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Cheap Christmas holiday travel deals for 2023

You can still bag a last-minute Christmas bargain with these travel deals.

With 2 public holidays to take advantage of, you shouldn't let the last-minute rush stand between you and your holiday.

There are still ways to have a cheap Christmas getaway.

Don't need to travel over Christmas? Save by catching a January travel deal instead.

Deal

Christmas deals: Up to 20% off selected experience

Expires 27 Dec 2023
Celebrate Christmas with family and friends with this incredible adventure and activities at RedBalloon. Valid for a limited time only. T&Cs apply.
Deal

Christmas deals: Up to 20% off selected adventures

Expires 27 Dec 2023
Make your next Christmas celebration memorable with this exciting adventure at Adrenaline. Valid for a limited time only. T&Cs apply.
Deal

Up to 10% off Melbourne stays

Available on select stay dates from December 2023 – December 2024, including during Christmas and New Year's Eve. Destinations include Northern Suburbs, Southbank and more.
Deal

Up to 60% off activities, experiences and things to do

Valid on select dates including holidays such as Christmas, New Year's and more depending on the destination. Destinations include Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, Dubai, Australia, London and the US. T&Cs apply.
Deal

Up to 30% off selected domestic flights

Verified Today Expires 13 Dec 2023
Fares are on sale until 11:59pm AEST 12 December 2023 unless sold out prior for selected one-way flights on selected travel dates in 2024 for Economy Lite and Choice fares only. Travel periods apply and fares are subject to availability.
Deal

Cheap family flights to Hawaii

Available for travel on select dates until 31 December 2023. Destinations include Adelaide, Kangaroo Island, Port Lincoln, Mt. Gambier, and Whyalla. T&Cs apply.
Deal

Cairns to Sydney from $305 return on Jetstar

Expires 1 Jan 2024
Available for travel until 31 December 2024. T&Cs apply.
Deal

Gold Coast to Melbourne from $240 return on Jetstar

Expires 1 Jan 2024
Available for travel until 31 December 2024. T&Cs apply.
Deal

Brisbane to Melbourne from $258 return on Jetstar

Expires 1 Jan 2024
Available for travel until 31 December 2024. T&Cs apply.
Deal

Up to 30% off international hotel rates

Expires 1 Jan 2024
Available for booking on select dates until 31 December 2023. Destinations include countries in Asia, Europe, Oceania, and many more. T&Cs apply.
Deal

Up to 15% off Sydney getaways

Available on select travel dates until December 2023. Destinations include Coogee, Bondi Beach, Surry Hills and more.
Deal

Up to 41% off domestic stays + free cancellations

Available until December 2023. Destinations include Broome, Mackay, Launceston, Darwin, Perth, Cairns, Sydney and Gold Coast. T&Cs apply.
Deal

Up to 26% off Gold Coast hotels

Available on stays until December 2023. Destinations include Surfers Paradise, Broadbeach and more. T&Cs apply.
Deal

Up to 50% off Perth stays

Available on select properties until December 2023. Sample stay is at Gallery Hotel. Destinations include Northbridge, Fremantle, Scarborough and more.
Deal

Up to 48% off Brisbane stays

Available on select travel dates until December 2023. Destinations include Brisbane CBD, Spring Hill, Fortitude Valley and more.
Deal

Swiss-Belinn Balikpapan: Up to 15% off spa

Expires 1 Jan 2024
Available for booking until 31 December 2023. It includes breakfast for 2 persons, a special dinner party for 2 pax, free access to the gym and whirlpool, and free SBEC Benefits membership. T&Cs apply.
Deal

Swiss-Belsuites Admiral Juffair: Up to 25% off on stay

Expires 21 Dec 2023
Available for booking until 27 December 2023 at Swiss BelHotel. Booking must be made 7 days in advance. T&Cs apply.
Deal

Australia stays from $30 per night

Available on select stay dates until December 2023 in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Darwin, Canberra and more. Sample rate is for a stay at Gilligan's Backpackers Hotel & Resort in Cairns.
Deal

Up to 10% off Melbourne stays

Available on select stay dates from December 2023 – December 2024, including during Christmas and New Year's Eve. Destinations include Northern Suburbs, Southbank and more.
Deal

Up to 25% off Australia holiday packages

Available on select dates until 15 December 2023 when you book your hotel and flights together. Destinations include Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, and Gold Coast. T&Cs apply.
Deal

Christmas deals: Up to 20% off selected experience

Expires 27 Dec 2023
Celebrate Christmas with family and friends with this incredible adventure and activities at RedBalloon. Valid for a limited time only. T&Cs apply.
Deal

Christmas deals: Up to 20% off selected adventures

Expires 27 Dec 2023
Make your next Christmas celebration memorable with this exciting adventure at Adrenaline. Valid for a limited time only. T&Cs apply.
Deal

Up to 70% off hotel stays

Expires 31 Dec 2023
Available for travel on select dates until 30 December 2023. T&Cs apply.
Deal

Hong Kong hotel stay plus return flights for two from $2149

Available for booking on select dates until 31 December 2023. T&Cs apply.
Deal

Up to 60% off activities, experiences and things to do

Valid on select dates including holidays such as Christmas, New Year's and more depending on the destination. Destinations include Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, Dubai, Australia, London and the US. T&Cs apply.
Deal

Royal Caribbean Cruises: Up to 30% off plus kids sail FREE

Available for travel on select dates until 31 December 2023. Destination includes the Bahamas, Alaska, South Pacific, and more. T&Cs apply.

Looking for more travel deals over Christmas? Check out all of our promo codes and discounts.


11 tips to get the cheapest Christmas flights and holidays

1. Fly on 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.

According to 2022 Air New Zealand data, 23 December is one of the busiest days that week to fly.

If you're not that picky, avoid flying a few days before Christmas and fly on Christmas Day instead.

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.

plane generic

Just be wary of transport to your hotel when you arrive as some cities shut down or limit public transport on Christmas Day (e.g. 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.

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. Instead, choose places that don't really celebrate such as China, Cambodia, Japan and Morocco. 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.

In 2022, KAYAK found some of the most affordable popular destinations for the season were the Gold Coast, Sydney, Sunshine Coast, Melbourne and Brisbane.

Internationally, the cheapest destinations to visit over Christmas were Bali, Hanoi, Bangkok, Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur. This is based on the 50 most searched-for destinations for Christmas travel.

5. Stay in destinations that have price drops over the silly season

We know what you're thinking: nowhere has price drops over Christmas!

Contrary to popular belief, there are some destinations where you can score a bargain over Christmas.

In the past, Expedia found Belfast in Ireland almost 30% cheaper to stay in over the peak season based on the average daily room rate, compared to the average for the year.

This was followed by Toronto and Seattle, which were both 25% cheaper.

For somewhere more local, Western Australia and the Northern Territory are often cheaper alternatives to the eastern states.

Bear in mind that weather conditions may be playing a part in these drops with Belfast, Toronto and Seattle experiencing cold winters and Western Australia and the NT a hot summer.

6. 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 was over the holiday period using Skyscanner's fly everywhere tool. We chose flights departing Saturday 24 December 2023 and returning 2 January 2024 and here are some sample fares we found:

  • Launceston to Melbourne for $143 return (Jetstar)
  • Launceston to Sydney for $435 return (Jetstar)
  • Melbourne to Adelaide for $277 return (Jetstar)
  • Sydney to Gold Coast return for $281 return (Jetstar)

These prices are accurate as of 06 December 2023.

Check out what other flights are available here

7. 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 the 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. Or, use your own vehicle.

According to our car hire tool, hiring a car from Sydney CBD for 24 December 2023 to 2 January 2024 (9-day trip) starts at $511, which is less than $57 a day.

These prices are accurate as of 06 December 2023.

Key in your dates below for a quote.

Another alternative is car rental service KINTO which charges a set price per kilometre and time and includes fuel costs. Daily rentals start from $67.50, while weekly rentals start from $49.95 per day for 7 days rental or more.

great_ocean_road_shutterstock_273439982

8. 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 Stayz 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. If in doubt, you can compare it against current hotel prices via Hotels Finder below.

9. Camp it

Bring down the holiday splurge a little more by opting to go camping instead of booking accommodation. Family tents can cost less than $300 and can be reused on your next trip.

Sites are much cheaper than hotels or Airbnb-style accommodations and are sometimes even free if you're willing to forfeit facilities.

For an idea of where to go, check out our top picks of campervan sites in Australia.

10. Opt for a package

Bundled packages that 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 Luxury Escapes or My Travel Experience to see how much you can save on your holiday.

11. Fly without extras

If you're not having any luck with the price of your actual flight, consider forgoing extras such as 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 4, these extras can easily add up to an extra night's hotel stay. Think of it as a bonus vacation.

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