Where best to buy tickets from Calgary to Melbourne?

November 3, 2008 3:19 PM

What is the best way to book a cheap flight to Australia from Calgary?

I have never traveled overseas before, and other than expedia, travelocity, and checking out Aeroplan's website (which shows NO flights between Calgary and Melbourne), how do I go about finding really cheap flights for 4 people to Australia?


Are there tricks? Some have told me to fly to LA, and then leave LA to go to Melbourne from there. Keeping in mind, I will have 3 children with me, what is the best plan of attack to save as much money as possible?

posted by burhan to Travel & Transportation (6 answers total)

I would use a ticket aggregator like Kayak to find the best deal. Here's Calgary to Melbourne. Yes, you will probably be routed through LA or another west coast hub.
posted by nitsuj at 3:25 PM on November 3, 2008

Also: when are you going, and what's cheap? If you found something for less than $1,000 USD I would jump on it QUICK. Expect to pay between $1,000-$1,700 per ticket depending on when you fly.
posted by nitsuj at 3:26 PM on November 3, 2008

I asked a very similar question a few years ago. My only advice as someone who has made the trip twice so far, is that travelling Qantas is really worth whatever extra amount it might cost, it's a truly deent airline or was the last twi times that I flew them.
posted by jessamyn at 3:53 PM on November 3, 2008

I'm in Banff, I'll ask one of the dozen Aussies tonight what their preferred means are. Stay tuned.
posted by furtive at 5:22 PM on November 3, 2008

Aussies all said the same thing: Check on Kayak and then double check with the airlines/flights it recommends to see if you can avoid fees.
posted by furtive at 8:28 PM on November 3, 2008

Response by poster: every answer was awesome! Thank you MeFites!

-B
posted by burhan at 9:21 AM on November 5, 2008