ALDI is moving into the travel space, but you won’t find trips in the centre aisle. Instead, as it has launched the ALDI Holidays online portal.

In a first for Australian supermarkets, from today (Wednesday), Australian shoppers will be able to plan their next holiday with a suite of exclusive escapes, cruises and tour deals bought to consumers by the third player in the supermarket stakes.

ALDI says it will bring value to the travel category, with holiday deals that still have all the frills but with options including room upgrades, tours, customisable experiences and flights at some of the most sought-after travel destinations around the world. But options will vary depending on the package.

The first ALDI holiday packages top drop are available from just $449pp and include Surfers Paradise and Whitsundays escapes to family holidays in Fiji, Thailand and Hawaii. Cruises around the Pacific Islands or Japan and a range of 10-day tour options are on offers as is adventures to South Africa, Europe and China.

“We are excited to be taking off in a new direction to make planning and booking a holiday a more enjoyable experience for Australians and in our signature, Good Different way with ALDI Holidays,” ALDI Australia group director, Rodney Balech, said.

“This service, in partnership with Ignite Travel, will unlock incredible value and help all types of travellers create truly unforgettable experiences.

“With ALDI Holidays we’re bringing our Special Buys to the skies, offering savvy travellers premium holiday options. From budget-friendly bliss to extravagant escapes, there are different levels of luxury for every keen explorer,” Balech said.

Ignite Travel Group CEO, Ryan Thomas, said it was an exciting time to partner with ALDI to bring a range of leisure and luxury travel options to more Australians launching at a great time when travel continues to boom.

“Domestic and close to home holidays are still desirable and we’re now seeing record numbers for international cruise holidays and small group touring,” he said.

“ALDI Holiday customers can expect incredible savings with these exclusively curated holiday packages including flights, local experiences and more, covering some of the most popular destinations around the world, that can conveniently be booked online or via the dedicated ALDI Holidays Sales Centre.

“Whilst the collaboration also aligns to our goal to support and grow our supplier channels to deliver an unparalleled distribution network for our partners where everyone wins. We’re excited about the future of our partnership with ALDI.”

Aldi adds travel collection to its notorious “aisle of shame”

Similar to ALDI’s bi-weekly Special Buys, there will be a limited number of exclusive holiday deals, which will be available until sold out.

The German supermarket chain has already achieved some success in the travel space offering ‘Love at First Flight’ an array of travel-related Special Buys launched last year.

ATIA Acting CEO Ingrid Fraser said the concept was a great innovation.

“This partnership between ALDI Travel and Ignite Travel Pty Ltd, an ATAS accredited business, is a great example of the kind of innovation we constantly see from ATIA members as they continue to find new ways to meet Australians’ appetite for travel,” she said.

“Congratulations to the team at Ignite Travel on this initiative. We always encourage travellers to choose an ATAS accredited business for peace of mind when booking travel.”

ALDI Holidays available from today include:

Escapes:

5 nights in Daydream Island Resort, Whitsundays from $899pp twin share
7 nights in Iririki Island Resort & Spa, Vanuatu from $1,399pp twin share
7 nights in Novotel Phuket, Thailand* from $599pp twin share
5 nights in Novotel Surfers Paradise, Queensland* from $449pp twin share
7 nights in the Outrigger Resort, Fiji from $1,799pp twin share
7 nights in Naviti Resort, Fiji from $1,499pp twin share
6 nights in Waikiki Beach Marriott, Hawaii from $2,399pp twin share
3 nights Mercure, Gold Coast* from $949 per room
5 nights Mercure, Gold Coast* from $1,299 per room
6 nights Grand Mirage, Bali* from $1,199pp twin share

Tours:

10 Day Best of South Africa from $3,990pp twin share
10 Day Best of Sri Lanka from $2,590pp twin share
15 Day European Odyssey $4,590pp
10 Day Great Wall & Warriors Tour $999pp

Cruises:

9 nights Royal Caribbean Cruise through the Pacific Islands* from $1,499pp twin share
14 nights Celebrity X Cruise through Japan* from $4,990pp twin share

ALDI Holidays will also offer customisable options from preferred airlines and departures airports across Australia, as well as adjustable lengths of stay and room upgrades. Escape and Tour packages can be booked via the online portal, or through person-to-person customer service for Cruise packages. T&Cs apply.

*Flights not included