Why flying on Christmas Day is great

CHRISTMAS, some travellers just can’t get enough of it. Steph Lineen is one of many who manage to have a 48 hour Christmas Day while saving money on flights.

MOST PEOPLE would never dream of heading to the airport on Christmas Day.

Who could think of anything worse than spending one of the best days of the year lining up at a check-in counter?

But some folks love flying on December 25 — and one of those people is Steph Lineen.

She says the only thing better than Christmas Day is getting two of them in one year. Thanks to a quirk of travelling across the date line, she can double her Christmas Day by flying east from New Zealand to the Cook Islands.

“I have family in the Cook Islands and New Zealand where I’m originally from,” Steph, a customer of Student Flights, told news.com.au.

Steph Lineen and her partner paddling in the Cook Islands.

Last year her plan worked perfectly and she was able to share Christmas Day with both sides of the family.

“I didn’t want to miss out on any of the Christmas celebrations, so I decided to spend Christmas Day in Auckland with my mum’s side of the family before flying out that afternoon to Rarotonga.

“My Virgin flight left at 4.20pm which was enough time to enjoy the majority of Christmas Day with my family before landing on Christmas Eve at 9.15pm — a day earlier than I had left.

“Thanks to the date line, I was able to replay Christmas Day in another country with the other side of my family.

“One of the highlights of Christmas in Rarotonga was being able to experience a Cook Islands Christmas complete with a huge island feast, as well as quality time with my family, swimming in the lagoon and a beach bonfire on Christmas night.”

Steph says, if finances allow, she would like to do her “Christmas twice plan” every year, and she might even try it for her birthday.

“I definitely would recommend it, if not for a double Christmas but also to get a replay on a special anniversary or birthday.”

Steph Lineen and her partner enjoying a 48 hour Christmas.

Pip Wansey, from Flight Centre in North Sydney, also had a 48-hour Christmas by flying from Australia to Hawaii on Christmas night and arriving Christmas morning in Honolulu.

Not only did she double her Christmas Day, but was able to pick up a less expensive airfare by leaving on December 25, as departures tend to be less expensive as the demand for flights on this day is less.

“We spent Christmas Day in Sydney with our families having the traditional Christmas lunch and presents,” Pip says.

“At about 6pm we headed to the airport for our 9pm flight to Hawaii which arrived early morning on Christmas Day local time.

“Our second Christmas Day was spent on Waikiki Beach where everyone was in the Christmas spirit wearing Santa hats. Even the surfers were wearing Santa suits and reindeer ears, and there was a Christmas tree planted on the beach.

“All the hotels were decorated and playing carols which made for a great atmosphere. We had Christmas lunch and cocktails in the afternoon at local institution, Dukes.”