Cheap(er) Australian Domestic Flights

Ok, Australia has 4 airlines... and they're all having sales!

JetStar - in conjunction with their 5th birthday sale, is presently offering a "Take a Friend for Free" Offer for both domestic and international flights. Just a few days ago, they offered flights for 5c (to people subscribed to their JetMail. Book before 11 May 2009, travel between 29 Jul - 16 Sep, 21 Oct - 9 Dec in 2009 and 28 Jan - 18 Mar in 2010.

Virgin Blue - having a go at JetStar is having an "It's not our birthday" bash. They are also running a competition, offering "Instant Win" $50 travel vouchers and 5 grand prizes of a trip for 2 to LA. Similar to Jet Star, book before 11 May 2009, travel between 28 Jul - 17 Sep, 20 Oct - 10 Dec in 2009 and 28 Jan - 18 Mar in 2010.


In keeping up with the Jones' - Qantas is having an Australia-Wide sale... it doesn't really have a theme as far as I can tell, but I'll just put my thoughts at the end. Book by 11 May, and travel between 28 Jul - 17 Sep. There is also another cheap(er) travel period between October and December 09, but their website is not very clear / specific about the dates.


And finally, we have Tiger Airways, using Mother's Day as their selling point. Book by 12 May 2009 (or until seats sell out) but the travel periods are dependent on the flight sectors.


To get a Bigger Bang for your Buck:

1. Sign up for the airlines' email notification of specials - then at least you know the sales are on!
2. Obviously, compare prices between the different airlines, bearing in mind, some do offer better (and more) services for the premium, e.g. checked-in luggage allowances, but factor in "credit card fees". They vary with different airlines. Qantas charges $7.70 per booking, Virgin and JetStar charge $3 per flight, per person and Tiger Airways has a fixed fee of $5 per flight, per person.
   
3. Be flexible! You may need to make a long-term future dated booking to lock in the cheap fares. Check with your employer if you can take time-off (if necessary) before booking to avoid awkward situations.
   
4. Don't rush into making a booking unless you're really sure. There will ALWAYS be another sale... and these airlines all charge a hefty fee to make changes to your itinerary.