Best U.S. City to fly to Australia

[lssg]

What cities in the U.S. Is it cheaper to fly to Sydney Australia . I am in the process of looking into airfare for a future cruise and I am looking into easy to get the airfare down

[Donray]

Los Angles CA. LAX

[RickT]

I was searching for airfare to Australia and found that most flights left out of LAX with a few out of SFO.

 

I searched a lot using ITA Matrix and also found flights out of YVR and a few that routed me through Tokyo as well. The ones out of Tokyo were often the least expensive (including the flight from NA to get there) but I didn't think the extra travel time and jetlag would have been worth it.

[Zach1213]

Nobody can really answer that question, because it will mostly likely depend on when you are traveling. My guess is Los Angeles, because it has several airlines flying LAX-SYD versus San Francisco where there is only one flying SFO-SYD.

 

But if you're coming from somewhere else and just connecting, that may change things. For example, even if LAX-SYD is cheaper than SFO-SYD, flying DTW-SFO-SYD may be cheaper than DTW-LAX-SYD. Again, it all depends on your specific dates.

Edited January 2, 2014 by Zach1213

[Gunner22aa]

Certainly offers the most options and the shortest or very close to the shortest flight time. Certainly something to consider especially if you are flying coach

[Zach1213]

Certainly offers the most options and the shortest or very close to the shortest flight time. Certainly something to consider especially if you are flying coach

 

To be fair, I bet Hawaiian offers the best airfare (and shortest flights) from the US to Sydney...but it's probably more expensive to get TO Honolulu than it is to get to LA or SF ;)

[kenish]

As Zach commented, the fare depends on the two endpoints of your trip, and not the gateway city. I agree LAX is probably the cheapest *if* you're buying a LAX-SYD ticket. But if you're starting from DTW for example, it could turn out DTW-DFW-SYD is cheaper than DTW-LAX-SYD. It's very likely separate tickets DTW-LAX and LAX-SYD will cost more. The only exception would be if you are traveling the domestic US portion using award tickets or a budget airline.

[lssg]

I normally fly out of dtw but Dtw to syn is a lot more money than lax to Syn.

I will continue to check and compare fares thanks

[Gardyloo]

As Zach commented, the fare depends on the two endpoints of your trip, and not the gateway city. I agree LAX is probably the cheapest *if* you're buying a LAX-SYD ticket. But if you're starting from DTW for example, it could turn out DTW-DFW-SYD is cheaper than DTW-LAX-SYD. It's very likely separate tickets DTW-LAX and LAX-SYD will cost more. The only exception would be if you are traveling the domestic US portion using award tickets or a budget airline.

 

I normally fly out of dtw but Dtw to syn is a lot more money than lax to Syn.

I will continue to check and compare fares thanks

February, 21 days in Oz...

 

DTW-SYD-DTW (Delta, plane changes at LAX) - $1624 all in.

LAX-SYD-LAX, same days, $1340 (United.)

DTW-LAX-DTW, same/bracketing days, $380 (Delta.)

 

Plus on the stand-alone domestic flights you'd pay for bags, while with the through ticket you wouldn't.

[cwtravel]

The wife and I are flying BWI-DFW-SYD (flight has a stop in Brisbane) and back (non-stop SYD-DFW) because they had a premium economy sale that was less than $3200 per person. I also like not having to deal with LAX on the return.

Since the flight is so long, and I am not yet in the position to afford the $10,000 fare for business class, the premium economy sale through DFW, even though longer total flight time is well worth it to me.

[kenish]

I also like not having to deal with LAX on the return.

 

Very wise (and I'm a LA area resident). Be aware though- LAX completed a major expansion of the international terminal. I got a tour and it's a big improvement, though it still falls short of airports in Asian and Europe. I haven't arrived internationally into LAX since the expansion so can't comment on that aspect.

 

I agree with surveys from frequent flyer and traveler groups that consistently rank LAX among the worst major airports worldwide. It's a major embarrassment and a lousy welcome to international visitors. A regular columnist in the LA Times said, "I dropped off my daughter at LAX. It's where people in LA go to catch airplanes. Someday we may get a real airport. Actually, LAX is one of the nation's best airports...if the nation is Chad." :) Maybe not a direct quote but close.

[em-sk]

February, 21 days in Oz...

 

DTW-SYD-DTW (Delta, plane changes at LAX) - $1624 all in.

LAX-SYD-LAX, same days, $1340 (United.)

DTW-LAX-DTW, same/bracketing days, $380 (Delta.)

 

Plus on the stand-alone domestic flights you'd pay for bags, while with the through ticket you wouldn't.

 

The other difference is when you book the flight on two separate tickets you are not protected by the airline if the first flight runs late.

 

If it is booked as one ticket and Delta arrives late and you miss your connection Delta is responsible for rerouting you onto another flight to get you to SYD.

 

If you want a Direct flight, you can drive North to Toronto. The Air Canada flight to Sydney routes as Toronto - Vancouver - Sydney (The Vancouver stop is for refuel, crew change and some changes of passengers, however it is the same aircraft). However it is probably more expensive that a US flight through LAX.

Edited January 3, 2014 by em-sk

[jsmeeker]

The other difference is when you book the flight on two separate tickets you are not protected by the airline if the first flight runs late.

 

If the flights were all operated by carriers from the same alliance, they would be. At least, I know it works that way with Oneworld.

[Zach1213]

Very wise (and I'm a LA area resident). Be aware though- LAX completed a major expansion of the international terminal. I got a tour and it's a big improvement, though it still falls short of airports in Asian and Europe. I haven't arrived internationally into LAX since the expansion so can't comment on that aspect.

 

I agree with surveys from frequent flyer and traveler groups that consistently rank LAX among the worst major airports worldwide. It's a major embarrassment and a lousy welcome to international visitors. A regular columnist in the LA Times said, "I dropped off my daughter at LAX. It's where people in LA go to catch airplanes. Someday we may get a real airport. Actually, LAX is one of the nation's best airports...if the nation is Chad." :) Maybe not a direct quote but close.

 

The new gate areas at TBIT are a big improvement over the old ones. BIG improvement. Arrivals wise, it still seems to be more-or-less the same, but I haven't been through the new TBIT since May. Nothing seemed different at that time, but things may have changed. Bags took forever to come out, longer than I've ever waited before (priority tag with Qantas), but that could have just been coincidence. I almost misconnected on to AA as a result.

[em-sk]

If the flights were all operated by carriers from the same alliance, they would be. At least, I know it works that way with Oneworld.

 

It does not matter if they are in the same alliance or not, they have to have an interline arrangement between them and most major international airlines have interline agreements with each other regardless of the alliance. Airlines such as a Southwest and some of the deeply discounted no-frills and charter airlines are the exception, they don't interline with anyone else. It is usually cheaper for all the segments to be in the same alliance but not always.

 

When you purchase a ticket the airline that issues the ticket is responsible for dividing up the fare across the various airlines that actually operate the flight. In the old days where tickets were printed the airline operating the flight would collect the flight coupon from you at boarding and trade it into the issuing airline in exchange for payment.

 

When it is issued on a single ticket if something goes wrong and you miss a connection the last airline that caused the missed connection is responsible for rerouteing you (at their cost). That airline can chose to offer to book you on their own aircraft, another alliance member or a completely different airline.

 

When you purchase two separate tickets, such as Detroit to LAX return and LAX to SYD then it is your problem and not the airlines problem if you miss your connection in LAX.

Edited January 3, 2014 by em-sk

[Zach1213]

When you purchase two separate tickets, such as Detroit to LAX return and LAX to SYD then it is your problem and not the airlines problem if you miss your connection in LAX.

jsmeeker is correct about how OneWorld works, though. I am not sure about Sky or Star (since I am a OneWorld flyer), but OneWorld does have an agreement amongst its carriers that they honor each others misconnects.

 

For example, if you had an American ticket from ORD-LHR, and a completely different ticket on Iberia from LHR-MAD, and your ORD-LHR flight is delayed, you will get to MAD without having to buy a new ticket. If you flew, say, United from ORD-LHR and then had a completely different Iberia ticket from LHR-MAD, and you misconnect in LHR, you're screwed because United isn't OneWorld.

 

So, let's say OP finds a good deal on a DTW-LAX (via ORD or DFW) roundtrip with American, and a separate good deal on Qantas for LAX-SYD-LAX. DTW-ORD-LAX is delayed and OP mis-connects. Since both airlines are OneWorld, they won't be just stuck in LAX; they will get to SYD (though not that night, most likely). However, if OP books DTW-ORD-LAX on American and separately books LAX-SYD on Delta, and DTW-ORD-LAX is delayed, they are in big trouble when they reach LAX and the LAX-SYD Delta flight is gone.

Edited January 3, 2014 by Zach1213

[jsmeeker]

Exactly. Maybe Oneworld is unique in this regard? It's the only alliance I have any familiarity with.

[FlyerTalker]

Delta specifically declaims any "two ticket" connection liability or even baggage interlining, and that includes its own flights. So two SkyTeam tickets will not get you through baggage checking -- even if a through fare is not available!

 

Big plus for OneWorld.

[lssg]

I am part of delta sky miles ....we would be flying into Sydney and flying back home from Auckland....we are looking into going next December.....so I am starting early looking ...now I am rethinking just booking from Detroit....

[em-sk]

Exactly. Maybe Oneworld is unique in this regard? It's the only alliance I have any familiarity with.

 

I am fairly certain that is not a benefit that comes with Star Alliance. It may be a unique benefit to Oneworld.

[em-sk]

I am part of delta sky miles ....we would be flying into Sydney and flying back home from Auckland....we are looking into going next December.....so I am starting early looking ...now I am rethinking just booking from Detroit....

 

If you want to force the connections to occur in specific cities, have stop overs on route or fly in and out of different cities most of the online flight booking sites have a "Multiple City" option that still results in a single ticket. A travel agent can also do similar things for you.

[FlyerTalker]

Now you tell us that this is into SYD and back from AKL. And you have a SkyTeam affiliation. BIG DIFFERENCE than just "how do I get to Sydney".

 

DL does not fly its own metal into AKL, so you would need to be on a partner airline or a codeshare. SkyTeam metal serving AKL includes Korean, China Southern, and China Airlines. Virgin Australia has codesharing with DL. So just looking via DL will give you limited options, as the DL website does not reflect all partner flight options. In fact, it often ignores the simplest routings to either force the use of DL metal or to return a "nothing available" response. (Examples....ask DL to fly MEX-SCL and it won't show the Aeromexico non-stop. Ditto with JFK-EZE on Aerolineas.)

 

If redeeming SkyPesos, you could route on Air Tahiti Nui via Papeete. But you don't earn on that routing.

 

From Sydney, you could fly on DL metal, or China Airlines, China Eastern, China Southern, Korean, Vietnam, or Virgin Australia.

 

Pricing on the Chinese airlines can be more attractive than on the DL or Virgin flights. You could easily go through Shanghai (PVG) and take advantage of their 72 hour free transit visa. Get in some extra vacation and see that dynamic city as well. Beijing also has that transit visa available. The Chinese airlines will often give a free stopover, so it can be a real bonus.

 

The issue is that you have to work on getting the pieces together. Unless you have a bunch of experience in forcing these kinds of routings online, you may need to go through a DL agent who can book a ticket using any SkyTeam airline. Or some GOOD travel agent who knows their way around airline systems (and those are hard to find - most are order takers who just take the first thing the GDS spits out).

 

Finally there is also a Go Asia pass from SkyTeam that may fit if you want to go to a bunch of additional cities in Asia on your trip.

 

You are going to have to prioritize what you want, make some decisions and stake out a plan of attack. You have more options than you think, so look at all the TPAC flights available (including non-obvious options such as Korean non-stop from ATL or JFK to Seoul, or China Eastern from JFK to PVG), then search, search and search.

Edited January 4, 2014 by FlyerTalker

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

$10,000 fare for business class..:confused:

[kenish]

$10' date='000 fare for business class..:confused:[/quote']

 

That sounds about right. Many airlines are getting rid of First, and expanding Biz- which tends to increase fares. Also you're probably looking at the full unrestricted fare. More restrictive fares and award seats are available that will seat you near the pointy end of the plane at lower cost...but availability can often be limited.

 

There's many CxO types at corporations where air travel in premium cabins is part of their contract or company policy (about 20 years ago I worked at a company where all employees were put in business class on any flight over 7 hours). Also a surprising number of people can easily afford a $10k fare for personal travel.

 

Cost of a private charter has really dropped and that plays a big part in lower demand for First.

[Zach1213]

$10' date='000 fare for business class..:confused:[/quote']

 

 

A couple of times I have flown to Australia for work, it has been right around that. Other times as low as $7k. But $10k, while high, isn't unheard of by any means.