See Australia for less with Qantas AirPass
Most people know Australia is a huge country in the South Pacific but did you know Australia is also a continent? This vast land is the world’s largest island and the smallest continent with spectacular beaches from the west to the east, the famous Great Barrier Reef and the wild animals in their natural habitat that will never be found anywhere else on our planet.
Australia caters to every type of vacation for solo, couple, family and senior travelers. There is the 1,400 miles World Heritage Great Barrier Reef along Queensland’s coast in the east for nature lovers and those who love water activities like snorkeling, sailing and diving. Also, the uniquely formed most recognized
icon of Australia, Uluru and The Olgas in Red Center of Australia, the rugged land of Tasmania and many more.
Qantas has six AirPass options for travelers:
1. Icons – including Sydney, Ayers Rock, Cairns and Brisbane
2. Wildlife – including Sydney, Adelaide, Cairns and Brisbane
3. Food and Wine- including Melbourne, Adelaide and Sydney
4. Reef – including Sydney, Hamilton Island and Brisbane
5. East West – including Sydney, Perth and Melbourne
6. Adventure – including Melbourne, Hobart, Launceston and Sydney
The price starts at $1,799, which includes three cities. Using Travelmath’s
currency converter, the price comes to $1733 in Australian dollars (at the time of writing). Our US dollar will convert to about $0.96 in Australian dollar.
Here are four tips (questions) to help you plan and decide which AirPass is right for you:
One: Where would you like to fly to?
You can fly in to Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane with Qantas from the West Coast of the United States. Your flight from Los Angeles to Sydney is
14 hours 59 minutes, Los Angeles to Melbourne is
15 hours 52 minutes and Los Angeles to Brisbane is
14 hours 22 minutes. The flight time is almost similar for the cities.
Two: What is in your bucket list or must see list?
If you are a person who likes natural wonders, the Great Barrier Reef and Red Center of Australia are places to be. Flying into Sydney or Brisbane will be the first in your list. Icons, Wildlife and Reef AirPasses may be the right ones for you. If you prefer to wine and dine, flying into Melbourne or Sydney would be your best bet. The Food and Wine AirPass will definitely meet your needs since it covers culinary cities like Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide.
If you are a family with young kids, Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne have great offerings for children of any age group. If holding koalas is in your bucket list, the only place you could encounter and cuddle a koala in Australia is in State of Queensland. It is illegal in New South Wales (Sydney) and Victoria (Melbourne) to hold the koalas. Queensland (Brisbane), Australia is the only place you can do so.
Australia Zoo offers at 3:30 pm for AUD40 per person (
$38.54 at time of writing) to cuddle a koala. Please check Australia Zoo
website for details and restrictions.
Three: Where and what type of accommodation are you are looking for?
For example, Adelaide is in South Australia, a great city for foodies and wine enthusiasts to explore. It offers visitors a chance to discover Australian wineries, sheep milk cheeses, farms and fishing villages. Check out the
many hotels we have listed for Adelaide. Your options are endless with our listing. Instead of the usual, try out a one, two or three bedroom apartment like
Miller Apartment in Adelaide with fully equipped kitchens. Bring in the fresh produce from the local market and cook a healthy meal for your family like a local.
Four: Do you like to experience life off the beaten track?
Some travelers like to mingle with the locals and go off from the usual tourist attractions into regions that are less explored. Australia is safe and easy for American travelers to explore without a guide. One of the best ways is to
rent your own vehicle.
Driving in Australia is different from the United States. Find out more on the
AAA Australia website.
Nature lovers will find a piece of paradise in the island of Tasmania, also known as “Tassie” by the locals. Cradle Mountain, Bonorong Park Wildlife Centre and Russell Falls are among the many spots to explore on your own with your rented vehicle. You can fly or take a ferry from mainland Australia to the Island of Tasmania. Flight time between Sydney and Hobart, Tasmania is
one hour 19 minutes. You can take a ferry with your vehicle from Melbourne to Devonport, Hobart with
Spirit of Tasmania as well. Check out their schedule, fare and restrictions here.
What would you like to do in Australia and when do you want to get there? According to Qantas Vacations,
Aussie AirPass is designed to make your Australia vacation easy to plan and book. It includes international round-trip airfare plus 2-3 flights in Australia!
Experience the ultimate trip of a lifetime by picking the right Aussie AirPass that will fulfill your bucket list and make dreams come true in 2013. Happy New Year!
Note from Qantas Vacations: For an additional cost, you can start your journey from many other U.S. cities including New York, San Francisco, Seattle, and Dallas/Ft. Worth. Aussie AirPass prices are valid for travel between 18 January and 8 June 2013 but must be booked by January 17, 2013.
