Cheap fares to the USA

[serfty]

... Do I need to complete the 'extra questions' at both the 'Manage my Bookings' part of the QF site as well as the electronic online US govt one?

Yes you do. In fact there is no need to even mention the Electronic one (this simply saves time in getting through).

 

[serfty]

... and a nail clipper in our carry on to cut them.

Good tip; however, you should keep said nail clipper in the checked luggage in a pocket accessible from the outside.

Some overzealous security agents have been known to confiscate certain types of nail clippers from carry on..

 

[serfty]

On the NYC fares you can have one free stopover at LAX in either direction before heading onwards. You can do it both ways for an additional $100.

With a booking I made, I have one stopover in LAX, I arrive into LAX from JFK at ~9pm one day and depart LAX ~11pm the next day for MEL.

Inbound, I arrive into LAX at ~10am and depart ~9am the next day, so being < 24 Hours, that is not considered a stopover.

I used the online "Multi Segment" booking tool for this.

The fare is ex MEL "OKPXUS2", base cost AUD747.

Fare rules:

STOPOVERS

UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED NOTE - GENERAL RULE DOES NOT APPLY 2 STOPOVERS PERMITTED LIMITED TO 1 FREE AND 1 AT AUD 100.00. 1 FREE IN AREA 3/LAX 1 IN AREA 3/LAX AT AUD 100.00. NOTE - INFANTS DISCOUNTS DO NOT APPLY - INFANTS PAYS FULL STOPOVER CHARGE CHILD DISCOUNTS DO NOT APPLY - CHILD PAYS FULL STOPOVER CHARGE --- STOPOVERS PERMITTED ONLY AT TRANSFER POINTS SHOWN ON THE ROUTE MAP.​

MEL-NYC FRI-30OCT09 QF                                         
TAXES/FEES NOT INCLUDED                                        
ADULT FARES                                                    
     CX    FARE   FARE     C  AP  MIN/    SEASONS...... MR GI DT
           AUD    BASIS             MAX                        
  1  QF   747.00R OKPXUS2  O    |         02JUL9-31OCT9 R  PA  
                                                               
SPECIFIED          ROUTE: 0537                                 
MEL-LAX-NYC                                                    
MEL-SYD-LAX-NYC

 

[NM]

Good tip; however, you should keep said nail clipper in the checked luggage in a pocket accessible from the outside.

That is what I do. I have one small pocket at the top of the bag where the strap for attaching another bag is stored. I leave that one pocket untied and keep a cutting tool inside.

Once when opening my bag I found a note from the TSA saying they had inspected my bag contents. They had actually taken the effort to re-lock my bag with another cable tie from inside my bag so it arrived still secure.

I suppose its possible the bad people could have done the same after stealing something from my bag. However, I work on the theory that theft from checked bags is opportunistic and that if my bag is secured with a cable tie or TSA-approved lock they will skip my bag and more onto another easier target. Has been a successful theory so far.

 

[Alanslegal]

Yep I also use cable ties but only to secure empty compartments of the baggage. Why do some luggages have so many useless pockets for anyway? I do use TSA approved locks on the main compartments however.

 

[zan5hin]

I just booked MEL-LAX 10th May LAX-JFK 18th May JFK-xLAX-MEL 9th June for two people for only $1865. Sen-bloody-sational!!

 

[yogi]

VA for SYD-LAX now at the just under $900 mark.

 

[Mal]

And MEL-SFO should be under $900 on United now as well ie $864.47

 

[yogi]

Certainly and massively decreases the value of frequent flyer miles / points.

 

[Alanslegal]

Certainly and massively decreases the value of frequent flyer miles / points.

theoretically yeah but if you're going to redeem this year - there is award availability galore (esp in Y)!! due to the GFC and a super reduction in discretionary and business travel.

 

[yogi]

theoretically yeah but if you're going to redeem this year - there is award availability galore (esp in Y)!! due to the GFC and a super reduction in discretionary and business travel.

Indeed theoretically, of course...

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Certainly and massively decreases the value of frequent flyer miles / points.

True...but I will use points on routes where there are good point deals, or at not discounted.
I found this deal too cheap to ignore and I have hada hankering to vist New York fora while.

So I am off to New York for the first two weeks in November.
I normally travel with kids...but this one will just be the wife and I.

 

[lisabella]

When pricing some TransPacific flights with NZ, it's always cheapest ex-Melb. The cheapest current base fare is $518 + taxes from either BNE/SYD/MEL. Flying times between BNE/SYD/MEL and AKL are all similiar but MEL to LAX/SFO return costs out at $854 vs $875 ex BNE/SYD. Are MEL airport taxes lower thus the extra saving?

 

[mhen]

A few months ago I booked SYD-LAX-SYD for Sept and thought $1200 was a good deal. With sale fares to New York now $1108 for Sept I rang Qantas to see if I could extend to JFK but hit a snag as the new fare was less than the original.

However a very helpful CSA suggested that if I took a stopover in LAX each way (which suited my plans anyway) the cost of the second stopover ($100) would make the new fare more than the original fare and therefore a change would be allowable.

By the time they added in the change fee and stopover fee but gave me credit for reduced fuel fines I had to pay an additional $75. I also took the opportunity to change my outward flight to a day the A380 was available and I was able to keep my original A380 LAX-SYD flight even though it's no longer available at the sale price for the day I am returning.

In my book that's a pretty cheap return between LAX and JFK. Plus I earn 7,402 extra miles (as Gold) and 50 more status credits.

 

[JohnK]

Certainly and massively decreases the value of frequent flyer miles / points.

Not if you earn the FF points now and use them later when airfares return to more realistic levels.

Also note that the airfare wars are only happening on the USA market and airfares to SE Asia, a much shorter distance, are still expensive. Why does the saying swings and roundabouts come to mind?

 

[yogi]

Ah, so true. So many ways of looking at the same situation. Maybe I should clarify by amending to

"Certainly and massively decreases the value of redeeming frequent flyer miles / points, if used in this time period over the Pacific Ocean."

 

[2muchplastic]

....Also note that the airfare wars are only happening on the USA market and airfares to SE Asia, a much shorter distance, are still expensive. Why does the saying swings and roundabouts come to mind?

As my regular patch is SE Asia and China, it bugs the hell out of me. Three weeks ago I was looking for fare quotes to go to PVG last week, and QF was by far and away the highest at $9400 (J).

And I'm holding off booking BNE-CNS for August for my family plus rellies because I can't find any deals where the cost is below $2400 in total for the 7 of us, and that makes for a very expensive weekend away. I'd prefer to fly QF/JQ mostly for the lounge access, between myself and SWMBO we can get everyone except my 5 year old niece into the QP

GFC making airfares cheap? Not for this little FF it's not.

 

[stryker]

Also note that the airfare wars are only happening on the USA market and airfares to SE Asia, a much shorter distance, are still expensive.

Very true. I have been looking for good fares ex SIN/BKK/HKG, and they don't seem to exist (yet).

It appears that the airlines regard Australia/Asia as one of the last "cash cows" around the world and charge accordingly. If traffic declines significantly over the next six months I think we may see some fare reductions though.

I have countered this issue to some extent by redeeming FF points for my flights in that region, and/or using LCC's.

For example, today I booked a return business class award BLR-FRA-LHR (LH) and an economy class award CGK-SYD (QF), plus a TR flight SIN-CGK (at at cost of AUD 27 all-in).

I'm not wasting my hard-earned cash on bloated Asian fares!

 

[Alanslegal]

Very true. I have been looking for good fares ex SIN/BKK/HKG, and they don't seem to exist (yet).

I'm not wasting my hard-earned cash on bloated Asian fares!

I'm still waiting/searching for some discounted SQ fares as I want to be on a SQ A380 this year and attend the Formula 1. Tried searching high and low but nothing cheap ex-SIN, even tried searching for that cheap Air India codeshare operated by SQ A380 but to no avail

 

[misstam]

Very true. I have been looking for good fares ex SIN/BKK/HKG, and they don't seem to exist (yet).

It appears that the airlines regard Australia/Asia as one of the last "cash cows" around the world and charge accordingly. If traffic declines significantly over the next six months I think we may see some fare reductions though.

I have countered this issue to some extent by redeeming FF points for my flights in that region, and/or using LCC's.

For example, today I booked a return business class award BLR-FRA-LHR (LH) and an economy class award CGK-SYD (QF), plus a TR flight SIN-CGK (at at cost of AUD 27 all-in).

I'm not wasting my hard-earned cash on bloated Asian fares!

The LCC's seem to be the way to go for Asia at the moment.
I've recently booked a little trip to Thailand for my mother & myself with Jetstar - $664 each (incl. taxes, return) MEL>BKK.
Now, if we can manage to get a paid ODU, we'll be set!

Once in Bangkok, we can get Air Asia flights to Krabi/coughet/Chang Mai/Kuala Lumpur... for around $100+ return. I'll wait and see for those - Air Asia tend to have pretty regular crazy sale deals within Asia.(Last year i flew KL to coughet for $20)