mountain3000

We're headed down under in early Nov. - is there any advantage flying into Brisbane vs Sydney. We don't want to backtrack so we're thinking LAX-Brisbane-(maybe outback)-Perth-Adelaide-Sydney-back to the US. Looks like you cant get to Alice Springs from directly Brisbane so we might bypass the outback and just spend the extra time on the coast.

Orlando_Vic

Qantas flies from Brisbane to both Uluru and Alice Springs <http://www.qantas.com.au/regions/dyn.../rededeals>.

JamesA

See if you can fly in to one and out from the other: LAX-BNE-Alice-Ulhuru-Perth-Adelaide-SYD-LAX

Look for those 'red deals' on Qantas and also try Virgin Blue, if you are flying ex LAX with Qantas I would ask what deals/offers they can do to include everything.

SnRSeattle

I am interested in this option, also, but I was wondering if the plane from LAX to Brisbane is not as big (i.e. with less first class/business?) as the one to Sydney? We are using FF miles. I do know that there are less flights to Brisbane than to Sydney, so seats are limited.
Sally in Seattle

Orlando_Vic

Sally in Seattle-
You may be correct about the different plane size.

When we first started planning our trip to Australia, I wanted to use FF miles from American Airlines and fly Qantas in first class. I followed all the tips I received here and on Frommers web site and made my calls to reserve the seats 330 days before our departure from LAX. The plan was to fly from LAX to Sydney and return from Brisbane to LAX. After several days of trying, I never could get the first class seats reserved from Brisbane to LAX. Eventually an AA reservation agent told me that the planes from Brisbane to LAX were 747-300s and had no first class section, while the planes from LAX-Sydney were 747-400s and did have a first class section. We wanted to keep Sydney and Brisbane in our itinerary and eventually flew Qantas business class both ways.

However, we were not disappointed at all. The skybeds were fabulous and actually allowed one to sleep.

You may want to verify this airplane info with a Qantas reservation agent, as things do change over time.

JamesA

For Aug and sep which I looked at they are showing 747-400, you can check seat plan on

http://www.qantas.com.au/info/flying...aft/seatMap744

A 747-400 is same size as a 747-300, but the -300's are older and only have Business not First,
the -300 is on:
http://www.qantas.com.au/info/flying...aft/seatMap743

If they use a -300 some business clas is 'up top' but also seats in the forward 'nose section' where otherwise First would be.

Check their website as from what I say it's 747-400's on both Brisbane and Sydney.

JamesA

typo: should be "from what I saw"

http://www.qantas.com

poyopoyo91

The planes are the same size. One good thing about flying to Brisbane is lower flight time. It is about 30 mins shorter. I don't think Brisbane is all that necessary to stay at.

wally34949

I agree. Why backtrack. Fly into either Melbourne or Brisbane and fly out of Sydney. I'm sure all planes are 747-400's.

weasel

Hi, We flew Quantas LAX to Sydney and then Brisbane to LAX. The plane sizes were the same but flying time less from Brisbane. We had the Aussie airpass which also allowed for three flights with in Australia. This was a great deal considering the cost of flights this past june/july.

noahark2

You can fly Qantas to Brisbane first class, however there is a stopover in Sydney.

DasFX

We fly from LA to Sydney and then back to LA from Brisbane. The planes were the same, 747-400. Aside from not having to backtrack, the flight from BNE is about an hour to two hours shorter.

The only confusing thing about it is in LA. The flight to and from Sydney operates out of one terminal, but the flight to and from Brisbane operates out of a totally different terminal.