Cheapest airfare USA -> Melbourne Christmas (and return Aug 2012)

[CtrlZ]

Hi all,

My GF is travelling USA (Midwest - IND/ORD) to MEL around Christmas and will be in Oz until approx AUg 2012. We're after a cheap fare - it looks like the cheapest I can find is ~$1300 one way around 21 Dec.

Looking for some protips:

- Is it preferable to go return or one way flights given the long time between flights? (at the moment, return looks to be a slight cost saving... but given that $1k+ is tied up for 8 months, not worth it)

- Are there any cheaper options?

Most of my flights are work so I don't have to dig for good deals.

Thanks in advance, Ctrl-Z

 

[Maca44]

If you GF is travelling from the USA to AUS, even with the $AU being still reasonable, you/she might get a better deal booking and paying in the US. Although QF occasionally offer deals, they are often more expensive than other carriers. UA/Delta would most likely be the cheapest, but don't expect 5* flights as they are older planes, they have one central screen in the Y cabin etc. However, they do tend to offer the best deals. If you/she can afford it, a couple of years ago flew VA Premium Ecomony and I though it was quite for the price.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Most of my flights are work so I don't have to dig for good deals.

Most interesting line I thought.