In the midst of a cost-of-living crisis, holidays can seem like a luxury, yet they’re also essential for recharging our batteries.

The start of the year ­– and the back-to-work grind – sees many people thinking about travel plans for the months ahead, with research showing just over 40 per cent of Australians start mapping out their holidays in January.

The survey by travel app Skyscanner also found that six out of 10 of the 2000 people questioned plan to travel overseas in 2026.

At the same time, however, most hadn’t locked in dates and nearly half were still deciding where to go, with 72 per cent blaming their indecision on cost.

Coinciding with the release of the research, Skyscanner has launched a new tool that it says highlights the 10 cheapest destinations to travel to each month of the year. It gives the average price of a return fare, as well as the cheapest day to travel.

“Our Travel Trends 2026 saw a shift in how Australians approach travel,” said travel expert Jarrod Kris.

“Instead of waiting for the perfect moment, Aussies are ready to embrace the now, choosing to travel with purpose and make meaningful memories.”

If you really want to “embrace the now” and book a last-minute break this month, the app’s 2026 Cheapest Destinations planner shows that the cheapest destination in January is the Gold Coast, with average return flights of $277, followed by Hobart and Melbourne. Return flights to Auckland in New Zealand average $620, and you can fly to Denpasar, Indonesia, for $862.

The Gold Coast is this month’s cheapest destination, according to Skyscanner. Photo: AAP

With the school holidays ending soon, Denpasar is even cheaper in February ($448 average return), when you can also nab flights to Fiji, Vietnam and Thailand for under $800.

Of course, the actual airfares vary greatly depending on where you are departing from, with the cheapest generally leaving from Australia’s capital cities.

Skyscanner has also compiled a list of the 10 destinations with the lowest fares for 2026:

• Cairns ­– $340 (average return fare)
• Queenstown, New Zealand ­– $654
• Nadi, Fiji ­– $737
• Singapore – $959
• Seoul, South Korea – $1122
• Hong Kong – $1138
• Taipei, Taiwan – $1147
• Colombo, Sri Lanka – $1298
• London, UK – $1997
• Milan, Italy – $2253

Queenstown is one of the cheapest places to fly to in 2026. Photo: Pixabay

The list includes several places that featured in a recent report on trending destinations in 2026 ­– including Fiji, Sri Lanka and Italy ­– while others are perhaps less likely to be on the radar of Australian travellers. Taipei, for example, has become more accessible due to increased flights being offered this year.

With factors such as demand and seasonality contributing to price fluctuations, it can help to be flexible about both your destination and the timing of your holiday.

Separate research conducted last year found that Australians increasingly prefer travelling during the shoulder season, when not only are airfares, accommodation and tours usually cheaper, but you can avoid the crowds.

And when it comes to the cheapest day to travel, Skyscanner says its analysis showed that, on average, your best bet is a Saturday. Which is good news if you want to maximise your annual leave and avoid starting your hard-earned break mid-week.