Best ways to get cheap flights from the USA west coast

Hello everyone,

This is my first post but I have fallen in love with this site already. A few months ago I decided to take a break from the College life and take an adventure. A friend and I are going to head into Sydney (I think, whatever is cheap) and tour Australia for about three months before we head to New Zealand for another three months.

My question to the experienced travelers out there is what is the cheapest way to get to Australia or New Zealand. Some people have told me get a flight to Hawaii first and then fly onto Sydney. I was just wondering the types of ways people have gotten there for cheap. I really only want to buy a one way ticket because I don't know how long I am actually going to stay.

Any suggestions for awesome things to see and do would always be appreciated as well. Thanks everyone.

It is true that the LCC Jetstar (Qantas group) only flies to Honolulu in the USA, but by the time you get a flight to HI from the mainland, I doubt you'll save a great deal, if anything? The fact that you're going for an extended period also lowers your chances of getting a good fare. Did you try out STA travel yet? Also look at Priceline, Hotwire and Travelzoo. You could wait till after New Year's and get one of the post-holiday sale fares.

Cheapest way would be to travel as an air courier, you get get up to a half price ticket just for handing in a letter to destination or stop of airport.... Google it. I did it a couple of years ago from the UK to Australia.

I believe that on a regular eta (for australia) or visitor visa (for new zealand), they require proof that you're leaving the country again, so you might want to reconsider this whole "one way ticket" idea. Much better to look for a return ticket where you can change the dates cheaply.

Air Pacific has good value fares from Sydney to Los Angeles via Nadi (Fiji) and also do it in the opposite direction. On the fares with Air Pacific you can also stopover in Fiji for not much extra. You do need to book a fair way in advance to get the cheapest fares though.

You could get a fare using Air Pacific which would be Los Angeles - Nadi (stop over or transit) - Sydney (then buy a seperate fare to New Zealand). After you are in New Zealand your Air Pacific fare would start again and by Auckland - Nadi (transit or stopover) - Los Angeles for approximately $1000USD plus taxes but this would require you to have fixed dates for all flights and stick with them. You would be able to change the dates, but fees could vary from a hundred or so dollars each change to over $800 depending on if the cheapest classes were left on the dates you wanted to change to.

Not sure how you will go getting the visa with a one way ticket, but if you could get the visa, a ticket on Air Pacific stopping over in Nadi is approximately $770US including taxes depending on the exchange rate.

With the current world economic state the taxes on airfares have been increasing huge amounts in days as have the airfares, so in another week it could be a fair bit more or if a miracle happens even less.

[ Edit: Edited on Oct 11, 2008, at 2:08 AM by aharrold45 ]

Sander,
I had thought instead of showing a return ticket home upon arrival you could instead show proof of sufficient funds to pay for your trip home.

Quoting Atherinton

I had thought instead of showing a return ticket home upon arrival you could instead show proof of sufficient funds to pay for your trip home.

That's only the case if you're going on a working holiday visa. Since the original poster is only going for three months (and is from the USA), I'm assuming that won't be used here.