This is the second time in the past year that I’ve looked into airfare from the US to Vietnam, specifically from New York. I’ve tried all of the usual online places like Expedia, Travelocity and Kayak.com. However, the best fares I’ve found both times have come from taking a little trip to New York’s Chinatown to visit Wa Minh Travel on Grand Street. This small agency is run by Happy and her cousin, Susan and is tucked away just up a flight of stairs on the second floor. Happy and Susan are friendly and very helpful and their prices are cheaper than anything I’ve found online, usually by a couple hundred bucks.

In December 2006 I found a fare for $1065 r/t to Ho Chi Minh City from JFK, through Seoul, including taxes and the visa to Vietnam. Most fares were $1,300 and up on the Internet. Now, almost a year later, taxes have gone up and there’s apparently a new surcharge for fuel and security which has raised the prices about $300. In addition we’re flying just before Christmas which is a popular time for people to go to Vietnam so the demand is high. This time the tickets cost $1550 (taxes/visa included) but I haven’t found anything on the Web for less than $1700 for the same dates and travel time.

So, if you’re booking your next trip to SE Asia and are having trouble with fares on the Internet, visit:

Wa Minh Travel, 223 Grand Street, Room 101, New York, NY 10013

Wa Minh Travel on a Map

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