Top 10 international destinations Aussies are booking this Christmas

Plus, Australia's most affordable city for your 2025 festive break.

Kelingking Beach in Bali, Indonesia. Picture by Unsplash

By Sarah Falson

Updated December 16, 2025, first published December 12, 2025

Christmas is a time to connect with loved ones, put work on hold and go on fabulous adventures.

These destinations are top of the list for Aussies planning their festive getaways in 2025.

A record number of people are expected through Australian airports this Christmas and New Year, proving that we love to travel during the holiday season.

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According to data from Webjet, 64 per cent of flights booked for the period between December 13, 2025 and January 24, 2026 are to domestic destinations, 27 per cent are international and 9 per cent are Trans-Tasman international.

Among the 27 per cent travelling internationally, Asia is a clear favourite.

The top-10 international destinations Aussies are loving this season (booked between January 13, 2025 and December 4, 2025) are:

Bali
Tokyo
Manila
Ho Chi Minh City
Nadi
Bangkok
London
Singapore
Los Angeles
Apia (new to the top 10)

The top-10 domestic hotspots Aussies are booking for a festive break are:

Shibuya, Tokyo. Picture by Unsplash

Webjet Group CEO and managing director, Katrina Barry, said beyond the evergreen international favourites Bali, Tokyo, Manila, London and LA, we're also seeing a "growing love for the Pacific Islands".

"Nadi remains high on the list, this year joined by Apia, Samoa which is gaining popularity. What we're seeing overall is Australians expanding their horizons and adding more destinations to their holiday travel wish lists," Ms Barry said.

Solo travellers made up the bulk of flight bookings at 47 per cent during the period, followed by couples (27 per cent), families (14 per cent) and groups (12 per cent).

2025 hot list

Expedia's Wrapped list for 2025 showed the most searched global destination for accommodation during the whole of 2025 was New York, up 10 per cent on last year.

Marrakesh, Morocco. Picture by Unsplash

Marrakesh was the top location in Africa, Tokyo was top of the list in Asia, London ruled European accommodation searches, Cancun won in Latin America and the Caribbean, and Sydney was the most-searched location in Oceania in 2025.

But what's hot for 2026? Expedia tips the biggest up-and-coming destination is Matera in Italy, an ancient city known for its UNESCO-listed cave dwellings. Accommodation searches for the city rose 205 per cent during 2025 compared to 2024.

Read more from Explore:

If the beach is more your style, Surat Thani in Thailand is forecast to be the new sun soaked hotspot, according to Expedia.

For the budget-conscious traveller heading abroad, Expedia's most affordable accommodation rates in 2025 were found in Curitiba in Brazil, Cebu City in Philippines and Okinawa in Japan with average daily rates under $120.

In Australia, the most affordable city of 2025 was Canberra, with average daily accommodation rates under $200.

Words bySarah Falson

Sarah is ACM’s travel producer. She believes regional travel is just as fun (if not better) than staying in the big cities and loves any travel experience to do with nature, animals and food!.

My all-time favourite destination is ... Cornwall. From the giant seagulls to the blustery beaches, Cornish pasties and fishing villages, it stirs something romantic and seafaring in me.

Next on my bucket list is … Mongolia. I want to go somewhere really unique that feels totally foreign and challenges my way of life.

My top travel tip is … Don’t plan too much. Walk the streets and let it happen. And make sure you check out what’s within a few blocks of your hotel - sometimes the best local food is found that way.