Hey guys, I'm trying to plan a trip to SYD for either next year or the year after. Who would you take? Are pricing combos worth taking a look at (airfare + hotel) ? Any tips or tricks to planning would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Aaron
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RE: Planning A Trip To SYD, Who To Take?
Well it depends...... FROM WHERE??????
-CXfirst
-CXfirst
RE: Planning A Trip To SYD, Who To Take?
You can take me! I promise I won't snore, and will leave you alone, just be nice to have someone to get together with for cocktails and dinner!
Seriously, though, why not try Qantas, flying with a partner airline to the West Coast. Or you could fly up to Toronto, and take Air Canada's new 777 flight which starts this December. It routes YYZ-YVR-SYD. The flight from YYZ-YVR is about 4hrs 45min, and YVR-SYD nonstop is 15 1/2 hrs. I flew AC from YVR-SYD last year (767 via HNL), and the service and food both ways was excellent. The food service, especially out of Sydney was great, some of the freshest and best tasting food I ever had on a plane. I flew in economy. The new 777 has PTV, and the seats are also a bit wider than the 767. I am not being patriotic, just objective. I also flew AC Transatlantic twice last year, and was not at all impressed with the service.
Cheers,
AY104
Seriously, though, why not try Qantas, flying with a partner airline to the West Coast. Or you could fly up to Toronto, and take Air Canada's new 777 flight which starts this December. It routes YYZ-YVR-SYD. The flight from YYZ-YVR is about 4hrs 45min, and YVR-SYD nonstop is 15 1/2 hrs. I flew AC from YVR-SYD last year (767 via HNL), and the service and food both ways was excellent. The food service, especially out of Sydney was great, some of the freshest and best tasting food I ever had on a plane. I flew in economy. The new 777 has PTV, and the seats are also a bit wider than the 767. I am not being patriotic, just objective. I also flew AC Transatlantic twice last year, and was not at all impressed with the service.
Cheers,
AY104
RE: Planning A Trip To SYD, Who To Take?
G'day, Sydney calling!
By "what to take" I have to assume which airline or airlines and not what to take in your suitcase right? There are dozens of ways across the Pacific but for now Qantas and United fly Direct to SYD from LAX and SFO and all the others stop somewhere. China Airlines via Taipei, Eva Air, Korean, Thai, Singapore, Cathay and JAL all offer connections and long flights. Air Pacific, Air Tahiti Nui, Hawaiian and Air New Zealand are a bit more direct. However I'd be trying in a years time to fly one way with QF on an A380 (as long as you don't hate airbus) and try the other way with Pacific Blue on their new 777. Not sure when they are supposed to get those.
Or if you want to fly a few different carriers you could put together a round the world fare which may actually cost less depending on the time of year.
As for Hotels I can advise if I know what you are looking for, choices are plenty and diverse.
By "what to take" I have to assume which airline or airlines and not what to take in your suitcase right? There are dozens of ways across the Pacific but for now Qantas and United fly Direct to SYD from LAX and SFO and all the others stop somewhere. China Airlines via Taipei, Eva Air, Korean, Thai, Singapore, Cathay and JAL all offer connections and long flights. Air Pacific, Air Tahiti Nui, Hawaiian and Air New Zealand are a bit more direct. However I'd be trying in a years time to fly one way with QF on an A380 (as long as you don't hate airbus) and try the other way with Pacific Blue on their new 777. Not sure when they are supposed to get those.
Or if you want to fly a few different carriers you could put together a round the world fare which may actually cost less depending on the time of year.
As for Hotels I can advise if I know what you are looking for, choices are plenty and diverse.
RE: Planning A Trip To SYD, Who To Take?
OOPs! I see you did ask Who and not What so I will stand in the corner for 15 minutes and be quiet. Sorry.
RE: Planning A Trip To SYD, Who To Take?
| Quoting ERJ135 (Reply 5): OOPs! I see you did ask Who and not What so I will stand in the corner for 15 minutes and be quiet. Sorry. |
Nah, don't be sorry, just grab more coffee
Hotels I might need. I also have a friend in SYD that lives like 5 minutes away from SYD airport.
I'm planning on taking 2 weeks worth of vacation for this trip, so I'm thinking of other cities besides SYD to go to as well.
That around the world for less sounds interesting, how would you go about setting that up?
| Quoting AY104 (Reply 3): Air Canada's new 777 flight which starts this December |
AC can go n/s YVR-SYD in a T7? or does it connect? Also, can I leave from the states ie-->depart ROC on georgian for YYZ and then go YVR-SYD? or do I have to drive to YYZ then catch a flight?
RE: Planning A Trip To SYD, Who To Take?
| Quoting BAW2198 (Reply 6): AC can go n/s YVR-SYD in a T7? or does it connect? Also, can I leave from the states ie-->depart ROC on georgian for YYZ and then go YVR-SYD? or do I have to drive to YYZ then catch a flight? |
It is the same flight - Flight 33 - from YYZ to SYD. Just makes a stop in YVR, then nonstop YVR-SYD, in think it's 15 hrs and 45min flying time from YVR-SYD nonstop. I am not sure who flies from ROC to YYZ, I drove it once and it is not that far. From where you live, that would be the closest airport that has the most direct service to SYD. It is already in the AC system, so you can pull up fares and all and a seat map. It also shows which seats are still available.
Cheers,
AY104
RE: Planning A Trip To SYD, Who To Take?
When I saw "Who to take?" the words "Jessica Alba" sprang to mind... 
Personally, I'd suggest you make your way to JFK and take Qantas from there. You can't get to a gateway to Australia (SFO, LAX, YVR) from ROC without changing planes anyway, and this way you only actually connect once - you have to get off the plane in LA, but you just wait in the gate area and reboard the same aircraft.
Personally, I'd suggest you make your way to JFK and take Qantas from there. You can't get to a gateway to Australia (SFO, LAX, YVR) from ROC without changing planes anyway, and this way you only actually connect once - you have to get off the plane in LA, but you just wait in the gate area and reboard the same aircraft.
RE: Planning A Trip To SYD, Who To Take?
Why not try Air Tahiti Nui and spend a day or two in Tahiti on your way to SYD. Understnad they offer a great product with flight from JFK via Tahiti to Sydney on A 340 air craft.
Cheers,
Peter
Cheers,
Peter
RE: Planning A Trip To SYD, Who To Take?
Lots of metal to choose from either East or West or go south to SCL then AKL and SYD on Lan Chile.
RE: Planning A Trip To SYD, Who To Take?
I was very impressed with my United flight to Sydney. I have some friends who flew Quantas, they were very pleased with the service. I flew to Aukland from SFO on Air New Zealand. They are by far the best in my opinion. It would be worth a few hours of layover time in Aukland for you to flew Air New Zealand. Sorry that DL does not offer 777 service to SYD from ATL yet!!!!!!!!!!
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- LHRBFSTrident
- Posts: 610
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RE: Planning A Trip To SYD, Who To Take?
| Quoting BAW2198 (Thread starter): |
you have quite a few option as mentioned. Another airline I might suggest is Ethiad.
RE: Planning A Trip To SYD, Who To Take?
Round the world s easy with a travel agent, there are often deals available using three different carriers. I once had Singapore, KLM and Qantas which allowed three stops. Star and one world have connections.
Air Tahiti Nui was mentioned and this is what I am taking myself in September and staying in Tahiti a few days. However you arrive in Tahiti in the early hours and depart shortly after midnight. not a problem for most but I am travelling with a 2 year old. Oh well it seemed a good idea at the time.
Hotel in Sydney try "Vibe" . Other cities to visit? Try Gold Coast, Cairns and or Alice Springs all three are popular with tourism. Melbourne has excellent shopping and food. Adelaide is a smaller city but a very nice one, Perth is booming at the moment. Canberra is our capital and fairly small but easy to get around, you can even walk over our Parliament house. If you want to chill out try Byron Bay or perhaps Cable beach near Broome. If you like nature try Tasmania Or how about an island like Norfolk or Lord Howe. The options are limitless.
Air Tahiti Nui was mentioned and this is what I am taking myself in September and staying in Tahiti a few days. However you arrive in Tahiti in the early hours and depart shortly after midnight. not a problem for most but I am travelling with a 2 year old. Oh well it seemed a good idea at the time.
Hotel in Sydney try "Vibe" . Other cities to visit? Try Gold Coast, Cairns and or Alice Springs all three are popular with tourism. Melbourne has excellent shopping and food. Adelaide is a smaller city but a very nice one, Perth is booming at the moment. Canberra is our capital and fairly small but easy to get around, you can even walk over our Parliament house. If you want to chill out try Byron Bay or perhaps Cable beach near Broome. If you like nature try Tasmania Or how about an island like Norfolk or Lord Howe. The options are limitless.
RE: Planning A Trip To SYD, Who To Take?
| Quoting LHRBFSTrident (Reply 12): ouch - you're in trouble now! |
I was waiting for someone to do that!
RE: Planning A Trip To SYD, Who To Take?
I would recommend anyone BUT a U.S. carrier unless you have to, or make a connection in LAX and fly Qantas, because for such a long flight you want decent service something you wont get on any U.S. carrier. I ve only flown Qantas once from LAX and they make every U.S. airlines international service in economy look like crap. Im not sure what you budget is or preferences but all i can say is try to take an international airline, i have been on AC (not to SYD) and they have good service as well. Hope you have a good flight. 
RE: Planning A Trip To SYD, Who To Take?
Thanks guys!! I really appreciate the help with this. Looks like 2009 is the travel year for this trip and connect through anywhere but LAX it sounds.
Question,
I was looking around JAL's website and couldn't produce an itinerary for JFK-SYD, are these flights not allowed or am I doing something wrong on the website? Is this to be encountered with some of the other non- us airlines as well? If so, what are my options?
Thanks
Aaron
Question,
I was looking around JAL's website and couldn't produce an itinerary for JFK-SYD, are these flights not allowed or am I doing something wrong on the website? Is this to be encountered with some of the other non- us airlines as well? If so, what are my options?
Thanks
Aaron
RE: Planning A Trip To SYD, Who To Take?
Hmmmm, when I plugged JFK-SYD into Kayak with some October dates, JAL came up, but was brutally expensive. It also comes up on an Orbitz search, but again was far more expensive than most other options, $3100 compared to $2000 or less for QF, AA/QF, US, Etihad, Emirates, or Cathay Pacific.
I'm not sure why the JAL website doesn't offer it as an option - possibly just bad website design, since it's driven by drop-down boxes rather than free-form airport code entry. Or possible that JAL is allowed to sell the route (evidenced by Orbitz being able to ticket it), but something in the US-Japan or Australia-Japan bilateral forbids them to actively market it. However, since Orbitz returned JAL/Qantas connections, I'm doubting that.
Also could be that given the long connect times on the outbound leg (nothing less than 4 hours, one option over 8!) they just don't see it as competitive and just choose not to market it, figuring that Americans looking for a OneWorld option will go with the faster and more convenient QF or AA/QF alternatives.
I'm not sure why the JAL website doesn't offer it as an option - possibly just bad website design, since it's driven by drop-down boxes rather than free-form airport code entry. Or possible that JAL is allowed to sell the route (evidenced by Orbitz being able to ticket it), but something in the US-Japan or Australia-Japan bilateral forbids them to actively market it. However, since Orbitz returned JAL/Qantas connections, I'm doubting that.
Also could be that given the long connect times on the outbound leg (nothing less than 4 hours, one option over 8!) they just don't see it as competitive and just choose not to market it, figuring that Americans looking for a OneWorld option will go with the faster and more convenient QF or AA/QF alternatives.
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- AlexPorter
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RE: Planning A Trip To SYD, Who To Take?
Well, Qantas is really good (do I get bonus points for spelling that correctly?), and they are in oneworld. The only oneworld partner serving ROC is American. So, if you want the best service in the fewest stops possible (which is 2 stops - Qantas only serves the west coast non-stop, and American doesn't fly ROC-JFK for the Qantas direct flight), I would try to find a ticket with American to LAX (via DFW if possible, otherwise use ORD), and then connecting to a Qantas LAX-SYD non-stop flight.
If you just want the cheapest flight, then choose some travel dates, and around three months in advance just run a Kayak search.
March (SYD's equivalent of our September) is supposed to be a great time to visit, not too hot or too cool, and good for swimming if you want to hit up the beach. So, if you can take time off then, try searching for flights around December or so.
If you just want the cheapest flight, then choose some travel dates, and around three months in advance just run a Kayak search.
March (SYD's equivalent of our September) is supposed to be a great time to visit, not too hot or too cool, and good for swimming if you want to hit up the beach. So, if you can take time off then, try searching for flights around December or so.
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- TurkishWings
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