Budget Travel - Flying cheap in Asia and Australia

Greetings,

I realize I can't ask for specific fares here, but I'd like to know which is the best way to do the trip I'm planning.
I'd like to fly from Tel Aviv, Israel to Bangkok, to Beijing, to Sydney, to Auckland and then back to Tel Aviv - All within 6-8 months.

Any suggestions as to how to do this cheaply?

Welcome to FlyerTalk, yoavbo.

Not really familiar with fares to/from Israel, but there was a thread here recently about geting there cheaply - and apparently it's not easy.

Discount carrier AirAsia just started service from London to KUL, and from there you can fly cheaply on several LCCs (see LCC sticky in this forum). AirAsia also flies to Australia and China IIRC, and for sure to BKK.

So, in nushell, get yourself to the nearest airport with LCCs, get somewhere in Asia via LCC, and use them in Asia.

EmailKid

Thanks very much for the reply, emailkid.

Unfortunately I can't fly to KL because I haven't got my EU passport yet. Using an Israeli passport in KL could be a bit of a problem :)

I'll definitely check out all the threads here and see what I can find out.
I have another question: generally, using LLC, is it better to book in advance or at the last possible minute?

Yoav

P.S - as far as I know, the cheapest way to get in and out of Israel is using charter flights to Europe. These things could be ridiculously cheap at times. However, I don't know if it's worth it.

Thanks very much for the reply, emailkid.

Unfortunately I can't fly to KL because I haven't got my EU passport yet. Using an Israeli passport in KL could be a bit of a problem :)

I'll definitely check out all the threads here and see what I can find out.
I have another question: generally, using LLC, is it better to book in advance or at the last possible minute?

Yoav

P.S - as far as I know, the cheapest way to get in and out of Israel is using charter flights to Europe. These things could be ridiculously cheap at times. However, I don't know if it's worth it.


There are quite a few low-cost connections between Tel Aviv and Europe - look here:
http://www.whichbudget.com/en/cheapflights.php?from=TLV

For fares from Europe to the Far East, check amadeus.net
;)

I'm considering the following route:

Traveling from Tel Aviv to Amman, Jordan overland and then
Amman -> Bangkok - 380USD (Royal Jordanian) - one way
Bangkok-> Shenzhen, China - 100USD (Air Asia) - return
Shenzhen-> Singapore -> Perth, Australia - 80USD (Tiger Airways) - one way
Sydney -> Auckland - 136USD (Virgin Blue) - one way

Now I need to get back from Auckland or any other airport in NZ to either Tel Aviv or Bangkok, where I can get a flight to Tel Aviv.

Any ideas for LCC that could get me there?

Yoav

I'm considering the following route:

Traveling from Tel Aviv to Amman, Jordan overland and then
Amman -> Bangkok - 380USD (Royal Jordanian) - one way
Bangkok-> Shenzhen, China - 100USD (Air Asia) - return
Shenzhen-> Singapore -> Perth, Australia - 80USD (Tiger Airways) - one way
Sydney -> Auckland - 136USD (Virgin Blue) - one way

Now I need to get back from Auckland or any other airport in NZ to either Tel Aviv or Bangkok, where I can get a flight to Tel Aviv.

Any ideas for LCC that could get me there?

Yoav

So far you haven´t mentioned the dates you want to travel (at least a time frame would be helpful)

Nevertheless i know of an alternative between Shenzen and Australia ...
If you take a ferry from Shenzen to Macau (sailing time app. 1 hr with Turbojet / www.turbojet.com.hk ) you may fly with Viva Macau (www.flyvivamacau.com) to Sydney.
Viva Macau is the local low cost airline from Macau (operating non-stop flights to Sydney with B 767-200/300) If you book early you may get a really good price !
Don´t forget your expenses getting from Perth to Sydney when comparing Tiger Airways with Viva Macau !
Between Australia and NZ you can choose between Jetstar and Virgin Blue !

Thanks for the reply.
Apparently Jetstar is cheaper from Sydney to Auckland so I think I'll book their tickets.

My timeframe is as follows: I'd like to leave for Thailand in mid August for 1 month, China for 1 month, Australia for 3 months and New Zealand another 3 months. This is the approximate timetable.

The idea of visiting Macau and getting there on a ferry is pretty exciting. However, Viva Macau seems kind of a dodgy airline, with only two planes.
As for the price, I guess it will be about the same, with a little less hustle (not having to get back to Bangkok).
I actually kind of like to idea of arriving in Perth, because that would allow me to travel in Australia - coast to coast and then continue from Sydney.
But anyway this is worthy suggestion, I will most certainly consider it. Thanks!

Air Asia runs a KUL-TianJin route. It's marketed as Beijing. I found 60USD o/w in september

You mentioned that you might have issues getting into KUL...couldn't you just stay in transit and not enter KL? I know some countries just need a transit visa (like china) even if you're not entering. just a suggestion.

Hi yoavbo, I realise you didn't specify how you'll do the coast-to-coast from Perth to Sydney, but I just happen to have recently investigated Relocation rates for campervans. Apologies if I'm butting in and this is posted in the wrong forum but here are a bunch of links that might help. Keep in mind you may be able to do one sector at a time with different providers and/or use a standard rental car for some legs of the journey if there doesn't seem to be a reloc deal at the time. Personally, I'd recommend you drive the Great Ocean Road (Melbourne to Sydney) and also do Sydney up to the Gold Coast (or grab a cheap flight up there and drive the other direction - there are TONS of reloc specials from Cairns and Brisbane heading South, often $1 a day and often they give you free fuel as well). My guess is those two trips will cure you of a need to do road trips and the QLD/NSW one is definitely better than Perth to Adelaide. Anyway.

http://www.keenascampers.com.au/specials.html
http://www.ezitours.com.au/relocs.aspx?Ref=ATN%20Listing
http://www.drivenow.com.au/onewayrentals.jspc
http://www.spaceshipsrentals.com.au/oz-campervan-specials/
http://www.coolabahmotorhomes.com.au/specials.asp
http://www.dingocar.com.au/VehicleSpecials.aspx
http://www.travellers-autobarn.com.au/campervan-relocation-deals
http://www.standbyrelocations.com/

Also if you have no luck with these and still want a camper, http://www.wickedcampers.com tend to do the cheapest "normal" prices. And get onto all their mailing lists as some companies don't update their sites too often.

~ Elisa (lurker extraordinaire!)

Thanks for the info RuuElisa, I'll definitely take a look.
I think the best way to travel for me would be buying a car in Western Australia and selling it in Eastern Australia - this would allow me to travel with a tent and just settle for the night I want to or checking to various hostels and other places where I can meet new people.

Regarding flying trough KL, this could be quite dangerous for me since I travel with an Israeli passport and Malaysia is a Muslim country. So it could really put my life in danger.

I thought I could end my journey, as an alternative, in Beijing or Singapore.
So, is anyone familiar with cheap flights from NZ to either China or Thailand?

this won't help you at all, but for anyone wanting to travel from Queensland (Gold Coast) to Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur) I just booked a flight for Halloween for $160 AUD... ($127 USD at today's rate) round trip.

Took advantage of the free flight offer within Malaysia to go to Langkawi and Penang for $15 AU total... amazing deal for under $200 Australian...

--Russ :)

I can't give you specific advice but I can tell you a little about low cost carriers in the area.

the airlines to check out are(keep in mind Australian days and times):

Air Asia. you can also follow them on twitter and facebook so you find out quick for any offers

Jetstar. Jetstar has what they call the Friday fare frenzy but they don't do it every Friday. These tend to be after 5pm. Sign up for their email alerts.

Virgin blue. They have what they call happy hour each day at 12pm - 1pm AET (Australian Eastern Standard Time)

Tiger Airways. As with most of these airlines it pays to check their websites regularly as specials come and go very quickly.

another tool is travelzoo a weekly email alerting travel deals in the region. It has a site for Australia.

New routes are opening and they typically have amazing lauch deals you need to act quickly on.

Good Luck!

Thanks for the advice megshaye, I'm sure it will be great help.

Are you talking about last minute offers?
Because I kind of want to plan my trip in advance.

I found a Tiger Airways flight from Bangkok to Perth for 160USD, which I think is a great offer. Still looking for a good flight from eastern Australia/New Zealand to China (Viva Macau looks a little dodgy and I'm not sure I wanna fly there)

As for Jetstar, round trip Australia-New Zealand will cost about 300USD. Do you think I can find a cheaper flight using those happy hours?

Yoav

Happy hours are 1/ quite often not that cheaper and 2/ for extremely limited travel dates (and often exclude certain travel days in the period). It's pretty unlikely that you'll find a happy hour sale for exactly when you want it.


www.webjet.com.au is good for comparing airline prices, but don't book with them - just find the cheapest airline and go to their site to avoid the $15 or whatever booking fee.

Attitude Travel has a list of low cost no frill airlines in Asia with route maps:

http://www.attitudetravel.com/lowcostairlines/asia/

You have to do plenty of research but at least it's all in one website ... I hope this helps.

Cheers!

To get back to Bangkok, your best bet is probably Jetstar from NZ-Melbourne and then on Jetstar to MEL-BKK from there.