Best DONE4 sectors in Aust/NZ

[adrian]

I have a DONE4, purchased from Tokyo, mostly completed. I have already travelled to Europe & Nth America, and am currently in Sydney (direct from SFO), where I live, and haven't used any of the Aust segments as yet.

I have some spare time over the next week or so, and was considering utilizing the Australian segments. I will probably commence another DONE4 from Japan in the next 3 weeks.

I have heard that SYD-PER-ADL-SYD is a popular option. I have really only ever been to the east coast of Aust, so am interested in Perth, maybe Ayres Rock or Alice Springs, and maybe Adelaide.

A couple of questions:

1. If I have already had a stopover in Sydney, I understand that I can't have another, so I may have to fly into MEL or BRI and purchase a cheap flight to SYD. However, when I travel back to NRT, will I have to travel fly back to MEL or BRI to recommence my travel? Or can I fly, say ADL to MEL, make my own way to SYD, and then later travel SYD to NRT.

2. Are there any flights to PER that use the QF skybeds, or do they only use the regular domestic BC seats from SYD - PER?

3. Any other popular routing options?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Dave Noble]

1. If I have already had a stopover in Sydney, I understand that I can't have another, so I may have to fly into MEL or BRI and purchase a cheap flight to SYD. However, when I travel back to NRT, will I have to travel fly back to MEL or BRI to recommence my travel? Or can I fly, say ADL to MEL, make my own way to SYD, and then later travel SYD to NRT.

You can have 2 stopovers in the same city

2. Are there any flights to PER that use the QF skybeds, or do they only use the regular domestic BC seats from SYD - PER?

not very many
QF565 is a 333 which operates on mon or tue which has skybeds

QF575 and QF583 normally operate with 743s which have dreamtime seats but they seem to be down to 763s until the 3rd October

Other flights are regular seating

3. Any other popular routing options?

My choice would be to go somewhere where you would like to visit. Another option for real business class is LA to AKL rather than going to PER

Dave

 

[serfty]

SYD-PER-BME-AYQ-SYD may be a routing to see some of OZ, especially the major West Coast Ports Qantas fly to.

To Optimize distance, it's a shame the ADL/AKL flights are gone as SYD-AKL-ADL-PER-SYD was a good MR.

If you booked before the rule change regarding land segments, both these following two routings get good distance (nearly 6000 miles each), but PER-DRW and PER_CNS are limited.

• cbr-per-drw-mel-syd
• cbr-per-cns-mel-syd

 

[NM]

or if you want to stay on the east then how about SYD-AKL with LAN, then AKL-MEL on QF26 with Skybeds, then MEL-CNS on a QF 763 (may be lucky and score Dreamtimes), and then CNS-SYD on QF60 which will have Dreamtimes.

That will give a variety of destinations and climates and some comfortable aircraft types.

 

[adrian]

Thanks for all of your suggestions.

I ended up flying SYD-AYQ-SYD(overnight transit)-AKL-SYD

Hadn't been to Ayres Rock before, and had a chance to catch up with some friends in Auckland.

Thanks especially for the LAN suggestion to Auckland - I had flown them before, but had forgotten them. The flight SYD-AKL on LAN was so much better than the return flight on QF.