2-word trend Aussies can’t get enough of

Australians person defied the cost-of-living situation and flocked to airports successful the past 12 months for planetary question astatine rates conscionable shy of pre-pandemic levels.

The latest Australian Bureau of Statistics information shows successful the past year, 1,010,640 abbreviated and semipermanent trips were taken by Australian residents, conscionable 38,000 trips shy of 2019.

An RMIT planetary fiscal markets, behaviour and trends adept thinks the numbers amusement Aussies are “revenge travelling”; hunting deals aft the pandemic restrictions.

The ABS data, released connected Friday, shows Australian abbreviated and semipermanent departure numbers are astatine 96 per cent of pre-pandemic levels.

In the 12 months to July 2024, Australians near for much semipermanent overseas trips than successful 2019 – up much than 15 per cent to 26,440.

“The information shows america Australians are ‘revenge travelling’ contempt caller economical pressures,” RMIT subordinate prof successful concern Angel Zhong said.

“Opt for question destinations that connection bully worth for money, specified arsenic places with favourable speech rates oregon a little outgo of living,” Dr Zhong said.

“Recent information shows Indonesia is simply a apical question destination for Australians.”

RMIT Aviation Academy operations manager Justin Brownjohn said higher outgo of surviving had changed user behaviour.

“Travel hacking is not a caller phenomenon, but it’s becoming much salient successful today’s inflationary environment,” helium said.

As good arsenic getting astute connected predominant flyer points, point-stacking, looking for points bonuses and redeeming them smartly, determination are immoderate much straightforward ways to save.

“Absolutely ne'er publication 12 months up – this is erstwhile airlines automatically merchandise their schedules, which is erstwhile the astir costly fares are made disposable and you’ll beryllium astatine hazard of fare dropping,” Mr Brownjohn said.

The thriftiest clip to publication home flights is six to 8 weeks up and 3 to 4 months up for planetary travel.

Consumers should besides wide their browser cooky past truthful question sites bash not summation fares the much you spell to cheque connected prices.

The Australian Travel Industry Association (ATIA) estimates astir 19 cardinal planetary and home aerial tickets were issued successful Australia successful the 2023 calendar year, up from astir 17 cardinal the twelvemonth before.

“Fundamentally, we’ve got backmost to a mean bushed of travel,” ATIA main enforcement Dean Long told Forbes successful July.

“So we’re inactive beneath pre-pandemic levels for question overall, but we are seeing definite destinations truly retrieve successful presumption of wherever Australians are wanting to question to.”