Posts: 2,899
Threads: 489
Joined: Mar 2006
Just a heads up. Jetstar currently has some unbelievable airfares from Honolulu to Sydney and Melbourne Australia. If you ever wanted to go to Australia but thought it might cost a fortune...now is the time. With the current exchange rate at 1 USA dollar = 1.5 Australian dollars and with the wildfires that "had" plagued Eastern Australia and the current virus scare...seats are plentiful and some down right a steal if your flexible. My wife and I both booked a round trip to Melbourne from Hilo for $300.00 each ($230 from Honolulu plus $75.00 roundtrip inter island on Southwest). That's cheaper than flying to California! And when you get over to Australia.... everything there is very reasonable with the current exchange rate.
Posts: 1,066
Threads: 26
Joined: Dec 2010
That’s an even better deal than we bought a few months ago on Jetstar. Honolulu to Melbourne $155 each way. Used the savings to splurge on Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix tickets next month.
Last week we got an email from Jetstar that our flight is being changed to Qantas and we now have a stop over in Sydney, plus we paid for seat selection on Jetstar and now we can’t get our seat selections until the morning of our flight. There’s now a one hour waiting period to call Qantas because of the KungFlu.
Posts: 2,899
Threads: 489
Joined: Mar 2006
Yea...we bought ours for April. The money saved both in airfare and hotel will be used to take a balloon tour over Melbourne followed by a wine tour of the Yarra valley. Hope that change doesn't happen to us but if it does...I don't mind flying on Qantas or even the stop in Sydney. Never been there before so it will all be a new experience
Posts: 8,462
Threads: 1,032
Joined: May 2003
I picked up tickets for September. Thanks for the heads up!
Assume the best and ask questions.
Punaweb moderator
Posts: 5,640
Threads: 101
Joined: Dec 2008
Qantas is better than Jetstar so be glad!
Posts: 1,679
Threads: 203
Joined: Dec 2005
If you go to Australia, say in our early summer, what is the weather like there?
Posts: 5,640
Threads: 101
Joined: Dec 2008
Depends where you go but in general: cool but not freezing.
Posts: 210
Threads: 31
Joined: Feb 2017
During winter (our summer), the farther south you go, the colder it is. Yes, they have snow.
Posts: 1,066
Threads: 26
Joined: Dec 2010
Qantas is better than Jetstar so be glad!
Yes, Qantas owns Jetstar, we know it would be an upgrade, our disappointment is from arriving hours later so we will miss the first F1 Practice that we have tickets for. They probably consolidated flights because of cancellations due to Corona Virus.
Melbourne is 38 degrees South latitude and Napa Valley is 38 degree North latitude so think similar weather at opposite times of the year. This may be why Melbourne is a pretty good wine region. That sounds fun Macu’u to go to the Yarra Valley, famous for their Shiraz wine similar to Napa’s Petite Syrah. The cooler coastal region of the Mornington Peninsula is famous for their Pinot Noir.
If you are looking for an Airbnb to stay, heads up in the details you’ll find many places don’t supply their accommodations with bed linens or towels or they offer it for an extra fee, some are $40 per person! Lots of bunk beds too.
They seem to have a really good thing going down there for vacation rentals, a business for many people. Hawaii County needs to follow their example instead of just catering to the big resorts. I’d love to build an Ohana to rent on Airbnb.
Posts: 10,214
Threads: 344
Joined: Apr 2009
"I don't mind flying on Qantas or even the stop in Sydney. Never been there before so it will all be a new experience"
It's been a long time since I was last in Australia but Sydney remains my favorite city I ever visited on the planet. I've heard good things about Melbourne as well, but definitely give Sydney a go.
G'day, mate.
