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After more than five months of temporary closure for overhaul and infrastructure upgrades, Vinh International Airport (Nghe An) is counting down the days to officially reopen on December 19, 2025.
This highly anticipated event not only marks the restoration of the vital transportation route in the North Central region but is also expected to create a strong impetus, reactivating tourism and trade in Nghe An province right before the peak of the Lunar New Year.
The comprehensive upgrade project for Vinh International Airport commenced on July 1, 2025, with a total construction time of approximately 180 days. This is a massive effort to modernize aviation infrastructure that has served for over two decades since its commissioning in late 2003. The main components of the project include: complete repair of the runways and taxiways, expansion of the aircraft parking area, and upgrading of the passenger terminal.
Vietnam Airlines has identified the early resumption of high-frequency flights to Vinh as a key priority to maintain network efficiency and meet the surge in travel demand during the year-end period.
In particular, in package number 6, the consortium of contractors expanding the parking area maintained a "3 shifts, 4 teams" pace, working continuously regardless of harsh weather conditions. In just 30 days, this unit completed 50,000 m of cement-soil piles. Despite the significant impact of heavy rain and storms in the Central region, the construction units persevered, determined to complete the entire project on time to meet the increased transportation and tourism demand during the end of 2025 and the Lunar New Year 2026.
The reopening on December 19, 2025, is expected to be highly significant. The Nghe An Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism has closely coordinated with Vinh International Airport and the Vietnam Airlines branch in Vinh to plan a solemn, safe, and effective ceremony to welcome the first flight back. This event will also be combined with a strong promotion of Nghe An as a tourist destination to a wide range of domestic and international visitors, opening up a "new chapter" for local tourism and trade.
Representatives from Vinh International Airport affirmed that all preparations are being urgently completed, from technical infrastructure and flight safety to ground services, ensuring 100% readiness for the resumption of operations. Prior to this, the working group conducted a site survey at the passenger terminal, apron area, and technical facilities to conduct a final check of progress.
Tickets for flights departing to Vinh from December 19th onwards are now available for sale again. Round-trip fares on the Hanoi - Vinh route with Vietnam Airlines range from over 2 million VND per economy class ticket.
During the nearly six months that the airport was temporarily closed (from July 1, 2025), airlines had to suspend all flights to Vinh and increase flight frequencies at nearby airports such as Noi Bai (Hanoi) and Tho Xuan (Thanh Hoa) to minimize disruption to the travel needs of people in the North Central region.
Immediately after Vinh International Airport announced its reopening date, major airlines quickly restored their flight networks.
Vietnam Airlines has identified the early resumption of high-frequency flights to Vinh as a key priority to maintain network continuity and meet the surge in travel demand during the year-end period. According to the plan, starting December 19th, the airline expects to operate a total of seven round-trip flights daily, connecting Vinh with Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, with the majority being flights between Vinh and Tan Son Nhat Airport. This also reaffirms Vietnam's role in connecting its economic and tourism regions amidst a strong recovery in domestic tourism.
Vietnam Airlines economy class tickets are priced at around 3 million VND/round trip; business class tickets start from approximately 6 million VND/ticket.
Not only Vietnam Airlines, but Vietjet also started selling tickets for flights to/from Vinh Airport from December 19th. The airline stated that the Vinh - Ho Chi Minh City route continues to be one of the most in-demand routes and frequently sells out quickly during the Lunar New Year period. The restoration of the Vinh flight network coincides with the peak travel and transportation season of the Lunar New Year, making ticket prices a top concern for passengers.
A survey of ticket prices on airline websites for the period from February 12th to 26th, 2026 (i.e., from the 24th of the 12th lunar month to the 10th of the 1st lunar month) shows that ticket prices for the Ho Chi Minh City - Vinh route during peak days have fluctuated significantly and show signs of reaching record highs.
Specifically, for Vietjet, many flight times are fully booked, with only a few round-trip economy class tickets remaining, priced between 3.6 million and 6 million VND per way (including taxes and fees). Vietnam Airlines recorded round-trip connecting flights via Hanoi at 5.5 million to 7.6 million VND per way for economy class, while business class tickets reached 13 million VND. Direct evening flights on the Ho Chi Minh City - Vinh route operated by Vietnam Airlines only had business class tickets available, priced at around 5.9 million VND per ticket.
Previously, immediately after ticket sales resumed, round-trip fares on the Hanoi - Vinh route offered by Vietnam Airlines ranged from over 2 million VND per economy class ticket and from 4 million VND per business class ticket. For the Ho Chi Minh City - Vinh route, economy class tickets were around 3 million VND per round-trip, and business class tickets were approximately 6 million VND. This price fluctuation reflects the enormous demand for travel from people in the North Central region returning home for Tet (Lunar New Year), posing a significant challenge for airlines in balancing flight frequency and market demand.
