We all know a friend who swears by the fact that you need to buy tickets six weeks out from the travel day and Tuesdays are the cheapest days to fly, but is that still the case? Travel insurance comparison site, Compare the Market, has crunched the numbers to see which days are the cheapest to fly out in December as people begin to plan for their end-of-year celebrations.

Turns out that friend of yours is in fact onto something. Using Skyscanner for a single one-way ticket with no checked baggage, Compare the Market found that flights out of Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne to the rest of Australia’s major cities are cheapest between the 11^th and 17^th of December.

While there is a strong correlation within this period with inexpensive flights (in comparison to prices across December), there are still some great deals to be had before this time (such as Brisbane to Cairns on the 5^th of December) as well as after these dates (Sydney to Adelaide on the 19^th of December).

Across the board, the analysis also found that on average, the most expensive tickets from all three major cities (Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne) were a few days prior to and after the 25^th of December.

The cheapest deals out of Brisbane for a single one-way ticket with no checked baggage are:

The cheapest deals out of Sydney for a single one-way ticket with no checked baggage are:

The cheapest deals out of Melbourne (any airport) for a single one-way ticket with no checked baggage are:

Another trend that Compare the Market found is that travellers may be able to grab a bargain by flying out on the 31^st of December to select cities. Holidaymakers from Brisbane may be able to snap up one of the cheapest tickets to Hobart and Perth of the calendar month, while Sydneysiders could get themselves to Melbourne for as little as $63 if they fly out on New Year’s Eve. Melbournians could also make a trip out to Hobart or Adelaide for less than $100.

Compare the Market’s General Manager for General Insurance and travel insurance expert, Adrian Taylor, said there are benefits of getting travel insurance – even if you are just planning a domestic trip over the end-of-year festivities.

“We know that many people may be thinking of heading over state lines for their upcoming end-of-year holiday as a cheaper alternative to an overseas trip. However, just because people aren’t jumping on a 6-hour flight, they shouldn’t forget to pack travel insurance,” Mr Taylor said. “While travel insurance is often bought for covering medical bills and lost luggage, it’s so much more than that. It can offer financial aid in the case of delayed or cancelled flights which could be due to simple things such as a summer storm prior to take off, or flooding at your destination, something that we have all seen happen before.”

“Furthermore, if you’re planning an event-filled trip, domestic travel insurance could cover some of the costs if you end up missing your prepaid activities, such as a concert, or jet ski sessions, due to a delay or cancellation in your travel arrangements.

“Additionally, depending on the level of cover you get, you could also be covered for any rental car excess if you are planning to hire a car and drive from place to place.

“And for those people who are thinking about taking a cruise in Australian waters, travel insurance is still necessary, as any medical expenses that occur on the cruise might not be covered under Medicare or your private health insurance as soon as you step on the ship.”

Methodology

Prices for a single one-way ticket without any checked baggage were gathered from Skyscanner on the 3^rd of November 2023, and all prices are subject to availability. Pricing shown on Skyscanner are the estimated lowest prices only and will change to reflect the individual’s needs.

Prices for flights from Melbourne are indicated from any of its three airports.

-ENDS-

For interviews and more information, please contact:

Noémi Hadnagy | m: 0433 377 252 | e: [email protected]    

Compare the Market is a comparison service that takes the hard work out of shopping around. We make it Simples for Australians to quickly and easily compare and buy insurance, energy, and home loans products from a range of providers. Our easy-to-use comparison tool helps you look for a range of products that may suit your needs and benefit your back pocket.