December 3, 2004 -- The Southern Hemisphere summer is without doubt the best time to visit Australia and New Zealand, with sensational weather, plenty of outdoor activities and the entire population of both countries in festive mode (after all, they worship the gods of sun, surf, wine and hedonism).
Normally at this time, airfares skyrocket and you would be forced to shell out a lot extra to make that long transpacific trek. But this season, it seems that the airlines are taking pity on those of us facing a long cold winter and traveling down under is still quite affordable.
Qantas (tel. 800/227-4603; www.qantasusa.com) is promoting two great ways to get to Australia on non-stop flights from the US west coast. Their "Australian Summer Sale" allows you to fly to the world's largest island in December and January, without spending a fortune. Start your travel either on December 21, 22, 27 to 31, 2004 or from January 1 to 21, 2005 and you will be eligible for these sales discounts starting as low as $1538 for a round-trip fare from Los Angeles. These prices are valid for travel on Mondays, Tuesdays or Wednesdays, or for $50 more you can travel on other days of the week.
Sample prices:
- Los Angeles to Sydney $1,538
- San Francisco to Melbourne $1,732
- Las Vegas to Cairns $1,890
- Dallas to Sydney $1,928
- New York to Brisbane $2,062
Other city combinations are available. A $15 service charge will be added per booking. Taxes of approximately $120 are additional. A ten-day minimum stay is required with a one-month maximum stay. Hurry this offer expires on December 17, 2004.
Qantas's Aussie Air Pass is also still available for use during the Southern Hemisphere summer but only on select dates for flights to Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane plus three free additional domestic flights when you get there. These domestic flights are divided into zones for different destinations, with three ascending price-points. Tickets must be purchased by December 31, 2004.
Select departure dates are from January 17 to February 22, 2005 with prices from Los Angeles or Honolulu at $1,599 for zone one, $1,799 for zone two, and $1,999 for zone three. From February 23 to April 25, 2005 prices come down somewhat to $1,299, $1,499 and $1,699 respectively. Add $50 for departures from San Francisco, San Jose or San Diego, $150 from Seattle, Portland, Las Vegas, Phoenix, $220 from Dallas or Denver, $260 from Chicago and $300 from New York, Newark, Washington, D.C., Miami or Boston. For more information about the Aussie Air Pass's zone system visit www.qantasusa.com/webDeals/217.
If you're happy to make a stop on the way over, the cheapest airfares down under come from Air Pacific (tel. 800/227-4446; www.airpacificusa.com). To make your travel even more enjoyable, you can combine your trip to Australia or New Zealand with a stopover in exotic Fiji. Air Pacific has night departures four times per week from Los Angeles.
Travel from Los Angeles to Auckland or Christchurch from 29 December 2004 until 31 March 2005 for a super low $1,055 per person. For pre new-year travel, departures from December 12 to 28, 2004, are $1,140 per person.
Their fares to Australia are likewise appealing. Round-trip from Los Angeles to Sydney/Brisbane/Melbourne/Canberra from December 29, 2004 until March 31, 2005 is $1,080 and this fare goes up to $1,170 for departures from December 12 to 28, 2004. Taxes of approximately $160 are additional on all fares. Two weeks advance purchase is required.
Air New Zealand (tel. 800/262-1234; www.airnewzealand.com) has summer specials to New Zealand, but bookings must be made by December 15, 2004. These discounts include round-trip flights to Auckland or Christchurch from Los Angeles for $1,180 per person plus taxes for travel between February 1 and 28, 2005. From San Francisco, add $50.
For flights to Australia via New Zealand, the special fare from Los Angeles is $1,195 plus taxes for departures from January 27 to February 28, 2005 to Melbourne, Sydney or Brisbane. Add $50 from San Francisco. Minimum stay is seven- days and maximum stay is one month.
Air New Zealand also has a wide selection of airfare/accommodation/tour package deals that can show you the best of New Zealand or combine the two countries. Their "Best of the South Island and Sydney" package includes round-trip airfare on Air New Zealand, two nights in Christchurch, a sightseeing tour in Christchurch, Tranzalpine Train from Christchurch to West Coast, three-days Hertz car rental, one night on Franz Josef Sound, four-nights Queenstown, Milford Sound coach tour, four-nights in Sydney, and a sightseeing tour of Sydney with a harbor lunch cruise. You can receive a free extra night at the five-Star Radisson Plaza in Sydney for any tour booked for departure between January 1, 2005, and March 31, 2005. This package is priced at $2,699 for departures between January 1 and February 22, 2005, or $2,475 for departures from February 23 to March 31, 2005. Taxes of approximately $130 are additional.
Other great package deals during the summer include Go-Today's (tel. 425/487-9632; www.go-today.com) variety of Australia and New Zealand airfare and accommodation specials. For $1579 per person, they can offer you round-trip airfare from Los Angeles and five-nights accommodation in Sydney. The same deal but to Melbourne is $1,619. Both these options are available for departures January 8 to February 25, 2005 (must be booked by February 2, 2005). Travel from February 26 until March 31, 2005, and the price drops to $1,319 and $1,369 respectively (book by February 3, 2005). If it's scuba diving the Great Barrier Reef and World Heritage-listed rainforests you are after, then their Cairns package gives you airfare and five nights' accommodations from $1,799 for travel between January 8 and February 22, 2005, going down to $1,549 from February 23 until March 31, 2005. Taxes are additional on all these packages and certain blackout dates apply. They also have Australia / New Zealand combination packages, multiple city packages, outback adventures and South Pacific vacations.
There are several other travel companies that specialize in discounted Australia or New Zealand vacations at various prices depending on your itinerary and travel requirements. Some sites to consider include www.pleasantholiday.com, www.journeypacific.com, www.affordabletours.com and www.trekkerstravel.com.
For more information about planning your vacation down under visit www.frommers.com/destinations/australia and www.frommers.com/destinations/newzealand.
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