flights to australia

wookeyhole1

hi i am looking to go to australia with my mum and 2yr old to visit my grandad for 2/3 weeks.

i have never been before and am wondering about flights and how long it would take. obviously cheaper the better but can i fly direct from the uk? if not can i go from bristol-somewhere-australia. also the area i need to go to is queensland so would i need to get another flight in australia?

when is the best time/cheapest to go?

thanks

richardw

There are no non-stop flights from the UK to Australia, there are one stop flights without a change of plane.

There are flights that do Bristol-Frankfurt-Singapore-Brisbane changing planes, but London heathrow -Singapore-Brisbane would be cheaper.

April-July can be cheaper also November/early December and January-March.

than4

Even though the flights stop in Singapore / Kuala Lumper / Hong Kong for re-fuelling they are considered "direct" flights.

You could buy a flight where you change planes at your stopover for a direct flight to Brisbane, or you could fly "direct" to Sydney and catch a domestic flight to Queensland. If you need to go anywhere in Queensland other than Brisbane, I would take the second option.

I think autumn/winter is the cheapest - April through to July/August. If you can be pretty flexible on when you go, just look around for some deals - I have recently seen fares to Australia for as low as £499 to Sydney, but £600-£700 is more the norm for "special" fares.

harz99

wookeyhole1 wrote: »

hi i am looking to go to australia with my mum and 2yr old to visit my grandad for 2/3 weeks.

i have never been before and am wondering about flights and how long it would take. obviously cheaper the better but can i fly direct from the uk? if not can i go from bristol-somewhere-australia. also the area i need to go to is queensland so would i need to get another flight in australia?

when is the best time/cheapest to go?

thanks

Firstly, can I say that is a lovely idea - I am sure your grandad will be over the moon! I am in the opposite situation of being the grandad going to Oz to visit my daughter and grandchildren, and know how I feel - well done.

Now; a bit more detail about where in Queensland would be useful, but the main thing I would say is have you considered the effect of flying direct (without changing planes) is going to have on your 2 year old? A one night stopover in either direction might be sensible.

If you opt to travel via Sydney, you should be aware that for most onward flights (even with the same airline) you have to collect your checked baggage at the international terminal when you arrive and recheck it in at the special facility within that terminal before being bussed to the domestic terminal for your onward flight. From bitter experience, despite the recommended time allowance for doing this being under 2 hours, I think 3 hours is a much safer allowance.

You might also like to consult www.seat61.com for the possibility of onward rail travel from either Sydney or Brisbane.

Finally, if you are anywhere near it do please try and visit Steve Irwin's Australia Zoo, which is within travel distance from Brisbane, and will be absolutely fascinating for the little one.

Good luck in your travels.

inspector_monkfish

£500 to go in October at the moment.
Parents just booked.

wookeyhole1

thanks for your replies.

my mum was also saying about stopping over for a night somewhere because of my daughter and herself (she is 61).

i am not sure where in queensland we have to go. i will ask mum when i see her.

does anyone have any links i can try please.

also does anyone know how long approx the flights are?

thanks

richardw

Heathrow to Brisbane is about 24 hours so stopping over is a good way to break things up.
www.skyscanner.net and www.kayak.co.uk can be good.

http://www.about-australia.com/queensland/

harz99

wookeyhole1 wrote: »

thanks for your replies.

my mum was also saying about stopping over for a night somewhere because of my daughter and herself (she is 61).

i am not sure where in queensland we have to go. i will ask mum when i see her.

does anyone have any links i can try please.

also does anyone know how long approx the flights are?

thanks

Not links but the Saturday edition of the Daily Telegraph has a really good travel supplement, as does the Mail on Sunday. Both carry addverts from the major players in the UK to Oz Travel market, so they are a good source of prices etc. Both papers have websites which may be of help as well.

wookeyhole1

thanks again. i need to go to caboolture which looks like its nearest to brisbane airport

harz99

Okay, so yes Brisbane is your nearest airport (30 miles or so) and you can get from the airport to Caboolture by train in about one hour with one change en route. Try www.translink.com.au.

signol

Hi,
Kayak is a good price comparison website, use it to check prices and book direct with the airlines.
A sample search brings up flights with Air France, £870 in October, stopping in Paris and Hong Kong. Also, if you don't mind flying from Birmingham, one stop to Brisbane with Emirates via Dubai.
signol