Ian McIntosh's top travel deals - Kids fly free with Jetstar

This week's top travel deals - Some great family holidays - along with details of a specialist operator for solo travellers. 

JETSTAR HOLIDAYS Kids Fly and Save Free campaign has taken off again  - you need to hurry though -  the sale ends on January 21. Deals include the Paradise Resort Gold Coast priced from $1259 for two adults and two kids - or how about Uluru Sails in the Desert - 2+2 from $1654. What bargains. 

JUST YOU - a specialist solo tour operator - is  offering savings on 2026 tours including a trip to India and a walking tour in Tuscany. Save $300 on a 12-day Spirit of India tour departing April 3, 2026 ad $150 on an eight-day Walking in Tuscany tour departing May 19, 2026. More details  www.justyou.com/au

AIRLINES:

MALAYSIA AIRLINES has released  limited-time fares from $689 return to Sabah.  Hike Mount Kinabalu, swim in turquoise waters at Manukan Island. Book by January 31.

SINGAPORE AIRLINES fares are always good value and until February 4, you will enjoy 50% bonus KrisFlyer miles to Europe  and can fast track your next flight redemption through KrisFlyer. 

QATAR AIRWAYS invites you to start your year with  savings. Fares include Melbourne to Barcelona from $1709 and London from $1909. The offer is valid until January 28. There are plenty of conditions though - best to ask a travel agent if this is the deal for you.

FINNAIR will launch flights to Melbourne from October flying via Bangkok. This extra capacity should help to keep prices down to Europe. The service will be operated by an Airbus A350 featuring the innovative 'Airlounge', which converts to a flat bed.

EMIRATES in particular pushes its buy miles at a discount program. I often wonder if you are really getting value - particularly if you buy tickets using cash/miles. The current deal offers up to 30%  bonus miles.

LUXURY ESCAPES has teamed up with the national airline of the Maldives, Maldivian, to operate non-stop weekly flights from Melbourne Airport to MAll-inclusive packages will cost from $2,599pp, across a hand-picked collection of five-star resorts.

CRUISING:

PONANT EXPLORATIONS invites you to book early and save up to 30% on 2026–2027 Arctic and Antarctic expeditions. Itineraries include Disko Bay and Inuit villages - Roundtrip Nuuk, Greenland.

HX EXPEDITIONS goes beyond the cruise norm if you really want to explore Alaska's wilderness with smaller ships, deeper landings, and real connections with communities. Right now enjoy up to $1,750pp off all-inclusive expeditions plus $400pp onboard credit for guests new to HX.

AVALON WATERWAYS has started the New Year the right way with fly free deals on some of its most popular Europe river cruises. Itineraries include Magnificent Rivers Of Europe - sail the Rhine, Main and Danube from Budapest to Amsterdam.

REGENT SEVEN SEAS is a very upmarket cruise operator with a deal if you are interested in visiting ports that surround the North Sea aboard Seven Seas Grandeur.  You can look forward to  a FREE 2-Category Suite Upgrade. Book with a deposit of 7.5% before February 28.

ACCOMMODATION:

Book two nights at the magnificent Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong - and get the third night free. 

137 PILLARS HOTELS & RESORTS  is an address to keep in mind if you want a luxury stay in Bangkok. Book directly and enjoy exclusive benefits including an additional 10% discount on accommodation. Set In The Heart Of The Sukhumvit-thonglor Area, the property  offers elegant suites. 

BEST WESTERN REWARDS members heading to NSW have some great deals to unlock - everywhere from Sydney's iconic skyline to Albury's quiet charm and Newcastle's sparkling beaches. 

TRADE ONLY: Luxury small ship operator Unforgettable Croatia is offering agents a trip to Greece as part of a new year incentive. If you book an Unforgettable Croatia cruise before March 2, 2026, you will be automatically entered. A bonus 3% commission is also available on any Unforgettable Croatia bookings made before March 2.

Coronet Ridge Resort, Queenstown's newest five-star luxury alpine sanctuary, has opened its doors. Following a transformative multi-million-dollar redevelopment, the intimate 41-room retreat is a welcome addition to the resort town's high-end hospitality offering.  

The Travel Industry Club is back in action with cruise specials ranging from Oceania's Bali to Sydney and Sydney Auckland itineraries to name a few.

AVIAREPS  has been appointed Official Representative for BestPrice Travel - one of Indochina's most trusted travel companies.  Nadia Giusti is Account Manager. The company was awarded "World's Leading Airline GSA" at the World Travel Awards 2025.

INTERLINE TRAVEL has released a long list of specials on AMA Waterways - or if you are looking for a holiday closer to home, Azamara is offering solos and twins. According to a spokesperson: Over the next two months, cruise fares will be dynamic as the annual retail sale 'Wave" period rolls out.

Have a look at the Crystal deals as well.

Remember conditions always apply to these specials. Check airline prices from your capital city. I recommend you use a travel agent - and travel insurance is essential. Finally I make mistakes like all of us. Check websites to confirm details. Want to join our mailing list? Send a request to ianmac@travelagentupdate.com. Ian McIntosh is Australia's senior traveller. We have no commercial relationship with any operator.

Ian McIntosh's top travel deals - Save on Silversea

That's it for this year folks. Have a happy and safe Christmas. We will be back in mid January.

SILVERSEA invites you to save up to 40% on more than 800 voyages with reduced deposits starting at 15%. As well, book your flights or land experiences with the line and enjoy additional savings of up to $1,000pp on select voyages. Remember to read the small print carefully.

UNITED AIRLINES new Adelaide service means deals - fares start from $1,578.40. Pity about the timing though  - Trump is just about to make travel to the US even more difficult.

CHINA SOUTHERN is also operating out of Adelaide  - and you can now score direct flights to China from $971.

CELESTYAL has unveiled a new seasonal campaign offering with savings of up to 50% on 226 sailings departing between now and October 2027. Select sailings have additional bonuses of up to €500 onboard credit as well as shore excursion credit of up to €200. 
 
CATHAY PACIFIC comes up with some strange deals these days - the latest -  get $75 off one-way Economy fares to any of the carrier's  destinations worldwide. Cant imagine a big rush - but book before December 31,

ACCOMMODATION:

FAR EAST HOSPITALITY'S Christmas gift to members is an additional S$100 off selected hotels and room categories.This company offers value accommodation if you are heading to Singapore.

OUTRIGGER RESORTS Fiji properties, Castaway Island, Fiji and  Fiji Beach Resort have been recognised as category leaders in the 2025 Out & About With Kids Readers' Choice Awards. Head to the site to explore savings of up to 30 per cent.

TRADE ONLY:

Interline Travel has spent six months updating its website. There are more than 2.300 cruises these days and now you can you can search by Ocean Cruising,  River Cruising, Expedition and Solo Cruising. Have a look. 

The Travel Industry Club has introduced two new cruise lines - Botanic World Discoveries and Heritage Line - the latter offering luxury Vietnam and Cambodia plus Mekong River Cruises,  The ships host a maximum of 26 guests.

Tauck will wind down its dedicated sales and reservations team in Australia in stages throughout 2026.  Hard to believe - but the company says it will draw upon its robust global network to support travel advisors and guests in Australia. 

Celestyal celebrated the start of its second Arabian Gulf season by hosting 13 global partners onboard Celestyal Journey's special 'Desert Days & Abu Dhabi Grand Prix' sailing. The famil, supported by Department of Abu Dhabi Culture and Tourism, saw agents enjoy three-nights onboard Celestyal Journey.
                                                                                                                 
The Australian Travel Industry Association (ATIA) has opened its Accreditation Renewal Portal for the 2026 accreditation year, providing accredited travel businesses with early access to complete their renewal.

Remember conditions always apply to these specials. Check airline prices from your capital city. I recommend you use a travel agent - and travel insurance is essential. Finally I make mistakes like all of us. Check websites to confirm details. Want to join our mailing list? Send a request to ianmac@travelagentupdate.com. Ian McIntosh is Australia's senior traveller. Remember, we have no commercial relationship with any operator.

Ian McIntosh's top travel deals - China Southern returns to Adelaide

Not much happening this week after the Black Friday deals - or were they?  According to the experts, the airline specials didn't  overwhelm due to limited availability.

Ian McIntosh's top travel deals - Beware Black Friday

The Black Friday travel deals look great at first glance - but don't forget to read the small print.

 



MALAYSIA AIRLINES Black Friday deals include up to 20% off selected flights to destinations like Singapore, Krabi, and Tokyo, along with up to 25% off children's fares. Enrich members can get an extra 5% off, and there are also savings on Golden Lounge access and seat selection.

Ian McIntosh's Top Travel Deals - Mediterranean with Celestyal

CELESTYAL has unveiled a new snap sale offering savings of up to 70% on 113 sailings departing between December 2025 and October 2027. Sailings in Greece and the Mediterranean include 16 departures of the seven-night 'Heavenly Greece, Italy & Croatia cruise, sailing roundtrip from Athens. For more information visit celestyal.com or call 1800 648 737.