When is the cheapest time to visit Tasmania?

Head to Tasmania during the winter months, from June to August, to keep your trip to the Apple Isle affordable. Sure, it may be a bit cooler, but you’ll not only get the best deals but also the fewest crowds at popular sites.

If you’re looking for the best of both worlds, head to Tasmania during the shoulder seasons – Spring and Autumn – where prices aren’t as high as summer, but temperatures are much warmer.

We dig into average flight prices, why travelling during the off-season can actually be great and when to avoid travelling here altogether.

When is the cheapest time to visit Tasmania?

Late autumn to early spring, or May to September is the cheapest time to visit Tasmania, with prices bottomming out in the middle of that time frame.

Most flight sales from airlines like Jetstar and Virgin Australia tend to have the cheapest flights available between May and September with blackout dates over the peak holiday periods. Bonza previously also offered cheap flights to Launceston, but unfortunately seized operations in April 2024.

Outside of school holidays (with the exception of the July break), there’s less demand for family trips, too. The weather will be cooler down in Tasmania, so there’s naturally less interest in the state as many of its attractions, like the beautiful Freycinet National Park and Cradle Mountain, are outside.

How much will it cost to travel to Tasmania during this time?

It depends on where in Australia you’re travelling from, but here’s what we often see in terms of flight prices during a good sale. Unfortunately, we don’t often see cheap or discounted prices from Perth or other smaller cities to Tasmania.

When there isn’t a sale on, you can expect flight prices to be up to double what these discounted fares are. But, even at twice the price, it’s still a lot cheaper than travelling during the peak summer months.

Check out the price of flights to Tasmania on your dates

What is the off season in Tasmania?

The winter months when you can get the cheapest prices are the off-season and tend to also be the least desirable to visit if you’re after a warmer getaway. And since Tasmania is known for its stunning natural beauty and hiking trails, you probably want pleasant temperatures.

However, if you don’t mind donning a beanie and jacket, the winter months are a perfectly fine time to visit. The temperatures don’t matter much when you’re after exploring historical Hobart, sipping fine whiskies at the islands’ many distilleries or enjoying the delicious local cuisine.

Temperatures tend to be the coldest in July and August. And there’s the most rain from August to October in Hobart and from June to August in Launceston.

We’d also recommend avoiding visiting during the peak Christmas break and school holiday period. This is when Tasmania is both the busiest and the most expensive as the summer weather is at its peak.

What’s there to do in Tasmania during the off-season?

The cooler months really are only the “worst” when it comes to weather. There’s still plenty going on during the winter months.

• Dark Mofo: An art and music festival that happens in Hobart in June around the winter solstice (Read more about this)
• Southern Lights (Aurora Australis): The lights are best seen from March to September (Read more about this)
• Tasmanian Whisky Week: Experience the best of Tasmania’s whisky distillery during a week full of events. (Read more about this)

When is the best value time to visit Tasmania then?

If you’re after Tasmania’s natural wonders, the spring and autumn seasons are your best bet to have favourable weather and reasonable prices.

Flight prices may not be quite as cheap as the middle of winter, but they’ll still be much less than summer.

Along with warmer, weather, you’ll also have longer days (the sun sets at 4:45pm in July, compared to 7:15pm in October). Considering much of what draws tourists to Tasmania is the great outdoors, that means an extra few hours every day to explore it. Without being too cold, too!