Christmas may be months away, but now is the time to book Christmas travel to avoid being stung in the pocket, according to data released by Webjet.
Last year, Kiwis left their silly season travel plans until the last minute, with bookings soaring by 121 percent between October and December.
Almost a third of Christmas bookings were made within a month of Christmas Day.
A spokesperson for Webjet said massive savings can be made if travellers book in July.
The price of flights to Christchurch booked in December can be 49 percent more expensive than flights booked in July.
Flights to Nadi were 42 percent more expensive when booked in December compared to July last year.
The cities that had the largest increase on airfares between July and December were:
- Christchurch - 49 percent
- Nadi - 42 percent
- Auckland - 20 percent
- Queenstown - 16 percent
- Wellington - 6 percent
People travelling as a family were the worst offenders for booking last minute.
- Which airline has been named the best in the world?
- Which airport won title of best airport in the world in 2019?
"A family of four who booked their trip to Nadi in July instead of December may have saved as much as $928 on average for the cost of their flights," the Webjet spokesperson said.
Around 69 percent of those travelling solo made their bookings in November and December, as warm spread across New Zealand.
But forking out for Christmas travel while it's still mid-winter is a great way to save money.
Newshub.
