Amazing Airfare: Several US Cities to Australia From $446 Roundtrip

by Gary Leff

Via God Save the Points there are currently roundtrip tickets available to Australia starting at just $446.

Last month there were $462 tickets — it’s truly a great time to travel the world! — but this time the deal is available even more broadly, from more cities.

For instance:

  • $446 Los Angeles – Melbourne
  • $468 Chicago – Sydney
  • $496 Dallas – Sydney
  • $510 Washington DC – Sydney
  • $536 New York – Sydney

Twenty years ago when there was a $900 roundtrip I would jump on it, even $1200 flying American Airlines via Honolulu was considered a good deal.

Now despite inflation we can travel for less than half that. These aren’t even mistakes, it’s a fare war that several airlines are participating in — United, American/Qantas, and Delta/Virgin Australia. Fares are available February through May and August through early December.

Here’s Virgin Australia Los Angeles – Melbourne. Delta and Virgin are selling this directly for $512, though several smaller online travel agency sites (searchable with Momondo and Skyscanner) will sell it for less.

Here are key details on Virgin Australia’s fare basis SLE0ZEMA, which is $185.50 each way plus taxes:

  • Outbound travel permitted through April 20, May 1 – October 4, October 16- December 10
  • 12 hour minimum stay, 12 month maximum stay
  • Ticket by February 9 — though this deal may get pulled before that
  • Refundable with a $400 fee (which doesn’t leave much leftover)
  • $200 change fee

About Gary Leff

Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel - a topic he has covered since 2002. Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »

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Comments

  2. @Nick – With Delta you’re buying up the fare difference in miles at a penny a mile [very bad deal], with united the cash copay varies based on fare type and with american it’s straight cash and miles. if — of course — there’s upgrade space available. American systemwide upgrades are valid for american flights with no minimum fare requirement.

    Bottom line with these deals you’re PROBABLY flying coach but they’re sure cheap fares

  3. Just make sure you get seat selection options. These sectors are pretty rough going and the thought of doing it in a middle seat is truly appalling, regardless of how cheap it is. And allow at least a day to recover, both directions.
    One bonus for Americans contemplating a trip to Australia is that the AUD is way down against the USD, making Australia’s notoriously expensive hotels a bit more affordable ( the other side of that coin is the pain Australians suffer visiting the US, particularly San Francisco and NYC).

  4. @Gary: Let me get this straight. They are only going to pay me $460 to fly economy to Australia?

    Forget it. This is a bad deal. My billing rate is $500 per hour for the first hour increasing via a sliding scale to $5,000 per hour for the last 6 hours.

  5. My wife and I took advantage of one of these discount Australia deals a couple years ago. LAX-BNE on Hawaiian connecting in HNL for ~$350/person. Flew in economy so it was a miserable flight. The nice thing was that it booked into a mileage earning code so we each received around 15k HA miles for the trip. Great deal but not sure if I’d do it again.

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