Star Alliance airlines ANA, Lufthansa, and Austrian Airlines are currently selling discounted flights from London to Sydney. You can basically fly for only £524 (~€588) (with luggage!) deep into 2021. While this is quite a good price, it comes with a catch. The Australian government already announced that it probably won’t open for tourism until late 2021.
The long-haul flights are usually operated by ANA, first flying to Tokyo, before continuing to Sydney. Lufthansa or Austrian will fly between London and Frankfurt, Munich, or Vienna.
We expect further shakeups in the airline industry over the following months. Some services might be cancelled, aircraft changed or downgraded. The schedule we describe may very well change.
Search & Book
The flights to Sydney require a hefty minimum stay length of ten days. That, however, is the only restriction stated. Google Flights accurately displays the flights to Sydney, so you can check the availability there. You should book directly on Lufthansa’s website.
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 three main reasons for that:
- The Covid-19 Pandemic
During the worldwide outbreak of Covid-19, planning international travel got more and more risky because of ever-changing restrictions. In contrast to many online travel agencies, most airlines modified their terms & conditions to become more customer friendly. Rebooking conditions are eased, change fees are waived and cancellations are much easier when there is no third party involved.
Further, by adding an OTA to your plans, you increase the risk of one service provider involved going bankrupt. Now, the airline and the online travel agency involved could vanish along with your money. - 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 you information like flight changes instead of receiving them directly from the airline. 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 Fees
Economy fares not including hold luggage are more and more common. 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.
Miles
The tickets are issued in booking class L, meaning that you should roughly get:
- 11,306 Kilometers on Air China PhoenixMiles
- 11,084 Award Miles + 2,218 PQP on United MileagePlus
- 10,676 Miles on Aegean Miles+Bonus
- 10,676 Award Miles on Etihad Guest
- 6,810 Miles on Air Canada Aeroplan
- 6,654 Miles on Ethiopian ShebaMiles
- 6,648 Miles on ANA Mileage Club
- 6,608 Miles on Copa ConnectMiles
- 6,608 Miles on EVA Infinity MileageLands
- 6,404 Miles on Asiana Club
- 6,404 Miles on Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles
- 6,404 Miles on Avianca LifeMiles
- 6,404 Award Miles on Garuda Indonesia GarudaMiles
- 6,404 Miles on TAP Miles & Go
- 6,404 Miles on Thai Royal Orchid Plus
- 6,404 Miles on Vietnam Golden Lotus Plus
- 6,404 Award Miles + 100 Tier Miles on Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
- 6,404 Miles on South African Voyager
- 6,404 Miles on EgyptAir Plus
- 6,404 Miles on PR
- 6,404 Miles on Air India Flying Returns
- 5,588 Miles on Miles&More
- 5,588 Award Miles + 280 Points on Miles&More 2024
- 5,588 Points on SAS EuroBonus
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.
→ All Dealz for Australia
Cover Picture: © pattyjansen - pixabay.com