January 29, 2025, SYDNEY – Expedia’s 2025 Air Hacks Report is debunking travel myths, revealing the latest essential tips to help save Aussie travellers money and time when planning their 2025 travel.

In this year’s report, Expedia® challenges common travel misconceptions with an analysis of billions of data points and the most extensive air ticketing database in the world, through collaboration with Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC) and Official Airline Guide (OAG).

“As many Aussies begin to plan and book their travels for the year, the Expedia Air Hacks Report comes at the perfect time,” says Sarah King, Expedia Travel Expert. “With insights pulled from billions of data points from every airline across the world, the report arms Aussies with the best chance of saving money and time.”

King continues: “Not only are long-haul destinations becoming more accessible for Aussies, thanks to new flight routes out of Australia, we’re also seeing new aircraft and improved airport facilities, in what should hopefully be an exciting year of travel for Aussies.”

“ARC’s data provided valuable insights into debunking travel myths for Expedia’s 2025 Air Hacks Report that will go a long way to helping travellers prepare for their 2025 vacations,” said Chuck Thackston, managing director of data science and research at ARC. “In 2025, affordable premium and economy fares can help passengers as they continue to prioritise international travel with their discretionary spending to explore new destinations around the world.”

• Myth #1: “Travelling domestically on weekends is more expensive”
  Busted: Saturday is the cheapest day to depart.
  • It’s not just when you book, it’s when you fly. Domestic travellers who depart on Saturday instead of Monday can save up to 27%.[1]
• Myth #2: “The further ahead you book, the cheaper it will be.”
  Busted: Three months out is the magic window for international flights.
  • Booking too far in advance can actually cost travellers. Booking at least three months before their international flight is the sweet spot for savings of up to 12% than booking more than five months ahead.[2]
• Myth #3:“The day of the week I book my flight doesn’t matter.”
  Busted: Booking on a Sunday can keep more money in your wallet.
  • Booking on the right day can make a world of difference. Sunday is officially the cheapest day to book flights, with savings of up to 20% compared to booking on a Friday.[3]
• Myth #4:“Airfares always go up every year.”
  Busted: Average ticket prices are down.
  • Economy tickets are down 10% from last year, and premium tickets are 3% cheaper.[4]
• Myth #5: “Every flight I take always seems full”
  Busted: Carefully choosing the day and month you travel can mean less crowds.
  • Sunday is the quietest day of the week to travel, with February being the quietest month.[5]
• Myth #6:“Summer is always the most expensive time to travel.”
  Busted: January is the cheapest month to travel, September is the most expensive.
  • Travelling economy in January can save travellers 11% and flying premium in October instead of March can save up to 8%.[6]
    

2025 Air Hacks Full Australian Report

WHEN TO BOOK

• Book airfare on a Sunday to save up to 20%. Travellers booking on Sundays can save up to 20% on domestic flights compared to Fridays, and up to 17% on international flights compared to Fridays.[7]
• Book domestic flights at least six months in advance to save up to 36%. Travellers who booked six months before departure saved up to 36% compared to those who waited until the last minute (6-12 days before departure).[8]
• Book international airfare two months before departure to maximise savings. Travellers who booked during this ideal window saved up to 12% compared to those who booked at least five months in advance, the ‘worst’ time to book.[9]

WHEN TO TRAVEL

• Depart on a Thursday for international trips to save up to 8%. Travellers who depart on Thursdays save up to 8% compared to those who depart on Sundays, the most expensive day to start an international trip.[10]
• Depart on a Saturday for domestic trips to save up to 27%. Travellers who depart on Saturdays save up to 27% compared to those departing on Monday, which are typically the priciest days for domestic travel.[11]
• Depart in the late evening (9pm-3am) to reduce the chance of cancellations. Flights departing between 3-9pm have a 43% higher chance of being cancelled compared to those that leave later in the night.[12]
• Cancellations are lowest in February and March. With 2.5% of flights cancelled on average, these months are the most reliable for travel, offering lower cancellation rates compared to January, with the highest cancellation rate of 9.4%.[13]
• January is the cheapest month for economy tickets. Travellers can save up to 11% by travelling in summer, compared to September, the most expensive month for economy tickets.[14]
• October is the cheapest month for premium tickets. Travellers can save up to 8% by traveling in October, compared to March, the most expensive month for premium tickets.[15]
• Fly on Sundays to avoid the crowds. Travellers who fly on Sundays enjoy quieter airports. While it may not always be the cheapest day to travel, it’s the best choice for those seeking a more relaxed trip.[16]

MONEY-SAVING TOOLS

• Price Tracking: Take the guess work out of deciding when to book with Price Tracking on the Expedia app, which notifies travellers when flight prices change and uses exclusive data to help travellers decide when to book.
• Bundling: With flights, car rentals, hotels and activities, Expedia offers a wide selection of customisable holiday packages in one place, which can save travellers hundreds of dollars on average when booking multiple items on Expedia. Whether booking items together in the same transaction or in steps, travellers also have their itinerary all in one place making it easier to keep track of their journey.
  
  

2025 AIR TRAVEL TRENDS

• Ticket prices are down: Economy tickets have decreased by 10% and premium tickets by 3% compared to 2023.[17]
• Most popular Australian destinations: Sydney, NSW, Adelaide, SA, and Canberra, ACT range among the most popular domestic destinations for Aussie flyers.[18]
• Most popular international destinations: Bali, Indonesia, Bangkok, Thailand, and Los Angeles, USA are the top three most popular international destinations for Aussie flyers.[19]
• New airports are opening around the world, improving travel connections: Tulum International Airport (Mexico) and Rajkot International Airport (India) both opened in December 2023, Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport (Cambodia) opened in October 2023, Sao Jose dos Campos (Brazil) opened in February 2024 and Çukurova International Airport (Turkey) opened in August 2024.[20]
• New international routes for Aussies to keep an eye on: Thanks to new non-stop routes, Australia is set to become a whole lot more connected, giving travellers greater choice. Keep an eye out for new routes including Sydney to Istanbul, and Cairns to Fiji.

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[1] Best day of the week to depart recommendation is based on average round-trip ticket prices for January through October for 2024, sourced from ARC’s global airline sales database.

[2] Ideal booking window recommendation is based on average round-trip ticket prices for January through November for 2024, sourced from ARC’s global airline sales database.

[3] Best day of the week to book recommendation is based on average round-trip ticket prices for January through October 2024, sourced from ARC’s global airline sales database.

[4] Price development information is based on average round-trip ticket prices for January through October for 2024 & average round-trip ticket prices for January through October for 2023, sourced from ARC’s global airline sales database. 

[5] The quietest day and month to travel is based on Expedia flight demand through January to December 2024.

[6] The cheapest month to travel is based on average round-trip ticket prices for January through October for 2024, sourced from ARC’s global airline sales database.

[7] Best day of the week to book recommendation is based on average round-trip ticket prices for January through October 2024, sourced from ARC’s global airline sales database.

[8] Ideal booking window recommendation is based on average round-trip ticket prices for January through November for 2024, sourced from ARC’s global airline sales database.

[9] Ideal booking window recommendation is based on average round-trip ticket prices for January through November for 2024, sourced from ARC’s global airline sales database.

[10] Best day of the week to depart recommendation is based on average round-trip ticket prices for January through October for 2024, sourced from ARC’s global airline sales database.

[11] Best day of the week to depart recommendation is based on average round-trip ticket prices for January through October for 2024, sourced from ARC’s global airline sales database.

[12] Most reliable time of day to travel recommendation is based on January through August 2024 flight-status data sourced from OAG’s global flight data platform.

[13] Most reliable month to travel recommendation is based on January through August 2024 flight status data sourced from OAG’s global flight data platform.

[14] The cheapest month to travel is based on average round-trip ticket prices for January through October for 2024, sourced from ARC’s global airline sales database.

[15] The cheapest month to travel is based on average round-trip ticket prices for January through October for 2024, sourced from ARC’s global airline sales database.

[16] The quietest day and month to travel is based on Expedia flight demand through January to October 2024.

[17] Price development information is based on average round-trip ticket prices for January through October for 2024 & average round-trip ticket prices for January through October for 2023, sourced from ARC’s global airline sales database. 

[18] The most popular destinations information is based on Expedia’s 2024 flight demand through January to October 2024.

[19] The most popular destinations information is based on Expedia’s 2024 flight demand through January to October 2024.

[20] The new airport openings data is sourced from ARC’s global airline sales database.