International airfares for flights in and out of Brisbane starting to drop

New figures have revealed a boom in international travel in and out of Brisbane, with the airfare for one route cut by a cool 26 per cent.

New figures have revealed a boom in international travel in and out of Brisbane as stubbornly high airfares finally start to drop.

International outbound bookings from the Sunshine State capital were up 38 per cent in the first half of this year compared to the same period in 2023 while inbound bookings soared by 51 per cent, according to data from Flight Centre’s corporate travel division.

The surge comes amid a 13 percent drop in the price of international economy airfares from Brisbane and a 5 per cent decrease in business class fares, FCM Travel said.

Economy fares to San Francisco have plunged 26 per cent to an average of $1917, while economy fares to Dubai ($2125) and Paris ($2440) have fallen by 19 per cent and 17 per cent respectively.

Other economy fares to be slashed include flights to Auckland ($768), Rome ($2525), Kaula Lumpur ($1317), London ($2494), Singapore ($1332), Vancouver ($2427), Tokyo ($1533), Dallas ($2731) and Queenstown ($951).

The biggest falls in business class fares were from Brisbane to Tokyo, with ticket prices decreasing 11 per cent to an average of $6083. Business class fares from Brisbane to Auckland ($1986) and Vancouver ($9360) also fell 11 per cent.

FCM’s Australian and NZ general manager, Renos Rologas, said the trend was good news for travellers and a positive sign for the Queensland economy, but more airline seat capacity was needed for it to continue.

“Brisbane’s international airline seat capacity is currently at 90 percent of what it was before the pandemic, which has it slightly lagging behind the Australian average of 96 per cent,” he said.

“I have no doubt that this news today will encourage both our international and domestic carriers to add more flights and more new routes in and out of Brisbane, which will of course drive more choice and better fares for travellers.

“As we often see with airfares, there are certainly winners and losers, so it pays to know which destinations are seeing the biggest rate of savings.

High international airfares have started to fall. File picture

“For example, San Francisco, Dubai, Paris, Rome and Auckland are seeing the biggest drops, with savings of up to 26 per cent on economy tickets on those routes.

“But flights to Port Moresby have been getting more expensive for travellers, and that’s coming down to the sheer amount of demand we’re seeing on that route, which is one of the most popular across corporate travellers.”

Mr Rologas said the top international destinations for FCM Travel customers departing from Brisbane in the first half of 2024 were PNG, Malaysia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.

“These trends not only reflect the resilience and strength of the travel sector but also underscore the growing confidence of businesses in international markets, and we’re committed to facilitating seamless connection across the globe for all of our travellers,” he said.

“Brisbane’s economy has shown resilience in recent years, rebounding strongly relative to other cities from the global pandemic, and faring more positively amidst economic challenges.”