Oneworld carrier Qatar Airways sells interesting open jaw tickets to Melbourne, Australia. You can try a number of different departure airports, as long as the inbound flight returns to Zurich. Prices start at €514 with departure from Prague, but other origins are possible, as well. These tickets include a checked bag up to 23 kg and Qatar Airways’ awarded board service. All flights require a layover in Doha in each direction.
Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, tourist currently are not allowed to enter Australia or New Zealand. As of now, it is impossible to say when this restrictions end. Most likely, both countries will keep their borders close for several months.
These flights are available for travel up to March 2021. Qatar Airways rebooking policies only covers trips up to September 2020. We still recommend booking via Qatar Airways website, even if the price is slightly higher.
In the same price range, you can find flights to New Zealand and double open jaw flights (to New Zealand, return from Australia or vice versa), as well. Key to the low fare is that your journey ends in Zurich.
Search & Book
According to the fare rules, these flights are available at this price until May 23, 2020 for travel within the following time frames:
- September 5 – December 17, 2020
- December 29, 2020 – April 2, 2021
A minimum stay of five days applies as well as a maximum stay of three months. You can use Qatar Airways’ stopover program to explore Qatar or get some rest between two long flights.
Finding these fares is a bit tricky. One of the easier ways is using of the multi flight option either on Google Flights or our own flight search:
If you have found matching flight dates, you should have no problem finding flight on qatarairways.com, even if our flight does not show this option. While you may find cheaper flights via online travel agencies, we still recommend booking directly with the airline.
Why is booking with an airline better than with an online travel agency?
More often than not, online travel agencies offer lower fares than airlines do. We still recommend booking with the airlines directly. There are two main reasons for that:
Better Customer Service
In case any problems like delays, cancellations or missed connections arise, you can communicate directly with the airline. The airline has to take care of you because you have a contract with them.
If a travel agency issues your ticket, you may have to reach out to them first. You also depend on your OTA to forward information like flight changes instead of receiving them directly from the airline. In many cases, you may get a prime exhibition of responsibility shifting rather than problem-solving.
This especially applies to premium tickets. You don’t want to spend more than €1,000 to wind up with some budget OTA’s telephone hotline in case anything goes wrong.
Baggage and Other Fees
Economy fares not including hold luggage are industry standard by now. In most cases, travel agencies charge much higher baggage fees than the airlines themselves. If bags are not included in your fare, airlines are often the cheaper alternative.
This also applies to other things like food services, insurances or priority treatment. In almost all cases, you pay less for additional amenities when booking on the airlines’ website.
Information & Tips for Australia
Australia, also know as ‘Down Under’, is an absolute dream destination because of its distance to Europe and its beautiful countryside. But because it’s so far away, the flights are costly. Nevertheless, there is always Dealz for less than 1.000€.
Best Time to Visit
Australia is a vast country with different climate zones. Summers (November to February) are hot and mostly dry, winters (June to September) are relatively mild.
Entry & Visa
Most European citizens require an eVisa which has to be issued before your arrival. You can apply online, and the process will be free of charge.
Finding the Best eSIM Plan
We’ve compared various eSIM providers, such as RedteaGO and Airalo. To see which plan is best for your travel needs, and which network offers the best coverage, feel free to read our detailed guide:
The Best eSIM Plans for Australia 🇦🇺 Compared
→ All Dealz for Australia