COMPASS 2017 - Cheapflights
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COM PA SS 2017
Welcome to the Cheapflights Compass 2017, a research initiative by global flight search and travel deals platform, Cheapflights.
Our team analysed the results of 13.5 million flight
searches over one year on Cheapflights.com.au.
We dissected the destinations, poured over the
airfares, determined desirable days to book, tackled
top timeframes and worked out the window when
Australians could score the most affordable flights.
The Cheapflights Compass reveals what’s hot, which Notes
All flight prices are based on searches on the
destinations offer the best value, where to go and Cheapflights website and its worldwide group
websites for round trip fares with departure dates
most importantly, how to bag a bargain.
from March 2016 to February 2017.
Includes all searches for fares with a departure from
What are the most popular countries and cities an Australian city. Lowest average fare prices are
to visit in Australia, New Zealand, Asia Pacific and in based on the cheapest fare returned in each search.
far-flung locations if you’re up for long haul travel to Domestic: all searches for departures from
Australian cities for destinations within Australia
Europe, Africa or the Americas?
Trans-Tasman: all searches for departures from
a mainland capital city within Australia for a
What smart swaps will give you a similar holiday destination within New Zealand
for less by flying to a different destination in another
Asia Pacific: searches for departures from
country, or even a different city in the same country? Australian cities to the most popular destinations
in Asia or Pacific Islands (top 52 destinations)
In the ultimate State of Origin contest, how does Long Haul: searches for departures from
Australian cities to selected gateway destinations
where you live in Australia make a difference to the in regions outside Asia Pacific (9 destinations)
price of your airfare?
Total searches: 13,492,000
2015: Year-on-year comparitive data looks at
No matter where you’re dreaming of going, we’ve
searches from September– through October
got you covered. 2015
How are Aussies
Searching for
Flights and
Holidays?
Those Who Seek, Will Find Golden Rules
Collectively, Australian travellers No matter where in the world you lowest level on Saturday, before
racked up almost 8 years per want to go, a few rules hold true for increasing again on Sunday.
month searching for the best fares searching and booking across all
via Cheapflights. With more than regions. The most popular time of day to
10 million visits to the website or search is between 8pm and 10pm.
app over one year, locals stayed on When to Search?
the site for five minutes on average, Got the ‘back to work blues’ on The day of the week you choose to
before ending their session or a Monday? You’re not alone. search on doesn’t affect the price,
moving on to book. Searching for flights to anywhere with fares varying less than 1%. The
but the office is highest on a day you decide to depart and how
Going Mobile Monday and Tuesday, declining far in advance you book have a
The majority of Aussies opted throughout the week to hit the much bigger impact on price.
to search for flights on their
smartphones – more than 50% of Asia Pacific
visits – followed by desktop (39%)
Day of Search Average Airfare by Day of Search
and tablet (10%). And they also
Monday 15.5% Monday $780
stayed on the site longer when
using a mobile device (six minutes Tuesday 15.3% Tuesday $784
versus four minutes for desktop
Wednesday 14.7% Wednesday $784
users).
Thursday 14.3% Thursday $783
The Cheapflights app is fast Friday 13.5% Friday $778
becoming an apps-olute favourite Saturday 12.5% Saturday $786
among Aussie travellers too,
Sunday 14.3% Sunday $782
assisting with over two million
sessions alone. *Search day figures hardly vary by destination
country. In fact, the top 18 countries are all within 1%
of these results.
4What Day to Fly? Here’s the rub – booking last-minute attracts a
Friday is the most popular day to travel – and it is premium, but booking more than six months before
generally the most expensive too, with travellers departure is actually more expensive. The trade-off for
looking to maximise their trip with a weekend at their certainty by booking well in advance is a pricey airfare.
destination (especially closer ones). If you’re not fussed The cost hike varies by region, but you could pay 21%
on weekend arrivals, you can get a cheaper fare by more for domestic and Trans-Tasman fares if searching
picking a different travel day. six months to a year in advance.
Fare differences between the cheapest and most Domestic
expensive day vary by 3% in Asia Pacific, 5% for long Thinking of a last-minute getaway? Most searchers
haul, 6% for domestic and 8% for Trans-Tasman travel. go local. Domestic flights have a much shorter pre-
booking period, with most happening less than three
Which Month to Go? months and almost 30% within one week of departure.
The most popular time to travel is in the summer
holiday period during December and January (29%), Those last-minute Lucys and Larrys pay through the
with a smaller winter peak in June and July (17%). nose too – up to 13% more for booking domestic fares
within a week of departure.
This is true for almost everywhere in the world,
with the increased demand meaning it is the most
expensive time to travel too.
Asia Pacific: Pre-Book Period
Love Thy Neighbour?
We hope you were paying attention in geography 1 Week 9.5%
class because the closer a destination city is located
1 - 4 Weeks 19.9%
to your departure point, the less you’ll generally pay
in fares. The ‘love thy neighbour’ rule applies here. It’s 1 - 3 Months 37.1%
cheaper to fly to Asia from Perth, and to New Zealand
3 - 6 Months 23.8%
from the east coast of Australia.
6 - 12 Months 9.7%
When to Start Looking and Booking?
When you book affects how much you pay. And the
best time to book depends on where you are going.
Asia Pacific: Average Airfare by Day of Search
One to three months before departure is the cheapest 1 Week $883
time to book domestic, Trans-Tasman and Asia Pacific
flights, with three to six months the best for long haul 1 - 4 Weeks $794
destinations. 1 - 3 Months $754
Booking early is the guaranteed route to your 3 - 6 Months $769
destination, but is it the route to the cheapest fare? 6 - 12 Months $820
Generally, the closer to departure date you search
Average fares by pre-booking period show
and book, the more expensive the fare becomes, different patterns by destination.
particularly less than one week out.
5Most searches (85%) for travel within Australia take
place within three months before departure, but Best Time to Book
booking anytime from two weeks to five months out is
enough to keep you within 3% of the lowest average
fare.
Like to plan ahead? Great – but don’t book too early as
it could cost you. The most expensive domestic fares
are those booked six to 12 months before departure,
when you could pay 21% more than the lowest Domestic and Trans-Tasman
average fare. 1 to 3 months
Trans-Tasman
Fancy New Zealand? Those booking a week out pay a
22% premium and the ‘plan-ahead’ brigade pay 21%
more for the privilege of a securing a seat six to 12
months in advance.
Asia Pacific Asia Pacific
The one to three month pre-departure window is the 1 to 3 months
cheapest time to book, with almost four in 10 (37%)
getting it right, searching during this optimum period.
The ‘Goldilocks effect’ is also in play here. Don’t book
too early or too late or you’ll pay a premium – 17%
more for booking within one week of departure, and
9% more for booking six to 12 months ahead.
Long Haul
Long Haul 3 to 6 months
The further you travel, the further out you should book.
While more people search from one to three months in TGIF! Most Popular Departure Dates
advance for long haul travel, the cheapest flights are to Friday is easily the most popular departure day with
be had three to six months before departure. Booking Sunday the least popular for domestic, Trans-Tasman
from six to 12 months in advance won’t just give you and Asia Pacific departures as travellers try to squeeze
time to daydream about your destination, you’ll only an extra weekend into their break.
pay 4% more than the cheapest average fare.
But getting to your destination in time for the weekend
Don’t rely on airlines offering cheaper seats to fill comes at a cost, with Friday flights also the most
aircrafts at the last minute. Bookings within one week expensive. Travelling on a Saturday could save you 6%
of departure for long haul flights can cost 15% more within Australia, while a Monday flight to New Zealand
than the lowest average. could save you 8%.
For long haul flights, Wednesday to Friday are the
most popular departure days, with weekends the
least popular. While Friday and Saturday are the most
6expensive days to leave (for example, 5% and 13% There is another key mid-year peak for travel in Asia
more to Paris respectively), Tuesday is the cheapest – a Pacific during June and July as Aussies seek a winter
great option for those wanting to save some money escape. June and July also see increased demand for
and get over jet lag in time for the weekend. flights to New Zealand, driving higher than average
prices (9% and 8% respectively) as Aussies descend
on ski field destinations such as Queenstown and
Asia Pacific: Day of Departure
Wanaka.
Monday 14.6% Long haul flights follow the December, June and
Tuesday 13.3% July peak pattern with one difference – no residual
Wednesday 14.1% travel into January. Most Australians seeking a white
Thursday 14.8% Christmas or northern winter arrive in December.
Friday 17.0% The 10 most popular
destinations all show a
Saturday 14.2% Friday peak, however,
search days can
Be prepared to pay 82% more than the lowest average
vary significantly by
Sunday 12.0% destination. fare to go to Rio, 67% more for Los Angeles and New
York, and more than 50% to get to London, Barcelona
and Cape Town. Berlin is a little easier on the hip
pocket, with fares ‘only’ 38% more expensive in
Asia Pacific: Average Airfare by Day of Departure
Monday $777
Asia Pacific: Month of Departure
Tuesday $779
Wednesday $772 January 11.8%
February 7.2%
Thursday $780 March 6.3%
April 6.0%
Friday $789
May 4.9%
Saturday $793 June 8.8%
July 8.5%
Sunday $786 August 5.7%
September 7.9%
There can be significant variation across countries. For example, of the top four
most popular countries, only two (China and Thailand) have Friday to Sunday October 7.4%
as the most expensive days. In the top four countries, the difference between November 8.0%
the high and low days varied between 2% and 8%. December 17.5%
Popularity of departure month does vary by country, however, December to
January peak persists in all Asia Pacific destinations.
Months Matter
Fancy a December break? Welcome to the club.
December is the most popular month to fly – and the
Asia Pacific : Average Airfare by Month of
most expensive. Departure
January $883
February $650
Domestic, Trans-Tasman and Asia Pacific destinations March $697
April $677
all experience peak demand in December and May $633
January, with smaller peaks in March and April (Easter June $759
July $752
and school holidays). Domestic fares are 33% higher August $654
September $731
in December than the cheapest month, February. That October $640
sound you hear? The cheers of all those without school November $686
December $1,081
aged children who can holiday during the school term
This pattern of highest fares in December to January and a
for much less. secondary peak in June to July is reflected in most countries.
7December.
Most Popular, Affordable
and Expensive Destinations
Domestic Queensland Rules Too
It’s game over in the age-old more people searching for the city The Sunshine State’s allure shows no
Sydney-Melbourne rivalry. over Sydney, followed by Brisbane sign of waning, taking seven spots
Australian travellers have voted (with 40% less searches). in the nation’s 20 most popular
with flight bookings and the hands- domestic destinations, from Brisbane
down winner is Melbourne. The southern capital is not just our to Hamilton Island. The Gold Coast
favourite city, it’s the cheapest too, and Cairns punch above their weight,
Melbourne is the most popular with an average return airfare of mixing it with the capital cities, taking
destination nationally, with 17% $253. spots four and six respectively.
Most Popular Destinations Average Airfare
Figures represent total number of searches over report period and
average minimum return airfare found in each search over 12 months.
Airfares will vary by origin city.
726K 620K 449K 314K 227K
$253 $259 $307 $263 $467
1. Melbourne 2. Sydney 3. Brisbane 4. Gold Coast 5. Perth
54K 46K 42K 39K 34K
$397 $385 $276 $313 $606
11. Hamilton Island 12. Townsville 13. Launceston 14. Sunshine Coast 15. Alice Springs
8You Pay for WA and
Far Away
The most expensive destination
in the top 20 is Broome at $686
return, but that’s still less than
half Australia’s most expensive
destination, the Northern
Territory’s Katherine ($1,376).
173K 158K 144K 73K 57K
$342 $281 $286 $472 $371
6. Cairns 7. Adelaide 8. Hobart 9. Darwin 10. Canberra
29K 28K 26K 22K 20K
$281 $550 $362 $279 $686
16. Ballina 17. Uluru 18. Proserpine 19. Newcastle 20. Broome
9Trans-Tasman
No prizes for guessing New Zealand’s biggest city, Which one to visit? Take your pick – there’s little
Auckland, is also its most popular port of call, with more difference in the average minimum airfare for the top
searches than the next three top destinations combined three. But be prepared to pay from 50% to 100% extra
– Christchurch, Wellington and Queenstown. Together, to venture further afield to regional destinations such
they comprise the ‘Big Four’, dominating search results as Gisborne and Hamilton.
for New Zealand’s top 16 destinations.
Trans-Tasman: Most Popular Destinations Searched
1. Auckland 421,439
2. Christchurch 187,788
3. Wellington 156,780
4. Queenstown 53,065
5. Dunedin 6,488
6. Napier/Hastings 4,366
7. Nelson 3,382
8. New Plymouth 2,672
9. Rotorua 2,626
10. Palmerston North 2,147
11. Gisborne 1,869
12. Tauranga 1,305
13. Hamilton 1,262
14. Invercargill 1,041
15. Blenheim 912
16. Taupo 545
Trans-Tasman: Average Airfare
1. Auckland $406
2. Christchurch $389
3. Wellington $426
4. Queenstown $569
5. Dunedin $608
6. Napier/Hastings $632
7. Nelson $630
8. New Plymouth $627
9. Rotorua $668
10. Palmerston North $636
11. Gisborne $758
12. Tauranga $666
13. Hamilton $700
14. Invercargill $720
15. Blenheim $671
16. Taupo $671
10Asia Pacific
The old saying ‘too close for comfort’ doesn’t apply Brisbane
here, where closer doesn’t only mean more comfort
1. India 16.0%
thanks to a shorter flight, but a cheaper fare too. 2. Indonesia 11.8%
3. Thailand 11.8%
4. Philippines 7.8%
Bali (predominantly via Denpasar) is the most popular 5. China 7.0%
city for Australians (14%) and makes Indonesia 6. Fiji 4.9%
7. Japan 4.9%
Australia’s most popular country to visit, followed by 8. Hong Kong 4.5%
India (13%), Thailand (11%) and China (10%). 9. Singapore 4.0%
10. Vietnam 3.7%
Bali is also the cheapest ($516) of the top 20
destinations, with Kuala Lumpur ($547) and Singapore
($552) not far behind. The next most affordable cities
Adelaide
and members of the ‘Sub $650 Fare Club’ include
Fiji’s Nadi ($619) and Thailand’s twin tourist magnets, 1. Indonesia 17.8%
2. India 16.3%
Phuket ($641) and Bangkok ($643).
3. Thailand 9.9%
4. China 8.9%
China might not take the top country spot, but three 5. Philippines 7.4%
6. Vietnam 4.8%
cities feature in the top 30 most popular and cheapest 7. Hong Kong 4.4%
destinations – Shanghai, Guangzhou and Beijing. All 8. Singapore 4.2%
9. Malaysia 4.0%
come in within $20 of each other and under $729. 10. Japan 3.8%
See page 16 for average airfares for the top 10 most
popular destinations by departure point.
Darwin
Asia Pacific: Most Popular Countries by
Departure Point 1. Indonesia 26.4%
2. India 14.3%
Sydney 3. Thailand 11.5%
4. Singapore 7.2%
1. China 12.4%
5. Philippines 6.1%
2. India 10.4%
6. Malaysia 6.1%
3. Thailand 10.2%
7. Japan 4.0%
4. Indonesia 9.9%
8. Vietnam 3.4%
5. Japan 5.8%
9. China 3.0%
6. Fiji 5.6%
10. Hong Kong 3.0%
7. U. A. E. 5.0%
8. Singapore 4.8%
9. Hong Kong 4.7%
10. South Korea 4.6%
Melbourne Perth
1. India 17.1% 1. Indonesia 29.9%
2. Indonesia 12.4% 2. Philippines 12.9%
3. China 11.0% 3. Thailand 11.6%
4. Thailand 10.7% 4. Singapore 9.4%
5. Malaysia 6.0% 5. India 9.2%
6. Singapore 5.4% 6. Malaysia 4.4%
7. Hong Kong 5.4% 7. Vietnam 3.2%
8. Philippines 4.2% 8. Japan 2.4%
9. U. A. E. 3.9% 9. South Korea 2.1%
10. Vietnam 3.5% 10. Pakistan 1.8%
11Fares to Asian destinations further from Australia cost Closer to home and when budget doesn’t matter,
more, but provide a handy pit-stop to Europe. With French Polynesia, home to Tahiti and Bora Bora’s
many carriers and flight options, Dubai is the cheapest overwater bungalows, is the region’s most expensive
gateway to the Middle East ($1,135), with Tehran destination at $2,316. Those after a Pacific taste of
and Beirut the most expensive ($1,378 and $1,409 France on a budget could opt for New Caledonia
respectively). instead, more than three times cheaper at $746 return.
Average Airfares
Fiji
Middle East Pacific $245
difference
Nadi
$619
Dubai Suva
Beirut $1,135 Bora Bora $864
$1,409 $3,227
Port Vila
$685
Noumea
$744
Abu Dhabi
$1,276 Nuku’alofa
Tehran Tahiti $868
$1,378 $1,437
Rarotonga
Apia Island
$943 $890
Long Haul
For all the hype about New York in recent years, like Amsterdam, to be Europe’s most affordable
London still rules. The heart of the Old Dart attracts destination, on the back of efforts by French tourism to
more than three times the flight searches compared to woo visitors.
New York, even though there is only a $14 difference
in the average lowest airfare between the two cities. Rio made a storming run in the favoured destination
stakes thanks to its 2016 Olympic hosting gig,
This continuing love affair with London means coming in at ninth most popular and taking the title
it doesn’t only out-rate New York in searches, it of most expensive long haul destination ($1,889).
generates more searches than New York and Los Flight searches for Rio spiked significantly in August,
Angeles combined. coinciding with the opening of the Games, with
people either trying to get a last-minute seat or
Uncertainty around Brexit hasn’t stopped Australians checking fares for possible future trips, having liked
planning to head to London either, with searches what they saw on their TV screens.
suggesting savvy travellers made the most of cheaper
airfares and better exchange rates, while perhaps the Vancouver flexed its muscle as a new centre of North
‘Trump effect’ is encouraging Aussies to look beyond America, ranking fifth most popular, while Berlin
America for their next long haul trip. cemented its position as Europe’s hipster heaven,
coming in at number seven, despite being Europe’s
Los Angeles is the cheapest of all long haul flights, most expensive destination, along with Barcelona
with Paris overtaking traditional cheaper entry points, ($1,529 and $1,536 respectively).
12Long Haul: Popular Cities
Cape Town Rio de Janeiro
36K 32K
Berlin
47K
Barcelona
56K
Vancouver
100K
London
Paris
174K 696K
New York
209K
Los Angeles
480K
Figures represent the number of
searches over 12 months.
Long Haul: Average Airfares
London
Rio de Janeiro
$1,428
$1,889
Los Angeles
$1,115
Cape Town
$1,634
New York
$1,414
Berlin
$1,529 Paris
$1,363
Barcelona Vancouver
$1,536 $1,399
Figures represent average minimum return airfare
found in each search over 12 months. Airfares will
vary by origin city.
13The ‘Other’ State
of Origin Contest Destination City Searches Average
Airfare
Departure Points
Melbourne 726,000 $253
Forget the annual Blues v. Maroons rugby league
matches, the real State of Origin battle is in the
Sydney 620,000 $259
skies, not on the field. Where you live can affect
how much you pay for your airfares, with smaller
Brisbane 449,000 $307
cities with fewer carriers and flights at a distinct
disadvantage. When price differences are great, Gold Coast 314,000 $263
taking advantage of a cheap domestic flight
to connect with a less expensive international Perth 227,000 $467
connection from another city can mean a cheaper
total airfare (although longer travel time). Cairns 173,000 $342
Domestic Adelaide 158,000 $281
Flying south for the winter? Don’t tell Sydney.
Melbourne is the country’s favourite city and Hobart 144,000 $286
cheapest destination. More people from Sydney
Darwin 73,000 $472
fly to Melbourne (not only when the Swans
are playing in the southern state), than fly from
Canberra 57,000 $371
Melbourne to Sydney.
Hamilton Island 54,000 $397
And it’s not just Sydneysiders that love their
southern sibling. Adelaide and Perth prefer Townsville 46,000 $385
Melbourne over Sydney too, while Brisbane is
on the fence, evenly split between visiting the Launceston 42,000 $276
country’s two biggest cities.
Sunshine Coast 39,000 $313
There is something Sydney and Melbourne both
agree on – the Gold Coast is a popular place to Alice Springs 34,000 $606
visit, ranking as both cities’ second most popular
destination, after each other. Ballina 29,000 $281
Uluru 28,000 $550
Perhaps it’s a dislike of big cities, but Darwinians
prefer travel to our smaller capital cities, taking the
Proserpine 26,000 $362
highest proportion of flights to Brisbane, Perth and
Adelaide. Darwin’s small population and smaller
Newcastle 22,000 $279
number of flights makes it the country’s most
expensive city to depart from. Broome 20,000 $686
Figures represent the number of searches over 12 months and average minimum
return airfares found in each search over 12 months. Airfares will vary by origin city.
14Trans-Tasman
With Australia’s east coast capitals closer to New to fly to Wellington from Melbourne than Sydney,
Zealand than Perth, it makes sense that the cheapest and 25% more expensive to fly to Christchurch from
Trans-Tasman airfares are from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane than from Sydney.
Brisbane. It’s twice as expensive to fly to New Zealand
from Darwin, compared to Sydney ($451 versus $901). A number of airlines, including Emirates, fly on to
Auckland after long haul flights to Sydney, avoiding
What is less expected is the variation in fares between high costs of leaving aircraft ‘parked’ at Mascot before
New Zealand arrival points. Choosing a different arrival turnaround. That extra hop across the Tasman can mean
point can deliver savings in fares. It’s 10% cheaper plenty of seats and attractive fares on quality airlines.
Average Airfaire between Trans-Tasman Destinations
Auckland Wellington Christchurch Queenstown Dunedin Average
Sydney $370 $428 $361 $528 $569 $451
Melbourne $373 $386 $363 $508 $568 $439
Brisbane $405 $481 $455 $590 $546 $495
Adelaide $532 $574 $522 $687 $739 $611
Perth $759 $803 $777 $908 $980 $845
Darwin $812 $854 $813 $976 $1,047 $901
Percentage
difference to Sydney
Melbourne 1% -10% 1% -4% 0% -3%
Brisbane 10% 12% 26% 12% -4% 10%
Adelaide 44% 34% 45% 30% 30% 35%
Perth 105% 88% 115% 72% 72% 87%
Darwin 119% 100% 125% 85% 84% 100%
15Asia Pacific
Perth is in the box seat when it comes to snapping That doesn’t help Adelaide or Brisbane, who come
up cheap airfares to Asia Pacific, thanks to its closer in at an average 17% and 19% more expensive
proximity to the Asian action. than Sydney and Melbourne for Asia Pacific fares,
even when they are geographically closer to the
It is the cheapest Australian departure city for flights destination.
to eight of the 10 most popular destinations in Asia
Pacific, including Bali, Bangkok, Delhi, Singapore, Brisbane is the most expensive departure point for
Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, Manila and Tokyo. flights to Bali, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, while
Adelaide takes the high price crown for Bangkok,
Darwin, which suffers as the most expensive city to Delhi, Hong Kong, Manila and Shanghai.
depart for domestic flights, makes up for it with travel
to Asia Pacific, coming in as the second cheapest
departure city (after Perth) for flights to half of the top
10 most popular destinations.
Asia Pacific: Top 10 Most Popular Destinations by Departure Point
Denpasar– Kuala Hong
Bangkok Delhi Singapore Manila Tokyo Nadi Shanghai Average
Bali Lumpar Kong
Sydney $580 $642 $960 $556 $568 $717 $730 $823 $582 $690 $685
Melbourne $551 $609 $976 $545 $540 $699 $756 $791 $684 $726 $688
Brisbane $604 $800 $1,032 $737 $752 $836 $843 $906 $585 $892 $799
Adelaide $485 $805 $1,083 $683 $703 $845 $880 $939 $767 $933 $812
Perth $340 $441 $771 $369 $351 $549 $624 $785 $916 $695 $584
Darwin $372 $584 $1,011 $463 $494 $642 $696 $976 $976 $925 $714
Percentage
difference to
Sydney
Melbourne -5% -5% 2% -2% -5% -3% 4% -4% 18% 5% 0%
Brisbane 4% 25% 8% 33% 32% 17% 15% 10% 0% 29% 17%
Adelaide -16% 25% 13% 23% 24% 18% 21% 14% 32% 35% 19%
Perth -41% -31% -20% -34% -38% -23% -15% -5% 58% 1% -15%
Darwin -36% -9% 5% -17% -13% -10% -5% 19% 68% 34% 4%
16Long Haul
The trifecta of Darwin, Brisbane and Adelaide scoops
the pool for costly long haul departure points, with
Sydney the cheapest.
Darwin romps in as Australia’s most expensive city for
long haul flights, about 15% above Sydney prices and
more so for Paris (21%) and London (20%).
Fiji
It’s 13% and 12% more expensive to leave from Say Bula to savings in Fiji. It’s already a bargain
Brisbane for London and Paris than departing from destination, but you’ll save $245 by flying into Nadi
Sydney, while it costs 12% and 8% more to get to instead of Suva.
Los Angeles and New York from Adelaide than from
Sydney.
Happily for South Australians, increased competition
among carriers flying out of Adelaide in 2016 means
flights to London are on par with Sydney.
Swap and Save
New Caledonia
Same, same, but different Parlez-vous Francaise in the tropics? Skip French
Got a dream destination in mind, but the flights are just Polynesia ($2,316) and head to New Caledonia instead
so darn expensive? Don’t shelve your plans, change ($746). They still speak French, have turquoise waters
them. Travelling to a different but similar destination and you’ll save over $1,500 – that’s a lot of baguettes.
within a region – even a different city within the same
country – can save you hundreds of dollars in fares.
Paris
Vietnam Longing for London but short on cash? Head to Paris,
Flying into Ho Chi Minh City isn’t just a shorter flight Europe’s most inexpensive arrival point, and only a
from Australia, you’ll save $132 by not flying into quick hop across the Channel to London by plane,
Hanoi. boat or train.
17What was happening Cheapflights
in 2015? Fare-Casting 2018
Domestic China on the Rise
As in 2016, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane Already Sydney’s number one destination country in
were the most popular domestic destinations. Asia Pacific, with three cities plus Hong Kong in the
top 20, increasing business and trade deals will see
However, it was regional hubs – Ayr ($197), travel to multiple Chinese cities take off even higher.
Ballina ($222) and Kempsey ($223) – with the
cheapest return fares, while Sydney ($235), the Oh, Canada
Gold Coast ($244) and Melbourne ($251) were Expect to see Canada’s share of the North American
the most affordable cities to visit. market grow, led by Vancouver as an emerging centre
of North American cool. Vancouver has overtaken
Trans-Tasman Toronto as the most popular Canadian destination
Auckland dominated Trans-Tasman travel (28% and comes in at number five most popular long haul
of searches), with Wellington and Christchurch destinations, possibly helped by plentiful media
in hot pursuit (both 12%). coverage around popular Prime Minister Justin
Trudeau, compared to concerns around travel bans in
Wellington ($231) and Christchurch ($242) a Trump-led USA.
also topped the most affordable list along with
regional hub Paraparaumu ($242). Fast forward Melbourne Culture Over Beach Dreams
to 2016 and Christchurch is the winner! You won’t find Fiji in the top 10 destinations for
Melbournians, even though it’s an inexpensive and
Asia Pacific firm favourite of travellers from Sydney and Brisbane.
Denpasar-Bali was a firm favourite and took out Why? Because those from Melbourne tend to favour a
top spot, followed by Bangkok and Manila. different style of holiday to sun-soaked ‘flop and drop’
While Bali and Bangkok still take out the top resorts. Think Europe, culture and cuisine over beaches
spots, Manila has dropped to seventh place in and cocktails, although the style and sophistication of
2016. French Polynesia could win them over.
Looking beyond the capital cities of the region Perth the New Dubai?
saved Aussies however, with Indonesia’s The introduction of direct flights from Perth to London
Palembang ($485), Malaysia’s Bintulu ($522) early next year will make an Australian layover on
and Maliana in Timor-Leste ($554) having the your flight to London a reality for those travelling from
cheapest average return airfares. Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane or Adelaide. And even
better for those living on the west coast, they’ll be able
to fly direct. Expect to see more Australians combine
a Perth stopover with a European holiday. The aviation
breakthrough puts a new spin on the state’s famous ‘fly
in, fly out’ lifestyle.
1819
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