Requesting advise/recs regarding air travel for AUS/NZ trip
 

My wife and I will be going from Los Angeles to Sydney (4 days) to Cairns (3 days) and to South NZ (7 days).

Would like to know given the trip, should I book all airfares through travel agent, or should I attempt to book it my own?

If my own, any recommendations? My main concern is return flight from NZ to Los Angeles? Do I have to fly into Auckland for return flight?

Thank you
Jeff

My understanding is that you would have to fly to Auckland to catch your flight to Los Angeles.
Although we use the internet for accommodation and car hire bookings, we still use a travel agent for long haul flights. We feel that they know more than we do about international flights, and I'm terrified that I will make a mistake and end up flying to somewhere I don't want to go. We know of one couple who ended up booking double flights everywhere because they didn't understand the airline website.
Hope you have a great holiday.

Depends upon your airline, I believe some of them stop in Christchurch for INTL flights.

I booked with FF miles so I didn't have many choices.

Pit to LAX to Auckland to Melb to LAX

Can you stop in NZ first? Might be easier to get flights out of Sydney back to LAX?

I have never ever used a travel agent and unless they can do something cheaper than I can do on my own--I don't see their value.

Try going to expedia/travelocity and play around with the cities and see what you can come up with. You can get cheap flights within Oz on various airlines (Virgin Blue? etc...)

Marg, I luv ya!

Alise, you should try us sometime, you might be surprised! Agents do get notification of specials / deals / reduced airfare, as well as the fact that we work with consolidators (and know which ones are reputable) that the general public don't have access to.

On international flights I can usually beat anything from any internet site. By the same token, we also work with wholesalers who do big volume with tour companies and hotels so there's a discount there too.

Kairous, if you're going back to LAX from the South Island, you're going to have to go through Auckland, much in the same way as you'd have to go through Sydney for a direct flight home.

Hope this is helpful!

Regards,

Melodie
Certified Aussie Specialist

Hi,

I agree with Matilda. I recently booked a trip to Australia from the US through an a large consolidator. The consolidator specializes in trips to the South Pacific. I traveled in Business Class and the consolidator got me an airfare that was much lower than any Internet site including Expedia, Orbitz and Travelocity. In addition, the hotel prices was lower that the Internet sites.

My advice is to price your trip both ways.

Australiabound