Air fare bonanza: Europe return for less than $1000

Airlines have dropped some fares to Europe, Hawaii and Australia over winter. Photo / 123RF

Promotional return airfares to Europe have dropped under $1000.

As part of a sale through Flight Centre, some return economy fares to Amsterdam are as low as $999 aboard China Southern Airlines.

The agent is offering the fares today and over the weekend.

Travel dates are from May 18 to June 21, September 1 to September 21 and October 9 to November 16.

Flight Centre is also selling Auckland to Hawaii flights on Air New Zealand for $699 return. Flight Centre will also sell Air New Zealand flights to Brisbane from $399 return out of Auckland, and Samoa from $499 return out of Auckland also.

"With torrential rain flooding parts of the country and wet weather dampening spirits Flight Centre NZ has seen a surge in customers booking flop and drop holidays this year," said Sean Berenson, Flight Centre NZ general manager product.

Anywhere with sunshine has been top of the destination list during the patchy New Zealand summer.

Hawaii in particular has proven very popular, up almost 15 per cent on 2016. Bali is up almost 20 per cent, Samoa 15 per cent and Brisbane 10 per cent.

Berenson said this year had been one of Flight Centre's busiest years ever as the number of Kiwis travelling overseas increases.

"Year on year we've already seen an increase of more than 10 per cent in bookings at Flight Centre."

This matches trends in Statistics New Zealand figures out this week which showed Kiwis took a record 2.68 million overseas trips in the March 2017 year, up 10 per cent from the March 2016 year. In March 2017, New Zealand residents left on 192,200 overseas trips, up 11 per cent from March last year.

Increased airline competition and relatively low fuel prices are driving prices lower.

The fares are available online, over the phone, and in Flight Centre stores nationwide.