With working Australians facing a cost of living increase of 9.6%* – a rise the ABS notes hasn’t been seen since the 1980’s – many are searching high and low for the best ways to save so that travel can still fit into their changing budgets.
Domestic and international flight prices remain higher than pre-pandemic – up about 15%** combined – and despite this, domestic and international flight searches are up around 60%** for travel in July to December this year, compared to 2022. To help Aussies achieve their dream holiday on a budget, KAYAK – the world’s leading travel search engine – has just launched its ‘Best Time to Travel’ tool to give travellers all the power when it comes to trip planning.
KAYAK’s Best Time to Travel tool incorporates predictive data from billions of travel queries that KAYAK receives to forecast future flights so travellers can easily compare pricing against seasonal trends like historical weather and crowd patterns to determine when they should start packing for their next holiday.
KAYAK Australian Country Manager Abhijit Mishra commented, “’How far ahead should I book?’ is always a key question for travellers, and KAYAK’s new Best Time to Travel tool will help take this guesswork out of planning a trip.
Using current and historical data to predict the best prices, weather and projected crowds, the tool will help Aussie travellers make informed decisions about when to go on their next holiday. For example, right now flying to Bali from Sydney for a week’s holiday in November instead of December offers the best pricing and less crowds.” Ready to plan? Here’s a breakdown of KAYAK’s Best Time to Travel tool:
Step 1: Enter your destination – learn the best month to go Plug in your home airport, final destination and choose from KAYAK’s most popular trip lengths (i.e. are you travelling for 4, 7 or 14 days). With over 280,000 routes to choose from, KAYAK will share the best month to
visit based on a number of factors including price, crowds and weather. For example, November is the best month for Sydney-siders to visit Bali (one of the most popular destinations for Aussies according to KAYAK’s flight search data) for low flight prices, good weather and fewer crowds.
Travellers can also view a breakdown of the average, minimum and maximum flight prices for every month of the year. Continuing with our theme, flight prices to Bali are generally highest during the summer months (such as December, which is 20% more expensive on average) and cheapest during the shoulder season months like September, October and November.
Step 2: Narrow down your travel dates
You’ve nailed down which month to go, now it’s time to figure out which day to fly. KAYAK’s calendar view provides a yearly overview of how flight prices change depending on the dates you choose. For a 7-day trip to Bali, leaving on 7 November will be your best bet.
Step 3: Time your booking window to maximise savings
Once you know where and when you’re going, it’s time to figure out when to book. And guess what? KAYAK’s new tool has you covered here, too. Recommended dates from KAYAK will automatically populate and the tool will advise you on the best day to book both your flight and hotel before prices start to rise. For a 7-day trip to Bali in November, KAYAK has noted that historically, the Sydney to Bali route has seen great last-minute deals a week beforehand.
Not ready to book? No problem. You can create a Price Alert so you know exactly when prices will rise and fall for the flight or hotel you want.
