Cheap way to fly to Australia?

Rva10

Hi,

I want to fly to Australia in summer 2012. I wondered if anyone knew the most cost effective time to fly?

Is there a certain sale time or airline who offer the best deal? Any other ways to save?

Apologies if this is an old topic, if so please direct me to the old thread.

Thanks,
Rachel

Caz3121

you wont be able to book anything on the scheduled airlines until about 11 months out when they release the seats. Some airlines do have sales and as this is OZ winter you may be able to pick up some ok flights

malkie76

I think AirAsia offer some pretty cheap deals via KUL. The downside is you have to sit in an AirAsia plane.........

richardw

Special offers often appear for Business Class cabins for the summer school holidays.

Doshwaster

malkie76 wrote: »

I think AirAsia offer some pretty cheap deals via KUL. The downside is you have to sit in an AirAsia plane.........

Yes, Air Asia via KUL is probably the absolute cheapest way. However, Australia is a long, long, long way away so I would strongly recommend paying a little more and fly on a full service airline.

Air Asia are fantastic for short hops around SE Asia but I wouldn't want to be on one for more than 2 hours.

richardw

Interesting Air Asia X reviews http://www.airlinequality.com/Forum/airasia_x.htm

STN-KUL and KUL-STN are very long flights, perhaps pick the overnight flights to get some shut eye.

signol

Air Asia are like Ryanair in that they don't do connections - so you'd have to risk no delays or deliberately plan a few days in Kuala Lumpur in each direction (not a bad option;) )
The Gulf airlines, especially Qatar, offer some very good fares to Aus, as does Royal Brunei if you're going to Brisbane.
For Summer 2012, I'd recommend waiting until October this year, then doing some flight searches, using sites like Kayak, Skyscanner, Orbitz etc. One possibility is to fly to Perth (the closest point in Aus to the UK) and take a domestic flight on Qantas, Jetstar, Tiger or Virgin Blue from there.

signol

richardw

signol wrote: »

Air Asia.....don't do connections

Air Asia X have changed that http://www.airasia.com/gb/en/tf_intro.page

for some long hauls through KUL.

malkie76

I'd be almost tempted to try the AirAsiaX product just for a comparison with a true 'business' product. They are perfectly honest that their food is crap, and media options are limited, but you are paying for a seat which many other airlines use as their standard business product.

Assuming you can live without lounges and champagne at 35k feet then it could be a sensible cheaper option for long haul to asia and beyond.

It'll take a bit to prize me out of my ClubWorld seat

Bob_the_Saver

signol wrote: »

Air Asia are like Ryanair in that they don't do connections - so you'd have to risk no delays or deliberately plan a few days in Kuala Lumpur in each direction (not a bad option;) )
The Gulf airlines, especially Qatar, offer some very good fares to Aus, as does Royal Brunei if you're going to Brisbane.
For Summer 2012, I'd recommend waiting until October this year, then doing some flight searches, using sites like Kayak, Skyscanner, Orbitz etc. One possibility is to fly to Perth (the closest point in Aus to the UK) and take a domestic flight on Qantas, Jetstar, Tiger or Virgin Blue from there.

signol

UPDATE Air Asia now DO have a new connections deal see their web-site
for details (not all flights but UK - Oz via KL is included)

signol

Bob_the_Saver wrote: »

UPDATE Air Asia now DO have a new connections deal see their web-site
for details (not all flights but UK - Oz via KL is included)

Good to know - thanks !

signol