Aussies have certainly been making the most of their travel freedoms in the last couple of years, after we were trapped at home for what felt like forever during that pesky pandemic. It seems like every Australian and their dog booked a trip overseas as soon as they could, but not without paying a hefty price. To cash in on the high demand (and to cover the costs of two years of cancelled flights), airlines across the world hiked up their prices to stratospheric levels. After another two years of exorbitant flight costs, it looks like the price of getting on a plane is finally levelling out – here’s what we know.
According to Skyscanner, several airfares for flights from Melbourne to popular international destinations have dramatically dropped in price since 2021, which is music to our ears. In particular, flights to American cities have become drastically cheaper, with the average airfare from Melbourne to Los Angeles down by a whopping 29 per cent, Melbourne to San Francisco dropping 32 per cent and flights from Melbourne to Chicago decreasing 12 per cent year on year (between 2021 and November 2023). Elsewhere across the globe, flights from Melbourne to London experienced a 9 per cent price decrease and Melbourne to Paris average fares dropped 6 percent year on year over the same period.
Skyscanner Australia Travel Expert Jarrod Kris says that the price of flights change all the time based on myriad factors such as fuel prices and seat capacity, but the main influence is demand. He suggests looking at creative ways to cut costs on your travels, explaining: "Flights don’t always have to be booked in return, and you can always switch up your airlines and airports to help you stay on budget.”
Savvy Aussie travellers have already been able to score some significantly reduced tickets on flights across the globe, not just with low-cost airlines, but thanks to cut-price flight sales from the likes of Qantas, Air New Zealand and Vietjet Air. Based on the economy as it stands, it looks like these sales will keep on coming – with the high cost of living a major factor.
If you're keen to nab an affordable airfare stat, Air New Zealand is currently slinging cut-price flights across the ditch from major Aussie cities. But if you really want to save, our top tip is opting for a highly underrated getaway within Victoria.