Find cheap VietJet Air flights

VietJet Air is a cheap and cheerful low-cost airline based in Vietnam that’s become a major player in the region with modern Airbus planes and a large flight network spanning Central Asia, Southeast Asia, China, Japan, India and Australia.

It’s a solid option for visiting secondary cities within Vietnam and China, where it serves a variety of destinations, as well as for longer connecting trips like Australia to South Korea or Japan to India. VietJet also operates a Thailand-based subsidiary, Thai VietJet, with nearly a dozen destinations there.

The VietJet Air model

VietJet’s flights can be really cheap, whether you’re flying domestically, to neighboring countries or further afield to the likes of Australia, India and Japan. Don’t be put off by the sometimes clunky English on the website. It’s a major airline in the region with modern Airbus planes, and I have no hesitation flying with them.

The airline experience at the airport and onboard is similar to other low-cost carriers in the region. If you want a basic seat with just a personal item to take with you, you’ll get it at an incredibly low cost. Anything more, like baggage, meals or seat reservations, comes with an extra fee, though I still find these pretty reasonable, usually.

Classes of travel and fares

On almost all its aircraft, VietJet is all-economy, though business class seats are available on A330 aircraft. Like many low-cost airlines, you can choose from a variety of fare types that add benefits for a little more money.

Eco is the most basic fare and includes just 7 kilograms (15.4 pounds) of carry-on baggage – essentially, that’s really just a larger personal item.

Deluxe fares include a checked bag up to 40 kilograms (88.2 pounds) to Australia or Kazakhstan and 20 kilograms (44.1 pounds) elsewhere. It also includes food and drinks on Australia or Kazakhstan routes, limited seat selection and fare flexibility that eliminates change fees (you only pay the fare difference).

SkyBoss gets you even more luggage: up to 12 kilograms (26.5 pounds) carry-on for Australia or Kazakhstan routes and 10 kilograms (22 pounds) elsewhere, plus 50 kilograms (110.2 pounds) checked to Australia or Kazakhstan and 30 kilograms (66.1 pounds) on other routes, plus a set of golf clubs. With SkyBoss, you also get lounge access where available, priority services (check-in, baggage, security), a private shuttle to the plane if needed, free food and drink, and an amenity kit on flights over four hours.

A Business ticket, available on A330 aircraft, includes everything SkyBoss does but with even more generous baggage allowances. Your carry-on limit increases to 18 kilograms (39.7 pounds) and your checked bags to 60 kilograms (132.3 pounds) for Australia or Kazakhstan routes and 40 kilograms (88.2 pounds) elsewhere. Business and SkyBoss are now distinct fare products, though you might still see some overlap in terminology.

VietJet Air seats

The basic seats on most A320 and A321 aircraft in the fleet, including the newer A320neo and A321neo planes, are tight with limited legroom, as you’d expect from a low-cost carrier. If you’re over 5’8”, I’d recommend looking at the extra legroom seats for more space.

Also note that you won’t find common amenities like charging outlets, Wi-Fi or entertainment screens in economy. My advice? Bring a book or load something to watch onto your fully-charged phone or tablet before you board.

Worth noting if you’re traveling on a VietJet A330 plane: there’s an extra seat in every economy row compared to full-service airlines. That means the seats and aisles are narrower than you might be used to. If you’re broad in the shoulders (or anywhere else) you might want to consider an upgrade.

Business class seats

VietJet offers business class on its A330 airplanes, which primarily fly long-haul routes. This features flatbed seats for comfortable rest on long flights. Seats are arranged in a 2-2-2 layout, so if you like an aisle, I recommend picking one of the center pairs so no one has to climb over you.

There’s a power outlet for every passenger, but no personal inflight entertainment screens. Meals are included and are more in line with delicious Vietnamese street food than a Champagne and caviar feast. Overall, it’s an affordable and comfortable upgrade for a long flight.

Seat selection

VietJet offers several seat categories at different price points, and you can either let the airline pick random seats for you or pay a little extra for selection:

• Normal Seat: The cheapest option, found at the back of the plane

• Front Seat: Located toward the front for quicker boarding and deplaning

• Extra Legroom Seats: Offer additional legroom

• Hot Seats: Located in the quiet zone at rows 3-5 of the aircraft

• SkyBoss/Business seats: Reserved for passengers who purchased these fare classes for the most premium experience

As a tall passenger over 6 feet, I find the extra legroom seats are worth the small fee.

Here’s a pro tip if you’re flying as a pair: buy the whole three-seat row. Just enter “EXTRA SEAT” as the name for the empty middle seat when booking. This allows you to spread out, use the middle tray table for drinks and get extra under-seat storage.

Check-in

Online check-in opens 24 hours before departure for most flights. I always set an alarm to be one of the first passengers checking in, especially if I haven’t selected a seat yet, as this is when you can pick the best of what’s left.

You can also check in at the airport, but be prepared to wait in line. If you’re planning to check in at the airport, I’d choose a fare with fast-track priority line access. At many airports, you can also pay your way into VietJet’s third-party partner lounge, which typically offers snacks and drinks.

Connecting flights on VietJet Air

If you’re connecting internationally through Vietnam with VietJet, you’ll need to go through immigration and customs at the international terminal when you arrive, collect any checked bags and re-check them for your onward flight. VietJet states there’s “no through check-in of passenger and baggage” except on limited specified routings, and transit visas may be required. Vietnam’s rules are different than most of the world, though they are the same as in the US.

Since there are some exceptions, I recommend asking your first check-in agent if you’ll need to claim your bags in Vietnam. Check with your first check-in agent about baggage collection requirements, as the process can vary.

Food and drinks

You can expect a tasty and inexpensive bite to eat on VietJet Air. I always lean towards something local, like savory sticky rice, Vietnamese steamed cake with pork floss, pho (labeled as “Special Vietnamese beef noodle soup”) or banh mi (translated as “Vietnamese traditional bread”).

Don’t sleep on the drinks either. In addition to common soft drinks, the nhan tran tea (translated to its botanical name “Adenosma caeruleum tea” on the menu) is a must-try. Iced coffee and bubble milk tea are also available. When booking your flight, look for bundle add-ons that include some food and drinks for savings.