Budget Travel - Cheap Travel To Oz?

I may have an offer to present a paper at an academic conference next July at the University of Tasmania at Launceston...which would look very nice on the ol' resume. The only problem would be that the conference won't fund my travel, and my own academic department has a fixed and fairly low reimbursement for travel to conferences. So much of my travel expenses are apt to end up being out-of-pocket.

Anyone got any bright ideas how to find a discount fare from LAX to down under? Where/when to buy? Price? Routing?

Anyone got any bright ideas how to find a discount fare from LAX to down under? Where/when to buy? Price? Routing?

That's winter time there. Check the Qantas vacation site (http://qantasvacations.com/), as they have run packages the last few years for $999-$1099 which include airfare and a couple nights hotel in your arrival city. They have some other packages where you can add on cities and airfare for slightly more. I don't see those specific packages on their web site right now, but I'd check with a travel agent and see what Qantas has on offer.

Check with an online consolidator as well. Toureast is a Canadian one that does OZ for ~$1,100 CDN in Jan/Feb, when it is high season. In off season, I have gone to SYD for $600 USD. (these are UA deals, don't know if QF is higher or lower)

From the Frommer's Travel Guides website at:

http://www.frommers.com/destinations/australia/0212020009.html

Some travel agents specializing in cheap fares include Austravel (tel. 800/633-3404 in the U.S. and Canada or 0870/166 2020 in the U.K.; www.austravel.net); Downunder Direct, a division of Swain Australia (tel. 800/642-6224 in the U.S. and Canada; www.downunderdirect.com); and Goway (tel. 800/387-8850 in the U.S. and Canada; www.goway.com).

Here are some other ways to keep your airfare costs down.

Passengers who can book their ticket long in advance, who can stay over Saturday night, or who fly midweek or at less-trafficked hours may pay a fraction of the full fare. If your schedule is flexible, say so, and ask if you can secure a cheaper fare by changing your flight plans.

be sure to sign up for the e-travel club newsletter on qantas's site and air tahiti's

http://www.qantas.com.au/regions/dyn/home/qualifier-region-us

http://www.airtahitinui-usa.com/

also watch skyauction.com

note that if you are going to tasmania, some of qantas' deals may throw in those flights, which could make booking thru them a little cheaper.
Right now they are offering a $999 fare for the end of July that includes the flights to Lanceton http://www.qantas.com.au/regions/dyn/us/specials/webDeals217

Then again, Virgin Blue has some deals from australia to tasmania

Then again, Virgin Blue has some deals from australia to tasmania

:D Tasmania is part of Australia, albeit [INSERT FAVOURITE TASSIE JOKE] :D

I think you meant 'mainland' Australia.

Thanks for being the highlight of my online surfing today :p

ok, ok, i thought "mainland" was understood. I did certainly know tasmania was part of australia (and have looked at the flights from melbourne) and was using it as shorthand for the flights from sydney and melbourne being thrown in.

ok, ok, i thought "mainland" was understood. I did certainly know tasmania was part of australia (and have looked at the flights from melbourne) and was using it as shorthand for the flights from sydney and melbourne being thrown in.

I'm just joshin' - love Tasmania, but shh... it's still a bit of a secret destination. Tasmanians all hold a special place in the Aussie psyche :D

PS Still laughing a few days later - perhaps Tasmania will start a separatist movement? :p