You deserve a holiday, and yet after a trying year for many financially, you also deserve to save a few bucks in the process.
Thankfully, there are a number of travel hacks out there that allow you to have your metaphorical travel cake and eat it too — whether it’s doubling your annual leave by cleverly booking around public holidays, or waiting until Sunday to book your flights.
Diving into its own data and insights, as well as that from the Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC), Expedia has concluded a handful of epic travel hacks to save you hundreds. According to the online booking platform, you can save up to 25% on hotels and flights, just by booking and travelling on certain days.
According to Expedia, the cheapest day to book flights online is on a Sunday. This applies to both domestic and international travel, and booking on a Sunday alone could save you up to 25% on domestic fares and 15% on international fares.
But it’s not just when you book your flights, but what day you book them for. Past data from Expedia would indicate that travellers could save 20% on a domestic fare by simply departing on a Thursday, while international flights that take off on a Tuesday or Thursday are considered cheapest, earning a 20% saving.
Similar hacks apply to hotels too. While the weekend is far and away the most expensive for hotel stays in Australia, travellers could save almost 15% by spending the night on a Monday instead.
For hotels overseas, the cheapest nights to spend in a hotel include Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. Mid-week stays over these nights could save you around 10% on the cost. It doesn’t sound like much, but every seasoned traveller knows that these small savings add up to help you spend your money on the memories you want to make while travelling.
Expedia’s data also looks into the travel destinations on the top of Australian’s lists. While the past few months have seen us make the most of intrastate weekenders, city staycations and off-grid escapes in the bush, our collective attitudes would appear to be opening up once more to the idea of safe, international travel.
“Wanderlust is high on Aussies agenda for 2021, with many being optimistic in their hopes for international travel,” says Expedia in a press release.
According to its data, the top 10 searched destinations for 2021 include:
1. Gold Coast
2. Bali
3. Sydney
4. North Coast, NSW
5. Sunshine Coast, QLD
6. Fiji
7. Oahu
8. Whitsundays
9. Melbourne
10. Byron Bay
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