Spend Christmas in the land down under for an incredible summer yuletide.
Christmas time in Australia is the peak of summer, when the beaches are bustling, the sun is shining and the weather is perfect.
Whether you’re heading to Australia during the holidays for much-needed time away from the cold, or are helping book tickets for a family member abroad to visit you in Australia, there are a few ways to save on these usually expensive flights - especially when they're left to the last minute.
Search for Christmas flights to Australia
Compare hundreds of airlines and booking sites to get the best fares to Australia at Christmastime by using the search below:
Top flight deals
Flight Finder
Domestic flights from $62.95 each way
Valid for travel from 16 October - 17 December 2018 with Tigerair. Sample fare is Gold Coast-Sydney.
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Virgin Australia - Deals
Australia-wide flights from $89 each way
Valid for travel from 12 August - 20 September 2018, 17 October - 12 December 2018 and 30 January - 27 June 2019. Sample fare is Ballina-Sydney.
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Virgin Australia - Deals
10% off select domestic and international flights
Valid on select flights booked with Virgin Australia. Simply enter the code to redeem offer. T&Cs apply.
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When is the best time to book Christmas flights to Australia?
For the best price, book four to five months in advance, around August or September.
Generally speaking, you should have some more time to book if you’re flying from closer destinations such as New Zealand or Hong Kong. The longer the flight, the more time in advance people tend to book, which drives prices up. So be ahead of the game.
- From Europe. Fly out of London to Sydney in the first week of December for amazing deals. Return flights are similar in price and are a bargain if you fly out on 26 or 28 December, or on 15 January or later.
- From New Zealand. Book departure flights from Auckland to Sydney for 9–12 December and you’ll score an awesome deal. Return flights unfortunately aren’t as cheap, but are more affordable when flying on 30–31 December and 1–2 January.
- From Singapore. Flying from Singapore to Sydney in December gives you many options, with cheap flights from 1–20 December available. Return flights peak around Christmas but drop slightly on 30–31 December. The cheapest return flights are 9 January or later.
- From Hong Kong. Book departure flights anytime during the month of December from Hong Kong to Sydney for great deals. Choose to fly out on 6–18 December for the lowest prices. Return flights are best on 27, 29 and 31 December.
- From USA. From North America, opt to fly from Los Angeles to Sydney and you’ll find the best prices on 4, 5, 8 and 20 December. Return flights are cheapest on Christmas Day or 27 December. Flight prices peak after New Year’s Day, so fly home later in the month for better prices.
Tips and tricks for getting cheap Christmas flights to Australia
Top tips to help you book international long-haul flights to Australia for Christmas.
- Fly from cheaper cities. In Europe and North America, flying out of a larger airport can make a big difference to the price. If you have the option, fly with a budget airline to a larger airport and then book your main ticket to Australia from cities such as Los Angeles, New York City or Vancouver in North America. Paris, Rome and London are some of the cheapest cities to fly out of in Europe.
- Fly on lower-star airlines. It may not be ideal to fly budget airlines on long-haul flights but it could save you hundreds. Some less luxurious airlines that fly to Australia are China Eastern, China Southern and Asiana Airlines.
- Use search tools. Skyscanner has an incredibly useful feature that allows you to compare prices every day throughout the month. Changing your departure or return date even by a day could save you hundreds.
- Fly longer for cheaper. It may not be the most desirable flight itinerary but choosing trips with longer layovers or more stops can save you big-time on flight prices. Some layovers may even be long enough to allow you to explore cities such as Hong Kong or Singapore on your way to or from Australia.
