Black Friday has arrived early for Australian travellers, with airlines, cruise operators and tour companies rolling out aggressive promotions that could slash corporate travel budgets. Virgin Australia is advertising one-way domestic fares from $49 and return international tickets from $419, sweetened by triple Velocity points on bookings made between 26 November and 2 December.
Cruise lines are equally bullish: Silversea has cut up to AUD 15,000 from Antarctic expedition cabins, while Emerald Cruises is knocking as much as AUD 3,000 off European river itineraries. Land-tour specialists AAT Kings (20 % off Tasmania) and Collette (25 % off selected safaris) are chasing the leisure-cum-bleisure market, hoping to fill shoulder-season departures in 2026. Luxury hotels from Fiji to Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula have joined the fray with 20–40 % discounts.
![Black Friday 2025 travel bonanza: Virgin Australia leads with $49 fares and triple points]()
The deals arrive as airfare inflation shows signs of easing after two years of capacity constraints. Corporations with flexible travel policies can lock in cheap seats for first-quarter projects, while travellers who maximise triple-point offers could fast-track status upgrades and reward-seat redemptions.
Travel-procurement teams, however, should read the fine print: most fares require full payment at booking and carry hefty change fees. Cruise discounts often apply only to shoulder-season sailings, and hotel promotions may be non-refundable. Dynamic pricing means inventory can disappear within hours.
Practical tip: load Black Friday fare files into your online booking tool as a separate category so travellers see the savings immediately. Remind employees that triple-point bonuses usually post only after travel is completed, not at ticketing.
Cruise lines are equally bullish: Silversea has cut up to AUD 15,000 from Antarctic expedition cabins, while Emerald Cruises is knocking as much as AUD 3,000 off European river itineraries. Land-tour specialists AAT Kings (20 % off Tasmania) and Collette (25 % off selected safaris) are chasing the leisure-cum-bleisure market, hoping to fill shoulder-season departures in 2026. Luxury hotels from Fiji to Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula have joined the fray with 20–40 % discounts.
The deals arrive as airfare inflation shows signs of easing after two years of capacity constraints. Corporations with flexible travel policies can lock in cheap seats for first-quarter projects, while travellers who maximise triple-point offers could fast-track status upgrades and reward-seat redemptions.
Travel-procurement teams, however, should read the fine print: most fares require full payment at booking and carry hefty change fees. Cruise discounts often apply only to shoulder-season sailings, and hotel promotions may be non-refundable. Dynamic pricing means inventory can disappear within hours.
Practical tip: load Black Friday fare files into your online booking tool as a separate category so travellers see the savings immediately. Remind employees that triple-point bonuses usually post only after travel is completed, not at ticketing.
