We’ve all heard of Christmas in July – that uniquely Aussie tradition of having a mini Xmas celebration in the middle of the year to create your own white (or at least cold!) Christmas. But did you know you should book your actual Christmas and summer travel in July too?
That’s right. We’ve reviewed more than 300 destinations and found that Australian travellers can save up to 35% on both accommodation and airfares by booking their summer travel six months in advance. Christmas and the New Year are the busiest travel periods of the year – 35% of Aussies plan to travel during the summer holidays – and as flights sell out and hotels book up, prices generally go up. So the sooner you can book, the better.
Unfortunately for their wallets, 27% of Aussie travellers book their Christmas and summer holidays at the last minute, with men the worst offenders (34% of men book at the last minute, compared to 21% of women). Not only does this typically make their Christmas travel more expensive, but it can make it stressful as well. We encourage all Aussies to get in early and book their summer travel now.
Aussie summer travel tips
• You can save up to 30% on domestic accommodation and up to 35% on domestic airfares by booking your summer travel up to six months in advance. On average, the best time to book domestic accommodation is July, while the best time to book domestic airfares is August.
• Booking your accommodation early can mean big savings wherever you’re travelling – however Queensland, South Australia, and Tasmania are the top three states where booking ahead will make a difference to your holiday budget.
• Travellers planning a coastal or beach getaway will benefit the most from booking their summer holiday in advance. Right now, there are great savings available in many of Australia’s most popular coastal destinations, including Airlie Beach, Lorne, Coffs Harbour, and Byron Bay.
International summer travel tips
• You can save up to 35% by booking both your international accommodation and your international airfares up to six months in advance. International airfares for the Australian summer period are best booked in July, while the best accommodation deals for the same period are usually found in August.
• New Zealand and Vietnam are two of the best destinations to book in advance.
Wotif’s top five summer holiday savings tips for all destinations
1. Be flexible with your travel dates: If you’re open to it, consider flying on Christmas Day. Fewer people want to travel on the big day, especially in comparison to Christmas Eve, so you may find a much cheaper airfare.
2. Bundle savings: If you’re booking on Wotif, combining your flights, accommodation, and even car hire into one package can give you access to great discounts not available when you book separately. It’s like bundling your phone and internet plan, only much more fun 😉
3. Save time by not shopping around: Christmas and summer holidays can take a bit of planning, so save yourself some time by booking with a travel site that offers the best rate, guaranteed. The Wotif Price Promise ensures you get the lowest possible price for your trip without having to shop around. If you book a hotel or package on Wotif, then find a cheaper price online for the same property or package bundle within 24 hours of making your booking, our team will match the lower price by refunding the difference.
4. Be our mate: Create a Wotif account to gain access to secret Mates Rates. They’re normally hidden on our website, but you can see them when you’re logged in and they’ll save you between 10% to 50% on select hotels in Australia and all over the world.
5. Search for value-adds: If you’re booking your summer holiday in July, you’re already on your way to securing a fantastic deal. But why not make it even better by choosing one with bonus inclusions like free breakfast, a complimentary minibar, or free parking? If you’re searching on Wotif, you can filter your search results to find these added extras by ticking the options in the ‘Amenities’ list on the left-hand side of the search results page.
Behind the stats
Hotel prices and savings: Our hotel price and savings estimates are based on an analysis of more than 300 destinations available to book on Wotif.com. Our pricing analysis is based on the average daily rate for 3 – 5 star-rated and self-rated accommodation demand on Wotif.com from 1 January 2017 to 31 December 2017 for travel from 24 December 2017 to 6 January 2018 for the specified destinations. Prices shown are in Australian dollars for bookings made on Wotif’s Australian website and are not necessarily the rates displayed on the site today. Rates are subject to accommodation and date selections made.
Flight prices and savings: Our airfare price and savings estimates are based on an analysis of more than 35 airfare destinations available to book on Wotif.com. Our pricing analysis is based on average round-trip airfares for all ticket-fare types available on Wotif.com from 1 January 2017 to 31 December 2017 for travel from 24 December 2017 to 6 January 2018, departing from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra, Adelaide, Hobart, Darwin, and Perth for the listed destinations. Prices shown are in Australian dollars for bookings made on Wotif’s Australian website and are not necessarily the rates currently displayed on the website. Rates are subject to flight and date selections made.
Background research: We (Wotif) commissioned Lonergan Research to conduct research on our behalf in accordance with the ISO 20252 standard. Lonergan Research surveyed 1,042 Australians aged 18+. Surveys were distributed throughout Australia, including both capital city and regional areas. The survey was conducted online by members of a permission-based panel between 4 May and 7 May 2018. After interviewing, data was weighted to the latest population estimates sourced from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
