Smart Ways to Book Vietjet Flights: Expert Tips for Savings
Gathering insights from our community, here's a comprehensive guide to snagging the best Vietjet deals, whether you're booking directly or through various platforms. Get ready to optimize your travel costs!
Understanding Merchant Category Codes (MCC) for Rewards
The key to maximizing your credit card rewards lies in knowing the Merchant Category Code (MCC) associated with your booking. This varies depending on where you make your purchase:
- Vietjet Website/App: Typically falls under MCC 4722 (Travel Agencies), though some users report seeing MCC 4511 (Airlines).
- Shopee: Classified under MCC 5262 (Retail).
- Be App: Uses MCC 4121 (Taxi/Limousine Services).
- SkyJoy (SkyPay): Is categorized as MCC 7379 (Computer Related Services).
Knowing these MCCs allows you to strategically choose the right credit card for the best cashback or points. Popular choices include Spark TCB cards offering up to 8% cashback plus TCB membership benefits, KBank with a generous 10% cashback, Sacom Amex for a substantial 20%, and Cake with another 20% cashback offer.
Important Note: While MSB mDigi 20% cashback is often advertised, reports suggest it applies to travel agencies like Traveloka or Agoda, not direct airline bookings. This requires further verification as it's not publicly detailed by MSB.
Navigating Vietjet's Ancillary Fees
When booking directly through the Vietjet website or app, be aware of the convenience fees:
- Visa/Mastercard/Amex: A fee of 108,000 VND per segment applies.
- Napas/VNPay/VietQR/Momo: These payment methods incur a fee of 54,000 VND per segment.
- SkyJoy: Enjoy a fee-free experience when paying with SkyJoy.
Clever Tricks to Avoid Fees and Optimize Payments
Here are some smart tactics to bypass those extra charges and potentially earn more:
- Top up SkyPay: Load funds into your SkyPay wallet via the SkyJoy app before making your Vietjet payment. This not only waives the convenience fee but also allows you to benefit from your bank's cashback offers.
- Direct Bank Payments: Certain banks like HDBank and Vikkibank may not charge convenience fees for direct payments.
- Third-Party Platforms: Booking through platforms like Traveloka, Be, Trip, or Agoda often offers lower prices or discount codes, though a complete fee waiver is rare.
Leveraging Vouchers and Cashback for Extra Savings
Smart shoppers know the power of stacking discounts:
- Traveloka Gift Cards: Regularly purchase 1,000,000 VND gift cards to maximize your Cake card's 20% monthly cashback (up to 200,000 VND). You can then apply multiple vouchers to a single transaction when booking.
- Trip App Deals: Keep an eye out for numerous discount codes from partners like Visa and Cake, as well as TCB's Thursday offers (up to 600,000 VND off). For card-based rewards, consider VIB Amex for 1.5% or Spark MC for 3%.
- Agoda Price Advantages: Agoda can sometimes offer prices 100,000–300,000 VND lower than direct booking. While there might be foreign transaction fees, the initial lower price and available codes can often compensate.
- VIB Friday Vouchers: VIB offers special vouchers every Friday: 500,000 VND for domestic flights and 2,000,000 VND for international routes.
Domestic vs. International Flights
Understand the cost differences:
- Domestic Flights: Convenience fees range from 54,000 VND to 108,000 VND depending on your payment method.
- International Flights: Expect an additional foreign transaction fee, applicable whether you book directly with the airline or through intermediary apps.
- 0 VND Tickets: These rare opportunities are exclusively available through direct airline channels at specific times (e.g., noon). Use SkyJoy for payment to avoid convenience fees.
Additional Expert Insights for Smarter Booking
Here are some final tips to elevate your flight booking experience:
- Large Ticket Purchases: For expensive tickets, consider purchasing gift cards gradually to stay within your monthly cashback limits for your credit cards.
- Seasonal Sales: Don't miss out on major sales events like 09/09 and 11/11 on platforms such as Traveloka and Trip for the best deals.
- Optimal Booking Window: Prices are generally stable and good when booking about three months in advance. Occasionally, the absolute lowest fares can be found up to six months prior. Using Google Flights can help you monitor price trends.
- Invoice Assistance: For apps and websites that support it, ZaloPay can assist with issuing invoices.
