To meet the surging travel demand during the Lunar New Year (Tet) 2025, airlines have introduced wet-leased aircraft and added hundreds of thousands of seats.

Vietnam Airlines has announced that it has leased three additional Airbus A320 planes from January 13 to February 12.

The wet-lease arrangement, which includes crew, saw two of these planes arrive at Tan Son Nhat Airport on January 10, with the third expected to land on January 13.

These additional planes, each with a seating capacity of 180 passengers, will operate on key domestic routes connecting Ho Chi Minh City with Hanoi, Hai Phong, Vinh, Thanh Hoa, Da Nang, and Chu Lai.

This increase will contribute approximately 75,000 seats, equivalent to over 400 flights during the Tet holiday period.

Expanding capacity for the holiday season

As part of its broader Tet preparation strategy, Vietnam Airlines aims to provide over 2.15 million seats across 11,000 domestic flights, ensuring adequate capacity for passengers traveling home or going on holiday.

In December 2024, the airline also received three new aircraft, including two Airbus A320neo and one Boeing 787-10 wide-body plane.

With the wet-leased A320 aircraft, Vietnam Airlines has readied a fleet of more than 100 planes to accommodate passenger demand for Tet 2025.

Similarly, Vietjet Air has bolstered its fleet with four additional wet-leased aircraft, introduced in early 2025 to manage the peak holiday rush.

The new planes began operations on domestic and international routes immediately after arriving in Vietnam on January 8.

Priority has been given to high-demand routes between northern and southern Vietnam and popular destinations for Tet festivities.

By the end of 2024, Vietjet had added 10 modern aircraft to its fleet, raising its total to 115 planes servicing over 170 domestic and international routes.

High booking rates and travel advice

According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam, domestic flights for Tet have already reached booking rates of 90% to 100%.

The addition of new planes is expected to enhance airline capacity and offer travelers more convenient options during the holiday season.

To ensure a smooth travel experience, airlines advise passengers to monitor flight schedules, check in online, arrive at airports on time, and comply with baggage size and weight regulations.

Airlines have also increased staff at major airports to support the holiday influx and maintain service quality.

N. Huyen