Overseas holidays finally beckon for Australians trapped at home for 13 months with the New Zealand travel bubble launching on Monday.
Airlines scheduled hundreds of flights to Australia’s closest neighbour within minutes of the announcement and have huge promotional deals on offer.
But with the constant threat of borders being slammed shut by even one Covid case on either side of the Tasman, many are understandably wary of being stranded.
A travel expert has revealed the five things Australians should know before jetting off to New Zealand
Immanuel Debeer, from travel advice company Flight Hacks, urges Australians to book their flights anyway – but take steps to avoid disaster.
The first and most important thing is to know your airline’s terms and conditions so there are no nasty surprises should you have to abruptly cancel.
‘On launch day we will have access to Qantas and Air New Zealand with Virgin Australia not joining the party until later this year,’ he told Daily Mail Australia.
‘Depending on where you live, it may make more sense to go with one over the other if they offer direct flights to your intended location.
‘While both airlines have flexible policies, only Qantas will guarantee you a full refund in case of a cancellation.
‘Qantas offers to either rebook you at no additional cost or a full refund, but Air New Zealand will rebook you but fare differences might apply and only a voucher is given as a means of refund.’
Flight Hacks Founder Immanuel Debeer (pictured) has offered five travel tips for New Zealand-bound holiday makers
Mr Debeer said those seizing the opportunity to venture overseas also need to be prepared for the possibility of borders closing suddenly, leaving them stranded or facing quarantine upon return.
This means knowing your travel insurance coverage and ensuring you have funds to support an extended trip if needed.
Arrangements also need to be made to ensure you can work remotely, if possible, should you be forced to quarantine on return or be stuck in NZ.
‘Politicians tend to freak out even when there’s only one case. It’s important you know this might happen in which case you might get stuck for a few weeks or face quarantine on your return,’ Mr Debeer said.
‘I wouldn’t go unless I had the funds to stay longer than I anticipated. Check with your employer if there is work from home flexibility in case something happens.’
Mr Debeer said now is an ideal time to book accommodation and tourist activities as prices are low but are bound to surge once the industry begins to bounce back. Pictured: Tourists paragliding in Queensland
Qantas and Air New Zealand will be the first airlines taking part in the trans-Tasman bubble, but difference cancellations policies apply for each carrier
Most insurers will cover traditional travel policy items, such as cancellations or medical costs, but he is yet to find a provider that will pay out if a government implements a travel ban.
Should either government reintroduce mandatory isolation requirements, you will not be covered for the cost of quarantine and will have to foot the bill.
For those wishing to escape Australia to travel somewhere other than New Zealand, the new-found tourism bubble is the perfect chance.
Although Australians are not permitted to leave the country without a legitimate excuse, New Zealand does not have restrictions on outgoing passengers.
‘In Australia you need to have a valid reason to travel abroad, such as professional or compassionate grounds, and a lot of evidence is required. You have to apply and your case gets assessed,’ Mr Debeer said.
‘If you wanted to bypass these regulations, you could fly to New Zealand then to where ever you want to go.’
Mr Debeer said airlines will be running frequent flyer promotions during the early stages of the trans-Tasman bubble but they are likely to peter out as international travel picks up
But do not expect a smooth return home.
‘Just keep in mind that upon your return, you will face an expensive 14 days in quarantine and potentially lengthy delays as spots on flights are extremely limited,’ he said.
‘There are also lots of chances your flights will get cancelled because there are only limited arrivals each week.’
Mr Debeer’s fourth tip is to seize the opportunity to use ‘book now, cancel later’ options as accommodation and activity providers’ low fees and policies will soon change as tourism picks up.
‘If one positive thing has come out of this whole mess it’s the fact that lots of businesses have extremely generous and flexible policies when it comes to cancellations,’ he said.
‘There’s a good chance the Aussie influx of tourism will eventually push prices higher for things such as car rentals, hotels, and flights so if you’ve been eyeing up a ski trip to Queenstown, get onto it now and make up your mind later.’
The final hack to keep in mind before booking a trip is how to best maximise frequent flyer points to score a cheap fare.
Airlines usually reserve frequent flyer tickets to a limited number of seats, but Qantas will be running flights with all seats bookable using points.
‘Now’s a good time to dip in and redeem some for your next getaway. The first three days, Qantas flights are running points planes and flyers will be able to use their frequent flyers,’ Mr Debeer said.
‘Air New Zealand used to be a unicorn when it came to using frequent flyer points, but there are now many seats opening up to frequent flyers. ‘
‘The beautiful thing about frequent flyer points is that you can cancel or change your flight with very little notice (perfect these days) and cost to you.
‘And you can redeem them for business class flights to New Zealand without spending the big bucks.
‘I myself booked a return business class flight with Air New Zealand on their B787 Dreamliner from Perth to Auckland for just AU$167 return, not a bad deal.’
The long-awaited trans-Tasman bubble will kick off on April 19, giving Australians the chance to venture abroad for the first time in more than 12 months. Pictured: A tourist admires marvelous clay cliffs in Omarama, in the southern end of the Mackenzie Basin in the North Island
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern last week announced the trans-Tasman bubble, which will allow travellers to fly without needing to quarantine, would begin this month as both countries enjoy low Covid-19 cases.
But the Kiwi leader warned that with the pandemic still wreaking havoc in many other parts of the world the rules could be subject to rapid change if an outbreak occurs in either country.
Australians heading to New Zealand will be kept separate from other international arrivals who are still required to go into mandatory hotel quarantine for 14 days.
Ms Ardern has said there will be no vaccine requirement when travelling in the trans-Tasman bubble, but strict Covid protocols will still be carried out.
Passengers will be required to undergo random temperature checks, wear facemask during the flight and must download New Zealand’s Covid Tracer app.
All travellers on board a ‘green zone flight’ must also have been in Australian for at least 14 days before departure.
Australians heading to New Zealand will no longer have to enter 14 days of mandatory quarantine when the travel bubble kicks off next week
