To find an affordable holiday, the modern traveller acts like an apex predator; lying in wait, always watching, ready to pounce at a moment's notice. But instead of tracking game across the savannah, they're cycling through dozens of tabs on an internet browser hunting for the right Black Friday deal.
Skyscanner travel expert Jarrod Kris said that cost-of-living pressures have made nearly two-thirds of Australians reconsider their holiday plans, making travellers more discerning with their money. "Rather than booking as soon as they decide to travel, Australians are increasingly willing to wait for major sales events to secure better value, such as Black Friday all the way through to Travel Tuesday," he said.
Patience is steering travellers away from the well-worn tourist tracks. Skyscanner search result data showed that people were looking for more unconventional getaways, to locations such as Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan, Rovaniemi in Finland and Hamilton in New Zealand. Skyscanner sales data showed that the key to good bargain hunting is holding your nerve.
"One of the biggest misconceptions around Black Friday travel deals is that travellers need to book immediately," Mr Kris said. "Our analysis of last year's sales periods found that Cyber Monday delivered the lowest average price per seat.
"While this doesn't guarantee the same outcome this year, it's a useful reminder that comparing prices across Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Travel Tuesday can pay off." From half-price polar voyages to cut-rate island resorts, here are the sharpest travel bargains of the feeding frenzy.
High-end cruising rarely comes cheap, but Silversea has launched its Black Friday sale with discounts of up to 45 per cent across more than 850 ocean and expedition itineraries for bookings before December 7. Valid on trips through 2029, the discount applies across all suite tiers, with deposits reduced to 15 per cent on All-Inclusive Plus fares.
Travellers can nab a 12-day holiday through Japan from $9103 per person, down from $16,550. Explore the Balearic Islands and Spanish coast on a 10-night Mediterranean cruise starting at $8140 per person. Bring a friend for free. Cruise line Hurtigruten has launched its Spectacular sale offering two-for-one prices on Norwegian coastal voyages, running until December 6.
This means two travellers can join trips such as the 12-day Bergen round trip during the Northern Lights season from just $2085 per person. Tour and river cruise company Trafalgar has launched a Black Friday buy-one-get-one-half-price promotion on select guided itineraries.
The deal applies to the second guest, cutting twin-share rates on trips such as a nine-day Spanish Wonder tour, discounted from $3950 to $2962.50 per person. But be warned: the cut-off date is sooner than you might think, with discounted bookings available until November 12.
Tour operator AAT Kings is reducing a selection of its Australian and New Zealand trips by 20 per cent for bookings before November 30, saving couples up to $5914. Discounted trips include the 21-day Spirit of New Zealand small-group tour from $11,828 per person, saving $2957. Contiki, a tour company catering to travellers aged between 18 and 35 years, is running its Black Friday sale a little differently.
This one ends two weeks early on November 11. The sale slashes up to $1163 off more than 100 itineraries across the world including Greek island-hopping, Costa Rican wildlife tours and US road trips. Budget-friendly…
