Flight, hotel bookings on the rise ahead of Coldplay concerts

There’s been a huge spike in flight bookings to see the boys – and if you haven’t yet booked your flights – you better get to it. If not, there’s still hope.

It’s been eight years since Coldplay toured the east coast of Australia – so fans are pretty pumped to see the boys take to the stage in Melbourne and Sydney over the next week.

The four-man band opened its massive Australian stadium tour in Melbourne on Wednesday night, with the city’s final two shows this weekend before they head to Sydney on November 6.

Frontman Chris Martin jokingly explained why the band had shunned Australia’s east coast for so long during their first concert, revealing that a bad review of a Brisbane gig during their last world tour had haunted him and made him stay away.

Nonetheless, fans don’t hold grudges with many going to great lengths to see the band live on stage.

Most airfares are at a premium, but if you can be flexible there are still plenty of direct flights from both Sydney and Brisbane on Saturday that you can snag for around $200, according to Flight Centre.

Flight Centre revealed to news.com.au they’ve seen an 8 per cent increase on the prior year for flight and hotel bookings to Melbourne and a 36 per cent increase on the prior year for flight and hotel bookings to Sydney.

“With Coldplay only performing shows in Sydney and Melbourne, we’ve seen plenty of Aussies embarking on the adventure of a lifetime and travelling interstate to see the band perform,” Flight Centre Travel Group chief executive James Kavanagh said.

“With Melbourne shows well under way and Melbourne Cup thrown in the mix, most airfares are at a premium, but if you can be flexible there are still plenty of direct flights from both Sydney and Brisbane on Saturday that you can snag for around $200.”

He said to secure the cheapest flight home to Sydney or Brisbane, it’s best to make a weekend out of it and fly home on the Monday, November 4, “which is when we’re seeing flights drop back down to around the $200 mark again”.

Coldplay frontman Chris Martin performing at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Airfares on the rise

“With the band set to perform in Sydney next week, airfares out of Brisbane and Melbourne are starting to increase, so get these locked in as soon as possible,” Mr Kavanagh said.

He suggested if fans book now, they can still fly down return from Brisbane – Sydney for around $550 and return Melbourne – Sydney for less than $250.

“It’s also worth considering alternative routes, for instance flying out of the Sunshine or Gold Coast airport into Sydney can save you around $100 if you’re up for the drive from Brisbane,” he said.

There has been a huge spike in flight bookings because of the band. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

“It’s a good idea to let your travel agent know your plans so they can help you find the best deal to suit your needs.”

Meanwhile, new data from Webjet reveals there has been a 47 per cent spike in flight bookings to Melbourne and 44 per cent to Sydney in line with the band’s tour dates.

Webjet Group chief executive Katrina Barry said travel buzz in line with Coldplay’s shows highlights the rise of “tour tourism”.

“Webjet saw this trend take off with Taylor Swift’s tour earlier this year, and it’s clear it’s only gaining steam,” she said.

“As concerts increasingly become gateways to explore domestic hotspots, we’re excited to see ‘tour tourism’ build even more momentum into 2025 and beyond.”

When Taylor Swift embarked on her Eras Tour in Australia in February, there was a near 50 per cent increase in travel bookings in a single day – compared to the average bookings across every other day that month.

Some fans even opted for a private charter flight to get to her concerts as a result.

Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres world tour still has another year to go: The mammoth tour is scheduled to finish with a jaw-dropping 10-night stint at London’s Wembley Stadium next August and September. By the time they finish, the band will have played 222 shows on the tour.