Damon Mcknight
Australia is a highly sought-after destination for many travellers, famed for its awe-inspiring nature and rich indigenous culture. However, flying there can be a costly affair, with flights costing upwards of $1500 during peak season. Fortunately, there are ways to circumvent this steep expense by leveraging frequent flyer miles. Various programs, such as United MileagePlus and American AAdvantage, offer cheap flights to Australia, allowing travellers to explore the Land Down Under without breaking the bank.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Miles needed for a round trip in basic economy | 60,000 |
| Miles needed for a first-class ticket | 800,000 |
| Miles needed for a premium economy ticket | 88,000-130,000 |
| Miles needed for a business class ticket | 130,000 or more |
| Miles needed for a main cabin ticket | 35,000 each way |
| Miles needed for a one-way economy class flight from the continental U.S. to Australia | 42,500 |
| Miles needed for a one-way business class flight on Oneworld partner Qantas | 85,000 |
| Miles needed for a one-way economy class flight with Avianca LifeMiles | 40,000 |
| Miles needed for a one-way business class flight with Avianca LifeMiles | 80,000 |
| Best frequent flyer programs | Qantas Frequent Flyer, Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan, Avianca LifeMiles, All Nippon Airways Mileage Club |
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What You'll Learn
Qantas Frequent Flyer
The number of Qantas Points required for a flight reward will depend on factors such as the origin and destination of the flight, the class of travel, and the availability of reward seats. Qantas Frequent Flyer members can use their points to book flights, upgrade their seats, or redeem them for other rewards such as hotels, car rentals, and more.
It is important to note that award availability can be limited, especially with Qantas, so it is recommended to book in advance. Additionally, members can enjoy benefits such as priority check-in and lounge access by earning higher status through more frequent flying.
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Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan
If you're looking to fly to Australia using frequent flyer miles, one option is to use the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan. This award-winning loyalty program is designed for travel enthusiasts and aspiring globetrotters, allowing members to earn miles from day one.
There are several ways to earn miles with the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan. Firstly, by simply flying with Alaska Airlines, oneworld® Alliance members, and their Global Partners, including their newest partners, Oman Air and Porter Airlines. When booking flights, it's beneficial to book directly on alaskaair.com or through their app, as this guarantees members will receive at least 100% of their flown miles. Additionally, members can earn miles through everyday activities, such as shopping, dining, and paying bills using the Alaska Airlines Visa® credit card.
The miles earned through the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan can be redeemed for award flights, with both the origin and destination wholly outside the United States, which must be booked at least 72 hours in advance. These award flights can be booked through Alaska Airlines or their partners, Hawaiian Airlines, with whom they offer some of the most direct routes from Seattle and Portland to Sydney, Australia, with a connection in Honolulu. It's worth noting that lap infants are not permitted on international partner awards and will need to be booked at prevailing rates.
For those seeking to fly to Australia, the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan offers a great opportunity to earn and redeem miles. By utilizing their various earning methods and taking advantage of their partnerships, members can accumulate miles faster and get one step closer to their dream trip to Australia.
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Avianca LifeMiles
Avianca is Colombia's flag carrier and national airline and one of the largest airlines in South America. The airline's loyalty program, Avianca LifeMiles, has become quite popular among points and miles collectors due to its numerous sweet spots and excellent flight redemptions on its partner carriers.
LifeMiles can be used across more than 25 different airlines, including Avianca and Star Alliance partners, making it a great option for globetrotters. There are some great sweet spots between Australia and Asia, and the miles required are different for the return leg of each region. For example, you will need fewer LifeMiles flying to Tokyo than to Singapore, despite North Asia being further away from Australia.
Avianca has four elite tiers in the LifeMiles program, offering reciprocal Star Alliance perks with all partner airlines. However, to earn these elite perks, you need to fly Avianca frequently. The first step on the elite status ladder offers perks like priority airport check-in, miles expiration after 24 months, priority phone service, and elite membership maternity leave. The next level adds benefits such as courtesy upgrades to business class on selected routes.
Earning LifeMiles is straightforward, with various options available. You can earn miles by flying with Avianca or other Star Alliance carriers, such as Singapore Airlines, and providing your LifeMiles number during booking. Additionally, you can earn miles by booking accommodation through partners like LifeMiles Hotels, Booking.com, or Marriott Bonvoy. Avianca also offers co-branded credit cards with generous sign-up bonuses and earning rates, providing a quick way to boost your LifeMiles balance.
With its combination of sweet spots, award manipulation, and lack of fuel surcharges, Avianca LifeMiles is a favourite among frequent flyers looking to explore the world.
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Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
To earn Virgin Points, simply add your Flying Club membership number to your booking. You can also earn Tier Points and Virgin Points on Virgin Australia flights by crediting flights flown on any SkyTeam partner or on any of Virgin Atlantic's nine non-alliance partners. The earnings rate depends on the airline, the fare class, and the distance of the flight.
Virgin Atlantic offers a handy earning calculator to help you determine how many miles you will earn from a flight. Flying Club elite status members also earn a bonus on top of the base earnings. Silver members get a 30% points bonus, while Gold elites get a 60% points bonus. Another way to earn Flying Club points is by using the Virgin Red Rewards Mastercard, which earns 3 points per dollar spent on purchases with Virgin companies.
When it comes to redeeming points, Flying Club uses dynamic award pricing, meaning the number of points required to book a flight will vary depending on demand, availability, and travel season. You can use your points to book any seat on a Virgin Atlantic-operated flight, but scarce seats will cost you more points. For example, a low-cost Saver reward seat for a flight between the U.S. and the U.K. can be as few as 12,000 points round trip in economy and 58,000 points in business class.
In addition to flight bookings, Flying Club members can enjoy other benefits such as complimentary Virgin Australia lounge access. All Flying Club members holding a boarding pass for travel in the Business Class cabin on a same-day international flight operated by Virgin Australia are eligible, as well as Flying Club Gold members travelling in any cabin on a same-day international or domestic flight operated by Virgin Australia.
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Delta SkyMiles
While Delta does not publish an official award chart, third-party sources have created unofficial Delta SkyMiles award charts by tracking award flight data. These charts suggest that Delta has consistently devalued the SkyMiles program over time, with some award rates increasing significantly. For instance, Delta increased award rates for business class flights to India by 40% in October 2016 and raised prices for partner Premium cabin awards to Europe and Asia booked within 21 days of departure in August 2017.
Despite the devaluation, Delta SkyMiles can still be a viable way to reach Australia. Delta offers a nonstop route from Los Angeles to Sydney and Brisbane, and members can use their SkyMiles for award redemptions on these flights. The number of miles required for a free flight to Australia can vary, but sources indicate that a round-trip, nonstop flight from Los Angeles to Sydney can cost as low as 56,100 SkyMiles in basic economy, plus taxes and fees. This option is available to cardholders of a Delta credit card, who are eligible for a 15% discount.
Additionally, Delta SkyMiles members can take advantage of the flexible date calendar on Delta's website to find the cheapest dates to fly. By selecting "shop with miles," members can easily view the dates with the lowest award rates. It is worth noting that award pricing is dynamic and unpredictable, and prices can vary significantly depending on demand. Therefore, members should be prepared for potential fluctuations in the number of miles required for their desired itinerary.
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Frequently asked questions
You can fly round trip in basic economy for as little as 60,000 miles.
A first-class ticket to Australia can cost up to 800,000 miles.
A premium economy ticket to Australia typically costs between 88,000 and 130,000 miles round trip.
A business-class ticket to Australia typically costs 130,000 miles or more.
Qantas Frequent Flyer is one of the best frequent flyer programs for flights to Australia.
