Flying during Christmas and New Year is famously one of the busiest and most expensive times of the year, but new research shows there are ways to find a better deal if you’re travelling within Australia.
According to Compare the Market, the most affordable fares this year fall within the first two weeks of December. Travellers who can fly earlier — especially those with flexible work arrangements — could save hundreds, even thousands, compared with prices closer to Christmas.
The study found direct domestic flights starting from as low as $53 on the Sydney–Melbourne route when booked for early December. In contrast, fares on some late-December routes soared above $2,500 one way, such as Melbourne to Adelaide on peak days. Unsurprisingly, prices tended to spike sharply during Christmas week before easing again in early January. Researchers noted that, overall, December’s cheapest fares have remained fairly steady compared with 2023 and 2024.
Meanwhile, overseas travel trends reveal a surprising favourite this year: Vietnam has emerged as the number-one international destination for Australians heading abroad during the Christmas–New Year period.
