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Not a drill: Qantas drops sale fares to 8 Pacific Islands from $579 return

Credit: Jared Rice

Kassia Byrnes Kassia Byrnes
Qantas just dropped a massive sale on fares to the South Pacific’s dreamy island nations.

Start organising your 2027 island getaways, because Qantas just launched a week-long sale across its Pacific network with more than 18,000 discounted seats to eight island destinations from several major Australian cities. You could be sunning yourself on a South Pacific island with flight fares starting at $579 return for economy and from $1099 return for business class seats.

aerial of islands in fiji
Aussies booking flights to Fiji are up almost 14 per cent this year. (Credit: Denys Nevozhai)

“The islands of the Pacific have long been a favourite escape for Australians, and this sale brings eight of them into closer reach with fares from $579 return," said Cam Wallace, CEO of  Qantas International. “From a winter break on Norfolk Island and a week in Fiji to diving in Palau and Vanuatu, there’s something here for every kind of island getaway".

And the numbers show that Australians are getting more obsessed with these islands, flying over in record numbers. According to Qantas, trips to Fiji alone were up almost 14 per cent year-on-year as of August 2025, and one in every 30 overseas trips Australians take is to the Pacific Islands.

Where can you fly?

waterfall in samoa
See Samoa’s untouched beaches and rainforest waterfalls. (Credit: Jordan Heinrichs)

With flights departing from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, fly to Fiji, Vanuatu, Palau, New Caledonia, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Norfolk Island.

A standout is the economy return fares from $579 departing Brisbane to Vanuatu’s capital, Port Vila. And the travel dates are just in the off-season. Select dates between January and September 2027 mean you could nab a sale fare in the drier months from May to September, when skies are clearer, and snorkelling and diving conditions are at their best. Or fly from Sydney to Fiji from $599 on select dates between 26 January and 22 March 2027, once the summer holiday crowds have thinned and the islands are at their best. Find Norfolk Island at its most peaceful from June to August 2027 with flights out of Brisbane and Sydney from $599. Enjoy mild days for exploring walking trails and World Heritage-listed convict sites.

My personal favourite of the Pacific Islands, fly to Noumea in New Caledonia from Brisbane with economy fares starting at $609 return. Travel dates between February and August 2027 include the cooler, drier months from April to August, perfect for diving into the UNESCO World Heritage-listed lagoon. Or catch humpback whales as they make their way around Tonga with economy flights from Sydney starting at $699, with travel dates starting on 24 July 2027.

Want to fly in extra comfort? Business class fares are also on sale, from $1099 return from Brisbane and Sydney to Norfolk Island, $1209 from Brisbane to New Caledonia and $1539 from Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne to Vanuatu.

Details

aerial of island in palau, part of the qantas sale to south pacific
The sale ends on Monday 26 October 2026. (Credit: Jared Rice)

Sale dates: The sale is on from 12.01am (AEDT) Tuesday 20 October 2026 until 11.59pm (AEDT) Monday 26 October 2026, unless sold out prior.
Fly dates: Sale fares are for various travel dates between November 2026 and September 2027 with select blackout periods.
Fare inclusions: Qantas fares include checked baggage, complimentary food and beverages, and in-flight entertainment.
Bookings: Find all sale details and flight options with Qantas.

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Kassia Byrnes
Kassia Byrnes is the Native Content Editor for International Traveller. She's come a long way since writing in her diary about family trips to Grandma's. After graduating a BA of Communication from University of Technology Sydney, she has been writing about her travels (and more) professionally for over 10 years for titles like AWOL, News.com.au, Pedestrian.TV, Body + Soul and Punkee. She's addicted to travel but has a terrible sense of direction, so you can usually find her getting lost somewhere new around the world. Luckily, she loves to explore and have new adventures – whether that’s exploring the backstreets, bungee jumping off a bridge or hiking for days.
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5 things every hotel needs for a more restorative stay

    Kate Bettes Kate Bettes
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    Wellbeing means different things to different travellers. Here’s how to pick a hotel that gets it right for you.

    The best wellness holidays aren’t necessarily spent wrapped in a spa robe. Sometimes they’re found around a dinner table in Cambodia, on a hiking trail in New Zealand or after finally beating jet lag on the other side of the world. The hotel you choose is what makes them happen.

    1. Easy access to good food

    meals from Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20
    Taste delicious meals at Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20.

    One of the quickest ways to derail healthy habits on holiday is to spend half of it working out where to eat instead of digging into the culture around you. Thankfully, Novotel has done much of the hard work already, with chefs building menus that lean into the flavours, ingredients and traditions of each destination.

    In Sihanoukville, Cambodia, Korkor soup – often dubbed ‘Cambodian ratatouille’ – sits alongside raw blue crab dressed with lime and chilli, best enjoyed with views across the Gulf of Thailand.

    In the lovingly chaotic city of Bangkok, the presence of food cranks up the sociability. At Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, you can settle in with mango sticky rice and stranger-turned-friends beside the pool at Sky on 20 rooftop bar, or bring them along to tackle river prawns and stir-fried crab with holy basil at the buzzing Crab Paradise Dinner Buffet.

    Then Novotel Dubai Al Barsha welcomes you with a laidback twist on the level of indulgence the Middle Eastern city is best known for up on Deck Se7en. Looking towards Burj Al Arab, the rooftop lounge has everything from Mediterranean-style dishes like seabass ceviche to Italian prosecco sundowners.

    At the other end of the scale, in the hills that surround the Novotel Bali Ubud Resort, calm comes from nature. At Siralada restaurant, Balinese traditions shape the menu while thunder rumbles over the surrounding jungle – proving the setting is as nourishing as the food itself.

    While at Novotel Nha Trang, chef Kieu Thi My Hanh and her team showcase Vietnam’s knack for balancing freshness, texture and fragrant herbs. Pho remains a favourite, while seafood salad with pomelo and mango brings those flavours together in one bright dish.

    It’s all an approach backed by partnerships with expert food creators such as Alfie Steiner, whose plant-forward recipes prove healthy food should never taste plain.

    2. Better sleep options

    Novotel Bali Ubud Resort room
    Sleep deeply with Novotel.

    There are few travel experiences more disappointing than arriving in a new country, determined to seize the day, only to fall asleep fully clothed by 3pm.

    For Australian travellers, jet lag is often an unavoidable part of the journey. That’s one reason Novotel runs sleep-focused initiatives that help guests adjust quickly without compromising on health. We’re talking partnerships with Sydney-based sleep specialist Olivia Arezzolo, known for her advice on everything from better sleep habits to beating jet lag, alongside features like pillow menus, in-room yoga content and tailored sleep guidance.

    The sooner you’re operating on local time, the sooner you can get back to more pressing matters – like deciding which spa treatment to book.

    3. More ways to move

    woman hiking around queenstown new zealand
    Stay at Novotel Queenstown Lakeside and explore local hiking trails. (Credit: GettyI mages/ naruedom)

    Every place in the world has its own way of getting you moving: whether that’s hiking up ice-bitten mountains before a sauna or gentle stretching by the pool before a facial. From fitness centres to spas, Novotel recognises that wellbeing rarely looks the same.

    At Novotel Queenstown Lakeside, activity is inescapable. Here, hiking trails, ski fields, bungee jumps, and white-water rafting have made the region famous. The hotel’s location on the shores of Lake Wakatipu means less time spent organising yourself and more time out there experiencing them. To top it all off, you can book a private hot tub for the evening before heading back into the wilderness tomorrow.

    Bali, of course, takes a softer approach. At Novotel Bali Ubud Resort or Novotel Bali Nusa Dua, movement is less about conquering a mountain and more about a dance class between the tropical gardens and lagoon pools. Afterwards, the spa takes over, with traditional treatments like a Lulur body scrub: a combination of rice, turmeric, sandalwood, ginger and jasmine that’ll soothe muscles already relaxed by the Balinese heat.

    4. Better connections

    Novotel Sharm El Sheikh
    Kids will love a stay at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh.

    One of the best things about travel is that it gives your family stories you’ll be telling for years. Novotel helps create them with activities that bring everyone together, whether that’s trying something new, learning a local skill, or simply spending more time together.

    Go for a distinctly Thai twist at Novotel Phuket Vintage Park, where many of the family activities draw on local culture. Kids can try everything from beginner Thai boxing and language lessons to umbrella painting and – a pastime beloved by children the world over – pool foam parties. Everyone is welcome to join in, whether that’s getting splashed, covered in paint, or simply watching their children discover a new side of Thailand during the dedicated Family & Kids Day.

    A different adventure awaits at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh. Kids could be perfectly content with discos, drawing classes and new holiday friends, but the Red Sea has other ideas. Sitting on the edge of Naama Bay, days here might involve snorkelling colourful reefs, taking a boat trip to Ras Mohammed National Park or heading into the desert by quad bike or camel for a Bedouin-style dinner beneath the stars.

    5. Location is everything

    Surin Beach, Choeng Thale, Thalang District, Phuket, Thaiföld
    Explore Phuket’s gorgeous beaches. (Credit: Bence Biczo)

    Everyone’s idea of wellness looks a little different. With more than 600 hotels across 65 countries, Novotel gives guests the freedom to choose the destination that suits them best. Whether that’s a beachside escape in Phuket, an alpine expedition in Queenstown or a city break in Bangkok, there’s a good chance a Novotel isn’t far away.

    All that’s left? Choosing your version of wellbeing.

    Discover stays to inspire your everyday at novotel.accor.com.