Forget Bali flight deals, Aussie travellers are opting for ‘one tank holidays’ instead
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There was a time when I was convinced the only ‘real’ travel involved international flights, and you couldn’t have paid me to go on an Australian road trip.
Then the pandemic shut the world down, the price of airfares increased, we were all slapped with a cost of living crisis, and I found myself very interested in ‘one tank holidays’. Now other Aussie travellers are following suit.
Road trips are becoming more popular as Aussie travellers struggle to see the value in costly flights. Maddison Skipper
Instead of scouring the internet for the best deals on flights to Bali, Aussies are now considering the overall value of a holiday; flights, accommodation, activities, and so much more.
The 2025 NRMA Index showed more Aussies are choosing to travel interstate (38 per cent) instead of jetting overseas (20 per cent), largely due to the ever-increasing cost of living.
Many said they were also driven by the ease of domestic travel compared to international trips, and a desire to explore their own backyards.
But even domestic flights are pricey these days, especially when you consider new and increasing costs like extra baggage fees.
“When you fly domestically there are often additional costs to consider, whether it’s baggage fees, airport transfers, food and drinks or hiring a car once you arrive,” Nick Baker, chief executive of Reflections Holidays, told nine.com.au.
Enter, the road trip – my new favourite way to travel.
The 2026 NRMA Index revealed that 64 per cent of Aussies are planning a road trip in the next six months, and Baker understands why.
“A road trip offers flexibility that flying simply can’t,” he said.
“You can set your own pace, stop where you like and discover regional towns you may never have planned to visit.
“For many people, the journey has become just as important as the destination.”
Horse riding in Glenworth Valley is the kind of experience you can only get if you’re willing to drive a few hours out of Sydney. Maddison Skipper
A Budget Direct survey released earlier this year found that almost 92 per cent of respondents had already taken a road trip in Australia, and nearly 74 per cent wanted to do another.
Most travellers drove 5-10 hours on their road trip (35 per cent), closely followed by less than five hours (28 per cent), suggesting Aussies prefer to stay close to home when they hit the road.
That’s probably because it means they only have to fill up the tank once, which is the cheapest way to do things when petrol is still so costly.
“We’re also seeing the rise of what we call the ‘one-tank holiday’, where people are choosing destinations within a comfortable drive from home,” Baker said.
“They’re filling up once, heading away for a long weekend or short break and still getting that sense of escape without the additional costs that can come with flying.”
Think driving to Jervis Bay from Sydney, or to the Yarra Valley from Melbourne; they’re the kind of trips that offer a brief escape without breaking the bank.
Who wants to deal with all the added cost and stress of air travel when you can take it easy in your own car and drive somewhere close to home? iStock
They also don’t cost working Aussies all of their annual leave, unlike a weeks-long trip abroad in which at least two full days are spent travelling.
“One of the most interesting shifts we’re seeing is that Australians are becoming much more comfortable taking shorter, more frequent breaks throughout the year rather than waiting for one big annual holiday,” Baker said.
In the last few months alone I’ve done weekend road trips to the Hunter Valley, Glenworth Valley, Canberra, Dubbo, and Currarong on the NSW South Coast.
Each trip started from my home in Sydney and required about 5-10 hours of driving, but that was a small price to pay for these brief escapes that gave me the chance to relax and reset before another week of work.
Maddison Skipper recently road tripped to the Hunter Valley for a hot air balloon adventure and loved every minute of it. Maddison Skipper
The flexibility and freedom of having no set schedule ruled by check in times and airport security lines has been a welcome relief, and it’s given me the chance to take a slower approach to travel.
There’s something so easy about loading up the car with bags and snacks, filling up once, and hitting the road for an adventure close to home that has totally changed my outlook on travel.
Instead of rushing to get to a destination (the airport), I can decide to stop in at a little coastal town on a whim, park the car and explore for a few hours.
That’s how I discovered the amazing hot chips at Reckless Brewing Co. in Bathurst on my way home from Dubbo, and my favourite coffee spot on the South Coast, Clay Coffee Collective in Gerringong, on a trip to Currarong.
Currarong on the NSW South Coast is a 3 hours drive from Sydney, with plenty of delightful coastal towns to stop at along the way. Maddison Skipper
Those little pit stops also help local businesses, especially in regional and rural areas that rely on tourism to thrive.
“That’s a real positive for regional communities, giving local businesses a steadier flow of visitors and encouraging people to discover parts of Australia they may not have otherwise explored,” Baker said.
“We’re also seeing more people travel outside the traditional peak holiday periods, which means those economic benefits are being felt more consistently throughout the year, rather than being concentrated in summer.”
Now that I’ve started road tripping, I just don’t feel the draw of international air travel the way I used to – and I don’t think I’ll be booking another Euro summer for a few years at least.
