Tips for flying from USA to Australia

[flamomo]

Kenish, thank you so much for all the great information. You were very helpful.

[Texas Tillie]

There's two periods of a few weeks where the time difference between SYD and LAX is 6 hours or 8 hours. :)

 

????? I have a friend outside Melbourne (same time zone as Sydney). Right now it is 15 hours difference between my home (CDT) and hers. That would make it 13 hours difference from LAX (PDT). There will be a time (a few weeks) when they go on daylight savings for their spring when it will be 16 hours (14 from west coast). Then, after the first Sunday in Nov. when we go off daylight savings, it will be 17 hours (15 from west coast).

[mjesf]

????? I have a friend outside Melbourne (same time zone as Sydney). Right now it is 15 hours difference between my home (CDT) and hers. That would make it 13 hours difference from LAX (PDT). There will be a time (a few weeks) when they go on daylight savings for their spring when it will be 16 hours (14 from west coast). Then, after the first Sunday in Nov. when we go off daylight savings, it will be 17 hours (15 from west coast).

 

Actually it is 17 hours difference between PDT and AEST (Austrailian Eastern Standard Time.) Right now it is 8:21 AM on 31 Aug in SF and 1:21 on 1 September in Sydney - a difference of 17 hours.

 

As Sydney observes Daylight Savings Time, this difference will expand one hour on the First Sunday in October (when they Spring Forward) and another hour on the first Sunday in November (when we Fall Back)

[kenish]

????? I have a friend outside Melbourne (same time zone as Sydney). Right now it is 15 hours difference between my home (CDT) and hers. That would make it 13 hours difference from LAX (PDT). There will be a time (a few weeks) when they go on daylight savings for their spring when it will be 16 hours (14 from west coast). Then, after the first Sunday in Nov. when we go off daylight savings, it will be 17 hours (15 from west coast).

 

It's easier for us on the West Coast to think of Oz as being (for example) 7 hours earlier than us and then adding a day instead of 17 hours ahead. It's (-7 + 24) versus (+17). The time difference between LA and SYD/MEL is -7 (or +17) hours April-November, -5 (or +19) November-April. Then as you said, there's a few weeks in April and again in November when it's -6 (+18) since the two countries don't switch to/from daylight time on the same schedule. I said there was is 8h difference which is not true; sorry about the mistake.

 

For jet lag/ body clock purposes, you're really experiencing a 5 to 7 hour shift, not 17-19 hours.

 

Hope that makes sense....if that's not confusing enough, much of the midsection of Oz is on a time zone that's 90 minutes (not an even 1 or 2 hours) behind SYD/MEL. Noon in Sydney is 1030am in Alice Springs!

 

For OP- your Qantas flight will leave LAX around 10 or 11pm (for example on a Friday) and arrive in SYD around 7am on Sunday. One day will be "missing" completely!

[Texas Tillie]

Actually it is 17 hours difference between PDT and AEST (Austrailian Eastern Standard Time.) Right now it is 8:21 AM on 31 Aug in SF and 1:21 on 1 September in Sydney - a difference of 17 hours.

 

As Sydney observes Daylight Savings Time, this difference will expand one hour on the First Sunday in October (when they Spring Forward) and another hour on the first Sunday in November (when we Fall Back)

 

:eek:! It was early when I posted and I got my pluses and minuses backward! I really do know the difference!:D

[chasetf]

I have to stay with the Qantas flight that is already booked from LA to Sydney.

I hope someone can tell me what good things to expect on Qantas.

We flew Qantas and would definitely recommend them.

 

Our flight had lots of movie selections and you could select when you wanted to watch a specific selection. Lots of music too.

 

I am also tall so I am sensitive to the amount of leg room. There never is enough for me... but Qantas was better than most.

 

I noticed you are from PA, and assume you are starting from there. I would recommend a well rested layover in LA. We flew down from Northern CA (short flight) but still did a night in LA.

 

We also broke up our flight back with a week in Fiji. Definitely recommend you look into it if you have time. I looked at it as we would probably never fly out to just Fiji, so it was a chance to see that part of the world plus breakup the trip home.

[spongerob]

The only thing I can add is to pack a small bottle of eye drops. Without them my eyelids start to feel like sandpaper on a long flight. It can be even worse if you wear contact lenses.

[imsulin]

Probably OT, but my longest flight was in 2000 on Air Pacific from LAX - NAN, Fiji. It was a 10-hour flight on a 747, and after the stop at NAN, the flight went on to SYD. About half of us got off in Fiji, at 4 am local time. We left LAX around midnight. Big plane, about 2/3 full, so several of had a whole row for sleeping. There was a movie shown, but no individual seat monitors. Good (hot) dinner, and we were all given pillows and blankets, and a bag containing eye mask, ear plugs, toothbrush and toothpaste. On the return flight, same thing, except we left NAN around midnight and arrived at LAX in late afternoon. We pretty much slept most of the flight. One thing to remember is that International Date Line. You either gain or lose an entire day. If I remember correctly, we gained a day flying to Fiji, and lost a day flying back. And those little amenity bags? They were very useful!

[Globaliser]

Find out if your airplane has upper level seating (literally upstairs). There is more leg room on the upper level.

This isn't necessarily true. It depends on the airline, the configuration of the aircraft, and the exact layout of the seating in each cabin zone.

[ckl001]

All,

Being an Aussie I can tell you that yes Customs are very tough. Make sure you fill in the arrivals card correctly as it is a LEGAL DOCUMENT. The one question that a lot of people get caught on is the food question. The one thing to remember is....If it goes in your mouth...IT IS FOOD and MUST be delared. We are tough because we are a island and do not want any bugs etc brought in illeagaly. You do not want to be caught out. Also if the beagles come around, which they most likely will, just stop and take 1 step back from your bags to let them sniff.

If you do have any food or anything to declare, make sure it is packed at the top of your bag and you have easy access to it.

Customs usually know who to look out for in advance and if you are unsure if to delcare or not, just delare it. They will soon let you know and would rather you declare if unsure.

If you are polite and courtous to them, they will be the same to you.

As for the long flight, Qantas has a good reputation and will look after you on the plane. If you are nervous just let them know and they will look after you.

Being from Aus, if I want to go anywhere it is always a long flight. Make sure you drink lots of water and get up and walk around. Make friends with the people around you and you will find that the trip will go by so quickly. I always ask for a asle seat, that way I can get up and down without disturbing anyone. Nothing worse and sitting by the window or in the middle and you want to get up and the person next to you is sleeping.

I am sure you will have a great time and the flight will be over before you know it.

 

Chez