Australia - next year

kangoora

Looking to go to Australia next year around this time of the year in advance of nieces wedding. We can't get there in December which is the date of the wedding due to DW's firm having a lockdown on holidays for the month (retail firm). Picking this date as our son will be due to start Uni next year so want to get there and back before fresher week starts.

We're currently thinking of Gold Coast for a week, 10 days in Melbourne doing side trips (B & S-I-L location) followed by a few days in Sydney then flying back - total circa 3 weeks.

Can anyone suggest things we need to take into account and/or best way to get cheap(er) flights?

I was wondering about people's thoughts on us taking the train from Gold Coast to Melbourne as opposed to flying?

Anything else that might spring to mind welcome also.

richardw

Jetstar and Virgin are good on internal flights, so nothing much to gain by taking the train, unless you really really want to take the train.

Avoid narrow seat aircraft in economy on the B787 3-3-3 and B777 3-4-3, if you can stretch to Premium Economy, the extra cost may be worth it on a cost per hour per person basis.

comeandgo

Use the Australian web pages for booking flights and get them charged in dollars. Use the Halifax credit card that has no charges for foreign transactions. I love Australia but have not been to Melburn yet. The exchange rate is working in our favour at the moment, Australia is slowly moving into recession.

kangoora

comeandgo wrote: »

Use the Australian web pages for booking flights and get them charged in dollars. Use the Halifax credit card that has no charges for foreign transactions. I love Australia but have not been to Melburn yet. The exchange rate is working in our favour at the moment, Australia is slowly moving into recession.

I've just looked at the exchange rate - over the last year it's gone from around £1 = $1.7 to now around £1 = $2.18. That will be a significant saving provided I can book from the Aussie side and pay in dollars.....

dawyldthing

I'm going in December. I've booked a ryanair flight to Dublin then ba flight to Sydney and return to London. Officially it's back to Dublin, but it's a swap of airport so apparently I should be able to get my bags back and Im heading home.

I've booked no end now due to the exchange rate (used the halifax clarity card as mentioned above) and its saving me a fair bit. The exchange rate hit 2.22 ish not long ago. Depends what you all want to do really. I'm going diving on the Gold Coast, climbing the sydney harbour bridge and a few other bits and bobs. I've got the lonely planet books and it's helped with the planning.

littlereddevil

You'll be lucky if your bags don't go on to Dublin, they usually fo

Mands

dawyldthing wrote: »

I'm going in December. I've booked a ryanair flight to Dublin then ba flight to Sydney and return to London. Officially it's back to Dublin, but it's a swap of airport so apparently I should be able to get my bags back and Im heading home.

littlereddevil wrote: »

You'll be lucky if your bags don't go on to Dublin, they usually fo

If she's booked SYD-LHR/LCY-DUB then the bags won't be checked through, there's no facility to do so with an airport change.

Dawyldthing: come back and let us know how the trip goes, will you? I'm a few months behind you ... and out of OSL rather than DUB.

Mands

dawyldthing

I asked if I had to take my bags with me to Gatwick and they said I would. It saves all the kaffufle of going to Dublin. Will do

HappyMJ

kangoora wrote: »

Looking to go to Australia next year around this time of the year in advance of nieces wedding. We can't get there in December which is the date of the wedding due to DW's firm having a lockdown on holidays for the month (retail firm). Picking this date as our son will be due to start Uni next year so want to get there and back before fresher week starts.

We're currently thinking of Gold Coast for a week, 10 days in Melbourne doing side trips (B & S-I-L location) followed by a few days in Sydney then flying back - total circa 3 weeks.

Can anyone suggest things we need to take into account and/or best way to get cheap(er) flights?

I was wondering about people's thoughts on us taking the train from Gold Coast to Melbourne as opposed to flying?

Anything else that might spring to mind welcome also.

The train is good but it takes ages. You could fly from Gold Coast airport to Sydney on one of many flights and then take an overnight train to Melbourne which will also save you having to have a hotel room for that night. You'll depart Sydney at around 8pm and arrive just before 8am into Southern Cross.