This was published 1 year ago
International flights from Australia in December: Christmas airfares surge
December flights to the northern hemisphere have skyrocketed in price by nearly 50 per cent, according to flight comparison website Kayak.Credit: iStock
Australians planning to spend Christmas with loved ones overseas this year could wind up paying almost double what they would have pre-pandemic.
Travellers who are yet to book their Christmas flights can expect to pay international long-haul prices for a short trip over the ditch to New Zealand this festive season; return airfares between Sydney and Auckland currently cost about $1500-$2000.
Further afield, flights to the northern hemisphere have skyrocketed in price by nearly 50 per cent, according to flight comparison website Kayak, with Sydney-London return flights surging above $3300, and Melbourne-Los Angeles flights above $2900.
Clare Goodhew and her partner Brendan Williams are bracing to spend upwards of $17,000 to attend a friend's December wedding in Canada.
A close friend's wedding compelled Sydneysider Clare Goodhew and her partner Brendan Williams to buy flights to Canada during the busy holiday season. The duo's combined return fares to Calgary, departing on December 15, cost nearly $8000. Bundled with other travel expenses they're bracing to spend upwards of $17,000 on the trip.
"It hurt the bank account a little, especially as we were purchasing two tickets," Goodhew says. "My partner and I are in the wedding party. We ended up getting a travel agent to help us thinking they might be able to find a better deal, and she purchased our tickets on September 17 – $3971 per ticket."
Among the Australian international routes seeing the biggest fare increases are Sydney to London and Melbourne to New Delhi, with Kayak reporting an increase of 43 per cent compared to 2019.
This is followed by Sydney to Singapore and Melbourne to Bangkok, which have spiked by 39 per cent since the start of the pandemic.
Daniel Finch, managing director for Expedia-owned Wotif, said that following an international travel comeback, 2022 has seen a trend of end-of-year airfares being booked earlier than ever before.
"Historically, demand for the Christmas period would start to pick up around spring, with bookings made right up to the last minute. This year we started to see that demand increase from around the middle of the year, with Aussies looking to secure their summer getaway well in advance," said Finch.
With many international airlines slow to resume, a lack of market competition and capacity has contributed to the soaring cost of fares, with Finch noting this is likely to ease when global flight capacity returns to pre-pandemic levels.
"With Japan, Hong Kong, South Korea and Taiwan all announcing a relaxation of travel restrictions within the last two weeks, it's great news for Australian travellers. Capacity, frequency, and competition is only set to increase, resulting in more choice and price for travellers," Finch said.
For Australians itching to celebrate the holidays with family and friends abroad, Finch said flexibility can go a long way when it comes to the cost of flights.
"If you have the option, you might benefit from taking extra time off, or working remotely, so you can avoid flying during this peak period. There are often better deals to be found in February once the school holidays have wrapped up," he said.
"If that's not an option and you're keen to save as much as possible, travelling at off peak times like early morning or overnight, can often shave a few dollars off your airfare."
Brenda Walsh, Australia manager at Skyscanner, said travellers should also consider booking flights on separate airlines.
"Flights don't have to be booked as returns, and by comparing costs and booking separate one-way fares can end up saving you money," said Walsh.
FESTIVE FARE HIKE: PRICES FOR DECEMBER FLIGHTS
Melbourne to Tokyo, from $2385 (up 80.41% since August 2022)
Sydney to Auckland route, from $1462 (up 47.23% since August 2022)
Melbourne to Singapore, from $1636 (up 33.66% since August 2022)
Sydney to Denpasar, from $2014 (up 16.82% since August 2022)
Sydney to London, from $3320 (up 11.33% since August 2022)
Melbourne to Los Angeles, from $2934 (up 7.2% since August 2022)
*Based on Google Flights airfare increase (late-December travel) since August 14, 2022
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