Domestic flights in Vietnam are frequent and cheap, and if you are very short on time they can be a good way of seeing the country without sacrificing too much time to travel. That being said, by flying everywhere you will miss the beautiful countryside, be less likely to meet other Vietnamese people and pollute the environment, so unless you have a good reason to we would normally recommend travelling by train.

There are three domestic airlines in Vietnam - Vietnam Airlines, the state-owned carried, Jetstar Pacific, which is part owned by the state and in part by Qantas, and Indochina Airlines - which at one point was called 'Air Speed Up' but fortunately the name was dropped.

Since Jetstar bought a share in Pacific Airlines and rebranded it, bringing along a budget airline style pricing system, Vietnam Airlines has made big changes and the competition has made Vietnam Airlines much cheaper and their pricing systems more flexible, so it is no longer the case that Jetstar is significantly cheaper.

Vietnam Airlines run on all routes across the country, and tickets can be purchased online on their website if you buy 3 days in advance, on Expedia.com or in travel agents across the country.

Jetstar Pacific serve routes between Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Hue and Danang, with plans to fly to Nha Trang and Dalat delayed by high fuel prices and later the economic crisis, while Indochina Airlines just fly between Hanoi, HCMC and Danang. Tickets can be booked on their websites on the same day of travel, so if you are booking at short notice they may be an option. All three sell tickets through independent agents up and down the country.