Why is airfare to australia so expensive?

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I live in the so.calif area and i desperatley want to visit australia.The problem is,airfare is so unreasonable to that country it makes a trip to europe seem like a bargin.

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Comments (9)    Posted in air travel    

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9 Responses to 'Why is airfare to australia so expensive?'

  1. noodle_stupot - January 24th, 2010 at 11:30 am

    Look at gas prices right now they are almost 3 dollars a gallon think of how much it must cost for planes to filll up and the holidays have alot to do with it to mostly gas so go durign a time where lots of people wont be traveling like march or april

  2. daniel f - January 24th, 2010 at 12:28 pm

    because gas price has went up alot

  3. Dave M - January 24th, 2010 at 1:27 pm

    It’s a 14 hour, 7,000 mile flight, which would be about equal to flying east to China.
    When this is considered, it’s not really that unreasonable.

  4. Servette - January 24th, 2010 at 1:34 pm

    What is unreasonable??? It is summer in Australia, so it means HIGH SEASON. It is also high season between December 15 to January 10, for winter vacations.

  5. Alexi - January 24th, 2010 at 1:44 pm

    To be honest, many of the other answerers provided some of the real reasons as to why it is so expensive – but the major reason is becuase there is relitavely little competition on those routes. Your options from Cali. to The Land Down Under would be Qantas, and United Airlines (offering non-stop) and a host of other airlines offering connections through their hubs – and let’s being that list for shits-and-giggles:

    AirCanada – Through Toronto or Vancouver (and another stop in Hawaii IIRC) then to Sydney.
    AirChina – with a connection through Beijing or Shanghai.
    Air New Zealand – connect through Auckland.
    AirTahiti Nui – connect through Pappete.
    Asiana Airlines – connect through Soeul.
    British Airways – via London and either Singapore or Bangkok.
    Cathay Pacific – connect through Hong Kong.
    Hawaiian Airlines – connect through Honolulu.
    Japan Airlines – connect through Tokyo.
    Korean Air – connect through Soeul.
    Singapore Airlines – connect through Singapore.
    Thai Airways – connect through Bangkok.
    Virgin Atlantic – connect through London and then Bangkok.

    And all of those are not even considering that for the most part (with the few exceptions of probably Hawaiian Airlines) would be more expensive than those that you have already looked at.

    Yes, the price of fuel is high. Yes, it is peak season seeing that right now Australia is enjoying their typcial “winter” which is warm and sunny (remember south of the equator the seasons are opposite to ours). But the real reason that ticket prices are high is becuase for the most part, there is such little competition on the route that the two firms that offer non-stop service can command a high price. You will never see $59.00 fares from LAX-SYD but the prices could stand to come down a bit, and when competition arrives, the prices will come down a bit.

  6. Laurence B - January 24th, 2010 at 1:48 pm

    The reason for that is that there are only two airlines going direct Qantas and United and Qantas holds 80% of the marketshare so they can pretty much set up the price they want. also you are comparing it with Europe where there is so much more competition and also the flight lasts a little bit less (consider the fuel price). But that’s the reason. Qantas knows that they can set up the price standards and if people want to fly direct, then they will have to pay. Try and look at alternatives with a transfer somewhere like Air New Zealand (via auckland), Air Tahiti Nui (via Papeete) or Air Pacific (via Fiji) and you’d be surprised. If time is not an issue and your main concern is the cost, then you can look at alternatives via Asia (Japan airlines, Cathay Pacific etc). Good luck.

  7. Lissie - January 24th, 2010 at 1:54 pm

    The main reason for the lack of competition is that the US/Australian governments won’t open the route up. Virgin Blue is trying to break the duopolgy at the moment – otherwise fly indirectly

  8. averagebear - January 24th, 2010 at 2:34 pm

    I don’t find airfare to Australia more expensive mileage-wise. I have flown from LAX to Australia on United, Qantas, Cathay Pacific, Singapore, EVA air and Air New Zealand, arriving in Sydney, Brisbane, and Perth. I have always gotten reasonable airfares. However, I’d have to say airfare is higher this year compared to same time last year for all routes not just to Australia.

  9. zilber - January 24th, 2010 at 2:57 pm

    because it is “down-under”


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