Last-minute travel is going gangbusters and this is where Aussies are heading

Data from Webjet shows travel is going from strength to strength.

Melbourne is the hottest domestic travel destination at the moment, according to a new Webjet report. Picture: Visit Victoria

By Akash Arora

Updated April 1, 2025, first published January 15, 2025

The confetti - and the fireworks - may have settled down on Christmas and New Year's Eve celebrations but the summer of travel is far from over. Particularly when it comes to domestic travel. New data from online travel agency Webjet shows bookings for trips within Australia in January and February more than doubled in the week following Boxing Day, compared to earlier in December.

In fact, 87 per cent of the bookings made during that week were for travel in January, reflecting the indisputable popularity of last-minute travel. Melbourne turned out the biggest crowd-puller, accounting for 19 per cent of those bookings; followed by Sydney (16 per cent), Brisbane (14 per cent), Gold Coast (10 per cent), Perth (8 per cent), Adelaide (6 per cent) and Hobart (5 per cent). International bookings experienced a spike of 31 per cent, too, with destinations such as Bali (17 per cent), Auckland (12 per cent), Tokyo (9 per cent) and Queenstown (5 per cent) ranking among the top hotspots.

Melbourne is the hottest domestic destination right now, according to Webjet. Picture: Visit Victoria

Maximise your 2025 holidays

Everyone wants more holidays. And the good news is: you can use public holidays in 2025, weekends and your annual leave to maximise your holidays. All you have to do is be a little strategic and follow our tips. Let's start with Australia Day. In 2025, the public holiday falls on Monday, January 27. Therefore, you can get a four-day break by taking an annual leave day on Friday, January 24. Next up is the Easter and ANZAC Day period. With public holidays falling on Friday, April 18 (Good Friday), Monday, April 21 (Easter Monday) and Friday, April 25 (ANZAC Day), you only need to apply for three days of annual leave (from April 22-24) to secure a whopping 10-day break. The King's Birthday holiday (held on different dates throughout the country) and, the Christmas and new year period offer more opportunities to maximise your breaks. Read the full guide here.

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On-time airlines and airports

The most on-time airlines and airports of 2024 have just been revealed in the 2024 Cirium On-Time Performance Review. Aeromexico has been named the world's most punctual airline, followed by Saudia Airlines; and Riyadh King Khalid International Airport has been ranked the most efficient airport. While Australian airlines and airports are nowhere in sight - not even on the Asia Pacific sublist - Aussie travellers need not lose heart. Delta, LATAM and Qatar are three carriers in the top five that service Australian cities, so flying the world's most punctual airlines is still possible.

Where are you going this year?

Haven't booked a trip yet? You'll find some fresh ideas in Intrepid's new brochure, which includes 55 new journeys for 2025 - from a 10-day expedition in Greenland to an eight-day cycling adventure in Kenya, which raises funds for local communities. Or check out InsideAsia's inaugural 10-day small-group tour of South Korea, evocatively titled Soul of Korea. UTracks is offering a number of exciting tours, too, celebrating local milestones around the world, including its seven-day Classic Holland Cycle that'll start and end in Amsterdam, which will be celebrating its 750th birthday in October this year. intrepidtravel.com; insideasiatours.com ; utracks.com

Words byAkash Arora

Akash is the Deputy Travel Editor for Australian Community Media. He has lived and worked in four cities around the world – Sydney, London, New Delhi and New York – and, at last count, travelled to 42 countries.

My all-time favourite destination is ... New York. You can drop a pin anywhere in Manhattan and start walking in any direction, and the sights and sounds of the city that never stops will begin to stimulate all your senses in an instant.

Next on my bucket list is … Scandinavia - at the peak of summer, when the sun almost never sets.

My top travel tip is … If you’re flying to Sydney from anywhere in the world, pick a window seat far from the wing on the left-hand-side of the aeroplane. If the weather gods and flight path align, you’ll have the most incredible views of the Sydney Harbour and Opera House.