Easter holidays 2018: Best places to book and top travel tips

It’s one of the busiest times of the year for travel in Australia but if you want to keep it stress-free you’ll want to follow this airline’s advice.

Queensland holidays are popular over Easter. Picture: Sol Davey/Tourism and Events Queensland

It’s not just your imagination: hot cross buns really did replace tinsel in the supermarkets when there were still Christmas leftovers in the fridge. But Easter actually isn’t far away, a mere eight weeks, in fact, with Good Friday falling on March 30.

Play your annual leave cards right – booking four days off each side of Easter – then adding on the book-ending weekends, and you could find yourself with a 16-day break. But at the very least it’s the one time of the year when (almost) the entire population enjoys a four-day break that doesn’t affect the holiday balance. Time you can spend with family, get out and explore your own back yard, or jet off for a dose of the tropics before winter.

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THE KNOW-HOW

Jetstar chief customer officer Catriona Larritt says the airline sees demand for all its destinations over Easter, with customers travelling for a host of reasons to make the most of the two public holidays. “Most people are looking to take a four- to seven-day break,” she says. Ready to book? Use these hacks to help you plan like a pro.

PACK FOR FOUR SEASONS

The airports are busy, the car’s full of camping gear … when it comes to packing for an Easter escape, packing light will help you in more ways than one.

“Be strict with your toiletries if you’re worried about your baggage allowance,” suggests Jetstar’s Catriona Larritt.

“You can always pick up the essentials in your destination or take advantage of the hotel’s supplies.

“Finally, don’t pack Easter chockies in your check-in luggage – you might open your suitcase to a melted, messy surprise on the other side!” Catriona says.

Don’t ruin Easter with melted eggs.

DON’T GIVE UP HOPE ON CAMPING

Easter and camping go together like billy tea and damper but national park campsites are generally filled to the brim around this time of year, so it pays to look beyond the tent pegs.

“If you’re planning your Easter holidays when the chocolate eggs are already in the supermarkets you’ve left it a little late to book a motorhome or campervan,” Apollo Motorhome Holidays marketing manager Tara Eller says.

“That being said, last-minute cancellations do happen and our website updates constantly, so it’s never too late to try. At this stage we do still have availability for this period, but we expect to book out quickly.”

PREPARE TO SWAP

In the words of the Rolling Stones, “You can’t always get what you want” when it comes to accommodation and flights at Easter but thinking outside the box can provide unexpected wins.

“One of our biggest pieces of advice at this time of year is to look beyond the usual hotspots,” lastminute.com.au travel specialist Sarah King says. “For example, swap Byron Bay for Brunswick or Ballina. If you can afford the additional leave, opt to travel a day or two earlier when most people are still at work. Generally, there will be less demand meaning you can find a better deal.”

You can still grab last-minute deals. Picture: Tourism & Events Queensland

DON’T STRESS IF YOU HAVEN’T BOOKED YET

While there are advantages to securing accommodation in advance, don’t discount the benefits of booking last minute.

“Depending on availability, accommodation providers often adjust their pricing at the last minute in order to fill rooms which would otherwise stay empty for the night,” Sarah King says.

“Although waiting for a hot deal at the last minute is slightly riskier than booking in advance, there are still great deals available for Easter travel.”

There are also benefits in using airline and booking site apps with real-time availability updates, exclusive deals and sales often not available on desktop.

BOOK A CRUISE

With all the benefits of a package deal and no traffic jams, a domestic cruise makes for a painless Easter escape.

“Local temperatures can be warm around this time making it a popular period for cruise lovers to explore the Australian coast during a short three- or four-night Sea Break,” Lyndsey Gordon from P&O Cruises says.

P&O has good deals on its short Food & Wine and Comedy Cruises from home ports around the country, with availability on the three-night Comedy Cruise on Pacific Explorer departing March 31.

Captain Cook Cruises’ Murray Princess will depart on a three-night cruise on March 30 with an Easter egg hunt and Easter entertainment rolled into the itinerary through the Murray and Riverland regions.

In north Queensland, Coral Expeditions is celebrating 35 years of expedition cruising on the Great Barrier Reef with berths available on its three-night Southern Expedition (Cairns-Hinchinbrook-Cairns) and four-night Northern Expedition (Cairns-Lizard Island-Cairns) over Easter.

Consider a cruise over Easter. Picture: P&O Cruises

KEEP THE FAITH

Faith tours are increasingly popular with Collette tour clients. Not just for religious travellers, they take travellers on a journey through time, visiting some of the world’s most iconic, spiritual and historic destinations.

Tours with availability in March and April range from a Pilgrimage to the Holy Land in Israel to St Patrick’s Ireland and In the Footsteps of Paul the Apostle in Greece.

PRE-PREPARE TO GET MOVING FASTER

“Check in online sooner rather than later to avoid unnecessary time at the airport,” says Wotif travel specialist Kirsty La Bruniy.

“If you’re travelling domestically, online check-in usually opens 48 hours prior to your flight and if you’ve purchased a seat, some airlines including Jetstar open online check-in as early as 28 days before your flight.”

With the Thursday before Good Friday traditionally the busiest day of the season for Apollo, Tara Eller says it pays to be prepared and allow enough time when picking up your campervan.

“Watch Apollo’s Be Our Guest series on YouTube to familiarise yourself with your vehicle’s operation and pre-register online prior to pick up,” she suggests.

It’s a great time to rent a campervan. Picture: Sam Earp/Tourism NT

THINK ABOUT YOUR STOMACH

Once your accommodation is locked in, pre-plan activities and even meals when travelling at Easter. Do some online research to find out opening hours and make lunch and dinner bookings ahead of time for the most popular days.