For anyone planning to tour Vietnam over the summer break, whether you can secure domestic flight seats is a major factor that shapes how you build your itinerary. Many travelers have faced the “sold out, can’t get on” or “booked at the last minute and the fare shot up” experience each time they move from Da Nang to Nha Trang or from Phu Quoc to Da Lat. There’s been some movement on that front. The Vietnam Airlines Group has announced a large-scale increase in flights, centered on domestic routes linking tourist destinations, from June 26 to August 16, 2026. More flights mean seats become easier to grab and the choice of departure times widens. We read this change — too significant for travelers from Japan to overlook as they think about “how to move on the next trip” — through local reporting and flight data.
News in brief: A concentrated boost to tourist routes
According to Vietnamese business outlets Người Lao Động and Dân Việt, the Vietnam Airlines Group (Vietnam Airlines, Pacific Airlines, and VASCO) is adding domestic flights ahead of the busy summer season. The expansion runs from June 26 to August 16. The added capacity is focused on routes linking Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City with tourist destinations such as Da Nang, Nha Trang, Phu Quoc, Da Lat, Hue, and Quy Nhon. Flights are also being added on high-demand business routes including Vinh, Buon Ma Thuot, and Can Tho.
Over this period the group plans to operate around 28,300 domestic flights, supplying roughly 5.5 million seats. That works out to about a 5% increase in flights and a 3% increase in seats compared with the same period last year. From July 1 to August 15, when tourism demand peaks, operations at Ho Chi Minh City's Tan Son Nhat International Airport are expected to reach around 730 flights and about 125,000 passengers per day.
Background and full picture: Meeting record travel demand with more capacity
Behind the expansion is a sharp rise in visitors to Vietnam. Reports put air passenger numbers nationwide at 54.6 million from January to May 2026, up about 10% year on year. International arrivals from January to May also hit a record high. Domestically, air travel is the backbone of long-distance trips: flying is far faster than rail or bus when heading from Hanoi in the north to the resorts of the center and south. With demand swelling toward summer, it is only natural for carriers to add capacity.
What stands out is that the added flights are a concentrated investment in tourist destinations. The Vietnam Airlines Group is also adding early-morning and late-night services, widening the range of departure times travelers can choose. Beyond simply increasing seats, this spreads out demand that had clustered on crowded daytime flights, effectively lowering the bar for booking. New aircraft are being introduced as well: reports say two Airbus jets will be added for the summer, adding around 23,000 seats a month.
Data and comparison: This summer's capacity increase in numbers
Here are the key figures for understanding this expansion. All are within the range confirmed by local reporting.
| Item | Summer 2026 (Jun 26 - Aug 16) | Year on year |
|---|---|---|
| Domestic flights (group total) | About 28,300 flights | About +5% |
| Domestic seats (group total) | About 5.5 million seats | About +3% |
| Peak-period flights (Tan Son Nhat Airport) | About 730 flights/day | — |
| Peak-period passengers (Tan Son Nhat Airport) | About 125,000 people/day | — |
It is easy to misread the figures of 730 flights and 125,000 passengers a day. These are not for all of Vietnam but only for Ho Chi Minh City's Tan Son Nhat International Airport, and they apply during the peak period of July 1 to August 15. Tan Son Nhat is the largest hub in the south and a connecting point for southern resorts such as Phu Quoc and Da Lat. Meanwhile, the gap between +5% in flights and +3% in seats suggests that some of the added flights use smaller aircraft. Because seat growth lags flight growth, booking early remains the safe move on popular routes.
Local and industry reaction: Voices on fares and seat availability
Local media reports and travelers alike have shown a few different takes on air travel this summer.
- Travelers welcome the change, noting that more flights raise the chance of getting a seat even at the last minute. The added early-morning and late-night services in particular have gone over well with those who want to avoid the daytime crush.
- Industry insiders, on the other hand, point out that cost factors such as fuel, aircraft leasing, maintenance, and exchange-rate swings still push fares upward. Their measured view is that more capacity does not necessarily mean a big drop in fares.
- Some also worry about whether regional airports can cope. The concern is whether smaller tourist-destination airports can smoothly handle record passenger numbers and the crowding of the peak season.
On the whole, the added capacity is seen positively, but few people simply equate more flights with cheaper tickets. The understanding shared locally is that seat availability and low fares are two different things.
What it means for Japanese travelers: How to plan a multi-city trip changes
For travelers touring Vietnam from Japan, this expansion is a genuinely useful change. It is especially helpful for anyone planning to string together two or three cities such as Da Nang, Nha Trang, and Phu Quoc in July or August, who will now be able to build itineraries far more flexibly than before.
First, you gain more freedom to move around. More early-morning and late-night flights make it easier to sightsee in the morning and fly to the next city in the evening, making the most of each day. Plans to hop from the center to the south almost as a day trip become realistic too.
Next is the timing of bookings. Because the added flights are concentrated on tourist destinations, routes toward Da Nang, Nha Trang, and Phu Quoc become relatively easy to book, while routes with few flights and weekend services fill up early. If you are connecting an international arrival from Japan with a domestic Vietnamese flight, it is safest to secure the domestic leg at the same time as the international flight, or close to it, rather than leaving it for later. From Japan, the Kansai-Da Nang route goes to five flights a week from July 1 (Wednesday added to the existing Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday), and the Narita-Da Nang route adds four flights a week from July 2, running up to two round trips a day on some days. That makes it especially easy this summer to use Da Nang as a base for a domestic tour.
And one thing that is easy to overlook is the infrastructure situation at regional airports. For example,Da Lat (Lien Khuong) Airport is expected to reopen in August after renovation work, and once that is in place, summer domestic travel to the Central Highlands resort will be even smoother. If you are adding Da Lat to your itinerary, check the reopening date and the post-resumption schedule before locking in your tickets to avoid any slip-ups.
Industry and market ripple effects: Tougher competition and a wider route network
The Vietnam Airlines Group's expansion is not a move by the carrier alone. Several airlines in Vietnam are adding capacity to capture summer demand, intensifying competition over tourist routes. Where competition works, promotional fares become more likely on certain routes and time slots, widening travelers' options.
The route network itself is also growing. Carriers are strengthening access to resort islands; for example,the international route linking Phu Quoc and Singaporeis one of a growing number of connections that head straight to a resort without going through a hub. By combining domestic touring with international flights, you can now plan not only a “Japan to major Vietnamese city to resort island” route but also an itinerary that exits a resort directly to a third country. For reaching outlying islands,access to Con Dao Islandand similar options bring previously hard-to-reach destinations within view. The added capacity is steadily widening the range of places a Vietnam trip can cover.
Practical information: Tips for comfortable domestic travel this summer
Here are the practical points for making the most of the added flights.
- Popular resort routes (Da Nang, Nha Trang, Phu Quoc) become easier to book thanks to the added flights, but lock in weekend services and peak days (early July to mid-August) early.
- Use early-morning and late-night flights wisely to keep sightseeing time even on travel days. Avoiding the crowded daytime flights also makes seats easier to get.
- For connections with international flights, book the domestic leg at the same time rather than leaving it for later. Allow at least two hours for connections to account for customs and baggage claim.
- Fares will not necessarily drop much even with more capacity. Aiming for discount windows, such as the start-of-month promotions (the 1st to the 5th), helps keep costs down.
- Regional airports (such as Da Lat) may change schedules depending on reopening and renovation timing, so confirm service status before securing tickets.
Summary: Lock in your itinerary while seats are easy to get
The Vietnam Airlines Group's flight expansion from June 26 to August 16, 2026 thickens domestic service connecting tourist destinations, a tailwind for Japanese travelers touring the Da Nang, Nha Trang, and Phu Quoc areas. With more flights and the addition of early-morning and late-night services, you can use travel days efficiently. There are three concrete actions for your next trip. First, decide on a touring route that links two or three resorts you want to visit. Second, book your international flight from Japan and your Vietnamese domestic flights as close in time as possible, and avoid peak days where you can. Third, if you are including a regional airport such as Da Lat, confirm reopening and service status before finalizing your tickets. Now, while capacity is up and seats are easy to get, is the time to lock in your plans.
