Deal Alert: Nonstop Flights to Australia From $557, East Coast 1-Stop Options From $600
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
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Airfare deals are typically only available on limited dates. We recommend you use Google Flights to find dates to fly, then book through an online travel agency such as Orbitz or Expedia, which allows you to cancel flights without penalty by 11pm Eastern Time within one day of booking. However, if you’re using The Platinum Card® from American Express, you’ll need to book directly with the airline or through the Amex Travel portal to get 5x MR points. Remember: Fares may disappear quickly, so book right away and take advantage of Orbitz or Expedia’s courtesy cancellation if you’re unable to get the time away from work or family.
If you're looking for a bit of warmth during this brutal cold, how about planning a trip "down under"? Nonstop flights from the West Coast to Australia are currently starting at just $557 round-trip. While that's a pretty good deal, the 1-stop deals from the East Coast are some of the best that we've seen. You can fly from Atlanta or New York City to Australia starting at just $600 round-trip
In case you need more convincing to book a flight to Australia, here's our trip-spiration video about the state of Victoria. I can tell you from personal experience having traveled to Australia that Melbourne and the surrounding area are worth the trip:
To search, head to Google Flights and enter your origin and destination cities. Scroll through the calendar function to find dates and prices that work for you. Finally, click through to book directly with the airline or through an OTA like Priceline or Expedia.
Airline: Virgin Australia, United, American Airlines, Qantas, Fiji Airways, Delta, United
Routes: LAX/ATL/SFO/JFK/EWR to MEL/SYD/BNE
Cost: $557+ round-trip in economy
Dates: February-December
Pay With: The Platinum Card® from American Express (5x on airfare booked directly with the airline), Citi Prestige Card (5x on airfare), Citi Premier® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve Card, American Express® Gold Card (3x on airfare) or Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (2x on travel)
Here are a few examples of what you can book:
Los Angeles (LAX) to Melbourne (MEL) for $557 round-trip nonstop on Virgin Australia:
Los Angeles (LAX) to Sydney (SYD) for $569 round-trip nonstop on United:
Los Angeles (LAX) to Brisbane (BNE) for $573 round-trip nonstop on Virgin Australia:
Atlanta (ATL) to Sydney (SYD) for $604 round-trip on American/Qantas:
San Francisco (SFO) to Sydney (SYD) for $615 round-trip on Fiji Airways:
New York Kennedy (JFK) to Melbourne (MEL) for $627 round-trip on Delta:
New York Kennedy (JFK) to Sydney (SYD) for $629 round-trip on Delta:
Atlanta (ATL) to Melbourne (MEL) for $631 round-trip on American/Qantas:
Newark (EWR) to Melbourne (MEL) for $635 round-trip on United:
Newark (EWR) to Sydney (SYD) for $638 round-trip on United:
Maximize Your Purchase
Don’t forget to use a credit card that earns additional points on airfare purchases, such as The Platinum Card® from American Express (5x on flights booked directly with airlines or American Express Travel), Citi Prestige Card (5x on airfare), Chase Sapphire Reserve Card, American Express® Gold Card, Citi Premier® Card (3x on airfare) or the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (2x on all travel purchases). Check out this post for more on maximizing airfare purchases.
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