Vietnam Airlines (VN) is the flag carrier of Vietnam, as well as the country’s largest airline. From its hubs in Hanoi (HAN) and Ho Chi Minh City (SGN), it operates hundreds of routes. These include flights to long-haul destinations in Europe, Australia and North America, as well as short- and medium-haul services within East and Southeast Asia, and a robust domestic flight network within Vietnam.
I’ve been flying with Vietnam Airlines since I started exploring Vietnam almost 15 years ago, and am excited to share some of my insights with you.
Cabin class, seats & legroom
Vietnam Airlines offers business class and economy class on all flights, as well as a premium economy cabin on select long-haul aircraft.
Business Class
On its long-haul Airbus A350 and Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, Vietnam Airlines passengers can enjoy lie-flat seats. Arranged 1-2-1 to ensure direct aisle access for all passengers, these seats are comfortable, if not the most cutting-edge.
I personally prefer flying on Vietnam Airlines’ 787 aircraft, as the seats here are the popular “reverse-herringbone” variety, all of which face away from the aisle and provide great privacy, no matter which seat you choose.
If you do fly onboard the A350 as a solo traveler, make sure to select an even-numbered window seat. These rows have a table between your seat and aisle, creating a cocooned, intimate feel.
No matter which seat awaits you on your long-haul Vietnam Airlines flights, business class features delightful food and service. I usually always choose the Vietnamese option, especially when departing Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi. In-flight pho for the win!
Note that certain shorter flights, such as routes to Japan and Korea, operate with long-haul aircraft. On these services, meals and other amenities are not comparable to what you’d enjoy if you were flying to North America, Europe or Australia.
Domestic/regional business class
If you’re flying domestically within Vietnam or on short-haul A320 or A321 aircraft within Southeast Asia, business class is slightly more underwhelming. These aircraft feature recliner seats in a 2-2 configuration, similar to what you’d find in first class within the US.
Impressively, the meal and drink service on flights within Asia is thorough, with at least 2-3 options for your entrée, as well as a full bar. On shorter domestic sectors, you’ll enjoy a quicker single-tray meal and more limited beverage options.
Premium Economy
If you fly on the A350 or select 787-9 aircraft, you can opt to fly in Vietnam Airlines Premium Economy. As is the case on other airlines, this cabin (with roomy recliner seats in a 2-4-2 configuration) is a nice splurge.
Don’t want to pay for business class, but also want a bigger seat as well as better food and drink? Premium Economy is your best bet.
Note that on some shorter A350 routes, Vietnam Airlines may not sell Premium Economy as a separate cabin. Rather, it’s simply considered extra legroom, meaning that passengers won’t enjoy the enhanced food and beverage service they would on medium- and long-haul flights. It’s just a bigger seat.
Extra legroom
Vietnam Airlines offers economy class passengers several upcharge seating options. For me, the best ones are the priority seats, located in the first few rows of economy. These feature extra legroom and, since they’re closer to the front of the cabin, also allow you to get off the plane more quickly.
If your only concern is extra legroom, the emergency exit row is also a good bet. I sometimes select these seats if the priority seats are unavailable.
Economy
Vietnam Airlines offers a great premium product, but economy class is just fine as well. Food is less gourmet than in the pointy end of the plane, but you still get a choice between a delicious Vietnamese option and some kind of Western option.
Indeed, the warmth of Vietnam Airlines’ service comes through, no matter where on the plane you’re sitting. This is the same hospitality you’ve no doubt enjoyed if you’ve traveled through Vietnam at all.
Basic economy
While Vietnam Airlines does sell “economy lite” fares that have more restrictive change and refund conditions than full-fare, these tickets aren’t as punitive as basic economy in the US. Most importantly, you’ll still be able to carry on and even check a bag free of charge.
Pre-flight experience
Here’s what you need to know about the airport experience when flying with Vietnam Airlines.
Baggage policy and fees
Compared to many airlines in Western countries, Vietnam Airlines is generous with its baggage policy. As I explained earlier, even passengers on the cheapest economy fares can carry a small bag and personal item onboard, and also get one checked bag weighing up to 23 kg or 50 lbs free of charge.
If you’re in business class (or in premium economy, on aircraft that have it), you can check two bags of this weight free of charge. You’ll need to pay to check a second bag when flying in economy, meanwhile, though I find fees for this much more reasonable than those in the US and Europe.
Check-in
Vietnam Airlines’ website and mobile app have come a long way since I started flying them. It’s now possible to check-in online before you get to the airport in almost all cases, with the exception of countries where you need an advance visa, such as China.
On the other hand, Vietnam Airlines maintains many more check-in staff at its Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City hubs than most airlines do in the modern era. While kiosks are often available, I’ve never had to wait in a very long line to receive service from an actual human, particularly not when flying business class or when I have elite status on a SkyTeam airline.
Lounges
Vietnam Airlines operates international Lotus Lounge locations at its hubs in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, and domestic ones at certain other airports. Overseas, Vietnam Airlines premium passengers can access lounges operated by SkyTeam members, which include Delta in the US and either Air France or KLM in Europe.
As a general rule, I tend to prefer partner lounges over Vietnam Airlines’ own Lotus Lounges. The interiors of these lounges seem not to have been updated for many years; I’ve personally found that the food buffets are often not fresh or just empty. It’s disappointing, especially, when compared with how excellent the onboard service tends to be.
Onboard experience
Here’s what you can expect onboard a Vietnam Airlines flight.
Wi-Fi & entertainment
Surprisingly, Vietnam Airlines doesn’t offer Wi-Fi on the majority of its aircraft. While there are plans in place to do so, at present only the A321 has Wi-Fi connectivity, and even this exists only to allow passengers to access the in-flight entertainment library.
The good news is that all seats on long haul A350 and 787 aircraft feature high-resolution personal entertainment screens, with those in premium economy and especially business class much larger in size. I find movie and especially TV series selections to be underwhelming, though you’ll have a much wider range if you’re open to watching Vietnamese titles in addition to foreign ones.
Amenities
Vietnam Airlines does offer basic amenity kits to business class passengers on long haul flights, though I don’t recall having ever taken any with me when I got off the plane. Note that you won’t receive an amenity kit if you’re flying Economy or Premium Economy.
Loyalty programs, miles & credit cards
Vietnam Airlines’ loyalty program is known as Lotus Miles. The airline markets the program heavily, though I personally don’t find it useful for travelers who reside outside of Vietnam.
Lotus Miles
Lotus Miles members can earn miles on all Vietnam Airlines flights, as well as flights operated by SkyTeam partner airlines like Delta, Air France and Saudia. Unlike most Western airlines, Lotus Miles still accrue based on a percentage of distance flown, rather than dollars (or dong, as it were) spent.
Earning miles is easy with Lotus Miles. The issue, for me, is with redemptions. In addition to the fact that rates are uncompetitive, particularly on long-haul flights and especially those operated by partner airlines, the interface is clunky and often displays “phantom” availability that you can’t actually book.
Credit cards
Vietnam Airlines only offers co-branded credit cards to travelers based in Vietnam. As a result, a typical credit card strategy is not a fruitful endeavor if you live overseas, even if you’re a frequent Vietnam Airlines traveler.
Instead, I usually take a “back door” route. Namely, earnings and crediting miles to Delta SkyMiles (or transferring them to my SkyMiles account from American Express Membership Rewards) and then redeeming flights that way. Availability is excellent, and rates tend to be fair as well.
This KAYAK-commissioned article is presented as-is, for general informational purposes only, and may not be up-to-date. The opinions contained in the article are original to the author and reflect their authentic experience, which may vary significantly from the experience of others. Find more perspectives in our user reviews below.
