Return flights SYD-AKL-SYD

[snowglobe]

I see several airlines offering return flights between Sydney and Auckland. In between cruises, I need to fly from Sydney at the end of Feb and back to Sydney in mid-March. I will be pre-selecting my seat and checking in one suitcase. I will also be gate-checking in a mobility scooter.

 

I’n not familiar with either Jetstar or Virgin Australia. Air New Zealand also appears to be price-competitive. Who would you choose to fly with?

 

Any feedback regarding service and value would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!!

[MMDown Under]

3 hours ago, snowglobe said:

I see several airlines offering return flights between Sydney and Auckland. In between cruises, I need to fly from Sydney at the end of Feb and back to Sydney in mid-March. I will be pre-selecting my seat and checking in one suitcase. I will also be gate-checking in a mobility scooter.

 

I’n not familiar with either Jetstar or Virgin Australia. Air New Zealand also appears to be price-competitive. Who would you choose to fly with?

 

Any feedback regarding service and value would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!!

Not Jetstar.  Either of the other two would be fine.  

[OzKiwiJJ]

2 hours ago, MMDown Under said:

Not Jetstar.  Either of the other two would be fine.  

I agree, and also include Qantas.

[snowglobe]

Thank you, both of you.

I’m seeing prices between 450-500 AUD return, for the flight times that I would like (Quantas, Air New Zealand, Virgin).

Should I book them now or wait?

[The_Big_M]

Those are reasonable prices, but it's also off peak flying season. Your call whether you are comfortable with a reasonable price currently (especially if more particular on specific flying times) or want to chance it to maybe save 10-20%, more appropriate if you have more flexibility.

[buchhalm]

This is a good price. Carefully check the inclusions. Sometimes the cheap price will be the base price, without included luggage or other "extras". Since your planned flights are A LOOOOONG way away, book a fare that lets you change or cancel free of charge! Qantas, Air NZL or Virgin are all OK.

[Globaliser]

On 5/3/2019 at 2:56 AM, snowglobe said:

Who would you choose to fly with?

 

I have been trying for years to fly LAN (now known as LATAM) from Sydney to Auckland. However, the timing doesn't always work for me. And when I have booked, LAN has cancelled and put me onto a Qantas instead. (The Auckland-Sydney-Auckland tag end gets cancelled very quickly if LAN has problems with a specific flight, because there are so many Qantas options on which to put people.)

 

So my first choice for this direction would still be LAN/LATAM, because I want to try it. It doesn't work for Auckland to Sydney because the departure time is at silly o'clock.

 

Otherwise, I'd just book Qantas as usual.

 

I have done Air New Zealand when Qantas has been silly money for the time of day that I need to fly. Also perfectly acceptable.

 

Whatever you do, always price these flights using the airlines' own Australia/New Zealand websites. Try both. And don't be frightened of buying two one-way tickets (if necessary on different airlines), as this can often work out cheaper on the trans-Tasman routes.

 

Before you commit, though, make sure that you know how each airline would deal with your scooter.

[The_Big_M]

O

On ‎5‎/‎3‎/‎2019 at 12:59 PM, buchhalm said:

This is a good price. Carefully check the inclusions. Sometimes the cheap price will be the base price, without included luggage or other "extras". Since your planned flights are A LOOOOONG way away, book a fare that lets you change or cancel free of charge! Qantas, Air NZL or Virgin are all OK.

 

Oh, good point. For that reason avoid Air NZ.

 

Their base prices exclude luggage - and everything else.

 

By comparison, all fares on Qantas and Virgin include luggage, food and so on.

[Globaliser]

2 hours ago, The_Big_M said:

For that reason avoid Air NZ.

 

Their base prices exclude luggage - and everything else.

 

Unlike some airlines that sell unbundled fares, Air New Zealand makes it very clear which fares include luggage and which fares don't. The same applies to the other things that are either included or made an option. So this is no reason to avoid the airline, particularly if the luggage-inclusive fare is no more expensive than the luggage-inclusive fare on one of the other airlines.

[iancal]

We have flown Qantas and we have flown Virgin in Australia.  They were fine.

 

We have also flown Jetstar.  Twice from Sydney-HNL, and this past winter we did internal return flights to Tasmania on Jetstar.  Jetstar flights to Honolulu surprised us a little.   Both Honolulu flights were code shares with Qantas.  My understanding from friends in Australia is that Jetstar Australia is the budget airline of Qantas.   They fly both regularly and see no difference (in economy) other than price and the airplane markings.

 

We do not see much difference between the airlines when it comes to economy seats.  We travel with carry on .  Jetstar has a very clear menu from which to select add ons.  In our case we increase carry on from 7-10KG, usually select our seats, entertainment on longer flights.

 

We do not care if flights are bundled  unbundled.   It is not difficult to navigate the on line booking system.  When it comes to price, the only comparison for us, once we have narrowed our choice down,  is the bottom line price and the time/routing.  By the time we push the 'buy' button we clearly understand the price and what is included.

 

Flying with a scooter is a little different.  Seems to me that the best course of action, no matter what airline you select, is to do you diligence by calling or emailing the airline directly.

Edited May 5, 2019 by iancal

[The_Big_M]

12 hours ago, Globaliser said:

 

Unlike some airlines that sell unbundled fares, Air New Zealand makes it very clear which fares include luggage and which fares don't. The same applies to the other things that are either included or made an option. So this is no reason to avoid the airline, particularly if the luggage-inclusive fare is no more expensive than the luggage-inclusive fare on one of the other airlines.

 

They make it clear when booking through them, but the poster being replied to just appeared to be selecting the lowest price amongst the three of them, on the assumption all else was equal.

 

The point was that was not the case, and if just selecting the lowest price among the three, in the case of one they would be short-changed as an international traveller.

[Globaliser]

On 5/6/2019 at 4:25 AM, The_Big_M said:

They make it clear when booking through them, but the poster being replied to just appeared to be selecting the lowest price amongst the three of them, on the assumption all else was equal.

 

The point was that was not the case, and if just selecting the lowest price among the three, in the case of one they would be short-changed as an international traveller.

 

True, but I had already said this:-

 

On 5/4/2019 at 6:34 PM, Globaliser said:

Whatever you do, always price these flights using the airlines' own Australia/New Zealand websites. Try both. And don't be frightened of buying two one-way tickets (if necessary on different airlines), as this can often work out cheaper on the trans-Tasman routes.

 

And I really do mean the Australia/New Zealand websites. It is not good enough to use Air New Zealand's US website, although I think that that at least will always get you baggage-inclusive fares.

[LokiPoki]

You’d have to pay me to fly Jetstar with a mobility device - too many friends who’ve had shocking experiences.

 

I’ve had largely good experiences with Virgin and Qantas - only bad experience I’ve had was a miscommunication flying Virgin that resulting in my wheelchair going MIA for some time at the beginning of a trip. 

 

I’m flying AirNZ next month (MEL-AKL-MEL) as they had the best prices for flights when I needed to travel - haven’t flown with them before, but several friends with health and/or mobility issues speak very highly of them.

[iancal]

We have done 8 trips on Jetstar.  All of them were good.  Three this past winter.  Two of them we long flights and as luck would have were actually code shares with Qantas (which surprised us).  

[snowglobe]

Thank you very much for all of your valuable & appreciated advice.

I did heed the cautions regarding Jetstar and bringing a mobility scooter.

 

It turns out that I've just finished booking both my domestic flights within Australia (3 segments), and to New Zealand.

 

Lucking into the Quantas "Red e-deals" and Virgin Australia's sale fares, I did very well on pricing - and I'm quite happy with the flight times, seat selection and included baggage. I'll also be trying AirNZ. :)

[Globaliser]

On 5/3/2019 at 2:19 AM, snowglobe said:

(Quantas, Air New Zealand, Virgin).

 

33 minutes ago, snowglobe said:

Lucking into the Quantas "Red e-deals" ...

 

Truly, there is no "u" in Qantas! ;)

 

Glad you are sorted.

[snowglobe]

Thank you. Too bad that I can't correct the post now - I feel a bit embarrassed...

[roothy123]

You're not the first to mispell that name;  won't be the last I'm sure!

 

 

[sdonlon13]

On 5/2/2019 at 6:33 PM, MMDown Under said:

Not Jetstar.  Either of the other two would be fine.  

Agreed. Air New Zealand and Virgin are great options. Jetstar is the smaller economy airline very stripped down. I would also recommend calling Virgin, we just booked flights with them and they were actually cheaper when we called than when we tried to book online for the exact same flight. 

Edited May 24, 2019 by sdonlon13

[GUT2407]

I might be bias but QANTAS still does it best. But you will pay more.