak travel season of Lunar New Year (Binh Ngo) 2026, the CAAV raised the slot capacity at Tan Son Nhat International Airport and Noi Bai International Airport from 42 to 46–48 movements per hour. The adjustment enables airlines to add more flights, expand night operations, and increase seat availability to meet the surge in travel demand.

Airports experiencing high passenger demand such as Tho Xuan, Dong Hoi, Chu Lai, Phu Cat, Pleiku, and Tuy Hoa have also been instructed to increase operational frequency and implement 24/7 operations during the holiday period.

Airlines have been permitted to add aircraft to their fleets for the peak season. Domestic carriers have currently added 19 aircraft, four more than the same period last year, bringing the total number of aircraft expected to operate during Tet to approximately 216–218.

According to the CAAV, booking patterns for domestic routes during Lunar New Year 2026 continue to show the typical “directional imbalance” seen during major holidays.

Pre-Tet Booking Trends

Before Tet, several routes departing from Ho Chi Minh City to Hue, Thanh Hoa, Vinh, Pleiku, Tuy Hoa, Quy Nhon, Chu Lai, and Dong Hoi recorded load factors exceeding 90%, with some flights reaching 100% occupancy. In contrast, return flights from these provinces to Ho Chi Minh City showed significantly lower booking rates, with many flights below 35%, resulting in empty return legs.

Routes from Hanoi to Central and Southern provinces before Tet showed booking rates between 30% and 60%. However, the Hanoi–Dong Hoi and Hanoi–Dien Bien routes recorded higher demand, with load factors between 88% and 100% during peak days from February 12 to February 15.

Post-Tet Booking Trends

After Tet, booking rates on flights from provinces back to Ho Chi Minh City increased sharply, commonly reaching 80–100%. Routes such as Pleiku, Tuy Hoa, Quy Nhon, Chu Lai, Vinh, Thanh Hoa, Hue, and Hai Phong were nearly fully booked.

On the Ho Chi Minh City–Hanoi route, booking rates were high on selected days close to and after Tet. From February 11 to February 14 (24–27 lunar December), the load factor from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi reached approximately 83–90%. After Tet, from February 21 to February 23 (5–7 lunar January), bookings from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City ranged between 80% and 94%.

Passenger Forecast

During the peak period from February 12 to February 21 (25 lunar December to the 5th day of the Lunar New Year), total passenger volume across the market is forecast to reach 2.85 million, representing an 11% increase compared to the same period last year.

1. International passengers: 1.6 million (+14%)
2. Domestic passengers: 1.25 million (+10.7%)

Passenger throughput at Tan Son Nhat Airport is projected to reach approximately 1.48 million passengers, up 7.3% compared to Lunar New Year 2025. Noi Bai Airport is expected to handle nearly 1.08 million passengers, marking a 21% increase year-on-year.