How Kiwi Taylor Swift fans can keep their bank accounts out of the ‘Red’ in Australia
Tuesday, 13 February 2024
“…Ready For It?” New Zealand’s international airports are about to get “Crazier” as Swifties go on tour.
As the pop mega star is not performing in New Zealand on her record-breaking sold-out Eras Tour, fans will be flocking to Melbourne and Sydney.
The first of three back-to-back shows at the Melbourne Cricket Ground is on Friday February 16 before four shows at Accor Stadium in Sydney from Friday February 23.
When the tour dates were announced in June, Air New Zealand saw a surge in demand, with more than 3500 Kiwis booking flights to coincide with concert dates.
To meet demand, Air New Zealand added 14 flights to Sydney and Melbourne from New Zealand, along with 2000 additional seats on existing flights.
General manager short haul Jeremy O’Brien said it looked forward to helping Swifties travel in “Style.“
In the three days ahead of the concerts it has 63 flights going to Sydney and 47 to Melbourne.
“This includes seven NZ1989 flights as a special nod to Swifties onboard with us,” O’Brien said.
“Over the concert dates, we have more than 20,000 customers travelling on Air New Zealand services to Sydney and Melbourne and we’re expecting many of these to be fans heading over to see the Eras Tour Live.”
Qantas also came to the party and added 16 extra trans-Tasman services from Wellington and Christchurch to the Australian cities.
The airline had a 350% increase in bookings between New Zealand and Melbourne and a 200% increase in bookings between New Zealand and Sydney at the time of presale compared to the same period last year.
From February 12 through to the pop star’s last show on Monday February 26, Flight Centre bookings to Sydney and Melbourne are up 64% compared to the same period last year and have nearly doubled compared to the fortnight beforehand and afterwards.
Managing director Victoria Courtney said flights and accommodation are mostly full in both Sydney and Melbourne while Swift is in town.
“To put this into context - we only see demand like this for Sydney and Melbourne during the Australian Open or New Year’s Eve. The level of interest is huge!”
Courtney said they’ve heard some of their ‘Swiftie’ customers have flights to Australia but don’t yet have tickets to the actual concert.
“We’ve heard about a couple of customers who have just secured flights and accommodation but are still hoping to somehow get their hands on some last-minute tickets. A couple of them have said if they can’t get to the show, just being in the same city as Swift and amongst the atmosphere is enough for them!”
The cost of the ticket, the flights and accommodation, plus travel insurance, adds up.
Tristan Dakin from foreign currency platform Wise shared some tips on how to make your money go the extra mile while across the Tasman.
Public transport is your best friend
Don’t bother renting a car or catching an Uber, both Melbourne and Sydney have great public transport systems. Melbourne offers free tram rides within the city centre, or you can purchase a Myki card to travel by train, tram or bus outside of the free zone.
Sydney also offers buses, trains, metro rail, light rail, and ferries. All you need to do is purchase an Opal card or use a contactless credit card, debit card or mobile device to pay.
Use a multi-currency card
Whether you’re booking flights, buying a coffee, or doing a bit of retail therapy, avoid using your bank card overseas (both credit and debit cards). Banks charge a foreign / international transaction fee which ranges between 2 to 5% of the full transaction amount. These fees are confusing and often hidden. Use a multi-currency-card instead, so you can pay in the local currency with no hidden fees or markups on the exchange rate.
Get creative with your meals
Melbourne and Sydney have some top-tier restaurants, but they can also be pretty pricey for travellers on a budget. So instead, try out some of the lively markets like Melbourne’s Queen Victoria Market, or Sydney’s Chinatown night markets, held on Fridays with meals as cheap as $5. Or if you’re in the mood for a classic Aussie feed, pubs are a great place to find an affordable meal, with many offerings daily specials. But if you’re happy to go back to basics, try commit to only dining out once a day and get the rest of your meal ingredients from a local supermarket.
Always pay in the local currency
If you’re given the option to pay in the local currency or your home currency, choose local. This is a common currency trap which often happens at Eftpos or ATM machines. Banks mark up the currency exchange rate by setting their own price, rather than charging the mid-market rate you find on Google. On top of the mark up, they often charge a transfer fee.
Check out the free attractions
Many of Australia’s national sight-seeing treasures are free – whether that’s the Sydney Opera House or the eclectic, graffitied laneways in Melbourne. These attractions are a great way to save money and stay entertained on holiday.
Be picky with your ATM
Shop around and do your research before taking cash out at an ATM. If there are a few options within the area, compare rates as the fees will vary (especially at an airport bureau de change, which tends to be the priciest way to go!). If possible, avoid taking money out using a credit card, not only will the fees be high, but you’ll also be charged interest.