New Zealand: Finding a Lower Airfare from North America

Blog4NZ: Helping Travelers Visit New Zealand

Prices to Australia from Canada and the United States have often been lower than to New Zealand. After all, more airlines serve Australia and that means more competition.

Those wanting to visit only New Zealand or to stop there on the way to or from Australia usually face higher fares, sometimes much higher.

The two-ticket solution

There is a way around higher fares to New Zealand that may save you money, especially when there are fare sales to Australia that do not include New Zealand.

Check out the cost of two tickets:

• A roundtrip deeply-discounted fare from a major city in Canada or the U.S. to a major city such as Sydney in Australia, and
• A roundtrip fare from Sydney, Melbourne, or Brisbane to New Zealand.

Besides Auckland and Christchurch, which have the most service, you will find direct flights from Australia to Dunedin, Queenstown, and Wellington, all fine places to begin a New Zealand trip.

The airlines

Of course, Air New Zealand and Qantas serve both countries, and you should check their fares.

Most likely though, the best fare will be on:

• Aerolineas Argentinas to Auckland
• Emirates to Auckland and Christchurch
• Jetstar, budget arm of Qantas
• LAN Chile to Auckland
• Pacific Blue, part of the Virgin family, with extensive service

Besides these airlines directly, check third party websites for possibly lower fares.

With Air New Zealand, Emirates, Jetstar, Pacific Blue, and Qantas, you can arrive either on the north or south island and then leave from the other. That saves money backtracking.

I used Emirates into Auckland and out of Christchurch on my last trip for its award-winning fine service and received United Mileage Plus points.

Caution!

If you use the two-ticket solution to save, stay two or more nights in Australia in each direction. For most people, Australia provides a most welcome stopover.

The reason you need time between trips is that the airline from North America on your first ticket will NOT be responsible if you miss the airline to New Zealand on your second ticket, or vice versa.

A missed connection because of flight delays or schedule changes could far more than wipe out your savings.

May you enjoy New Zealand as much as I do!