*** Updated November 2019 ***
I’m all about luxury for less and one of the ways I save money to splurge on the finer things in life is to use all my tricks to book bargain flights. I’ve taken four flights on Vietjet Air, all of which were under three hours. Given the short distance, we were not overly concerned about comfort and cost was the driving factor. We considered multiple budget Vietnam airlines and chose Vietjet Air every time. Our Vietjet domestic flights were mostly trouble free and you won’t believe how cheap they were! Read on for all the details …
Budget Vietnam Airlines
I only had six days in Vietnam on on both of my trips so making the most of the time on the ground necessitated flying. If you have a little longer check out this two week Vietnam itinerary. There are 5 airlines registered to operate in Vietnam; Hai Au Aviation, VASCO, Vietjet Air, Jetstar Pacific and Vietnam Airlines. Hai Au Aviation only offers sea plane trips between Hanoi and Ha Long Bay and VASCO did not operate the routes that we needed. We knocked out Vietnam Airlines on price alone so that left the two budget Vietnam airlines; Vietjet Air and Jetstar Pacific both of whom operated on all three routes we needed. We have flown Jetstar many time before in Australia and I would expect that Jetstar Pacific would be very similar, but I had never heard of Vietjet domestic. The temptation was to go with the familiar, however Vietjet Air were half the price so I decided to take a chance.
Vietjet Air Overview
Vietjet Air began operating in December 2011 and currently flies to more than 30 regional destinations in Veitnam, Thailand, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia, China, Japan, Hong Kong and Myanmar. Their fleet of A320’s and A321’s are on average only 4 years old and since it’s launch, Veitjet Air has won 32 domestic and 9 international awards making it one of the leading budget Veitnam airlines in the region. Vietjet domestic have the core values of safety, happiness, affordability and punctuality as a focus and the airline has a young, fun vibe.
Our Vietjet Domestic Experience
I’ve flown on Vietjet Air 4 times now; Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) to Hanoi, Hanoi to Danang, Danang to HCMC and Danang to Hanoi. On four times our modern aircraft was equipped with black leather seats in a 3 x 3 configuration. The no frills approach was apparent from the very first check in when I noticed our boarding passes looked like supermarket receipts. This genius move probably saves thousands annually so I am all for it, they just end up in the bin anyway. I’m not going to lie to you, the cabins were tight. I’m only 165cms and my knees brushed the seat in front. All our flights were full and we had to share our row of three with a stranger on every leg. On the way to Vietnam we used Optiontown to gain extra space for next to nix and it got me thinking that we should have just booked three seats each time to give ourselves a little more room as they were so cheap. Vietjet Air operate a reasonably priced full service food and drink menu on all routes and you can pre-order when you book to save time. If you want to order inflight, take cash in local currency (VND) as it is the only method of payment accepted. If you check luggage with Vietjet Air you must retain your boarding pass with the luggage tag attached. I have a habit of sticking my boarding pass in the seat back as soon as I board to free my hands to stow luggage. Our first Vietjet Air flight was no exception and I didn’t think anything of it. I saw it peeking out at the very last minute when disembarking, absentmindedly retrieved it and shoved it in my bag. I was so thankful that I did as airport security were insistent I couldn’t leave the airport with my bag if I couldn’t produce it. Lesson learned. Every single one of our VietJet domestic flights was late taking off. Strangely, Vietjet Air never apologised for the delays. Not that it would have made any difference, it was just strange that it was not acknowledged.
VJ148 Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi (SGN – HAN) May 2017
I paid USD$34.20 for our 2½ flight including seat selection and baggage. If you don’t care for the extras, you would only be up for USD$25.49. That’s less than the baggage fee on most flights I have taken lately! Our Vietnam Airlines flight from from Sydney to Saigon arrived an hour late so as soon as we got our luggage we high tailed it from the International terminal to the Vietjet domestic terminal. It was only a five minute walk and we arrived as the last call announcement was being made. Check in was a breeze with only one person in front of us in the queue. Security requested we remove all electronics, including tablets and phones, not just laptops as is the norm in most airports. The waiting room was packed to the rafters and scoring two seats together was a minor miracle. After all our rushing, we were left cooling our heels in the austere area and we soon realised there was no hope of taking off on time. As we waited, the heavens opened. There was no aerobridge in sight and seemingly no way to avoid a drenching. When the bus dropped us off on the tarmac there was a mad scramble to board as the rain continued to pour. It was chaos with no sign of a queue anywhere as passengers desperate to stay dry charged the stairs while the crew fruitlessly tried to maintain calm and check documents. I’ve never seen anything quite like it! I was exhausted after travelling all day and just wanted to catch a few zzz’s when I finally settled in my seat. This was a lot more difficult that it needed to be as my seat was faulty and refused to recline. Deplaning at Hanoi was fuss free, but the baggage was a little slow to come out. We fell in a heap in the backseat of our transfer car and I swear I was asleep the moment my head hit the pillow at the Hanoi Glance Hotel where we stayed. Doing the journey in reverse and have time to burn? Try cycling from Hanoi Ho Chi Minh City. The 10 day 700klm journey passes through some spectacular locations but is not for the feint hearted!
VJ511 Hanoi to Danang (HAN – DAD) May 2017
I was all in for $39.17 for our second Veitjet domestic flight. We chose the last flight of the day as we had a lengthy car trip after our Orchid Cruise on Halong Bay. Our driver made excellent time and we arrived 3 hours early for our flight. There are two VietJet counters at Hanoi airport and of course we chose the wrong one. Once we arrived at the correct counter, check in was speedy with 5 counters open. With time to kill, we grabbed a bite to eat in the terminal. Clearly our server could not wrap her head around why I was ordering bread with my chips (to make a sandwich) as the minuscule slices of baguette I got just really didn’t work. I was intrigued by the VATC Sleep Pod counter that I saw in Hanoi Airport. Try as I might, I couldn’t actually find the sleep pod itself. We departed from gate 2 and were blessed with an aerobridge. Yay! Once again we were almost an hour late in boarding which thrilled me no end after being at the airport so early. They said it was a maintenance issue but I think it was more to do with the crew arriving late. When we finally got on board there was some sort of mix up with the seating. Our boarding passes were checked three times after we were seated with no explanation. The delay meant we arrived in Danang in darkness and instead of the stunning sea views I was expecting I was treated to a moody cloudscape and twinkly lights. Danang airport is compact and we had no issues finding the driver we booked to transport us from Da Nang to Hoi An and he dropped us off right out the front to the Sincerity Hotel in Hoi An where we stayed for the next two days. Check out this post for more inspiration on where to stay in Hoi An.
VJ635 Danang to Ho Chi Minh City (DAD – SGN) May 2017
At USD$29.39, this was the cheapest of our three Vietjet Air flights. The cost of the flight was actually listed at USD$8.84, which if you look at the breakdown below is technically correct but considering the fees and taxes are not exactly optional I really would prefer to see an ‘all in’ price in my search. It’s as cheap as chips anyway, so I hardly think anyone would balk at the cost. If you love a good plane window shot as much as I do, choose the right hand side for the best views as the flight path hugs the rugged coast. We made it to the airport just as check in for the earlier flight was closing. I did ask if they could squeeze us on but our request was denied. I get it. We had the cheapest, most non-exchangeable, non-flexible, non-refundable flight ever created and they certainly had no obligation to help us out. The old adage that you get what you pay for has never rung truer. A late gate change caused chaos for the passengers, particularity as information was not forthcoming and the indicator boards remained incorrect. True to form, we were late to take off again. This time by a mere 30 minutes. I chose row 6 for all our flights as it was the first row of the cheap seats. What can I say, every penny counts! Someone nearby had overdone the Dencorub and the smell of menthol hung heavy in the pressurised air. The ‘gentleman’ next to The Hubs in 6C was a real charmer. He snorted, sniffed, and noisily cleared his throat at 3 second intervals for the duration of the one hour flight. The Hubs was not amused and threw the odd well timed side eye his way to no avail. The passenger in front on me insisted on reclining his seat which significantly impacted on my already very tight space. Crossing my legs involved a tangle with the tray table that saw it come out the victor. I kept both feet firmly planted on the floor after that. We circled for a while over Saigon enjoying the birds eye view of the sprawling city. When we finally landed, we were held up for quite a while before we could disembark. I have no idea why as no announcements were made and instead the PA boomed the VietJet Air theme song ‘Hello Vietnam’ on loop, which got old real fast.
VJ536 Danang to Hanoi (DAD – SGN) October 2019
This trip I left The Hubs at home and travelled with a group of 10 other ladies. I booked 10 of the tickets in December 2019, 10 months before we travelled and one in May 2019 when we had a late addition to our group. The Vietjet website only allows you to book a maximum of 9 tickets per booking so I had to make three separate bookings to secure all our flights. Our tickets cost three different amounts despite two of the bookings being made on the same day. The cost of our tickets were USD$0.82 (5), USD$12.86 (5) and USD$8.56 (1). The first two bookings I included five people on each booking, in hindsight I should have included seven and three. After a bit of playing around I figured out that Vietjet Air only offer seven promo tickets on each flight. I managed to get five tickets at the promo price of USD$0.82, but I could have got seven if I was a little more savvy. When I made the second booking minutes late I was only offered the eco tickets at a cost of USD$12.86 each. Some of our group elected to purchase 20kgs of luggage (USD$6.88) and others chose 30kgs (USD$13.76). All other aspects of the ticket cost remained constant over all three bookings including the meal which was a measly USD$2.38. The most expensive ticket was USD$50.69 and the cheapest was USD$41.23 all in. More expensive than two years ago, but still excellent value. Some of the ladies in our group shopped up big at BeBe Tailor in Hoi An and were a little nervous as we checked out of the TTC Premium Hotel where we stayed and our private drivers that I booked through Klook transported us to Danang Airport. I was the first the weigh in and I was 8 kilos over my 20 kilo limit. In hindsight I should have paid the extra USD$6.88 for the extra 10kgs when I booked, because it cost me ~USD$13 at the airport. It wasn’t so much the cost that irked me it was a) the process and b) that every single one of my other travel mates who were overweight didn’t get charged. Being first did not pay off in this instance. As soon as she told me I was overweight, I got my wallet out. I shouldn’t have been so quick. The Vietjet agent explained that she could not accept payment at the counter for the excess baggage fee and I would need to go to the service desk to pay. She issued me my receipt and boarding pass, but held my passport hostage until I came back with proof of payment. By the time I got back to retrieve my passport she had decided that instead of weighing everyone individually, she would weigh the groups luggage as a whole and see what the net result was. Turns out that while some were over, many were under and thus no one else had to pay the excess baggage fee which was great for them, but I was more than a little annoyed. The flight itself was fairly fuss free and much like my previous Vietjet Air flights with one exception, on this flight we ordered food as we where flying over lunch time. I chose the spaghetti. I wasn’t expecting much. I mean it was USD$2.38 after all. It was not entirely horrible, but certainly not something I would seek out if I had other options. When we landed in Hanoi we had met the private drivers that I booked on Klook and were on our way to the Hong Ngoc Dynastie Hotel in no time.
The Final Word
Despite flights being late, the cramped conditions and some less than ideal moments, I would have no hesitation booking another Vietjet domestic flight. Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t want to be couped up in the cabin long haul, but I’m down every day of the week for two hours or less. Money talks after all! Make sure you check out my other airline reviews before you book your next flight.
Will you choose Vietjet Air when you next visit Vietnam? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.
Until Next Time …
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Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored. I paid for all my fares on Vietjet Air in full and as always, all opinions are my own. This post contains some affiliate links which will earn me a few cents to contribute to the running of this site if you make a qualifying purchase at no extra cost to you.
Marvi says
Well, I’m all for cheap flights and is pretty used to delayed flights too (most of the airlines I’ve flown with are always late. LOL), so this is pretty OK. Not to mention that I’m short and having enough leg room hasn’t been a problem. 😉 Love reading your detailed review. First-hand experiences are always the best! Glad you still enjoyed your trip!
Megan Jerrard says
Thanks for this review, I really had no idea of the budget airlines available within Vietnam. Vietjet sounds like it’s one of the best for the ridiculously low price. Cramped and late I can deal with, especially as you said, if it’s not long haul. The flight savings are the most I’ve ever heard of!!
Sounds like they cover quite a number of destinations, not just within Vietnam though so I’m glad to have now heard of them. So very good to know that you can’t leave the airport without your baggage tag though – I leave those on the plane all the time!!
The rain situation from your first flight sucks, but I guess what are you going to do without an aerobridge right. Many planes these days operate without them unfortunately.
Allison Smith says
This was the first I had heard of Vietjet as well. The Hubs was nervous and wanted to stick with Jetstar but I’m so glad we took a chance. The price beats all!
Dave Briggs says
I’m all for the cheap flights, but the leg room did look a bit tight on that first one! It seems the departure times and arrives are more of a guideline than a solid rule. It’s all part of the adventure though!
Rhonda Albom says
Weird, the tickets do look like receipts. It seems like that makes them very easy to lose, though you do have a point that they’re just going to waste anyway. As for my family and I, we’re all very short so the lack of legroom wouldn’t be a problem. However, I don’t know if I would be comfortable on an unfamiliar plane.
Allison Smith says
Easy to lose yes! It was very lucky I retrieved the pass from the seat back. I’m not sure what they would have done if I couldn’t produce it but she was adamant I wasn’t getting my suitcase outta there without it ?
Taiss TogetherToWherever says
That’s too bad about the delays, but the prices on those flights seem super! I think you are right about it being ok to have such tight quarters on a short flight and not a long one. I’m lucky that I’m pretty small and short, but my husband certainly couldn’t handle it. Maybe it is a good idea to buy a couple of seats at those prices! I didn’t know that you needed your boarding pass to be able to leave the airport with your luggage! Good thing you grabbed your quick!
Allison Smith says
Never had to show a tag to get my luggage out of any airport until now and so have taken hundreds of flights! Would have at least been nice if they had told us! Yeah The Hubs was a bit squished but we made it through and for what we paid I can’t complain.
Ling Ge says
Thanks for the list of budget airliners! They really take “budget” to the next level compared to other budget airlines. Will definitely take advantage of these prices when I visit Vietnam. I am curious how these airliners make any money! Even most budget airliners will charge the same amount for 1 piece of luggage compared to these costs
Allison Smith says
I was thinking the same thing. Let must have very low overheads I guess. Luggage prices are getting more ridiculous by the day but Vietjet was very reasonable with the ‘extras’ ?
Lena from fouronaworldtrip says
Thanks for putting that together, I saved it for later! 🙂 We’ll be traveling to Vietnam next year and we will be booking one or 2 flights during our time there. Your guide/review definitely helps! 🙂
Allison Smith says
Hope you have a great time in Vietnam Lena! We loved our very short stay and I would love to be able to return ?
Shibani says
In India as well, domestic (budget) airlines have a lot leg space than the international ones with the exception of few bigges. I am guilty of still preferring the later for more comfort spending extra few bucks. But $8 flight is damn cheap man, I would choose that in order to travel more..Ha 🙂 Love your detailed review.
Allison Smith says
I think it’s all a matter of weighing up the options. I’m booking my domestic Philippines flights at the moment and for one flight I didn’t book the cheapest as the flight times were just a bit too inconvenient. You certainly have to weigh up all the options but Vietjet worked out perfectly for us!
Eve Kay says
Wow that price is unbeatable! For anything that’s less than 3 hours, taking it is like a no-brainer lol. But agree with you that long haul flights are no good if it is quite cramped in there. Will definitely look into this airline if we fly to Vietnam!
Allison Smith says
Sure is Eve! Yes long haul I do like a few more creature comforts but price is king!
Kellyn says
This is what you call budget airline. The conditions are definitely not ideal for a long haul flight, but I’d do it save a buck for sure.
Allison Smith says
Yep! I think of what I can use those saved dollars for and it’s a no brainer.
Carol Perehudoff says
I like luxury, too, but agree. Who needs it on short flights like these? We bought one flight on Vietjet and had no problems. We booked our other two flights very last minute and paid way too much. My advice: buy early to get fab prices like these.
Allison Smith says
Good to know Carol. I booked mine a few months in advance but I stalked the website regularly and waited for a great deal. Very happy with what we got for what we paid. ?
Kate says
Looks like a great short trip option, but I agree -not so good on the long hauls. The seats look surprisingly comfy for the lack of leg room. I’m not very tall so it might be just fine for me 🙂
Allison Smith says
You would no doubt be fine on a short trip Kate. The Hubs is 6ft and he managed to squeeze in!
Skye Class says
Vietnam is still on my itinerary for SE Asia, despite the 7 months I’ve spent near there. I’ll be thinking of this blog post when I fly around, especially since I’m 183 and leg room is a big factor for my comfort. Thanks a lot for this information!
Allison Smith says
I think all budget airline seats would be tight for you Skye! The Hubs is 185(ish) so I just tell him to suck it up lol. Long haul is a different story …
Mei and Kerstin says
We never flew with VietJet, and now knowing that they’re always late, I’m not so sure I’d like to book a flight with them. Of course, it’s not expensive at all, but if you have an important appointment or don’t have much time to spend at your destination, punctuality does matter. So, thank you for this review!!
Allison Smith says
I find just about every flight I have taken in the last two years has been late so not sure I can call Vietjet out for this. One was only 30mins. I guess don’t cut it too fine and you should be OK.
Divyakshi Gupta says
Thats a great review. So in depth and answering all queries! Budget airlines definitely help as you can save and splurge that money on the destination! Loved your disclaimer 😀 Hehe
Allison Smith says
So true Divyakshi. I know where so would prefer to spend my money!
Tom says
We will actually travel to Vietnam in some weeks and this article was very helpful! I was actually a bit surprised about how cheap it really is. Of course I can’t expect any luxury or leg freedom for this price 😀 We might actually end up using them. Thank you for this article!
Allison Smith says
You will have to let me know how you go Tom!
Bhusha says
I’m planning to explore far eastern countries in 2019, hopefully. I agree, I’m also someone who does a lot of economical trips so I can save up for finer things occassionally! With so many option to fly in & out of Vietnam, this Vietjet sounds super awesome! Oh my! Thanks for the information about late take off. I should give enough breathing space for each flight I guess.
Allison Smith says
Yes if you allow a buffer you should be fine Bhusha!
Leah says
I’m with you! No need to spend a fortune when you’re flying only a short distance. That money can be used in so many better ways. I’ve not heard of this Asian airline, but there are so many throughout the continent that it’s tough to keep them all straight. Vietjet is now on my radar.
Allison Smith says
It sure is Leah. I researching Philippines domestic flights at the moment and there are a whole bunch of new ones again!
Sabrina says
I flew Vietjet while in Vietnam earlier this year and I totally agree with you. For that price you can really beat it and the food on board wasn’t bad either. Such a detailed post, love the pics too. thank you so much!
Allison Smith says
Glad to hear the food was good. The timing was off for us and between mealtimes so not needed.
Marcie says
That in-flight food menu looks amazing! Good to know about the leg room. It might be worth it to book an extra seat at that price!
Allison Smith says
I will definitely be looking into the extra seat next time Marcie!
Alouise says
I’ve never heard of Vietjet so thanks for sharing your experience. I’m pretty tall (177cm) so it sounds like I’d be really cramped in the seats, but it’s just for an hour or two (and for those cheap prices) I’d be in. I’d probably splurge on a seat with a little extra legroom if possible too.
Allison Smith says
The exit rows would probably have a little extra but I didn’t splurge so can’t say for sure.
Kathy says
Such a detailed post. I love the sincerity the post exudes. I’ve never heard of Vietjet airlines but I don’t think it a bad idea considering it’s that cheap. But at times, some cheap things are extremely satisfying, maybe, maybe not airlines.
Allison Smith says
It’s always a compromise Kathy between $$$ and comfort but we were happy with Vietjet!
Meg Cale says
whoa! You really can’t beat that price. The plane itself looks gorgeous. I’m glad to hear the service was great too.
Allison Smith says
Price was sensational Meg. I mean $8 seriously! If only it were this affordable everywhere on the planet!
James says
At those prices you can’t beat Vietjet. They are flying where you want to go and a lot cheaper than anyone else so definitely worth it. I haven’t heard of them but will check them out when I’m in Thailand.
Allison Smith says
Have a great time in Thailand James!
Lisa says
I’m a whole cm shorter than you, and I can see you were cramped in your seat! Still, for these amazing prices, you can’t expect too much, but it’s a shame the flights were always delayed and with no acknowledgement. Sometimes it’s the shorter flights that I find the most uncomfortable; snoring passengers and plenty of fidgeting. I just try to focus on landing!
Allison Smith says
Yep! On and off as quick as possible is my motto! I always sit as close to the front as I can lol
Arnav Mathur says
I was recently in Vietnam but took the Jetstar flight from Hanoi to HCM, and can relate to a lot of things you mentioned like cramped spaces, and full flights. Would definitely check out VietJet the next time in the area. But at the end of the day, it all boils down to the moolah. The less it is, the better I feel inside.
Allison Smith says
I did look at Jetstar but for double the price they didn’t seem to offer anything extra. I was happy with Vietjet overall for what we paid.
Gina says
I’ve flown on VietJet before and I had a good experience with them. They were on time and the flight was pleasant. Unfortunately, because Vietnamese are smaller and have smaller legs than us Westerners, it was very cramped. It made me miss American airplanes!
Allison Smith says
Lol. I think the locals looked pretty cramped as well but not as much as The Hubs was. All my flights were late which was disappointing but what can you do, that happens with non-budget airlines as well.
dennisallacross says
I’ve always been curious what a VietJet flight would be like. A colleague has a calendar of this airline on his desk and they promote themselves with nice stewardesses. There are videos on YouTube as well, but I can’t imagine they are still doing such things as that came close to objectification of their staff in the past. Have you encountered anything like this?
It’s a pity you haven’t tried Jetstar Pacific at least once, I would have been interested in the direct comparison of the two airlines.
Allison Smith says
No I definitely didn’t see any crew in bikini’ Dennis. I think The Hubs was a little disappointed to be honest lol. We did try Jetstar Pacific many years ago before I was blogging between Singapore and Penang and I can’t recall any major concerns.
Marion Halliday says
I can put up with anything on a short-haul flight – with the exception of engine failure, of course! I’d rather spend my money on something a lot more exciting than flights anyway so unless there’s a known safety/security issue, I’d be on the cheapest one every time!
Allison Smith says
I agree Marion. While we had some small issues there are no deal breakers here and I would book Vietjet Air again without hesitation. Who wouldn’t at those prices lol
Nuraini says
Hm….. taking a budget airline does come with its extra risks and lower reliability. I guess it would depend on what kind of trip it is. Great account of the experience though! Very informative. I’ve not heard of this airline before.
Allison Smith says
Despite the hiccups I would chose them again. The biggest issue we had was the passenger in 6C he was seriously just gross and I can’t blame Vietjet Air for that lol
neha says
There are similar flights back home in India at similar rates. And they connect nearby cities. It is really good to have such flight options, for travelers who are pressed by time it comes as a real boon. I have myself used them countless times. There are few cost savings done in the flight to bring down cost, but you really won’t mind when the duration is really small
Allison Smith says
I love a budget airline for short haul. I would think twice about anything over three hours on Vietjet Air though just due to the lack of room.
Punita Malhotra says
Budget airlines make travel more affordable and that should be the only quality to look for while choosing them. This one too, fits the bill. A little more leg room would be welcome, though 🙂
Allison Smith says
Yes to more leg room Punita! I really should have bought that extra seat so we had a whole row to ourselves! Next time!
Pericles Rosa says
I’ve never heard of this airline before Allisson.
The prices were very cheap, OMG. Exactly what you said: this price is cheaper than the luggage in many companies.
Definitely it was a very smart decision, specially because there were no delays, which sometimes is common on those low costs.
Cheers and safe travels.
Allison Smith says
So cheap! I’m currently trying to source budget domestic flights in the Philippines and I wish they were as budget friendly as Vietjet Air!
The Wise Travellers says
I will fly from Ho Chi Minh to Da Nang in December with Vietjet. This post comes at the right moment, I was in doubt about book with vietjet. They have their faults but we can live with that, the price is great.
Allison Smith says
Exactly! While none of the flights were perfect, there were no deal breakers here. Just don’t forget to keep your baggage tag!!!