Flights

[Mum from oz]

Hi guys,

I'm starting to get settled in to the new place. Still got boxes everywhere. I sort of forgot how much work goes into moving. Also I failed to factor in the moving of our business from a big unit to a double garage!

Anyhow I am starting to plan our next trip and looking at flights has me Seriously so much dearer than last time. Does anyone know when there will be specials on or something? We want to go with V Australia again and we need flights for May 2012.

 

[Travel Mum]

Hi Mum from Oz, I'm no help with flights from OZ but I'm just wondering if you are going to continue with your trip blog?

 

[battymum]

Anyone have a crystal ball....

But I know airlines have increased their fuel surcharge from $80 each leg in January to $250 each leg now - so that puts at least $400 on a return ticket. They say its still not covering their increased fuel costs.

 

[hellosue]

Hi guys,

I'm starting to get settled in to the new place. Still got boxes everywhere. I sort of forgot how much work goes into moving. Also I failed to factor in the moving of our business from a big unit to a double garage!

Anyhow I am starting to plan our next trip and looking at flights has me Seriously so much dearer than last time. Does anyone know when there will be specials on or something? We want to go with V Australia again and we need flights for May 2012.

OMG another trip planned I'm still waiting on the conclusion of the last trip....

Congrats on getting settled into new place - I moved 2 1/2 years ago and I still have boxes unpacked

Can't wait to follow you on this trip - loved your last blog

 

[Mum from oz]

Ok maybe it is the fuel surcharge that is making it over 2k more expensive!

I finally added another day to my blog. Not a too exciting day but another none the less. The next update will be Kennedy Space Centre then on to the cruise!!

 

[australiankaren]

Hi there

I too start to "shop " for flights as soon as I get back...but I'm sorry to say...gone are the days of dirt cheap airfares around the $1K mark...although air china etc seem to have some good deals on.
check www.bestfares.com.au and look at their specials pages for north america...some deals are thru to june 2012....you may just have to fly a dif airline.
I am about to fly V australia, so very excited to see how they are...anyone flown them premium economy before.
My flight issues are a bit harder, as my DH REFUSES to fly economy, so i need to source prem economy, which doubles our costs.....oh well, it gets him on the plane

 

[Travel Mum]

I finally added another day to my blog. Not a too exciting day but another none the less. The next update will be Kennedy Space Centre then on to the cruise!!

Yay, another update! Thanks so much - I love reading it!

 

[Snickals]

Another big fan of your blog here!

I've been comparing flights this year compared to what I paid last year an there is a fair increase to say the least, I'm not wanting to go until end of next year but can only guess prices will continue to go up

 

[Toy Story]

I was going to post the same questions about good fares for April yesterday. I could not believe how much more expensive they all are compared to last year - though now knowing about the increase to $250, that explains some of it.

 

[Busy Busy]

I have also loved reading your blog - I even talked to my husband about it at the dinner table tonight (he tolerates my DIS obsession because he knows that I have planned an amazing trip with the help of everybody on here!!). You may have inspired me to do a blog too!!

We are flying Premium Economy on VAustralia in September, we got a great deal but it still cost a bomb! I'm definitely looking forward to it though - that long 13 1/2 hour flight at the start and finish of the holiday should be a lot easier to handle! Not to mention that we are the tallest family ever and it is worth it for my 6'4" husband and our 6'1" 13 year old to be comfy!

I, on the other hand will probably have the 7 year old lying all over me.....just keep handing out that "welcome aboard" champagne!!!

 

[platypus67]

I've been keeping an eye on fares and its pretty depressing at the moment. Not really planning a trip at this stage but I'd like to visit my mum the end of this year, (with a stop at DLR of course.) I have quite a few ff points I could use, but the taxes are still around $700.00.
DH and DD have told me to go if I want but I just can't justify the expense at the moment.

 

[Willow25]

I received an email alert this morning from best flights quoting prices on three different airlines at around $1400 including taxes.

 

[BecBennett]

I also got an email from Zuji Australia, which has some ok deals;

Fly to Vegas with 3 nights accom, and a night strip helicopter tour for $1675

Fly to LA with 4 nights accom and free entry into Universal Studios $1586

Fly to NY with 5 nights accom and free tours to the Empire State Building, Museum of Modern Art and Statue of Liberty.

I'm not sure who the flights are with, but with the included bonuses they didn't look like too bad a deal.

 

[BecBennett]

I forgot to put the price for the NY flight, but from memory it was about $2500...

 

[australiankaren]

I have also loved reading your blog - I even talked to my husband about it at the dinner table tonight (he tolerates my DIS obsession because he knows that I have planned an amazing trip with the help of everybody on here!!). You may have inspired me to do a blog too!!

We are flying Premium Economy on VAustralia in September, we got a great deal but it still cost a bomb! I'm definitely looking forward to it though - that long 13 1/2 hour flight at the start and finish of the holiday should be a lot easier to handle! Not to mention that we are the tallest family ever and it is worth it for my 6'4" husband and our 6'1" 13 year old to be comfy!

I, on the other hand will probably have the 7 year old lying all over me.....just keep handing out that "welcome aboard" champagne!!!

hi there
we too are flying v aust prem econ in sept.......15th...you?????
cant wait for the welcome aboard champers.....60 sleeps to go.

 

[Busy Busy]

We fly out on the 16th of September - we're both very lucky aren't we?!

We have such a busy week in the lead up to that day, including our DD7's school performing arts concert the night before we leave! Once we get to LA we have a 3 hour wait for our flight to NYC.....25 hours in all - I am so grateful for premium economy!

Where are you off to once you get to LA?

 

[australiankaren]

hey

we have done this trip too many times to go all the way from Sydney thru to Orlando ...so we now stay onite at lax airport Marriott, then catch a 6am flight to Orlando the next day.......just getting older and wiser i guess.

really looking forward to premium economy.....should be fun.

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

hey

we have done this trip too many times to go all the way from Sydney thru to Orlando ...so we now stay onite at lax airport Marriott, then catch a 6am flight to Orlando the next day.......just getting older and wiser i guess.

really looking forward to premium economy.....should be fun.

It's funny, I'd much prefer to keep going and get there than waste time staying overnight in LA. I don't really see the benefits to be honest. I would rather arrive, get settled into the hotel, and get on with my holiday rather than pause the whole thing for a night.

I would love to hear why you think this works better because as you say, you have done the trip so many times.

 

[Busy Busy]

I'm in the "let's keep going" camp! I have gone all the way through to NYC before and it was fine. We went via San Francisco and had some clam chowder in a sourdough bowl at the airport, it was delicious and kept us going for the next 5 hours!

In 2009 we went to Disneyland, NYC, then to London to see the in-laws and the kids handled it all so well. The big test was coming home - we flew London to Sydney with just an hour in Singapore (flight was running late) and both kids (11 & 5) were perfect. Since that was a breeze we decided to go straight through this time. We will arrive at the DoubleTree at about 9.00pm, so hopefully the kids will be ok. We have friends with kids the same age as them who will be arriving about an hour before us, so seeing them is a great incentive to get our kids to bed and then up again the next morning!

I know that everybody is different, but I'm not worried about flying straight through. Honestly, I am much more worried about later in our holiday when we will fly from Nassau back to Orlando, then on to Las Vegas via Atlanta - 3 flights in one day sounds ridiculous!

 

[australiankaren]

It's funny, I'd much prefer to keep going and get there than waste time staying overnight in LA. I don't really see the benefits to be honest. I would rather arrive, get settled into the hotel, and get on with my holiday rather than pause the whole thing for a night.

I would love to hear why you think this works better because as you say, you have done the trip so many times.

hey there,

Personally I would rather just bite the bullet and keep going for the 30+ hours and just get there, but my DH is a horrible/terrified flyer and needs that 18hrs down time to rest, regroup and recoup.So this is the 3rd time we are doing it this way with him, as it works out well for us. A good sleep/feed is all he needs to get his nerves settled.
I also have booked us on first class for the LAX-orlando sectors, as being in the front seems to dull the pain somewhat..oh the things I do for love

I did the trip 3 times previously with just my boys and we kicked it straight thru...as teens they can deal with anything, just feed them every hour and let them watch dvds and they'd fly to the moon.