Take a free plane home for Tet
Hometown in Thai Binh (old), Ms. Bui Thi Mai came to Tay Ninh to start a business for 25 years. Currently, she is a worker at Hansae TN Co., Ltd., with an income of about 12 million VND/month; 15-16 million VND/month if there is overtime. Her husband does small business, income is unstable. The above income is enough for her family to cover living expenses, it is very difficult to save.
Since leaving her hometown until now, the times this female worker born in 1979 returned to her hometown for Tet have only come to her fingertips. The times she returned to her hometown were all times to take care of her sick mother. After her mother passed away, she returned to her hometown less often.
Although I miss home and relatives very much, my family has not returned to my hometown for 5 years, because working far away, the cost is expensive, while still facing many economic difficulties," she confided.
This Tet, calculating in her head, if she went home alone, she would have lost 6 million VND in airfare; if the whole family went home, it would be even more expensive, so she put aside the idea.
But when I learned that the trade union supported air tickets, I changed my mind, registered and was lucky to receive support. When I learned the information, I was very happy, because this Tet I will meet my father, meet my siblings again after many years" - Ms. Mai shared. Thinking about the time to have a Tet Eve meal with my family, to meet and inquire about brothers and sisters, relatives, she felt overflowing with happiness.
Ms. Mai thanked the Trade Union organization for organizing this meaningful program to help people who still face many economic difficulties like her have the opportunity to return to their hometown during Tet, reuniting with loved ones. Those are priceless moments, nothing can exchange them.
Also working in Tay Ninh province, Ms. Ngo Thi Thuy (worker of Vina Europe Joint Stock Company) and her husband and young child will return to their hometown in Nghe An to celebrate Tet with their family.
For the past 3 years, her family has not returned to their hometown, because the family's economy is still difficult, and she is pregnant and raising young children. To save money, she often has to avoid returning to her hometown during Tet, instead, going back to her hometown on cheap fares. According to her calculations, if she has to buy tickets outside, the total amount she spends must be up to 16 million VND, equal to her monthly salary.
This year, at first she planned to stay, but when she learned that the Trade Union Flight program supported free air tickets, she changed her mind.
“My whole family is flying home for free, no need to say how happy I am. Thanks to this program, this Tet my child will celebrate her first Tet in her hometown,” Ms. Thuy expressed.
Meanwhile, Ms. Den Thi Tieu Van (born in 1994) - a worker at Vietnam Green Environment Joint Stock Company (Tay Ninh province) for 10 years away from home, the number of times she returned to her hometown can be counted on the fingers of one hand.
My family currently has 4 members. If the whole family goes back to Tuyen Quang hometown by plane, according to my calculations, the ticket price alone is about more than 20 million VND. This is the amount equal to the total monthly income of both husband and wife," Ms. Van recounted.
Therefore, Ms. Van plans not to return to her hometown for Tet this year. But after hearing the trade union official at the company say there is a program to support air tickets for the departure flight, she registered and was one of the people who received free air tickets.
Knowing the information about ticket support, I am very happy. My youngest child and I will fly; and my husband and eldest child will go by train later," Ms. Van said.
The female worker plans to hunt for cheap air tickets when she goes to the South, otherwise she will book train tickets to save costs. According to Ms. Van's calculations, being given a plane ticket, she saves about 7 million VND.
Supporting air tickets is a very meaningful program for workers, creating conditions for those who have not returned to their hometowns for many years to celebrate Tet with loved ones. I hope the program will continue to be implemented for many years to come," Ms. Van expressed.
Expanding returning home opportunities for workers
According to the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour, the Trade Union Flight, Train, and Bus programs are implemented as a meaningful journey, bringing workers back to their families during Tet reunion days.
Over the years, the scale of programs has been constantly expanding, both in terms of the number of trips, connection networks and the number of union members benefiting.
If in 2023, Trade Union Flights only supported 80 to 100 workers returning home for Tet, by Tet At Ty 2025, that number has increased to 450 people; of which Vietnam Airlines supported 50 tickets from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi.
Continuing that journey, Binh Ngo Tet 2026, the Trade Union Flight is expected to take more than 550 workers home for reunion through 3 specialized flights, connecting Ho Chi Minh City with key traffic gateways in the North and Central regions. In which, the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour supports 500 tickets, Vietnam Airlines supports 50 free tickets for workers in particularly difficult circumstances, and at the same time applies a policy of discounts and prioritizing supply for flights organized by the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour in the context of Tet travel peak season.
Along with that, the Ho Chi Minh City Labor Federation continues to support an additional 500 tickets, contributing to expanding the opportunity to return for workers in the area.
Flights will take off on February 12, 2026 (ie December 25 of the lunar calendar), the peak time of the Tet season. To make each flight truly a complete reunion journey, the entire Vietnam Airlines system has been synchronously involved, from flight operations to ground services.
Separate reception procedures, specialized check-in counters, solemn farewell rituals at Tan Son Nhat airport, and a passenger cabin space imbued with Vietnamese Tet colors. All are designed to make employees feel respect from the first moments.
Accompanying the Trade Union Flight is the Trade Union Train with 2,000 two-way train tickets and Tet gifts, jointly implemented by localities and the Vietnam Railway Trade Union; along with thousands of Trade Union buses across the country - sharing a journey to take workers home.
Each flight, train, and bus trip of the Trade Union not only takes workers home for Tet, but also carries faith, attachment, social responsibility and affection, creating a fulcrum for workers to be assured and attached to businesses and society for a long time.
