Best bargains for a December holiday break plus tips on how to get the best deal.
It’s no secret that Christmas is the hottest time of year for people to travel. It’s also no secret that it’s one of the most expensive times to travel. The cheapest tickets often get snapped up early and sales tend not to include Christmas holiday periods – but don’t be discouraged!
With the kids on holidays and a four-day weekend off from work (23–26 December 2017) you shouldn’t let the last-minute rush stand between you and your holiday. There are still ways to have a cheap Christmas getaway. Scroll down to find out how:
Valid for travel from 20 August 2018 - 28 February 2019, including over Chris...
Valid for stays from 21 August 2018 - 28 February 2019, including over Christ...
Valid until 31 December 2018 at select USA locations. Minimum of 5 days rental.
Valid until 31 December 2018 on airport and port parking across Australia, in...
G Adventures
Up to $1,040 off Europe tours
Valid for travel from 18 October 2018 - 21 January 2019, including over Christmas. Destinations include Naples, Paris, Barcelona, Lisbon, Berlin, Budapest and more. T&Cs apply.
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Expedia.com.au
6-day Disney World ticket for the price of 4
Valid from 20 August - 31 December 2018, including over Christmas at Disney World Resort Florida. T&Cs apply.
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Expedia.com.au
4-day Disneyland ticket for the price of 2
Valid until 31 December 2018, including over Christmas at Disneyland Resort California. T&Cs apply.
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Cathay Pacific
North America flights from $1,242 return
Valid for travel from 20 August 2018 - 28 February 2019, including over Christmas. Destinations include Los Angeles, Boston, New York, Vancouver and Toronto. Sample fare is Melbourne-Los Angeles.
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Hotels.com
Up to 40% off hotels + extra 8% off with code
Valid for stays from 21 August 2018 - 28 February 2019, including over Christmas. Destinations Destinations include Paris, Sydney, New York City, Dubai, Las Vegas, Tokyo, Bangkok and more. T&Cs apply.
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Berlin Pass
Free entry to the Pergamon Museum
Valid until 31 December 2018, including over Christmas. T&Cs apply.
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Cathay Pacific
Europe flights from $1,123 return
Valid for travel from 20 August 2018 - 28 February 2019, including over Christmas. Destinations include London, Amsterdam, Paris, Rome, Dublin and more. Sample fare is Cairns-London.
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Looking4Parking
10% off cruise port and airport parking
Valid until 31 December 2018 on airport and port parking across Australia, including Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney, Perth, Gold Coast and Adelaide.
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Dusit Hotels
Up to 15% off Dusit Thani Hua Hin + Free WiFi
Valid until 31 December 2018 at Dusit Thani Hua Hin, Thailand. Booking must be made in advance. T&C's apply.
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Swiss BelHotel
Up to 35% off Manila stay
Valid for stays until 31 December 2018 at Valero Grand Suites by Swiss Belhotel Makati, Philippines. T&C's apply.
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Compass Hospitality
10% off best buy rates
Valid for use on select dates until 31 December 2018 at The Citrus Hotel Cardiff and Eastbourne, United Kingdom. Booking must be made 7 days prior stay. Includes complimentary WiFi, early check-in and late check-out. T&C's apply.
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Caesars Palace
Free buffet package for two
Valid for stays until 31 December 2018. Includes accommodations and two buffet passes. T&C"s apply.
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Adina
Up to 20% off stays 2+ nights
Valid for stays on select dates from 13 September 2017 - 31 December 2018. Minimum of a 2-night stay to redeem offer. T&C's apply.
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Groupon
40% off Phuket day tour
Valid for travel until 31 December 2018. Includes full day tour of James Bond Island and Phang Nga Bay, buffet lunch, fruit and soft drink, English-speaking tour guide and more. T&Cs apply.
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Groupon
20% off airport transfers
Valid for travel until 31 December 2018, including over Christmas. Destination includes Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sydney, Melbourne and Sunshine Coast. T&Cs apply.
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Enterprise Rent a Car
Up to 10% off Australia car hire
Valid until 31 December 2018. Minimum of 3 days rental. T&Cs apply.
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Groupon
Phuket day tour from just $55
Valid for travel until 31 December 2018. Enjoy the scenery of Phi Phi, Maya Bay and Khai Island. Inclusive of return transfers to hotel, speedboat tours, English-speaking guide and more. T&Cs apply.
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Hertz
10% off USA car hire
Valid until 31 December 2018 at select USA locations. Minimum of 5 days rental.
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Vibe
Up to 20% off stays + 2-for-1 breakfasts
Valid for stays until 31 December 2018, including over Christmas. Includes late check-out perks and complimentary use of WiFi. T&Cs apply.
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Hertz
15% off USA premium car hire
Valid until 31 December 2018 at select USA locations. Minimum of 5 days rental.
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Compass Hospitality
Up to 30% off hotels
Valid for stays until 31 December 2018, including over Christmas. Destinations include Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Kuala Lumpur, Oxford and more. T&Cs apply.
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Dusit Hotels
Up to 20% off luxury hotels worldwide
Valid for stays until 31 December 2018, including over Christmas. Includes free WiFi and welcome drinks upon arrival. Destinations include China, Kenya, Maldives, Philippines, Thailand, UAE, USA and more. T&Cs apply.
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Wendy Wu Tours
$50 off tours
Valid until 31 December 2018 on select tours, including over Christmas. Destinations include China, Japan, India, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and more. T&Cs apply.
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Coupon code expires
Enterprise Rent a Car
Up to 10% off New Zealand car hire
Valid until 31 December 2018, including over Christmas. Minimum of 3 days rental. T&Cs apply.
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Swiss BelHotel
Up to 30% off Bali stay
Valid for stays until 31 December 2018 at Swiss Belhotel Tuban, Bali, Indonesia. Must book 60 days in advance to get the discount. T&C's apply.
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Contiki
Up to 30% off last-minute Asia tours
Valid on select tours departing until 26 December, including Asian Adventure and Eternal India.
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Groupon
20% off airport transfers
Valid for travel until 31 December 2018, including over Christmas. Destination includes Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sydney, Melbourne and Sunshine Coast. T&Cs apply.
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Groupon
11-day European Christmas market cruise from $2,298
Valid for cruise on 10 December 2019. Includes breakfast, lunch, dinner and more. T&Cs apply.
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STA Travel
New Zealand flights from $299 return
Valid for travel until 31 December 2018, including Christmas. Sample fare is Melbourne-Christchurch with Air New Zealand.
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Otel.com
Extra 8% off hotel bookings
Valid on hotel stays worldwide on all dates, including over holidays like Easter, Christmas and New Year's Eve.
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My Fiji
Up to $3,000 free in extras with Fiji packages
Valid for travel from August - December 2018, including over Christmas. Resorts include Fiji Hideaway, Sheraton Fiji, Royal Davui Island and more. T&Cs apply.
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Luxury Escapes
Up to 50% off 8-night Vietnam packages
Valid for travel from 1 October 2018 - 30 September 2019, including over Christmas. Includes accommodation, daily breakfast, dinner, 60-minute body massage and more. T&Cs apply.
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Wendy Wu Tours
$50 off tours
Valid until 31 December 2018 on select tours, including over Christmas. Destinations include China, Japan, India, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and more. T&Cs apply.
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Coupon code expires
G Adventures
Up to $1,040 off Europe tours
Valid for travel from 18 October 2018 - 21 January 2019, including over Christmas. Destinations include Naples, Paris, Barcelona, Lisbon, Berlin, Budapest and more. T&Cs apply.
Last verified
Deal expires
Cathay Pacific
Europe flights from $1,123 return
Valid for travel from 20 August 2018 - 28 February 2019, including over Christmas. Destinations include London, Amsterdam, Paris, Rome, Dublin and more. Sample fare is Cairns-London.
Last verified
Deal expires
Cathay Pacific
Asia flights from $704 return
Valid for travel from 17 September 2018 - 15 August 2019, including over Christmas. Destinations include Tokyo, Osaka, Taipei, Beijing, Manila and more. Sample fare is Perth-Shanghai.
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Deal expires
Cathay Pacific
North America flights from $1,242 return
Valid for travel from 20 August 2018 - 28 February 2019, including over Christmas. Destinations include Los Angeles, Boston, New York, Vancouver and Toronto. Sample fare is Melbourne-Los Angeles.
Last verified
Deal expires
STA Travel
New Zealand flights from $299 return
Valid for travel until 31 December 2018, including Christmas. Sample fare is Melbourne-Christchurch with Air New Zealand.
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Deal expires
Hotels.com
Up to 40% off hotels + extra 8% off with code
Valid for stays from 21 August 2018 - 28 February 2019, including over Christmas. Destinations Destinations include Paris, Sydney, New York City, Dubai, Las Vegas, Tokyo, Bangkok and more. T&Cs apply.
Last verified
Coupon code expires
Otel.com
Extra 8% off hotel bookings
Valid on hotel stays worldwide on all dates, including over holidays like Easter, Christmas and New Year's Eve.
Last verified
Compass Hospitality
Up to 30% off hotels
Valid for stays until 31 December 2018, including over Christmas. Destinations include Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Kuala Lumpur, Oxford and more. T&Cs apply.
Last verified
Deal expires
Vibe
Up to 20% off stays + 2-for-1 breakfasts
Valid for stays until 31 December 2018, including over Christmas. Includes late check-out perks and complimentary use of WiFi. T&Cs apply.
Last verified
Deal expires
Dusit Hotels
Up to 20% off luxury hotels worldwide
Valid for stays until 31 December 2018, including over Christmas. Includes free WiFi and welcome drinks upon arrival. Destinations include China, Kenya, Maldives, Philippines, Thailand, UAE, USA and more. T&Cs apply.
Last verified
Deal expires
Groupon
11-day European Christmas market cruise from $2,298
Valid for cruise on 10 December 2019. Includes breakfast, lunch, dinner and more. T&Cs apply.
Last verified
Deal expires
Expedia.com.au
6-day Disney World ticket for the price of 4
Valid from 20 August - 31 December 2018, including over Christmas at Disney World Resort Florida. T&Cs apply.
Last verified
Deal expires
Expedia.com.au
4-day Disneyland ticket for the price of 2
Valid until 31 December 2018, including over Christmas at Disneyland Resort California. T&Cs apply.
Last verified
Deal expires
Berlin Pass
Free entry to the Pergamon Museum
Valid until 31 December 2018, including over Christmas. T&Cs apply.
Last verified
Deal expires
Looking for more travel deals over Christmas? Check out all of our promo codes and discounts.
10 tips to get the cheapest Christmas flights and holidays
1. Fly on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve and/or New Year’s Day
Flights during the week before Christmas Day tend to be the most expensive for the month as everyone who’s searching for a Christmas getaway will want to be at their destination on the 25th. If you’re not that picky, fly ON Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. If you're travelling somewhere that's only an hour or two away, you may still be able to get to your celebrations before lunch. It may not be the best thing celebration-wise but it could save you hundreds.
Just be wary of transport to your hotel when you arrive as some cities shut down or limit public transport on Christmas Day (eg, London) or charge a public holiday surcharge.
2. Fly back mid-January
Those people flying out before Christmas Day will most likely be flying back just after New Year’s. So try to avoid flights in the week following New Year’s Day to cash in on the cheaper fares that follow.
3. Holiday in a country that doesn’t celebrate Christmas
Where there will be Christmas celebrations, tourists will flock, so choose places that don’t really celebrate such as China, Cambodia, Japan and Morocco and you might find less of a fluctuation in airfares compared to other destinations.
4. Pick destinations that are generally more affordable
Shave costs by choosing destinations that are either closer to home or are more affordable.
While places like Southeast Asia are cheap anytime and will be a bit more expensive during the holidays, prices won't bloat as much as big cities or pricier destinations.
5. Keep it local
Don’t rule out short flights within your own country for a Christmas break. It’s still a break after all and you won’t have to worry about passports, visas and currency exchanges to boot.
We took a look to see how much a return flight over the holiday period – departing Saturday, 23 December and returning 1 January 2018 – would be and here are some sample fares we found:
- Melbourne from Launceston for $105 return (Jetstar)
- Sydney from Melbourne for $176 return (Jetstar and Tigerair)
- Brisbane from Newcastle for $156 return (Jetstar)
Check out what other flights are available here
6. Ditch the flight altogether and take a road trip
If you’re keeping it local, why not make it a road trip instead? Big families can benefit from this most as you’ll only have to pay a set price for the car hire instead of purchasing separate seats for each member of the brood on the plane.
According to DriveNow, hiring a car from Sydney CBD for 23 December 2017 to 1 January 2018 (drive out Saturday morning night, drive back in on New Year’s Day public holiday and only take three days off work) starts at $835.
7. Once you arrive, don't stay in hotels
We don’t have to tell you twice that booking through a short term or vacation rental service like Airbnb or VRBO can save you heaps. Christmas is no exception. Prices are set by the renters and accommodation can vary from anything from a room in an apartment to a whole house.
8. Camp it
Bring down the holiday splurge a little more by opting to go camp instead of booking accommodation. Family tents can be found for less than $300 and can be reused on your next trip.
Sites are much cheaper than hotels or Airbnb-style accommodation, and are sometimes even free if you're willing to forfeit facilities.
9. Opt for a package
Bundled packages which include flights, accommodation and sometimes activities can be a godsend during the peak period. To be fair, prices per package do go up according to the season but with everything sorted for you it’s a time-saver – especially for the budget savvy of us who have to research and compare every different option.
Check out the packages sections of sites like Wotif and Expedia to see just how much you can save on your holiday.
10. Fly without extras
If you're not having any luck with the price of your actual flight, consider forgoing extras like checked baggage (or share luggage to cut costs in half), in-flight meals and drinks.
We find these perks on budget airlines significantly increase the price of your flight - sometimes even doubling it. It may not seem like much, but if you're travelling with a family of four, these extras can easily add up to an extra night's hotel stay. Think of it as bonus vacation.
Note: All prices mentioned below are accurate at the time of writing (September 2017) and are subject to change.
