Travel deals, cashback and where to book

Bali, Fiji, Auckland, Queenstown, Bangkok, Phuket, and Singapore are among the most popular short-trip destinations for Australians, most reachable in four to nine hours from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, or Perth. For longer breaks, Tokyo, Seoul, and Bali multi-island itineraries are common picks ex-Australia. For flights, Trip.com, Expedia Australia, and Traveloka are the most efficient platforms for fare comparison, with Luxury Escapes offering bundled flight-and-hotel packages for premium stays in Bali, Fiji, and the Maldives. Hotels for these destinations are widely available on Agoda, Booking.com, Hotels.com, and Traveloka. Starting every booking from ShopBack means Cashback is earned on flights, hotels, and activities for these trips. Check ShopBack before you book to confirm current Cashback availability for each merchant.

Japan's cherry blossom season runs from late March to early April, and the autumn foliage window peaks from mid-October to late November. New Zealand's ski season runs June to early September, with the summer hiking and Great Walks window December to February. Europe's shoulder months (May, September, October) tend to balance weather and pricing best. Airlines flying these routes from Australia include Qantas, Jetstar, Singapore Airlines, Emirates, and Qatar Airways, with fares bookable through Trip.com, Expedia Australia, and Pelago by Singapore Airlines. Agoda is particularly strong for hotel inventory across Asia Pacific. Shoulder season alternatives are worth knowing. Late January to February in Japan and late October to early December in New Zealand offer better availability and lower prices. Cashback on flights, accommodation, and activities is available through ShopBack whenever you travel.

Klook is the most widely used activities platform among Australians, covering attraction tickets, tours, airport transfers, and SIM cards across Asia, the Pacific, and Europe. Pelago by Singapore Airlines specialises in curated Asia experiences and cultural tours. Luxury Escapes experiences pair with their hotel packages for premium destinations like Bali, Fiji, and the Maldives. For broad worldwide tour comparisons, Viator carries the widest global inventory, while GetYourGuide is strong for European city experiences and skip-the-line tickets. ShopBack offers Cashback across these platforms. Checking before you book tours or tickets ensures Cashback is earned across your full trip.

Comparing flight prices across Trip.com, Expedia Australia, and Traveloka before booking is the most reliable starting point for finding competitive fares ex-Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth. For hotels, Agoda runs strong on Asia Pacific inventory, while Booking.com and Hotels.com offer broad global selections with regular promotional pricing and loyalty stay rewards. For longer-haul routes, Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Turkish Airlines frequently offer competitive fares from Australia to Europe and the Middle East. Budget carriers including Jetstar, Scoot, and AirAsia cover most regional Asia and Pacific routes at lower price points. For bundled multi-night escapes, Luxury Escapes packages flights, accommodation, and inclusions for premium trips. ShopBack offers Cashback across these platforms, covering flights, hotels, travel insurance, and activity bookings. Starting every booking from ShopBack ensures Cashback is tracked automatically across the full itinerary.

A travel eSIM lets you connect to local data networks abroad without swapping physical SIM cards, which is convenient the moment you land and need navigation or messaging. Klook sells regional eSIM data plans for popular destinations including Bali, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, New Zealand, and Europe, with install-before-fly activation. Buy and activate before you fly so the eSIM is ready on landing. ShopBack offers Cashback on eSIM purchases through Klook. Buying through ShopBack before departure is an easy way to earn Cashback on a travel essential you would be purchasing anyway.

For ground transport between cities, Klook handles intercity bus, rail, and ferry bookings across Asia and Europe, plus airport transfers for popular destinations. Trip.com lists train, bus, and ferry options across Asia. For car rentals, Expedia Australia and Trip.com cover international airport pickups and city rentals across Bali, Japan, New Zealand, and Europe. For cruise holidays, Luxury Escapes packages cruise itineraries with accommodation and inclusions. ShopBack offers Cashback across transport and car rental bookings. Starting each booking from ShopBack means Cashback is tracked automatically across every leg of the trip.

Travel insurance is not legally required for Australians travelling overseas, but it is strongly advisable. Medical treatment abroad can be very expensive, particularly in countries like the US, Japan, and across Europe, where a hospitalisation without coverage can result in substantial out-of-pocket costs. A standard policy typically covers emergency medical expenses, trip cancellations, flight delays, and lost or damaged baggage. Cover-More Travel Insurance is one of the largest Australia-issued travel insurance providers and is available through ShopBack. Traveloka also bundles travel insurance into hotel and flight checkout flows. Buying travel insurance when you book rather than closer to departure ensures you are covered for pre-trip cancellations. CHOICE publishes annual comparisons across AU travel insurance brands. Cashback is earned on eligible Cover-More policies booked through ShopBack.

Booking directly with hotel groups gives you access to member rates, loyalty points, and often more flexible cancellation terms than third-party platforms. For premium AU-curated stays, Luxury Escapes packages five-star resorts with bonus inclusions across Bali, Fiji, the Maldives, and Europe. For broader hotel inventory, Agoda, Booking.com, Hotels.com, Expedia Australia, and Trip.com cover both chain and boutique stays globally, with Hotels.com running a loyalty stay programme of one reward night per ten paid. ShopBack offers Cashback on hotel bookings across all these partners. Upsized promotions on hotel brands come up regularly on the ShopBack travel page, so it is worth a quick check before any multi-night stay.

Travel-friendly cards from ANZ (Travel Adventures, Frequent Flyer), CBA (Smart Awards, Ultimate Awards), NAB (Rewards Signature), and Westpac (Altitude Black) all let you earn card points or frequent flyer points while ShopBack pays Cashback in cash on the same booking with Agoda, Booking.com, Trip.com, Expedia Australia, or Luxury Escapes. For multi-currency travel cards, Wise, ING Direct Orange One, and Macquarie Transaction handle the FX side of overseas spend while ShopBack adds Cashback on the booking itself. ASIC MoneySmart publishes a general comparison of AU travel cards. ShopBack Cashback applies on every booking regardless of payment method.

Book flights early through Trip.com, Expedia Australia, or Traveloka, lock in hotels through Agoda, Booking.com, or Luxury Escapes, and sort activities through Klook, Viator, or Pelago by Singapore Airlines. That combination gives you the best prices and availability for popular destinations like Bali, Fiji, Japan, and New Zealand. Adding a Klook eSIM and Cover-More travel insurance at the time of booking covers the remaining essentials before departure. Using ShopBack for every part of the booking, including flights, hotels, activities, transport, eSIMs, and travel insurance, earns Cashback automatically across the full itinerary. Check ShopBack before each booking to see current rates and any upsized promotions in place.