Looking for Boston-Oz flights in January . . .
 

The cheapest I found was $3K, per person!!!! there's gotta be a better fare, right?

Yes you will get a cheaper flight - check Air Pacific, which is 46% owned by Qantas anyway, for LAX to Syd, and then it probably would be best to get a Priceline fare Boston -Lax return. Either that or wait until the airlines have sussed out the oil situation after July. I was also looking for fares and found that few airlines wanted to commit themselves at this stage.
Alternatively go the other way with Air Berlin from the US - Germany - Thailand - Australia and cost that out as you may find that that is a cleaper option.

I have just done a quick price comparison and Air Pacific is the way to go with a Priceline fare from Boston - Lax. Air Pacific Lax - Sydney is $1722US and the Boston - Lax is either $388US on Alaska Airlines or $268 on a "name your own price" airline, this then keeps it under $2K. Air Berlin from NY via Dusseldorf to Bangkok is $1427 US and then depending on who you fly into Australia with "could" be around another $800 US - maybe less if you use Air Asia or there are specials with either Jetstar or Tiger Airways. Still you would have to get to NY and also it is not clear from the website if in fact you can fly FROM the USA into Germany on those Air Berlin flights - I am not sure if the flights have to depart a Germany city.

From NY area you have Singapore Airlines and Malaysia Airlines via their SE Asia hubs. They both have good coverage into Australia. Also from NYC try Emirates non-stop to Dubai ( 2 flights per day, 1 with A-380 from October) and then they have various flights onwards to Australia including non-stops from Dubai to Sydney and Perth, they also fly in to Melbourne and Brisbane. You then have the via west coast routings or those via Tokyo/Seoul etc.

Just a brief note of clarification:
Alaska Airlines does not have a BOS-LAX nonstop.

There is a change of planes required in Seattle, making this a much longer flight (by time and by distance).

Airline Route Maps <http://www.airlineroutemaps.com/USA/index.shtml> may be a resource you will find helpful.

You folks are wonderful. Thank you so much