The Vietnam Airlines Group (Vietnam Airlines, Pacific Airlines, and VASCO) has announced it will operate more than 3,600 flights for the September 2 National Day holiday, adding 60,000 seats beyond normal capacity. With this boost timed for the year's last major long weekend, total network seat capacity will reach 725,000. Flight numbers are up 25% year on year.
For residents traveling within Vietnam around September 2, and for anyone planning a trip over this period, this also means seats will be easier to find. Homecoming travel and domestic tourism typically overlap during this holiday, thinning out ticket availability in a normal year, but more supply means more options.
Inside the numbers: 3,600 flights, 60,000 seats, a 25% increase
The core of the announcement is added seat capacity. Here are the figures.
| Number of flights | Over 3,600 flights (up 25% year on year) |
| Added seats | About 60,000 |
| Total network seats | 725,000 |
| Discount on domestic group fares | Up to 25% off |
| International round-trip fares | From 4.95 million dong (about 29,000 yen) |
Exchange rate estimated at 1 USD ≈ 150 yen, 1 yen ≈ 170 dong. Fares and seat figures are from Vietnam Airlines Group's announcement. The specific date range covered by the holiday isn't spelled out in this announcement.
Why does the increase concentrate around September 2?
September 2 is Vietnam's National Day, marking the declaration of independence, and it's a national holiday. With summer vacation over and the next long weekend not until year-end, it becomes a rare chance for a longer trip, drawing concentrated demand. People working in the cities head back to their hometowns, while others travel from rural areas to cities or coastal resorts — both flows happen at once. That's exactly why airlines load up on seats ahead of time. The 25% figure refers to the growth in supply compared with the same holiday the previous year.
For airlines, a holiday period comes down to where to concentrate aircraft and crew. Being able to add 25% more flights is possible because demand on high-utilization resort routes is predictable. More flights are welcome, but as passenger numbers rise, so does the load on airports and security screening. It's worth planning around the holiday with the assumption that more supply brings both "easier to book" and "more crowded" at the same time.
Which routes get the extra seats
Vietnam Airlines says it is prioritizing the added capacity on routes linking Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City with major tourist destinations. Named routes include Da Nang, Cam Ranh (Nha Trang), Hue, Da Lat, and Phu Quoc — a lineup that reflects the holiday's character of people heading to the sea and resorts. In other words, the benefit of the added seats skews toward these major resort routes. If your plans involve a minor regional route, expect a smaller boost in seats and act early.
New and resumed routes are moving too. Ho Chi Minh City–Colombo launches on August 16, and Can Tho–Da Lat resumes on August 19 with VASCO's ATR72. It's also a period when smaller domestic routes are gradually coming back. For Vietnam Airlines' moves on routes to Japan, seethe article covering 11 weekly Da Nang flights and December's doubling of Hanoi–Osaka service— worth checking alongside this if you're weighing trips to and from Japan.
How residents and travelers can make use of this
When supply increases like this, shifting away from the demand peak pays off. Fares and crowding both spike on the first and last day of the holiday. Conversely, the middle days of the holiday, or the morning and late-night slots the day before it starts, tend to stay cheaper. Domestic flights tend to run cheaper late at night, andthe article explaining how red-eye flights end up 30–50% cheaperapplies here too, and this view can be applied during the holiday period as well. The more the added seats widen your options, the bigger this "shifting" effect becomes.
- For resort routes like Da Nang and Phu Quoc, flying out the day before the holiday starts and back after it ends eases both seat availability and price
- Domestic group fares are discounted up to 25%. Booking together with family or friends brings the per-person cost down
- International round trips start from 4.95 million dong (about 29,000 yen). For trips to and from Japan spanning the holiday, locking in early — before seats fill up — pays off
- Using an added-capacity route for just one leg and switching the other to train or bus can help you avoid the worst of the crowds
Handling the crowds during the holiday
With more seats come more passengers, so airport congestion is likely to increase, not ease. The more you front-load your pre-boarding steps, the easier the day itself becomes.
- Use online check-in to skip the counter line. At Noi Bai, international flightsnow have an automated check-in cutoff set at 60 minutes before departureso check that cutoff time in advance
- Registering biometric data in the VNeID app can shorten wait times at security and boarding (for domestic flights)
- Airports and roads get jammed on the morning of the first day and the evening of the last day of the holiday. Head to the airport earlier than usual
- If you can manage with just carry-on luggage, you skip the wait for checked bags on arrival
What to do before the holiday
It comes down to two things. If you're heading to an added-capacity route like Da Nang or Phu Quoc, shift your dates away from the edges of the holiday and lock in your booking early. On the day, front-load your check-in steps and avoid the airport's busiest hours. With supply up by 60,000 seats over the holiday, a little adjustment in how you move can win you both a seat and a better price. Do nothing, and the benefit of the extra flights just gets swallowed by peak-time crowding.
