Buisness Class Air East Coast of North America to Australia

[Keata]

We will be flying into Sydney next November for 3 different cruises (Australia, Tasmania & Auckland).  We have found the flights from Ottawa to Sydney very expensive.  When you good folks fly toward NA what routing do you take?  As retirees we can do a layover basically anywhere. Taking a transpacific is not an option as my husband would not tolerate that many sea days!

Thanks in advance for your help.

[cruiser3775]

Have a look at a stopover in Honolulu en route. It breaks up the very long trans Pacific flight time, and is sometimes quite competitive in pricing.

By the way, Tasmania is part of Australia, and Auckland is part of New Zealand, a completely different country.

[Karaboudjan]

I have found that flights from anywhere in North America to Sydney are expensive, especially if you want a more or less direct routing.  Hawaiian does have better prices than some, but as I recall from my research into a similar trip the timings are a bit weird.  If you can get to LAX Fiji has some of the lower business fares with the arguable benefit of a stopover.

 

I decided to go BTV-LAX-SYD with an overnight break/buffer in LAX.  LAX-SYD is PE, though, not business.

 

[lyndarra]

As you are on the eastern side of NA consider flying west to east.

I returned to Australia from a cruise, Genoa/Miami, Nov 2019 by flying business class with Qatar Airways from Miami via Doha to Sydney. The service in Qatar business class could not be faulted. Each of the two legs were 15 hours each and it was the easiest, most comfortable long haul flight I have done and I've done a few from west coast to OZ. It was worth the money. I have also done a few flights from Oz to Middle East, Africa and Europe economy class with Qatar and IMHO they were better than Qantas of any of the NA airlines - Singapore Airlines comes close - and that's another airline you could check out, they do excellent Premium Economy service as well as Business.

[MMDown Under]

My daughter has just returned from JFK to Auckland to Brisbane with Air NZ.  She said their skycouch was more comfortable than their Business and Premium Economy.  She flew with Qatar to JFK Business Class and gave them top marks.  It is too expensive for Australians to fly business class from the US to Aust/NZ. So she thought their sky couch wa a good compromise.  My daughter missed her connection to Brisbane in Auckland, so she recommends not forward travelling on the same day, but enjoy a break of journey in Auckland.

[MicCanberra]

We don't fly business as a rule as the difference in price would pay for an extra cruise or two, however we do try and upgrade using points once we have purchased a cheaper fare.Arrange a stopover to break the trip up.

[MMDown Under]

We used to fly long haul to US annually.  We chose to spend a stopover on different South Pacific islands en route - Fiji, Cook Islands, Tahitian islands,Hawaiian islands, LAX to JFK.  These were my favourite flights to the USA.  I dream of returning to all of  them.  Aitutaki, Cook Islands is curry rently top of the return list.  I'd also like to visit TUVALU before it disappears into the ocean.  I haven't flown on Hawaiian Airlines or Fiji Airlines recently, however we found them very basic airlines, but with first class staff who were a joy to fly with.  We flew to Hawaii from Fiji to join a cruise to Australia, whilst my girlfriend flew from Fiji to Hawaii via the US mainland.  The choice of routes is only limited by your imagination. 

[Aus Traveller]

A couple of months ago I returned from New York to Brisbane with QANTAS. They operate a non-stop flight to Auckland from where there are three options - Brisbane, Sydney or Melbourne. Air New Zealand operate the same route. I realize you are in Ottawa so this route would involve a flight to New York, but it might be cost-effective.

[lyndarra]

Qantas and, IIRC, Air Canada fly direct to Sydney from Vancouver which cuts out LAX which is a huge plus in my book. I did that one in June. Boarded about 2130, had a meal, watched a movie, went to sleep. Woke up next morning approaching SYD for a 0630 landing. More like an overnight hop than a long haul.

[Bubbeh]

7 hours ago, MicCanberra said:

We don't fly business as a rule as the difference in price would pay for an extra cruise or two, however we do try and upgrade using points once we have purchased a cheaper fare

My criteria; domestic = economy / international < 5 hours = premium economy or economy / international > 5 hours = business.  I don't care too much about how much extra it is, it's my kids inheritance and I'll waste it any way I damn well like!  Besides, by the time I pay for my extra luggage, I might as well book BC, it may very well work out cheaper 😉.

Edited December 9, 2023 by Bubbeh

[MMDown Under]

3 hours ago, Bubbeh said:

My criteria; domestic = economy / international < 5 hours = premium economy or economy / international > 5 hours = business.  I don't care too much about how much extra it is, it's my kids inheritance and I'll waste it any way I damn well like!  Besides, by the time I pay for my extra luggage, I might as well book BC, it may very well work out cheaper 😉.

I did that on a small hop from Boston to JFK to join a business class return to Aus.  It was worth it - extra luggage free, assistance on the long internal airport transfer, with some pretzels thrown in. (I don't know why Americans like pretzels not to mention pickles which come in a bowl!)

[yarramar]

13 hours ago, MMDown Under said:

 I'd also like to visit TUVALU before it disappears into the ocean.

Take your time Marion. Even though the narrative goes along the lines that Tuvalu is endangered and we taxpayers are sending aid and visas for them to live here, over the past several decades Tuvalu land mass has INCREASED by 2.9%. It is not sinking.

[cruiser3775]

Maybe you could do Ottawa to Vancouver, then Vancouver to Honolulu, then Honolulu to Sydney. The Vancouver to Honolulu leg is very competitive at the moment, with two airlines fighting for passengers and some deep discounts. And Honolulu is much easier for US entry than the dreaded LAX.

[jec2016]

We have flown out of LAX to Sydney and Perth, many times.  We would take the cheapest flight from Washington DC to LAX, stay overnight to help acclimate to the time zone change, then fly out the next day. I know United has a direct out of Houston to Sydney but quite a long fight at over 17 hours.  

[Bubbeh]

9 hours ago, jec2016 said:

We have flown out of LAX to Sydney and Perth, many times.

Next time why not stay over a couple of days before heading east?  Maybe even come down to Mandurah for the day (https://www.mandurah.wa.gov.au/)?  Play your cards right and I might even put a snag on the barbie for you.  ☺️

[Mareblu]

21 hours ago, yarramar said:

Take your time Marion. Even though the narrative goes along the lines that Tuvalu is endangered and we taxpayers are sending aid and visas for them to live here, over the past several decades Tuvalu land mass has INCREASED by 2.9%. It is not sinking.

That’s actually correct.

[Keata]

Thanks for everyone's suggestions.  I used Air Canada Aeroplan points and for an obscene number of miles, hubby and I are flying Ottawa -Vancouver- Brisbane - Sydney.  Business class lie flats through to Brisbane then Virgin Australia for the last leg.  I will deal with the return when I accumulate more miles!

[MMDown Under]

16 hours ago, Mareblu said:

That’s actually correct.

I researched that country following the publicity and it just appealed to me.  The Pacific Region is getting smaller and I think Aussies can support these paradises close to Australia.  

[Mareblu]

8 minutes ago, MMDown Under said:

I researched that country following the publicity and it just appealed to me.  The Pacific Region is getting smaller and I think Aussies can support these paradises close to Australia.  

I certainly agree with the support, and it is indeed a dire necessity now because of geo-political tensions.  However, I have read several erudite articles confirming that Tuvalu is not sinking, contrary to warmist/alarmist scaremongering.  I agree with yarramar.  

[MMDown Under]

9 minutes ago, Mareblu said:

I certainly agree with the support, and it is indeed a dire necessity now because of geo-political tensions.  However, I have read several erudite articles confirming that Tuvalu is not sinking, contrary to warmist/alarmist scaremongering.  I agree with yarramar.  

I don't doubt the amount of sinking may be no more than other South Seas Islanders.  I met an islander fishing at Innisfail once, and got talking as I often do.  We were staying in the last house at the end of a spit where all the old beach shacks had been washed away. I asked him how he ended up from Tahiti in Innisfail (he was one of those fierce looking people you wouldn't want to mess with, who go into jail cells to calm the situation). He told me his sister got washed away in a tidal wave, and he couldn't live in Tahiti anymore.  He was a gentle giant,  His island in Tahiti is on my ferry wish list in memory of him.

The first basic South Pacific Island I visited was Aitutaki in the Cook Islands.  I loved the local people with voices like angels and danced with beautiful hand movements.   I'm currently planning a return visit for my half birthday, but that is another story. 

[SinbadThePorter]

On 12/9/2023 at 7:28 PM, yarramar said:

over the past several decades Tuvalu land mass has INCREASED by 2.9%. It is not sinking.

 

The increase in land area appears to be mainly due to the deposition of eroded material. So the questions are, where does this material come from, is it a natural process and will it continue?

 

Lots more research to be done yet. The processes and conditions are naturally different for each region of the Pacific, especially with regards to salination of freshwater aquifers on the islands, which is what makes those islands habitable in the first place.