Flights to Australia - any tips?

nigelpengelly

I have to go to Australia for a week at the end of October, and I'm looking for the cheapest option.

Basically, I've been asked to speak at a conference and they're giving me $1,000 AUS (about £640).

Any tips on cheap flights or travel agents / bucket shops that give good deals?

Skyscanner is coming in at £805 with Southern China Airways - I don't want to book a flight and have someone say: "Ah, you should have called Ferret Air Travel...etc."

Obviously_the_best

China Southern Airlines are often cheapest, however I expect you'll struggle for £640, the average lowest price is aroung £750-800.

£805 doesn't sound bad to me

If melboune's OK and the dates are OK, £725 'ere: http://soc.li/232A9Cl

Doshwaster

Whereabouts in Oz? That will help decide the routing.

Are you sure you want the absolute cheapest option? Australia is a long way away to be flying economy in a pressurised metal tube. Would you be willing to pay a little more for a bit more comfort and/or better schedule (i.e. no 18 hour stopover in Mongolia)

If you want to save money then one tip is to get a flight which leaves a continental Europe airport such as Amsterdam, Rome or Paris and then get a EasyJet/Ryanair flight there from your local airport. This avoids the high UK airport departure tax on long haul flight.

The trouble is that if you are having to go in a month's time then you are leaving it late to get a real bargain.

shaunskankdog

Yeah pretty difficult to be honest...even most European cities are popping up at £480+ to get to Singapore..., from there there is the new Scoot Airlines that can get you from Singapore to Sydney for £200 return.....maybe you could work back from that. ....and then count on budget airlines return at least £100.

Pennywise2012

Obviously there's no guarantees, but the Emirates scheduled flights are often half empty in economy, so you can get a whole row to yourself. Not the cheapest, and like I say, no guarantee you'll get a quiet flight, but if you do it's approx 1000000000% better

nigelpengelly

Thanks for all the tips.

I'm flying to Sydney - my conference is at Shoalhaven, New South Wales.

I'll check how long the stopovers are with Southern China Airlines but the idea of flying to Europe and going from there is a good one...

davholla

nigelpengelly wrote: »

Thanks for all the tips.

I'm flying to Sydney - my conference is at Shoalhaven, New South Wales.

I'll check how long the stopovers are with Southern China Airlines but the idea of flying to Europe and going from there is a good one...

Be careful I did that once to South America with Easy Jet and Air Comet. On the way back Air Comet rescheduled my flight for 2 days later and I missed my Easy Jet flight.
(Air Comet are no longer with us - I wonder why).

jpsartre

And you would be even worse off if the delay is the other way and you miss your longhaul flight. Personally I would never bother/dare putting together a long-haul trip which involves a short-haul connection on a seperate ticket, unless I could somehow combine it with a long stop-over.

RichandJ

jpsartre wrote: »

And you would be even worse off if the delay is the other way and you miss your longhaul flight. Personally I would never bother/dare putting together a long-haul trip which involves a short-haul connection on a seperate ticket, unless I could somehow combine it with a long stop-over.

True, but depending on where the OP is located Eurostar could be an option to get to an ex-UK airport such as AMS or CDG.

Obviously_the_best

£768 to Sydney?

http://soc.li/uvkbFK

simongregson

Perhaps tell them that they are not paying enough to cover your costs and you won't be going unless your expenses are covered fully? Point them in the direction of the internet if they doubt this, or ask if they could make your travel arrangements for you if they think they can do this cheaper.