After a wash-out summer, many travellers are setting their sights on the southern hemisphere, and in particular Australia. The reversal of the seasons makes Bondi Beach or Byron Bay a more agreeable choice for Christmas Day than Blackpool or Bridlington. As our exclusive research shows, air fares for the festive season are soaring to unprecedented levels.
Yet if you are able to avoid the peaks, the extra capacity coming into the market – particular from China – means some extremely good deals out there.
These are the key things to consider for anyone planning to head for Australia in the next few months.
1. Where do you really want to go and what do you want to do?
A ridiculous number of travellers buy a return ticket from the UK to Sydney – even if they plan to explore elsewhere in Australia. At the end of their stay, they make their way back to the city – even though it is the most distant of all the big Australian cities. Most airlines offer “open-jaw” tickets: into one Australia city and out of another with no increase in fare, saving backtracking.
British Airways, now with Sydney as its only destination in Australia, is an exception.
2. Factor in the luggage policy
The cheapest fares between the UK and Australia many have no checked bag included in the ticket price (for example, BA) – or it might be as much as 30kg (Singapore Airlines) or a two-piece allowance (China Eastern). Look at the cabin baggage allowance, too: these range from stingy (many Asian carriers) to generous (British Airways).
3. Be as flexible as you can
“Dynamic pricing” has come in for some bad press recently over the application of demand-responsive principals to the Oasis tour. But the main problem there was prospective gig-goers suddenly being confronted with tickets costing far more than they expected at the start of the process.
In travel, changing fares depending on how many people want to fly makes good business sense – and also means you can grab a bargain if you are flexible enough.
4. Build in a stopover – or two
Anyone heading almost halfway around the world should not rush the journey. Stopping off along the way can generate valuable experiences, and also help the adjustment to such a radically different time zone.
Your choice of airline will usually dictate the possibilities: Emirates means Dubai, Thai…
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