Australians are travelling overseas like never before.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Aussie tourists made a record eight million trips abroad in the 12 months to June, with that number 600,000 up on the same time last year and more than double the figure recorded a decade ago.

The numbers are set to grow again this year, with people taking advantage of earlybird deals to book 2013 adventures, and the tyranny of distance means most will jump on a plane to reach destinations in faraway places.

So what can we expect from airlines next year?

Passenger comfort will be a big-ticket item, with airlines spending millions improving the customer experience before and during flights, while increased frequency on existing routes is another priority for international and domestic carriers.

Etihad, the United Arab Emirates-based airline that carried 8.3 million passengers last year, is just one company boosting frequency next year, with a daily service from Abu Dhabi to Istanbul that starts on January 1 - the first in a broad expansion of the network.

The airline, which began operations in 2003, will also introduce daily services to Tokyo and Casablanca in the first half of the year and add Saigon to the network, with daily flights to the south of Vietnam starting next October.

Australian travellers will benefit from February 1 with Etihad scheduling daily visits to Brisbane, up from three times a week now, and the four new jaunts will operate via Singapore in both directions, expanding the options for Aussies interested in an Asian stopover before or after a European or Middle Eastern getaway.

Emirates is also boosting the number of flights to Australia early next year, with a daily service between Adelaide and the company hub in Dubai set to start on February 1, and those in the know say 200,000 passengers will hop between the two airports in the first 12 months of operations.

The airline launched in 1985 with just four destinations and now visits 126 cities in 27 countries on six continents and currently flies to Perth, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. The South Australian capital will join the network in November, with four flights a week in the early months before jumping to the daily offering.

Emirates will also introduce daily jaunts to Algeria on March 1, with that route the third addition to the company's Africa offering in 13 months; start a second A380 run to New York every day of the week from January 1; and add Warsaw on February 6, with a plane leaving Dubai for the Polish capital every 24 hours.

Virgin Atlantic will expand its short-haul operation by introducing Heathrow-to-Manchester hops in March - making it the first domestic offering for Richard Branson's UK-based airline - as well as flights between London and the Scottish airports of Edinburgh and Aberdeen, and a service to Moscow on a track that's trebled in the past five years.

Domestically, QantasLink will launch a direct service between Sydney and Gladstone in March and increase capacity to Port Macquarie, Dubbo, Wagga Wagga and Albury by flying the 74-seat Q400 aircraft into these airports. Qantas will also resume flying to the Gold Coast.

Jetstar Australia is adding 496,000 seats on east-coast flights in the 2013 financial year, and passengers will notice a boost in alternatives between Sydney and Byron Bay, Sydney and the Gold Coast, and Newcastle and the Gold Coast when an additional A320 joins the fleet next year.

It will be a big year for Jetstar, with the local carrier set to take delivery of the first Boeing 787 Dreamliner to come to this part of the world in August, and frequent flyers are looking forward to travelling on the revolutionary aircraft, designed to transform the long-haul experience.

The Dreamliner has 30 per cent bigger windows, admitting more natural light and giving every passenger an outside view; larger overhead bins to hold carry-on luggage, reducing the need to stow bags under the seat; and better air filters to remove airborne toxins that contribute to eye and nose irritation.

The aircraft shell is a light composite material that reduces operating costs, helping airlines keep fares down; wing control surfaces guarantee a smoother ride through turbulence; and the cabin pressure is set at 1800m rather than the standard 2400m - which means passengers absorb more oxygen during flights to diminish the effect of fatigue.

"We're excited about being the first Asia-Pacific low-cost carrier to take delivery of the 787s," a Jetstar spokesperson said.

"Australian travellers can expect to fly on the 787 to long-haul destinations currently serviced by our A330s Honolulu, Bangkok, Phuket, Tokyo, Osaka, Auckland, Singapore. We're expecting to operate services on the Dreamliner in the third quarter of 2013."

Jetstar's Japanese branch is looking to add international destinations to its current domestic offering of six cities, and short-haul stops in China and South Korea top the list of options.

"Heading into 2013 the Jetstar group will provide Australian travellers with more convenient connection and an increasing number of flights to places like popular (Japanese) skiing destination Sapporo and the pristine beaches of Okinawa via Tokyo and Osaka," the spokesperson said.

"Jetstar is preparing to launch Jetstar Hong Kong in 2013, subject to regulatory approval, and has started to recruit pilots in preparation for operational launch in 2013 (flying) short-haul services to China, Japan, South Korea and South-East Asia."

The other focus for airlines will be improving the customer experience, with airlines investing big bucks into updating everything from seats and cabin appearance to in-flight connectivity, airborne entertainment, and airport lounges.

By early next year, every Cathay Pacific plane will have enhanced economy seats with more personal storage space and a plug to hook an iPad or iPhone into the entertainment system, and a new premium economy cabin the company hopes will offer "exceptional value for money", including extra legroom and additional snack options.

JAL is installing Sky Suites with fully flat beds in business class; British Airways is investing in an automatic check-in system; more 737-800s with the agreeable Sky Interior will join the Qantas fleet and, from April, the Flying Kangaroo will offer a complimentary chauffeur service to those flying in the pointy end of the plane for 12 hours or more.

Singapore Airlines - Australia's largest foreign carrier, offering 112 flights to six mainland capitals every week - will begin updating airport lounges, as well as developing a new entertainment system and installing an in-flight connectivity program.

"We are looking to unveil the next generation of interiors and features as part of our ongoing commitment to service excellence and product leadership," Singapore regional vice-president (southwest Pacific) Subhas Menon says.

"We will unveil in 2013 the new concept for our seats and cabins, lounges, in-flight entertainment and communications, as well as service innovations for our customers, and our aim as always is to exceed the expectations of our customers."

A new first-class seat in the 777-300ER due to enter service in the second half of 2013 will provide more privacy; business-class berths promise improved comfort in the sitting and sleeping positions, catering to those who need to work at altitude; and folks flying economy will benefit from better seat and headrest design.

The next-generation eX3 entertainment system will supply the latest video screen technology and touch-screen handsets in all classes; an e-Library will contain newspapers and magazines; and passengers will be able to surf the net at 11,000m, as well as send and receive emails on personal electronic devices.

The SilverKris Lounge at Sydney Airport will be the first modernised according to Singapore's "new design concept", combining the company's signature "Asian hospitality" and replicating "that immediate sense of home" airline customers say they experience when boarding an aircraft.

The Singapore Airlines spokesperson acknowledged 2013 "will be a significant year" for the airline, but the company won't be alone, with many of the airlines ferrying Australian travellers around the friendly skies going all out to make the experience more agreeable.