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Flights from Hanoi to Luang Prabang

One hour in the air links Hanoi and Luang Prabang, with Lao Airlines four times a week and Vietnam Airlines five times. By road, the sleeper bus takes about 24 hours, through a border crossing where the Lao e-Visa isn't accepted.

By Pierre-Marie Coupry · updated · sources

The bamboo bridge on stilts across the Nam Khan, below a wooded bank

Photo by Shutterstock

Boarding pass · nonstop

one way · Hanoi, from

$113

fare checked October 12, 2026; it changes with your dates

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Flight
nonstop, about 1h 05m
Airlines
Lao Airlines, Vietnam Airlines
One way
from $113
By bus
≈ 24 hrs, from $54

Hanoi to Luang Prabang: fly, or the night bus?

About nine flights a week, or a full day on the bus through the mountains. Times are for the trip itself.

Plane

Our pick

≈ 1h 05m · about 9 flights a week

Right for you if

You want to arrive rested: Lao Airlines flies Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, Vietnam Airlines five days a week.

Not for you if

You're leaving on a Tuesday: there's no nonstop that day, and just one, Vietnam Airlines at 1:10 p.m., on Thursdays and Saturdays.

Sleeper bus

Very long

≈ 24 hrs · from $54

Right for you if

You have time and a tight budget: daily departure at 6 p.m., arriving the next evening.

Not for you if

You hold an e-Visa: it isn't accepted at the Nam Phao crossing, so you'll need a visa on arrival or one obtained in advance.

Buses and times on 12Go Affiliate link

Hanoi to Luang Prabang flight prices by month

The lowest one-way fare seen for each departure month.

One way, lowest fare seen

  1. January : $113 the cheapest
  2. February : $113 the cheapest
  3. March : –
  4. April : $175
  5. May : –
  6. June : –
  7. July : –
  8. August : –
  9. September : –
  10. October : $143
  11. November : $143
  12. December : $118
January
$113the cheapest
February
$113the cheapest
March
–
April
$175
May
–
June
–
July
–
August
–
September
–
October
$143
November
$143
December
$118

Source: Aviasales via Travelpayouts, lowest one-way fares seen in recent days, checked October 12, 2026. “–”: no fare seen for that departure month.

From the airport to central Luang Prabang

The airport is 4 km from the old town: twenty to thirty minutes by road. Fill in the Lao Digital Immigration Form (LDIF) online within 3 days before you arrive.

Taxi or van

≈ 100,000 kip

Fixed fare: buy the ticket at the desk inside the terminal, then walk to the vehicle. About 20 to 30 minutes to the old town.

Visa on arrival

≈ $40

Issued at the airport, in US dollars cash. The e-Visa, $50 on the official portal, is also accepted there.

After landing, the river

From Luang Prabang, the slow boat takes two days upriver to the Thai border; heading south, the train reaches Vientiane in about two hours.

Hanoi to Luang Prabang by air: FAQ

How long is the flight from Hanoi to Luang Prabang?
About 1h 05m nonstop. The Vietnam Airlines flight then continues to Siem Reap.
Does Thai AirAsia still fly between Hanoi and Luang Prabang?
It did daily from December 2025 to March 2026, via Bangkok, but no return shows for winter 2026: check before you count on it.
Which visa works at Luang Prabang airport?
The $50 e-Visa from the official portal is accepted there, and a visa on arrival costs around $40, paid in US dollars. The online Lao Digital Immigration Form is mandatory for everyone.

Sources: flights and times, trip.com (flight status, October 2026), FlightMapper, Kayak and aerocorner (October 2026); Thai AirAsia, AeroRoutes (August 2025); bus, Seat61 (June 2026); fares, Aviasales via Travelpayouts (weekly check); visa, official portal laoevisa.gov.la and Seat61 (June 2026); Luang Prabang airport, aifly (May 2026). Updated October 12, 2026 by Pierre-Marie Coupry.