HANOI, September 11 — Europe-to-Vietnam airfares have climbed to near-record highs in 2026, with a direct return ticket from Frankfurt to Ho Chi Minh City on Vietnam Airlines now running €1,350–€1,550 (about US$1,460–US$1,675) or more, according to an analysis last updated September 7. The same route cost around €750–€850 (roughly US$810–US$920) in 2019. That is an increase of roughly 82%, and it lands hardest on the one carrier still flying the route nonstop.
Bamboo Airways pulled out of long-haul routes to Europe, cancelling flights to Frankfurt, London and Paris as financial troubles mounted. The carrier had offered cheaper alternatives.
Its exit left Vietnam Airlines as the only direct option from most European cities. European carriers cannot compete effectively either. The Russian airspace ban forces Lufthansa, Air France and others onto longer southern routes, adding hours of flying time and burning more fuel.
Many have reduced their Vietnam services or raised prices significantly, the analysis notes. Vietnam Airlines itself is contending with a global engine recall that grounded some of its planes, leaving fewer aircraft available for European routes.
Fewer seats, fewer competitors, longer routes — the pricing outcome follows.
The cheap alternative comes with a catch
Chinese carriers such as Air China and China Southern are the cheapest way in, often under €800 (about US$865) return. The catch is time. Expect 20-plus hours of travel with long layovers.
Turkish Airlines flies to both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City and offers a free hotel stay under its Touristanbul programme for layovers between 6 and 24 hours. Economy passengers get a 4-star hotel, business passengers a 5-star one, with the voucher requested at the designated hotel desk at Istanbul Airport.
Discount services such as Air Traveler Club Superdeals claim savings of 40% to 80% on flights to Vietnam and other Asian countries by monitoring major European airports for automated airline discounts applied when algorithms detect demand shortfalls on specific routes. The service cites a typical return flight from Europe to Ho Chi Minh City at €900-plus (about US$970-plus) against Superdeals fares of around €350 (about US$380), and says it tracks and curates offers from more than 150 airlines.
What to watch
The outlook offers little relief. Vietnam’s new Long Thanh airport is not yet open, and no new competitors are entering the market. The practical advice from the analysis is to book early or consider shoulder-season travel.
For travellers booking now, the market offers no sign of the capacity crunch easing before the next European summer season.
