Cost of air travel to get to Australia?

[3sistersact]

We would like to take a cruise from Sydney to Aukland in January 2008 and have found good prices for the cruise, but air fare is very expensive then. We're thinking maybe we should wait until 2009, but I'm not sure the price would be lower. What is considered a good air price from California? Air Pacific has the cheapest fares right now. Has anyone flown with them?

[Karynanne]

If you book your trip in 2009, be sure to check Air New Zealand's site in the Spring. We cruise in Feb/Mar. 2008, and I found airfare this past March From San Francisco to Sydney...via Auckland...was $699.00 (one way).

 

Karyn

[GGCHAMBERS2]

I know you want to go in January, but if you went in November, Royal Caribbean is offering a great price including air. You might want to check it out.

 

GG

[3sistersact]

Thanks for the help. Where do you go to get the Royal Caribbean deal with airfare? I didn't see it on their web site. Air Pacific stops over at Fiji. Has anybody done this? Is a six hour layover time to see anything? Can anybody tell me what a good air fare price from California to Sydney would be? Thanks!

[GGCHAMBERS2]

To get the trip with air...go to the RC site and look up a cruise. Timeframe - Oct to Nov 2007. Ship- Rhapsody of the Seas. Location - Australia.

 

Just type in that info and it will give you the cruise. The price for an inside cabin with air is 2399 dollars. It is a little more with tax. Just follow through with the booking and you will see the final price....don't worry....you didn't buy it yet.

 

We are going on this trip. I just bought it when they offered the air.

 

GG

[TenerifeSharon]

For flights in January from LAX or SFO, anything between $1,200 and $1,500 would be a good fare -- anything under that would be a great fare:D . We're flying from Germany to Sydney via San Francisco (long way around to do it, but it got each of us 27,000 miles on United and a total price of about $1,5000 each). We're about as far from San Francisco as San Francisco is from Sydney, so it was an excellent price.

 

Since you're coming from upstate New York (Yay - I went to Ithaca College), you might want to check into Air Tahiiti Nui for flights. They have a connection from New York to California to Australia (with a brief stopover in the South Pacific). Never flown with them and have heard mixed reviews but...

[Efrain]

Wow. So this thread got me to thinking. We had booked our LA to AKL and SYD-AKL to LAX flights, for February, quite awhile ago at something just under $1300 USD. Out of curiosity I just checked this morning and the exact same itinerary is now almost $1900. Thats 6 Benjamin Franklins my friends, $600 dollars. Did I get them on a bad day or what? Why the huge price disparity.

[3sistersact]

Efrain, it sounds like you got your tickets on a good day!! That's why I started this thread, as most of the airlines are over $2,000 US for a January round trip ticket now! It is a huge difference. That's why I was wondering if we should put our triip off for a year. Who do you have your reservation with? Air Pacific still has a good rate, but I don't know anything about them.

[Efrain]

We booked directly with Air New Zealand based on, not only the price, but the reputation of the airline and, the biggest thing of all - the extra 3" of leg room.

 

 

PS I am not an employee or relative of an employee or friend of an employee of Air New Zealand

[mochuck]

Wow. So this thread got me to thinking. We had booked our LA to AKL and SYD-AKL to LAX flights, for February, quite awhile ago at something just under $1300 USD. Out of curiosity I just checked this morning and the exact same itinerary is now almost $1900. Thats 6 Benjamin Franklins my friends, $600 dollars. Did I get them on a bad day or what? Why the huge price disparity.

 

I don't know which airline you're flying with, but the falling $US might have something to do with the cost going up.:eek:

[JLC@SD]

We would like to take a cruise from Sydney to Aukland in January 2008 and have found good prices for the cruise, but air fare is very expensive then. We're thinking maybe we should wait until 2009, but I'm not sure the price would be lower. What is considered a good air price from California? Air Pacific has the cheapest fares right now. Has anyone flown with them?

 

We flew LAX to Sydney via Qantas and then Auckland / Fiji / LAX via Air Pacific. Qantas and Air Pacific are partners and both were acceptable....but we preferred Quantas.....espeially on the long run. We paid about 1,200 each for the three legs.

[Efrain]

I don't know which airline you're flying with, but the falling $US might have something to do with the cost going up.:eek:

 

I am well aware of the dollar's slow decline, but $600 in less than 4 months? Lemme' see now - quickly comupting - yes that's an increase in excess of 45% - I don't think so.

[Budget Queen]

Thanks for the help. Where do you go to get the Royal Caribbean deal with airfare? I didn't see it on their web site. Air Pacific stops over at Fiji. Has anybody done this? Is a six hour layover time to see anything? Can anybody tell me what a good air fare price from California to Sydney would be? Thanks!

 

I booked the RCI cruiseair deal for 11-10, since I couldn't even get close booking separately. I booked with a cruise discounter online agency, with the air out of JFK.

 

I'm one to, live for today and never consider any long waits for my travel priorities. :)

[mochuck]

I am well aware of the dollar's slow decline, but $600 in less than 4 months? Lemme' see now - quickly comupting - yes that's an increase in excess of 45% - I don't think so.

Only 4 months ago! Well if thats the case, you did have a lucky day. I thought you meant maybe 12 months ago.:o

[SelectSys]

You might also consider Air Tahiti Nui. They fly one stop to both Auckland and Sydney from New York (Also from LA). While they don't fly daily, you can occasionally get some really cheap airfares. They also offer some good stop over deals in Papeete.

 

BTW - I doubt prices will be much better in another year.

[bbqbears]

We booked our UAL non-stop San Francisco/Sydney for our RCCL Nov. 10 cruise back in late January, and paid....$2500 (pp)! I am still steaming over that one! We had plenty of ff miles for business class, but there were "no business class award seats" left. The high price was because I booked an "upgradable" coach fare (i.e. we used ff miles to upgrade to business class). I believe they said a regular coach fare would have been $1500.

 

Kathy

[captainron]

Hi SIS,

Did Air Pacific LAX/NAN/AKL last Feb 07 and service was good. LAX flight leaves about 1030-1045pm arriving Nadi at 530am, Flights then connect to OZ and KIWI Country from that arrival.

 

They use a B747-400 on the Trans-Pacific haul and most connecting flights out are within 4+ hours. Not sure of the A/C type to OZ but we also had a B747-400 to AKL. On the trip home it was a brand new B737-800.

 

Service was great with champagne and wine and highballs all complimentary and nite shades, toothbrush, toothpaste, etc all provided to each passenger.

 

Air Pacific uses old Singapore Airlines 747s and the entertainment system onboard I didn't find overly reliable. Not touch screen but a remote with cable which attaches to your seat...bit of a pain actually.

 

The break in Nadi was good as it allowed the circulation to get moving in our butts again after ten and a half hours. The old 747 seats are hard as cardboard which is the only gripe I had about the A/C. Service was super.

 

At a six-hour stopover, you really don't want the headache of clearing customs then going back through security to baord the A/C. Fiji is not cheap by any means since the coup and prices even transport are fairly high. Nadi has excellent Duty Free shopping in the departure lounge.

 

If you want it a little quieter but not business class, try pre-booking your seats on the upper deck away from the maddening crowds and kids. you can call Air Pacific's head office in Tuscon, give them your flight locator # and request your seating in advance.

 

For LAX, the checkin counters were sched to open at 530pm but opened at 5. 12 people were in the lineup then but we had seats pre-selected. With bags all gone, we went back to the Crowne Plaza on Century Blvd for happy hour and dinner returning to Tom Bradley Int'l at 845pm.

 

Hope timings and info helps.

 

Ciao for now!!!

i

 

[ArizonaRalphie]

Wow. So this thread got me to thinking. We had booked our LA to AKL and SYD-AKL to LAX flights, for February, quite awhile ago at something just under $1300 USD. Out of curiosity I just checked this morning and the exact same itinerary is now almost $1900. Thats 6 Benjamin Franklins my friends, $600 dollars. Did I get them on a bad day or what? Why the huge price disparity.

Small world Efrain. We got the same deal and I just looked at Air New Zealand. The package price quoted today is $1896.80. We both saved BIG TIME. Lot's to spend on shore excursions.

[Lobo11]

Hello everyone,

We paid 1500.pp from LAX to SYD, AUK to RAR (Rarotonga, Cook Islands for 5 days) then RAR to LAX. Our trip is for March/April 2008. All on Air New Zealand which I booked directly with the airline. Not bad huh! :D

[3sistersact]

Thanks for all your help and suggestions. We're still in the process of deciding which way to go!

[Coastaljen]

I am not sure what is and isn't a good deal from reading these. It sounds like we paid a lot..then again it may be average. I booked in July. It was $l685 Qantas. That is Charleston, South Carolina to Atlanta to LAX to Auckland..and returning Sydney to LAX to Atlanta to Charleston, SC.

 

At first it sounded high compared to other figures on this thread, but then again I am on the other side of the United States. I saved $400 flying back on Christmas Day.

[nycbaggirl]

we checked out a lot of air fares - and we've booked through princess on United i think, and we have a 2 hour layover in LAX - there were also flights from San Francisco. check air canada too.

[baggirl0609]

I think your layover is less than 2 hours. Please check with your TA.

[OHCruisinDad]

Go to this link and check out the $700 airfare special that RCL has for Rhapsody sailings.

 

http://www.creative.rccl.com/sales/promowave/RCL.pdf

 

THis link is updated each week.

[pinksuit]

We would like to take a cruise from Sydney to Aukland in January 2008 and have found good prices for the cruise, but air fare is very expensive then. We're thinking maybe we should wait until 2009, but I'm not sure the price would be lower. What is considered a good air price from California? Air Pacific has the cheapest fares right now. Has anyone flown with them?

 

 

We booked our air through the cruiseline (Princess) Qantas @ the rate of 1600 pp with a departure date of 1/27. Matter of fact, I just added a couple of people to my group and their rate is the same. However, those people will be taking a return through Sydney because there were no seats available on the 14th of Feb. Give it a try. You just may be surprise! PinkSuit