SYD-LAX Flights@XMAS 2008?????

[ashsta77]

I was nice and organised this year. I booked my LAX-YYZ Returns for our Annual Stay with my wife's family. I thought that I would be saving lots of money. (Last year I paid $6500 with AC for the two of us all the way to Toronto).
I got the LAX-YYZ Return Sector using Redemption. TAX was quite low at $200 combined.
I'm currently looking at the prices for SYD-LAX Outbound 19 or 20th DEC and returning 18/19/20th January 2009. The prices are crazy! To add to it my wife is expecting our first child in September! I understand we need to book that later direct with the airlines concerned. We are members of both OW and *A.
My BIG QUESTION is to anyone who can help!
Will QF or AirNZ be offering any decent flights soon? The prices of around $7000 for the three of us JUST TO LA seems crazy!
I'm actually quite stressed about this. In the couple of years we have been doing this I have not paid more than $6500 for the complete trip all the way to Toronto and these crazy prices are coming in for the journey just to LA.
Any help/advice/tips would be HUGELY appreciated. I was thinking that the flights would be between 2000 and 2500 at the most! (PER ADULT)
Thank you everyone

 

[JohnK]

Christmas time is peak season so I would not be expecting any specials soon. With oil prices increasing I would not expect airfares to drop.

I do not understand why you mention prices for the three of us. If you are expecting a child in September then this child should be able to travel for free, sitting in your lap and bassinet, in December.

I'm currently looking at the prices for SYD-LAX Outbound 19 or 20th DEC and returning 18/19/20th January 2009. The prices are crazy! To add to it my wife is expecting our first child in September! I understand we need to book that later direct with the airlines concerned. We are members of both OW and *A.

Searching Zuji using an outbound date of December 19 and inbound date of January 20 and including all taxes

KE (Korean Air) via ICN with airfare is $4484.94 for 2 people. But KE is part of Skyteam and not Oneworld or *Alliance

or AC via YVR with airfare of $5952.16 for 2 people
or CX via HKG with airfare of $5930.20 for 2 people
or QF direct with airfare of $6256.54 for 2 people
or UA via SFO in one direction with airfare of $6407.68 for 2 people

Will QF or AirNZ be offering any decent flights soon?

I don't know about Air NZ but I would not be expecting QF to be releasing any specials for travel at that time of the year.

The prices of around $7000 for the three of us JUST TO LA seems crazy!

If travelling with an infant you still only need 2 airfares unless you want to pay for an extra seat.

I'm actually quite stressed about this. In the couple of years we have been doing this I have not paid more than $6500 for the complete trip all the way to Toronto and these crazy prices are coming in for the journey just to LA.

No need to be stressed as there are quite a few options I mentioned above with reasonable airfares albeit with connection and not direct flight. And this was only a quick search from me on Zuji so if you do some research with some other websites or travel agents you may get a better deal. Good luck.

 

[stuartfaz]

If direct flights aren't an issue you could go with Air Pacific via Fiji for for around $4600.

If you want a direct flight V Australia might have a few cheap fares around but given how popular the route is at holiday time, I'd expect you could get a return fare for 2 adults and an infant for around $6000.

 

[ANstar]

Going out on the 19/12 and back 18/1 V Australia is $5488 all in for 2 pax. So not as cheap as KE, but it is cheaper than the rest via Asia

 

[ashsta77]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions and for searching for flights.
Someone mentioned earlier that our new(on the way) baby would not need a ticket and could just sit on our laps.
All searches that I have done say that I will need to book for our baby, even if he/she doesn't occupy a seat.
Still not sure why QF fares are significantly larger than last year, especially with VA now planning to fly around that time!
Can someone else tell my wife that along with a new baby we're not flying direct this Christmas! ME: WIFE::evil:

 

[stuartfaz]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions and for searching for flights.
Someone mentioned earlier that our new(on the way) baby would not need a ticket and could just sit on our laps.
All searches that I have done say that I will need to book for our baby, even if he/she doesn't occupy a seat.
Still not sure why QF fares are significantly larger than last year, especially with VA now planning to fly around that time!
Can someone else tell my wife that along with a new baby we're not flying direct this Christmas! ME: WIFE::evil:

Most airlines will charge something like a handling charge for an infant, V Australia charge $100 per sector, I believe.

Again, regarding prices, it has a lot to do with the time of bookings. If you were having this issue back in January, or even April/May when VA began sales, you would've have a bit more luck.

 

[JohnK]

Someone mentioned earlier that our new(on the way) baby would not need a ticket and could just sit on our laps.
All searches that I have done say that I will need to book for our baby, even if he/she doesn't occupy a seat.

I would say that the information is incorrect. Worst case scenario is you may have to pay 10% of the adult fare on some airlines but as far as I am aware an infant that does not occupy a seat does not pay an airfare.

 

[Travel Guru]

Qantas fares (and airlines in general) state that an infant 0-23 months pays 10% of the fare you paid, plus infant taxes which SYD-LAX are around $380ish, so you're probably look at around $600 for the infant based on those rules.

TG

 

[ashsta77]

Thanks again for your information, I'm clear now on paying around 10% for our baby.
I hae had a 'brainsnap', and probably not the brightest one. My idea is to fly:
SYD-HNL (shortest stopover possible) then HNL-LAX. Thinking of a Sat 20/12/08 departure. My LAX-YYZ fight leaves Sun Mng 21/12/08 so as long as I'm there by then.
Coming back, I can leave LAX for HNL anytime of the week from Monday 19th January and then spend a few days in HNL and possibly leave on Friday 23rd January fro the HNL-SYD return flight.
Anyone got any great ideas? Timings? Price? Connections?
It would need to be under the 5500 that VA is offerng for 2Adults+Infant.
Thank you

 

[N860CR]

I'm travelling SYD-SFO-SYD at the end of November on NZ and the fare was $1600 return. I did book it a few months ago though so its likely they have all shot up a little by now. Worth checking NZ anyway. Try the STA Travel agents, thats how I got mine (about $300 cheaper than NZ were direct)

 

[ashsta77]

The Search Continues!

The Search is still on for XMAS flights for SYD-LAX Rtn for my wife & I.
(OUT 19 or 20th Dec and INBOUND 18,19,20 Jan 2009)
I'm going to book the infant with what ever airline we book with later on. Obviously I can't book until the little one is born anyway! (12 weeks to go and counting!). Looks like 'll pay 10% of the fare paid for him/her.

Best flights at the moment appear to be $5200 for both of us inclusive of taxes on V Australia.
I really would prefer to fly QF for FF points but their cheapest is still coming in at around $6200 for both of us to get to LAX!
I paid this price to get us to Toronto last Christmas!
If there are any experts/gurus out there who can work out a better deal I would be VERY appreciative. If it helps to reduce costs with combining land fares etc we are planning to stay in LA on the Sat night 20/12 (Fri night as well if there are better flights going out from Syd-LAX on 19/12) so maybe a Land Spend Fare? Also staying in LAX on Sunday 18/01 before our trip back to Sydney on or around the 19th January.
PLEASE HELP!

 

[stuartfaz]

Just did another quick search on the airline and TA sites and V Australia is still looking like the winner.

It's $5189.96 for 2 adult return seats. If you want to go with VA, I'd recommend ringing them to book now, and explain your situation, that in 12 weeks you'll add an infant to the booking.

The thing is that if you wait until the child is born to book, it's highly likely you'll find yourself in this situation again, but with fares higher next time.

 

[ANstar]

You can still earn points with V, so I would save the $$$ and book V - they are full service and will offer an extra 1" (not muchm but every little helps) in legroom over QF....

If you wait much longer I would expect fares to rise again - actaully I think QF's rise by another 4% or something on 25 June

 

[ashsta77]

My final post on this subject! (I Hope!!!!)
I apologise in advance if these questions appear daft!

1. Does anyone know if I can book VAustralia through a Travel Agent with a 'pay deposit now, pay balance later option' (Eg: Bestflights.com.au $165 deposit & paying balance 8 weeks before flight). I'm thinking then that I'll cover myself for the current $5200 deal with VA and have option to snap up any later specials with AirNZ, Qantas or others later, if they actually arise.

2. My wife is a Canadian and has a Canadian Credit card (with the ability to meet the address requirements for booking on some US websites). Could I get a better deal with exchange rates etc by booking my SYD-LAX-SYD on a US or Canadian site?

Thanks once again-I do appreciate everyone's advice and help on this matter.

Ash

 

[ashsta77]

Finally Booked!

The saga is over!

I booked through TA today and got Air New Zealand for my wife and I for $2450 per person!
AirNZ were very accommodating about us calling back in September to add our new infant to the booking!

Alleluia!

 

[trooper]

Not surprisingly I think you made a good choice...:mrgreen:... (I'm Gold with NZ..)

Are you on NZ 1/2 or 5/6?