We flew Jetstar from Newcastle to Brisbane and back recently and were so surprised at the quality of service, the airplane was comfortable and not cramped and staff were obliging & friendly. All this at a budget rate! Keep up the good work, Jetstar!

I think Jetstar, Qantas, Virgin Blue - all do a great job.

tropo-agreed, and the price of domestic air travel in Oz is a delight, right now. Hope it continues! All the best.

Researching MEL-Mackay airfare for November - Virgin Blue can ticket 4 for $1744 AUD ($1362 USD). Is that a good fare? Should I buy it?

That's not one-way, is it (from memory that's how VB usually quotes)? And does it include the extras that our airlines misleadingly lump together under the term "taxes"?

Spot specials of course are more likely to be advertised much closer to the date of travel.

No, that's the total round trip price, including taxes. You are probably right about sales closer to the date of travel - I am wondering if rumored (many) fuel surcharges would eat up any savings.

I'd wait if you can. Having said that, Qantas is more expensive and several cheaper seats are sold out! You could always grab a cheap fare to Brisbane, Bundaberg or Rockhampton, and hire a car & drive up to Mackay, especially with 4 of you. It's a great drive if you've got the time, and you'll see some of Oz!

a little bit of research I did showed that one-way car rentals are pretty steep in Oz - is that the case?

Lyndie, we did this drive years and years ago, but please tell me about how long the drive is from Brisbane to Mackay.

Sorry for the delay in replying-I'm off to Japan next week and I'm trying to plan our rail journey! Talk about complicated!

Anyway, we drove from Brisbane to Bundaberg (Bargara)in one day, then drove Bundaberg to Rockhampton (Yeppoon) then next day Rockhampton to Mackay so we took three days. We love motoring holidays so it was not a chore for us. We camped out or stayed in motels which allow pets as we have a terrier who goes everywhere (where possible) with us. One way car rentals are more expensive than the normal two way hire, however you can be lucky and get a car which needs to be returned to its home base like we did in the US in 2000. We hired a car in Seattle and took it to San Fran for a few bucks a day with Hertz. What a bargain that was!
Try www.zuji.com.au for more fares or www.flightcentre.com.au. Maybe closer to the date, you could try www.lastminute.com.au and try your luck. Good luck!

Well Lyndie, we decided we simply could not do a road trip justice with the little time we have so plan to fly MEL-MKY to get out to Brampton Island. Qantas just upped its fares by $130 AUD per person round trip! Can it be that the others will match this? Does domestic airfare fluctuate as much in Oz as it does in the US? I really need specific dates in November and am wondering if I just shouldn't grab the Virgin fare. What do you think? Should I still wait?

Inthechips. Virgin has return for about $320 however it can depend on the day of the week and time of day. It is two flights so I had a quick check if it could be cheaper to get a Sydney flight and change there for a connection to Mackay. The legs themselves are cheap, between $60 and $90 cheapest but added together and double for return that is $300 anyways.

If you are quoted $1700AUD then you may be requesting a peak day of the week for travel.

With cheap airfare I usually plan my trip around the airfare because it is never the exact time or day I would prefer.

Actually with taxes etc probably would end up closer to that for 4 people.

I would wait myself as November is not a real busy peak time like December can be. No guarantee of course but when no public holidays are around a date I think you can get away with waiting.

Thanks tassietwister. I think I'll wait a bit and appreciate your input.

There are airfare specials almost weekly here in Oz as long as it's not school hols or public holday weekends. You could monitor Qantas and Virgin on a weekly basis and input various dates if you have some flexibility. It is true that fares can rise dramatically if the oil price increases, however your decision to wait sounds like a wise one. Just keep an eye on the relevant websites and be ready to jump in if you see a bargain! Good luck!