Now is the time to GO!

[Rick McGowan]

Yeah I know the economy stinks, but airfares and discounts are unbelievable. I have seen airfares to Australia for $655 from the west coast. I started flying there about 10 years ago and that HALF of the cheapest fare I ever got. Lots of bargains elsewhere to Argentina, Africa etc. not many people traveling and lots of discounts. I might go to Australia just to hunt deer this year!

[Mchunt]

Rick I saw your post on the widowwall & it kinda got me mad at Air New Zealand.  I booked a combo hunt to New Zealand 11 months ago & I purchased the flight in Janurary at over $1800.!!! Do you have any concrete evidence on this $648. fare you mentioned?

[tradtusker]

iv been holding out on flights we'r heading out to Australia in September, when i first checked flights where $1600 for the cheapest now the best i can get is $1000 from LA .

i dont know how long to wait it out for, maybe another month or two what do you recon Rick?

how's Qantus? they are not going to go bust are they?

[RL]

Qantas has price of $675 from California round trip and $875 from New York.

[Rick McGowan]

Mchunt yep I am on Quantas and Air NZ emailing list so I get updates from them a couple times a month and lately a couple times a week. Its a really good idea to do that if you plan on flying to those places. I would be glad to forward those emails if you want.
tradtusker, if you can still get that fare I would book it NOW. I've been flying to OZ for years and my experience is that the price of flights starts going up about the end of March. NOW there is another kicker, I just got an email from DELTA airlines yesterday and they are starting daily flights from LA to OZ starting July 1. The competition should help prices and SERVICE, but I don't see prices getting any lower than they are now. I don't see any problem buying a ticket on Quantas, the Aussie government couldn't afford to let them go bust. If you are going to fly to other cities inside OZ, check out the Aussie pass on the Quantas website, they just had it for under $900, it includes roundtrip airfare from the US and up to three flights inside OZ.

[Mchunt]

Thanx Rick great advice!Please forward that e-mail contact. I told my wife about your post & she checked but the price still reflects the high $? We could have saved $300. but that added a 5hr layover in LA., not an option.I feel like that guy in the commercial "you paid what...!" Leaving on Wed.returning April 1st. Saw your reply to mistagain on the wall, wow ,hoorahh & way to go,congrats!

[Rick McGowan]

Mchunt, thanks for the nice words. I'll forward those emails on to you. Of course make sure you read all the restrictions. I don't know if some of those offers have expired, but I would still look for more at least for the next couple weeks and with Delta jumping in, who knows what will happen.

[Rick McGowan]

Mchunt, I just forwarded a couple to you, including an email I just got from Quantas with a $299 each way airfare!!!!!!!!

[tradtusker]

ya but those prices are for fixed dates, if you want to fly a specific date cost jumps up.

[tradtusker]

my flight that was $1000 yesterday is $920 this morning

[Rick McGowan]

Yes there are always restrictions, but consider that I have been flying there for over ten years and the cheapest flight I ever got was over $1200. I got burned when PH'ing as well, because I was staying for three months and for some reason the best fares are only for those staying no more than two weeks or three weeks.

[TomMcDonald]

The Australian government has approved most people in the country to receive $900 handouts as an attempt to boost the economy.
If it has its desired effect, air fairs to Australia would probably go up (if our dollar improves) so have a think about that.

The first payments have just gone through with the bulk arriving in mid-April.

[ozy clint]

andy, coming to aussie in sept....... fess up. your headed to north aussie somewhere.

come on what are you chasin?  

[Al Kidner]

I travel with work a lot and my company pay for my flights so I travel on Emirates Airways. Both them and Quantas are worth travelling on and a strong on the world stage.

I'm currently looking at flights to the US for September Elk.

ak.

[tradtusker]

Clint im going up to Cape york for pigs and bulls, (unfortunately no buff) with a good mate of mine over there, taking 6 guys with me to
looking forward to it.

[ozy clint]

andy- i just spent a year living there. if you are going near weipa and have a boat or will bother hiring one i can put you onto some awesome spots. HEAPS of boars and bulls. cape york is great you'll have the best time.

the honey hole    
 

[Rick McGowan]

Tom, they have been trying that here too, there has been no improvement. One thing I have noticed over the years is that a round trip flight originating in OZ to the US, is a lot cheaper than the other way around.