Many Aussies are itching to get overseas this Christmas after two years of lockdowns and border closures.

Exclusive data provided to 9News by KAYAK shows international flight searches for the summer holiday period are up a staggering 164 per cent compared to the same period in 2019. 

Not only has an interest in travel soared but the average price for a return economy seat has jumped by 33 per cent to $1817 compared to $1362 in 2019.

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The cheapest day to fly is Australia Day, when there are flights around $1000, while the most expensive day is December 20, when costs surge over $2000.

The most searched return destinations include Melbourne to New Delhi, Sydney to Denpasar, Melbourne to Denpasar, Sydney to Ho Chi Minh City, and Sydney to Manila. 

"Aussies are excited and empowered to get back out there and rediscover everything they about travelling," Nicola Carmichael from KAYAK said.

For the summer holiday period, data showed the most affordable return international routes are mostly to Bali. 

Flights include Perth to Denpasar averaging $691, Melbourne to Denpasar for $1046, Sydney to Denpasar for $1135, Melbourne to Singapore for $1224, and Sydney to Ho Chi Minh City for $1261.

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In light of the data, Carmichael warned travellers to be flexible with their dates to score the best deals on flights.

Not all flights are affordable with some international routes seeing a major surge in costs.

Flights from Melbourne to New Delhi and Sydney to London have seen a huge 43 per cent increase in cost since 2019.

Melbourne to Bangkok has increased by 40 per cent while Sydney to Singapore has jumped by 39 per cent.

Experts attribute the massive increase in interest for international travel to the obvious desire to get out and about after being forced to stay home during the pandemic.

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"It's a long time coming and people suddenly feel good about the world and they feel confident in travel," Quentin Long said.

"They've been waiting two years to get out there and do it and they are ready to go."

Not only is international travel on the cards for Aussies this Christmas but so too are domestic flights.

Flight searches within Australia are up by 136 per cent over the holiday period and in good news, average prices have dipped since 2019 to just $382.

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Most borrowers are worried about mortgage repayments as consecutive interest rate rises start to bite homeowner budgets.

Research by AMP Bank has revealed that 64 per cent of homeowners are worried about meeting their mortgage repayments as the Reserve Bank of Australia continues to increase interest rates to control surging inflation.

Interest rates currently sit at 2.60 per cent after the RBA drove the cash rate up by 0.25 per cent in the sixth consecutive hike this year.

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The cash rate increase is felt most acutely by younger Australians who purchased a home in the last 12 months, with 74 per cent aged under 44 feeling the bite.

In response to increases, 58 per cent said they've had to stretch their household budgets by cutting spending on items like food and clothing.

"We know it's a tough time for homeowners facing into higher interest rates," AMP Bank group executive Sean O'Malley said.

In addition to household budget cuts, close to half of homeowners are considering refinancing their home loans in the next 12 months.

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While nearly half of Australian homeowners said they want to refinance to get a better rate, they're also putting it off because of the complexity and time commitment.

Others aren't budging as they believe the financial benefits would be too small or they're not sure when the best time to refinance is since interest rates are constantly changing.

"For some, refinancing their home loan might help to save money and improve overall financial wellbeing," O'Malley said.

"Australians are increasingly time poor so understandably refinancing a mortgage is not going to be top of the priority list."

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A man allegedly armed with a metal rod has been shot dead by police after an altercation in South Brisbane this afternoon.

Detective Superintendent Andrew Massingham said police were called to a business on Fish Lane in South Brisbane about a man hiding in the ceiling of a restaurant at about 2pm.

"This male had fallen through the roof and was attempting to assault people at that business," Massingham said.

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The man left the scene before police arrived.

Around 3pm, a man matching the description of the person seen at Fish Lane business was spotted walking beside the Greek Club on Edmonstone Street.

Massingham said a police van pulled up next to a man, believed to be in his 20s, who tried to get into the back of the vehicle.

"At that time he was confronted by the officer who had alighted from the driver's side, the male rushed at the officer in an aggressive manner, the officer saw that he was armed with a 30-centimetre metal rod with a handle attached," Massingham added.

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Officers tried to use a taser to subdue the man but it was "ineffective". The two officers then fired three gunshots at the man, who then died at the scene.

Police closed Edmonstone Street between Russell and Melbourne streets and a crime scene has been declared.

The road will be closed for hours and drivers have been warned to avoid the area.

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An aspiring rapper is one of two men charged with murder after a fatal shooting in Melbourne's north last month.

The charges come after Griffin Harris, 22, was fatally shot in Kalkallo on September 21.

Mickleham man Lachlan Belmore, 24, was charged yesterday with one count of murder and trafficking methylamphetamine.

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His co-accused, Wallan man Dean Bell, 31, has also been charged with murder.

Both are accused of storming Harris' home with a rifle.

Belmore goes by the stage name Drips and is a rap artist.

It's alleged he and three other men terrorised Harris about 4am before fatally shooting him.

Police believe the shooting was a targeted attack and those involved were known to each other.

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Police executed six search warrants yesterday, seizing four cars.A 25-year-old Wallan man and a 19-year-old Craigieburn were also arrested and charged with home invasion.

A 22-year-old Keilor woman and a 22-year-old Wallan man were released pending further enquiries.

All accused will face court in February but it's understood some will apply for bail before then.

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Attempted drug supplier and former NRL player Jamil Hopoate was merely a courier picking up eight one-kilogram slabs and possibly knew little about his taking part in a cocaine ring, a court has been told.

Hopoate, 27, is being sentenced in the Sydney District Court for the attempted supply of a large commercial quantity of cocaine.

The son of former Manly winger John Hopoate and brother of former Canterbury star Will was arrested in 2021 after federal police found 514kg of cocaine hidden in a consignment of toolboxes.

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The cocaine, with an estimated street value of $155 million, was replaced with an innocuous powder and then tracked as it was distributed across Sydney, leading police to a van Hopoate was travelling in.

Greg James KC played down his client's role, saying the prosecution case didn't show Hopoate knew or wanted to have cocaine in his possession.

"All he's doing is picking up that which he's instructed to pick up and transmitting it to or at the direction whoever had obtained it," James said.

Hopoate was paid $7000 to move the slabs but had no profit stake in the cocaine supply, the court was told.

He was initially charged with large commercial drug supply and held on remand for two months. But that was withdrawn after it was clear he hadn't possessed cocaine at any time.

Hopoate pleaded guilty in the local court to the lesser offence of attempted supply in May, entitling him to a 25-per-cent sentence discount.

"In the circumstances, it's accepted he at least had the minimum state of knowledge necessary to constitute such essential awareness that the slabs had or were likely to contain cocaine or another illicit drug," James said.

The Crown expressed concern that Hopoate's addictions to gambling, alcohol and other drugs would recur once he was released from jail.

Since July 2021, he's been unable to touch alcohol or other drugs or gamble due to his strict bail conditions.

"What will be staring him in the face is when Mr Hopoate comes out of jail and is not subject to strict bail conditions, will be him having those skills to (ensure he doesn't) relapse back into his very significant, long-term addiction to alcohol," the prosecutor said.

The sentencing continues.

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