Trick to scoring cheap flights at Christmas

Booking Christmas flights can be an eye-wateringly expensive venture - but this expert says there are ways to get better value.

It’s no secret that airlines jack up their fares over the Christmas period more than at any other time. But there are ways to avoid the worst of the price hikes, and the earlier you book, the better your chances will be.

“My top tip to get a good fare in December and January is to avoid the most popular travel dates, particularly around school break-up and when offices close for Christmas shut-down,” says Mark Trim, founder and managing director of Flat Beds, a booking service that helps travellers find good-value business-class airfares.

December 5-10 and December 18-23 are the days to avoid if you can, Mark says. If you can manage it, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day are also good for flight bargains, as fewer people want to travel on those days.

Mark also suggests that round-the-world fares can be a smart choice at this time of year. “When regular airfares go up in cost, round-the-world tickets show their value, and people often have that bit of extra time to add another week or two in another continent to get that extra bang for their buck,” he says.

Unlike Australia, most of the northern hemisphere doesn’t take extended holidays at this time, so once you’re on the ground, there can be bargains to be found with hotels and other travel expenses.

Originally published as Trick to scoring cheap flights at Christmas