Guys, I'm looking for advice on the best, and most importantly, cheapest way of flying to Australia for late Dec / early January 2010 to attend a wedding.

I'll probably go to Sydney first so that's where I'm looking for flights.

I realise that I'll need to transfer a few times (from Winnipeg) - either through Vancouver with AC or through LA with one of the American airlines.

Has anyone done this trip recently and do you know when airlines typically start advertising special offers on their winter flights? AC are currently charging $3,200 (and they're the cheapest) - but I don't want to get stung for even more expensive flights later in the year by waiting too long.

Cheers!

Hello Buddy,

Vancouver - Syndey through Qantas is 2200/person then all you need is the flight to Van. so it will come out roughly the same price.

Probably around the going rate for it TBH mate.

if you have relatives in the UK then the bargain way to do this is LHR-SYD via Canada. Check out fares LHR-SYD on ac.com. You can pretty much route any way you want through Canada as long as you pick up the YVR-SYD flight and back. If you do any other flying with Air Canada, you would nearly have enough miles to earn status on AC and a decent number of AE miles towards free travel. Even business class is a great deal and you can stop over as much and anywhere in Canada as you want. OK, you need to get to London first, but there are many creative ways to make the trip work how you want! I recently did LHR-YYZ-YVR-SYD (24 hours) and back. Great fun.

Hi

We flew out to Sydney last year. We flew out to LA from Toronto on Air Canada and then picked up Qantas flight to Sydney. On the way back we did the same but through San Francisco. I think that we managed the trip for around $1,300 each.

At the time there was a 'discover Australia' deal on with Qantas and a deal on AC. Check out the Qantas web site at I think that they are flying Toronto to Sydney at the moment for $1,900 and LA to Sydney for around $950 It is cheaper from a LA or San Fran then it is from Vancouver. You might want to consider Westjet to LA (which is via Edmonton or Calgary) then LA to Sydney on Qantas.

http://www.qantas.com.au/regions/dyn...ier-country-ca
https://c5dsp.westjet.com/guest/makebooking.shtml

Hope that this helps, happy shopping

Thanks for all the advice - one of the drawbacks of not living in London anymore is the lack of competitiveness on w/wide flights.

Looks like I'll just have to do a bit more searching.

I got back from SYD on Monday after a short strike by baggage handlers. YVR definitely have to raise their game for the Olympics as not too many people were happy with the one and a half hour wait through immigration, then the one hour wait to check through for domestics.

I did the Edmonton Vancouver Sydney route an AC and I quite like the new B777 aircraft.

Alternatives are LAX or SFO to SYD or Brisbane with Qantas and I hear that that is good too.

Another possibility is LAX Auckland with Air New Zealand, crazy but possibly cheaper.

I see that United via SFO is $2900 currently.

There are literally dozens of carriers going across the pacific so shop around for offers.

By the way, watch out for the time zone differences, although you are going west, they are 17 hours ahead!!

Best of luck

Also check Seattle to Sydney via Hawaiian airlines.

LAX has the best selection of flights and airlines to Australia then any other city in North America for the most part.

You could also go the opposite way through Europe or the middle east.

Hi

Keep checking through ITA they don't sell tickets but list all the combination's and costs. http://www.itasoftware.com/

Check out Air Pacific...

I did it one time: Toronto-Atlanta-LA on United, LA-Seoul-Sydney on Korean Sydney-Adelaide on Qantas. One time: Toronto-Minneapolis-SanFrancisco on NWA SanFrancisco-TaiPei-Singapore on Singapore Singapore-Sydney on Qantas, both times returning by more devious routes. Those were the cheapest fares available at the times in question. Under two grand return each time. Depends though how long you're prepared to spend flying.

try V Australia there fares are good from Los Angeles. avoid air canada if you can.

john

Try to avoid LAX if possible!!!.... sometimes the cheaper option is not worth the stop-over in one of the worlds worst airports!!

SFO is better, but avoiding the US altogether makes for a much less frustrating journey!!! :-)

YVR - Directs to Sydney and Auckland are great flights, and these routes are all new aircraft.

As said before, stick with Star Alliance carriers and you'll be close to a free flight by the time you get back!

I don't mind LAX if there's no change of terminal involved, but then I start from YYZ; things can only get better.

LAX isn't that bad.

But they do the best they can with what they have. Its a land locked airport in the 2nd largest US city serving virtually all of Southern California for most international destinations, aside from a few flights in San Diego if you need to go international and live in So. California, LAX is your only option for non-stop.

It was built and designed in a different era where international travel was a small part of air travel.

San Diego, Burbank, Orange County, Long Beach airports all have space issues, they are all near or in a major city with no land to expand or build a new airport.

Hi ADAMC

Did you able to find a cheap ticket to Australia for Jan 2010?

Thanks