First time flyer to VN, anyone got any knowledge how to get best price

Hi Pal444,
Nice to know that you a a nice time in Vietnam
seeing you back

The best way to search for flights to SGN from USA is with Google.com/flights.  I usually use Google Chrome web browser. You want to open a new incognito window and search with that to find the best prices. You have to play around with the dates and trip lengths to find the best prices, but thats usually how I do it. If you fly from the east coast of the USA a good price is around 1000 or under for a round trip ticket. If you fly from the west coast, you can find them under 800 sometimes. Good luck! When are your dates? I can do a quick check.

Man, flight reservations are a hassle. So many variables. Prices jumping all over the place from day to day. I love the power to use the internet and do it myself, but one reservation will take me two+ hours. I have used ITA matrix, which is still around even though Google bought it, Google flights, skyscanner. But I always start with Kayak because I like the interface, you can pick a +- range of flexible dates. However, not all airlines are listed on these services, esp the low discount ones.

My two tips are: start checking early so you get an idea what a discount price is, then you can snag it when the time comes. I flew SFO to SGN twice, both times ChinaAir via TPE was cheapest. Of course you know to double-check prices on the airlines official website. And be prepared for antique webforms where you will have to re-enter all your data because of bugs.

The other is baggage prices. I know that you are not just visiting, you are coming to stay awhile so you must be packing stuff. The trend in discount Asia airlines is to limit carry-on bag weight to 7kg.  Crazy. Forget your roller bag going free. In my small backpack, 7kg = macbook pro, mirrorless camera w/1 lens, ipad, chargers, glasses, passport stuff and notes, that's it. And they will weigh it at the checkin counter, and ChinaAir weighed it at the gate too. Since they have to let women have handbags, you can also carry a man purse or camera bag, not too big, they won't weight that. Maybe a jacket with big pockets?

You have to estimate how much baggage weight to buy, when you buy your ticket, with price penalties if you guess low. My baggage SGN to Australia, because I was staying for 2 months. was additional 50% over the ticket price. So, when you are checking ticket fares, a full service airline that costs 20% more than a discount, but gives you free 30kg bag is a better deal.  The next generation of internet flight reservation programs need to include baggage fees (and seat selection, etc). Jeez am I ranting?!

The old adage "You get for what you pay" although sometimes we don't actually get for what we pay.  However, I would like to remind that there are other considerations in choosing your flights, especially international flights as we get stuck on the airplane for many long hours.  Safety of airlines, on time record, food/service quality, and seat comfort should also factor in, and not just the cheap fares.  Personally, I wouldn't trust a couple of airlines which just made headlines recently.

Normally, I take Evaair.com and stop over in Taiwan for 2-3 hours.  Food was great, seating was comfortable, and on time record has been excellent from my previous trips.  I just briefly checked timetable for flights in December, and a roundtrip is about $1000 from SFO or Seattle to SGN.

It is more fun to get a one-way ticket. Because, you never know, keep your options open, maybe stay if you like it there! I paid ~ $450 SFO-SGN.

But when I did that, twice flying to SGN the ticket agent at SIN or SFO asked to see my return or onward ticket. Because Vietnam (also Philippines) wants people to keep moving out of their country before the visa expires. I said I was taking a bus to Cambodia, which was true, and that was accepted. There are other workarounds. Funny, VN immigration never asked to see a ticket.

gobot wrote:

Man, flight reservations are a hassle. So many variables. ....

Thanks that's a good run down and from experience, I was not anticipating that level of pain on baggage.  Man purse/satchels bags are the norm here in Colombia, just added that to my shopping list. Thanks

I've seen a couple of backpacker travelers take their bags to the bathroom, take every piece of clothing that could and put it on, like 5 t-shirts, 3 over shirts, the coats stuffed, 3 pair socks etc. to lighten the load at checkin and then after getting their boarding passes take the clothes off and stomp them into their shoulder backpacks to board.  Hahaha.  I need to think it through and weigh my bags before leaving the house. Good advice.

I searching tickets now and like you said, looking for Colombia to SanFran and SanFran to SGN as you said China Air is probably the lowest price that's available in quantity.  Found some better for Phillipines Airlines but not to many available and none on my dates.  Shopping still.

I got a question for you/anyone.  I know the rules about return tickets but I don't want to pay extra for a return ticket since I not planning on returning to the West for some time.  Since many people exit to CAM or TH overland can I make any prediction that VN will not demand that I have an exit flight booked?

And BTW Thanks

Well I'm going to take my chances with a one-way.  Thanks for the experience, I got that memorized.  I had that in mind about telling them same but without your comment I did not know if they would accept that [hopefully].  And I may very well use the bus to CAM since I may have the time or I've got a long time friend in Guam that I want to visit but don't yet know an exact date so I did not want to buy yet.  I've got something in SGN I hope pans out and then I would be legal to stay so I see no benefit in buying a ticket only to eat the cost.

For the sake of maybe helping someone else since I haven't read about this airline, my backup plan if they won't let me board one-way to SGN in SFO is to book a ticket on NokAir, one-way to SGN-Bangkok is about $70 and that includes taxes but only 15Kg baggage since I don't really intend to use it.  For example, 25Kg of additional baggage prepaid on-line would make it $94.

I got my one-way SFO to SGN only a week before the trip so I paid about $683 on Phillipine Air.  Not a great deal but ran out of time and options and just booked it.   The layover is Manilla.

If anyone knows this please help me out.  When I lived in San Jose, CA I rarely used SFO and I want to know if there are any options for getting WIFI in the SFO airport w/o a USA service plan on my phone?  Is there an Internet cafe?  Is there FREE wifi by any luck?   I've got a very long layover in SFO. 

Thanks in advance.

SFO has free wifi pal.
On my last trip to sgn from sfo I was never asked for proof of return flight.

Peronsonally I'm thanking again explaining the issues with baggage in your experience.  I just checked and from what I am reading for Phillipine Airlines on their website,  From SFO-MNL-SGN route, the allocation of free baggage is based upon ticket class and it's 20kgs free for Economy, 30kgs free for Business class and if there is excess then it $7-10 per kg depending on the leg so it's an important thing to get straight as $10 a kilo gets expensive is you have disassembled a VW Dune Buggy and put it your luggage.

Interesting this to share is that Travelocity says [for Phill Air] that Carry On, 1st & 2nd checked bags are free and says nothing about weights so as always visit the home carrier site.

I'm dropping some cool weather clothes in favor of taking all my laptops being a recovering tech whore...obviously not fully recovered or I wouldn't insist on travelling with a min. of 3 notebooks...that's sort of stupid isn't it?

Have you tried EVAAIR.com. or KoreanAir.com. Got my ticket from Eva,simply for the price. Used Korean in 2014. No complains. You can get airline specific information at Flyertalk.com and Seatguru.com.
One way from SEA TPE SGN Premium economy hi $800's. I'm holding the ticket

Good luck

Zeus

I use asap airline tickets, cheapo air and booking buddy. 2 months ago fares were as low as $500 round trip lax to sgn. 1 stop. Competing airlines are China Southern and China Eastern, and sometimes another... But these 2 are usually cheapest. China Southern allows 2 x 50 lb bags 1 carryon. Carryon not weighed. It has 1 stop in Ghuangzou China, and in Guangzhou you can go into the city without a visa for 72 hours. Airplane is an Airbus 380... The biggest available... I think China air stops in Beijing using 747 Boeing. Another  i recall stops in Shanghai...

At this time of year you can find fares as low as $600 round trip.  Around the beginning of the year fares are about $800 or more round trip. Be sure whatever flight you select includes baggage and carryon like China Southern....

Why travel with 3 laptops? If you need data like myself,  i carry a hd. I have about 200 movies, music, and all my files.

As far as clothes...a couple suits and clothes for about 10 days. Hotels usually have someone who'll wash your clothes. You won't miss anything...some people pack too much stuff. If you do forget something. Clothes are cheap in vietnam.

ONly because you asked.  The laptops are for coding, testing, server, even without internet. I got a project I want to do and need em.  It's long term move not a tourist hop.  Hard drive space no the issue.

Oh yes, i understand. My first computer was a tandy i bought in 1982. My montor was an old tv my hard drive was a cassette tape. From then on i began programming, networking and learned various languages and hardware setups. I had an IT business i began in 1989. From Novel, Lantasti, to Mucrosoft servers workstaions, writing software setting up DNS servers and whatever. I did it and i understand testing very well. Good Luck.

I fly Korean Air.  They never asked about return ticket back to USA, although maybe they see my Thailand Visa... not sure.

They let me bring 2 - 50lb bags checked in, plus my backpack carry on and another carry bag.  $1180 round trip from CNX TO SEA.
Inchon airport is great.... sleeping lounge.

I made it to SGN and  here is my post op comment, I flew in on PHILL Air, SFO-SGN, checkin was very helpful and they busted a nut to get me an aisle seat, bringing in a supervisor to free one up [to their credit it should be noticed that they commented on all my passport stamps so they were doing their job to satisify a regular traveller perhaps gain a fan and they did] they allowed two checked bags for free that were within range of 20Kg, I paid $109 for a third checked bag of 10+ Kg [which concurrs with their website] and they allowed one personal item which was my small backpack and my full sized shoulder man-purse [satchel] was not considered in the count.  The plane, a widebody Airbus w/ 10 seats across and those high ceilings, was packed with Filipinos from SFO-MNL and to be honest was afraid the trip would suck and I wish to say that the PHILL AIR crew was as good as any and better than most in the USA.  They had us out the gate, on time, pillows n blankets, watered and fed within the first 45 minutes of the flight takoff allowing everyone to settle down for a long sleep, movie or whatever, on-flight entertainment was very good and the plane was immaculate and I mean spotless.  I was super impressed with PHILL AIR thus wanting to share here.  I rate the food quality/temp/quantity an A for economy travel ticket.  I would not hesitate to use them again when I go to PH later this year.  For anyone using this route, note that the checkin desk does not open until 7:30pm [meaning if transfer get a cart for your stuff and have some nice food and for those driving to SFO don't show up six hours early thinking you can just walk up and check your bags and go off shopping] for the flight leaving at 11:45pm and the plane is huge and the FIlipinas have lots of stuff they are flying back so my recommendation is checkin early and not wait until the last minute to get better shot at seats and not have to wait for the long line.

BTW the layover in MNL was easy, fast, plenty of coffee and food options literally right in front of all the gates plus free WIFI and even free PC's to surf as available.  The leg from MNL-SGN was on regular size jet same good service, free newspapers, small breakfast, ok coffee.

Picked up my land visa on arrival [nice fast service], the VN immigration and customs did not ask a thing, nothing not even an interview and the one guy scanning customs did not even look at the xray screen or recognize my existence. Hahaha.

For any newbies, I don't go directly out and get a taxi, find where your hotel is and go talk to the information desk on the first floor and ask the nice English speaking professsional what is best way.  She was very nice and glad to help as her job seemed pretty boring.  I asked her if I should buy a coupon for the trip or simply negotiate.  She said in my case of Ben Than Mkt area I should pay around $8-9 usd and the coupon would be more so just negotiate the price before I get in the cab.  I talked to two cabbies 1st) demanded $19 and I walked away, next demanded $18 and I offered $8 yaddi yaddy so then I went to some lovely looking ladies at a taxi stand and asked them and they offered $12, then $11 then cabbie stalking me agreed to $10 if he loaded and unloaded my bags and took no other fare and not piss me off expecting a tip.   Turns out he was a gypsy but the car was nice toyota with a driver so I agreed to let them take me but I took a picture of the license plate while they watched just in case there was a problem.  BTW: Lady at the info desk said to take picture of hack license when get in car, not because of cabbie problems but because common problem is people arrive, tired, sleepy, distracted and forget stuff in car seat like phones, etc.  If you got the hack license they can track the cab down and recover anything you left behind.  She recommend always take photo of said as they really want tourist to have good experience and not experience simple loss of property.

There was one thing I did notice, in fact was worried about, in arriving for a 'land visa'.  The land visa process only took about 45 minutes total elaped time after arriving.  My concern was would my bags still be sitting at the baggage check-in when I got downstairs.  Forturnately, sure enough, my bags there waiting having been stacked in the open of the baggage claim area.  My observation is that no one asked me to demonstrate these were my bags even though PHILL Air made sure I was to keep my baggage claim tickets for said.  So my observation, not unique to SGN, is that anyone who had the urge and saw my bags sitting there could have easily stolen one or all of them as the SGN officials barely even looked at me in customs.  So if you have someone travelling with you who already has their visa for entry, I suggest you have them go directly and collect your bags and wait for you at customs, if you come up with a snag or emergency they will allow you to leave the VISA processing area and enter the downstairs for ATM etc. Of course they have your passport.  I only mention this comment because there has been some airports in Latin America where landing baggage has gone missing as unscrupulous co-travellers returning home decide to take a chance with a grab bag of other people's luggage knowing there is no inspection or ticket demand for proof of ownership.  So take it for what it is worth.

I just wanted to say thanks again everyone.  Making the trip from my apt. up in the mountains of central Colombia to Siagon took me 3.5 days total ellapsed time and I arrived got a room near Ben Than Mkt, slammed some food n beers and went to sleep.  I sleep for most of 34 hours and I feel great now.  I had not gotten a full nights sleep since Monday night, so I was due for a full battery recharge.  I hope my experience helps others as you guys helped me make a loooooong trip go like a pro.

AlexterBalexter wrote:

Oh yes, i understand. My first computer was a tandy i bought in 1982. My montor was an old tv my hard drive was a cassette tape. From then on i began programming, networking and learned various languages and hardware setups. I had an IT business i began in 1989. From Novel, Lantasti, to Mucrosoft servers workstaions, writing software setting up DNS servers and whatever. I did it and i understand testing very well. Good Luck.

Good stuff.  You and I come from similar era...hahaha.  I wrote my first lines of IBM Pure Basic on IBM Datamasters in 1983 and wrote my first Wordstar database on a Xerox PC and my IBM PC Lotus spreadsheet around 1984, etc etc infinitum.  I look back now and only shake my head wasting all that time chained to a desk.  Hahaha.

Enjoy your newly found life Pal.  All the best.

Yoda0807 wrote:

Enjoy your newly found life Pal.  All the best.

Thanks Yoda, I been hanging out at the corner across from your fav hotel, the Paradise, at A Em Hotel in their corner cafe seats for a daily city view.  Going to the market later today.

Well, this isn't a direct answer, but some suggestions.  Don't take Korean Air: the stewards were asleep before we left the ground and during the whole flight-- I never got so much as water.  The best was Cathay Pacific:  since they're from Hong Kong, food was served non-stop.  Also, it's late October already.  One time I left from the US West coast on a connecting flight from NYC.  There was a snow storm in the East, and we had to wait for hours sleeping in the lobby of the Vancouver airport, which was already closed, so check where the flight is originating. 

I'm looking at the other posts.  I take the 152 bus from the airport to the tourist central PNL, where you'll be staying at first.  It's 25 cents.  Probably you can give the driver (or anybody) one US dollar and they'll give you 10-15 Đong back (75 cents).  As you're leaving the airport, look at the drive-thru road and walk to the RIGHT to almost the end, 50-60 yards.  A taxi will be over 10$, probably more since they'll know you are new here and may rip you off.  The bus system here is oddly one of the best in the world.  You'll get off near the end anyway, and this bus has luggage areas and the drivers will already know which stop for you with the luggage and will tell you.  The trip is over 30 minutes by all ways.  Xe ôm (motobike taxis) are not allowed in the airport.  (BUT-- we're all sure they could easily get ALL your luggage, no matter how many pieces, on one motobike, and you, too as well!

Good luck and happy traveling.

Im planning my ticket home. Does anyone know if its possible if a friend can buy my ticket from the  US and email me the ticket number to Vietnam. Will that work?

I mean the itenneray number on the ticket.

Asian jimmy wrote:

Im planning my ticket home. Does anyone know if its possible if a friend can buy my ticket from the  US and emai and l me the ticket number to Vietnam. Will that work?

Yes, absolutely, they should and you should have no problem letting someone else buy your ticket for you.  Keep in mind that to reduce the possibility of a hickup it's absolutely mandatory that they get your ID information correct during the purchase.  Most of the on-line reservation systems I have seen permit a purchaser to buy tickets for others with very little hassle.