News

Let’s face it, as much as you need a staycation, your desire to get out and about once more has nothing on what your best fur friend has been going through this year. Dogs need pampering too, which is why QT Hotels & Resorts across Australia and New Zealand have introduced a new concept called…

Over the past few years, the idea of wellness and mental health has become increasingly entwined with classic conceptions of hospitality, focused on providing truly restorative stays and getting to the heart of why people take vacations to begin with. From the jungle-entrenched eco-resorts in Bali, to high-end hotels in major cities like London, New…

In response to news that South Australia has opened borders with NSW and ACT, Virgin Australia has rushed to ramp up its domestic network between the states. Given that residents of NSW and the ACT are now able to travel to South Australia for leisure or work, the airline has acted swiftly and immediately scheduled…

India, Poland, Mexico – all off the cards for Aussie travellers anytime soon. But that isn’t to say we can’t at least take some of our senses to these far-flung destinations. With Virtual Travel the trend of 2020, Intrepid’s fiercely local, day-tour-oriented Urban Adventures brand has launched numerous ticketed digital tours along that very idea,…

Under a new customer policy announced recently, Virgin Australia will now be offering unlimited booking changes without any change fees for reservations with travel between now and 31st January 2021. The announcement comes as the airline refines their “Passenger Promise” concept, remaining hopeful for the uptick in domestic travel as we near the end of…

Sydney’s lavish, perfectly located Pier One Sydney Harbour has now started taking private bookings for one of the luxury hotel’s most coveted corners, for groups of up to 10. With hotels still finding their place in the ongoing pandemic, the “Harbour Bridge Balcony Party” is an attractive option for groups that feel like something special…

To celebrate International Dog Day (which is today, you’re welcome), various IHG hotels across Australia are opening up various ways to pamper the many good boys and girls that have been mostly stuck inside right along with us. Your dog needs a staycation too, so take note of all the hotels introducing ways to pamper…

AirlinesRatings.com has long been a reliable and comprehensive guide to the best and worst of aviation. Now, in an industry first, the website has introduced a very relevant dimension to its safety rating system, considering a score for airlines based on their COVID-19 protocols. When the time comes to chose between multiple airlines, passengers are…

Fancy a little cocktail bottle hunt? Both QT Sydney and QT Bondi, two hotels cut from the same highly eccentric cloth, have teamed up with cocktail delivery service Cocktail Porter to stock their rooms with premium handcrafted bottled concoctions. But that’s not the most exciting part – although it’s pretty damn enticing enough. To celebrate…

As demand for domestic flights continue to rise, Qantas has announced several important changes to its frequent flyer program to make it easier for customers to use points on domestic and, potentially, Trans-Tasman flights. For the remainder of this year, Qantas Frequent Flyer will be boosting the availability of Classic Flight Reward seats by up…

This month, the legendary “Queen of the Skies” will be officially retired from Qantas’ fleet, with the airline bidding a final farewell to its last remaining Boeing 747. Though the iconic aircraft won’t be leaving without considerable fanfare, as Qantas responds to demand with announcement of several “farewell jumbo joy flights” for Australians. Qantas will…

Acclaimed Australian-born brand QT Hotels & Resorts has finally lifted the lid on QT Auckland, their first New Zealand property after a successful trans-Tasman debut with QT Queenstown and QT Wellington. Located in the city’s Viaduct Harbour, and set for a grand opening on 1st November 2020, the property is now accepting bookings and, from…

Virgin Australia put 125,000 fares on sale for 12 hours yesterday, with prices dipping to as low as $69 between select destinations “because everyone loved a comeback”. Though the flights were picked up quickly, the airline is promising more Happy Hour sales every week as domestic tourism ramps up. The sale included business class fares…

For the first time in 15 years, Qantas will introduce daily services between Sydney and Byron Bay (Ballina) airport, opening up what should be an enormously popular route as interstate travel ramps up. The popular coastal town isn’t the only destination to see a new route open up though, with Qantas also adding its first…

As of 1st July, Qantas will begin reopening a number of its domestic and regional lounges across Australia, following restrictions on travel and venues being loosened and demand for domestic flights increasing. Importantly, this will be a phased opening that will only include a limited number of lounges in first wave, specifically eleven including Qantas…

Although historically an airline exclusively serving regional Australia, Rex is now enacting plans which could see the carrier compete with Qantas and Virgin Australia with the creation of a new domestic operation. Capital cities could now be on this the radar for Rex’s planned expansion, pending successful fundraising of at least $30 million, which is…

Millett Group, the team behind Lord Byron, have officially opened doors to The Surf House – Byron Bay’s newest accommodation with its own distinctive rooftop bar. Seeing as the Millett Group are also behind the award-winning Wake Up! Byron Bay hostel, this boutique, design-forward property should be an attractive option for the the inevitable influx…

In a nod to the return of national travel, Webjet has now launched a 72-hour sale for Aussie travellers with prices for domestic packages slashed by 20%. It follows a massive flight sale over the weekend by Qantas Group, which saw tens of thousands of flights sold for as little as $19. Now, people have…

Now that domestic flights are being heavily discounted, Australian who have all this pent-up wanderlust brimming about need to make a decision on which parts of the country they want to explore in the coming months. The Northern Territory should benefit greatly from this, especially now that it has been confirmed that the state will…

It looks like those long-rumoured $19 domestic fares are now a reality, as Jetstar and Qantas announce a number of sales and ground-breaking initiatives to “launch tourism”. This includes Jetstar putting 10,000 fares on sale for that sweet aforementioned price, encompassing 35 routes across 15 destinations. Although the budget carrier has seen unprecedented demand since…

Luxury hotel The Langham, Sydney has set an official re-opening date for their ritzy CBD property. As travel restrictions begin to ease, and more people are looking for that essential post-lockdown staycation. The Langham will begin greeting guests from 1st July, and they’ve put together a few packages to up the temptation. The “Staycation Packages”…

With more travel restrictions being lifted over the weekend, Parks Australia has now announced that as of Friday 19th June, the iconic National Parks of Kakadu and Uluru-Kata Tjuta will reopen to visitors. Although some areas will remain closed for the time being, the staged reopening of both parks will provide plenty of access to…

Accor has announced a heap of “Time to Drive” deals to align with the forthcoming burst of travel expected once more restrictions ease up. The group’s extensive network of hotels at all ranges will see significant price drops and attractive deals at more than 340 properties across both Australia and New Zealand, so hopefully that…

Surry Hills luxe boutique Little Albion is offering up their entire property for one lucky winner and their friends. With lockdown restrictions easing and hotels gradually reopening for guests, the trendy Crystalbrook Collection property is throwing the “ultimate anti-isolation celebration” with a little competition for one night of exclusive use. The competition is now running…

With the positive outlook of domestic travel in Australia, Virgin Australia has announced expanded capital city connections and frequencies on some key routes. This includes more services between Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth, as well as the resumption of routes between Brisbane-Adelaide, Brisbane-Canberra, Brisbane-Perth, and Sydney-Perth. The additional services will see Virgin Australia double current…

The travel podcast Jetlag has today returned for a second season, its first episodes in more than two years, to bring to light different stories from an industry at a standstill due to a global pandemic. For the first episode, which is co-hosted by the AU’s founding editor Larry Heath, and digital marketer (and former…

Etihad Airways has announced a new travel voucher system that may save big on future flights when international travel (hopefully) ramps up later this year. The UAE carrier has introduced the new concept to encourage travellers to start planning their next trip, where prospective passengers who purchase an “Etihad Travel Voucher” between 10th and 24th…

With the complete lifting of domestic travel restrictions in New Zealand, the country’s flagship carrier has revealed what to expect when flying Air New Zealand at “Alert Level 1”. The new measures have been shared to prep passengers for the months ahead and the “new norm” on board, and hopefully let Aussies know what to…

With intrastate travel opening up for New South Wales, intrepid travellers keen to explore their own backyard are starting to look further afield when it comes to road trips and staycations. With the state having so much to offer, a new platform has been put together by Destination NSW highlighting 213 ways to explore this…

After success in Sydney and Melbourne, high-end hotel brand The Langham has announced the opening of a 169-room Gold Coast hotel in addition to 170 serviced apartments slated for 2021. Located in the tallest of the three landmark towers of the gemstone-inspired Jewel development, the properties will offer direct beach access and are being described…