Cheap flights

International and domestic airlines are offering some of the cheapest Easter holiday fares in years to entice Kiwis on to their planes, as they struggle with plummeting ticket sales.

The best of the lot is a $109 return flight to Sydney, excluding taxes, with no travel restrictions on LAN Airlines. With Australian taxes, it comes to $270.

Families looking to take the kids away will be delighted with a 50 per cent discount on accommodation at selected Fiji resorts, and four-night packages to the five-star Westin Denarau and Sheraton Denarau Villas starting from $1429 per person.

Flight Centre public relations manager Marie Pilkington said its lowered return flights to Lima in Peru and London at $1089 and $1779 respectively were some of the best flights they have had on offer in recent times.

House of Travel is offering return flights to London flying Royal Brunei at $1941 for people wanting to travel until June 30.

Domestic flights also remain low, with one-way fares from House Travel on offer from $49 to Wellington, $59 to Christchurch and $89 to Queenstown.

In-country Pacific Blue flights are also affordable at $65 to Wellington, $75 to Christchurch and $100 to Dunedin one way.

Green co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons said New Zealanders should be encouraged to holiday at home to support local business and to reduce carbon emissions. "It's not sustainable to have super-cheap airfares to the other side of the world," she added.

But a spokesman for Prime Minister John Key, who is also tourism minister, said: "There are many wonderful things going on in New Zealand and some great places to explore.

"Many people choose to holiday overseas as well, for many reasons, but of course it's for individuals to determine where they holiday. "