Travellers can save thousands by flying on specific days over Christmas holidays
It's always the busiest and most expensive time to fly.
But there are ways to find a good deal over Christmas and New Year if you need to fly within Australia.
Research shows you'll find the best flight prices during the first two weeks of December this year.
READ MORE: How to get 53 days off without using any extra annual leave in 2026
Research shows you'll find find the best flight prices the first two weeks of December this year. Getty Images/iStockphoto
You can save hundreds - or even thousands - compared with fares closer to Christmas, according to Compare the Market research.
Of course, that's not always possible for many people - but if your job allows flexibility, it may be a good option.
Travellers could get direct flights from as low as $53 (Sydney to Melbourne) if they choose earlier dates, or spend more than $2,500 (Melbourne to Adelaide) per person one-way based on the flights studied, the number crunchers says.
READ MORE: 'Annoying' thing cruise passengers need to stop doing in their cabin
Quoted flight ticket prices generally peaked in the week of Christmas, unsurprisingly, before settling down towards the start of the new year, the company says.
Compared to 2024 and 2023, the cheapest flights on average in December mostly remained steady this year.
However, flights from Brisbane to Hobart and Perth, Sydney to Hobart, Adelaide and Cairns, and Melbourne to Sydney, Hobart, Adelaide, Perth and Cairns are more expensive than last year.
If you fly at the right time, you can save hundreds. Getty
Compare the Market's travel expert, Nine's Getaway host Catriona Rowntree, said the findings showed there are still ways to travel on a budget for Christmas if you can be flexible.
"Travelling in the Christmas and New Year peak can be more expensive, but choosing to fly earlier rather than later in December generally means you could score a better deal on a ticket," she says.
"For example, the cheapest flights from Sydney to Cairns is $104 in the first seven days of December or $455 on the 27th of December, just as the holidays start. That's a shocking 77 per cent difference."
READ MORE: Should you board a plane first or last? Flight attendants share their thoughts
Hoi An, in Vietnam, is a popular destination for Aussies. Getty
And a surprising holiday destination has emerged as a favourite for Aussies heading overseas this Christmas.
As costs remain high and everything feels expensive, Australian travellers have embraced a low-cost Asian destination as a perfect summer holiday spot.
Vietnam is the number one destination for Australians taking international holidays over the peak Christmas and New Year period, according to multiple travel companies.
Meanwhile, if you're going further afield for Christmas you'll likely want to visit a festive market.
READ MORE: Queensland is a magnet for Aussie travellers this summer - here's where they're going
A Christmas market in Copenhagen Getty
From the UK to Hungary, from Portugal to Denmark, no one does Christmas markets quite like the Europeans.
Think fairy lights, warm mulled wine, giant crepes, ornaments, rides and cute wooden huts as far as the eye can see.
Thankfully, the UK's Post Office Travel Money has crunched the numbers to find the best-value city for any traveller who wants to visit an authentic Christmas market.
Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, came out on top, where a festive-themed getaway will cost just $1,031.
