Kiwis rush to book trips to beat back-to-work blues

Flight Centre has seen a surge in bookings and website visits as Kiwis try to get over their post-holiday blues by booking another trip.

Since Monday, January 8, Flight Centre NZ bookings are up 25 per cent compared with the previous week and up 20 per cent compared with an average week in the previous month.

The firm also said the number of people visiting its website increased 35 per cent for the week of January 8 to January 14 compared with the previous week.

Flight Centre NZ general manager Heidi Walker says it’s typical at this time of the year to dream about the next holiday.

“Coming back to reality after time off with friends and family can be hard. A good way to get over this is to have another holiday to look forward to later in the year. We’re seeing plenty of customers already take action by booking a trip with us.”

Bookings to the United States and Britain were popular mid-year to take advantage of the Northern Hemisphere summer.

“London is our most booked destination outside of New Zealand and Australia, with travellers often flying to London as a first stop before heading to Europe. While the UK and Europe are mostly popular for couples and solo travellers, Los Angeles has become a popular destination for families.’'

Usual favourites such as Fiji and Cook Islands are also popular mid-year, especially during the school holiday breaks.

For those who may be looking to lock in some travel for 2024, Walker has good news: “We are seeing a number of sales pop up at the moment so you can jump on some sharp deals.”

Fares through Flight Centre NZ’s website include Los Angeles for $1299 return, $685 return to Fiji, and $999 return to Tokyo.

“These deals are getting close to pre-pandemic prices. It’s exciting to be entering a year of travel where we’re seeing the return of seasonal patterns and sales.”

The surge in capacity between the US and New Zealand has resulted in prices falling.

Singapore Airlines this week announced sale fares from Auckland and Christchurch via Singapore to more than 40 destinations across the combined Singapore Airlines and Scoot network. Domestic add-ons are also available for departure from a range of New Zealand regional points with alliance partner Air New Zealand.

They include Hanoi from $1431 return, Delhi from $1513 return, Phuket from$1592 return, Singapore from $1672 return and London from $2542 return.

Last week Air New Zealand launched promotional deals on its international network.

Grant Bradley has been working at the Herald since 1993. He is the Business Herald’s deputy editor and covers aviation and tourism.