Also a good idea if multiple stops are required or desired
With year-round Business Class fares to Australia and New Zealand averaging $6,000 to $13,000 on most major airlines, depending on the advance purchase requirement, and with mileage awards not always available when you want them, lesser-known airlines are worth considering if you want to drive costs down or explore multiple destinations.
Three Opportunities to Australia and New Zealand
The Best Deal, Seat, and Aircraft: China Southern Airlines (CSA) – SkyTeam Partner
Fares: Business Class starts at $4,583 to Sydney and Melbourne from Los Angeles, the airline’s only U.S. gateway; and $5,227 from New York, where its partners include American, Delta, and US Airways for domestic connections from many U.S. cities. It also allows a stop-over in LA for about $50, depending on the departure city.
The fare from LAX does not require an advance purchase (NYC is 28 days) or a minimum stay, making this potentially attractive for a variety of reasons over traditional carriers: United, for example, charges $6,838 from Los Angeles, when you book 90-day in advance and $12,876 with no advance purchase, a difference of up to $8,293 (64%).
Free Stop-over City: With CSA your connection and free stop-over city is Guangzhou, China, a decent jumping-off point to other destinations in Asia.
Bonus Stop-over in Los Angeles (or, how to get to the South Pacific in Business Class for only $1,000!): Let’s take NYC-Sydney ($5,227) and assume that on the return flight you stop in China for five days and then spend another five days in LA to see family or do business. The total ticket cost is $5,246 from NYC with the NY-LA leg in Business Class on American, a ticket that on its own costs $4,274. In other words, for another $1,000 you get Australia (and China). Very interesting.
CSA’s Route Network: Offers non-stop service from Los Angeles to Guangzhou, on an A380, with same-day connections to Melbourne and Sydney using an A330, A332, or A333. As of Oct. 27, the airline will fly the A380 to Sydney, as well.
CSA’s Business Class Seat: 70 flat-bed seats on the upper deck, all with aisle access: 75” long and 24” wide, with a 15” digital monitor.
CSA’s U.S. Mileage Earning Partners: None on this discounted fare, even though it’s a SkyTeam member.
Hawaiian Airlines to the South Pacific
Fares: Business Class starts at $3,600 to Auckland from Los Angeles and $3,900 from New York; while Air New Zealand charges $6,100 to $8,200, a difference of up to $4,300 (52%). You can also get a stop-over in each direction in Honolulu if you want.
Hawaiian’s Route Network: It offers non-stop service from Honolulu to Auckland and Sydney using an A330-200 and to Brisbane using a B767-300. Extensive connections to Honolulu from many West Coast cities and New York. See link for route map.
Hawaiian’s Business Class Seat: On the A330, it reclines 9”, is 20.38 inches wide, and has 45 to 46 inches of pitch. Seats are arranged 2-2-2 and are equipped with a 10.6” in-arm monitor. (Stats: it’s not a flat-bed but the older style recline.) Earn and redeem miles with Delta when flying Hawaiian.
China Eastern Airlines (CEA) – SkyTeam Partner
Fares: Business Class starts at $4,691 to Melbourne and Sydney from Los Angeles and New York with no-advance purchase and no-minimum stay requirement. United charges $7,703 with a 90-day advance and $14,599 with no advance purchase from New York, a difference of up to $9,908 (68%). The connection and free stop-over city is Shanghai, also a jumping-off point to other destinations in Asia.
CEA’s Route Network: Offers non-stop service from Los Angeles and New York to Shanghai, China, using an A346, and onward same-day connections to Melbourne and Sydney from Los Angeles. (An overnight stay in Shanghai is required on the return.) From New York, an overnight in Shanghai is necessary in both directions. The airline’s U.S. network is set up for fares and connections with Alaska, American, Delta, US Airways, Virgin America, and Westjet, and run $300 to $1,000 more r/t.
CEA’s Business Class Seat: On the A346, it reclines 165 degrees, is 20” wide, has 60” of pitch, and a 2-2-2 layout.
CEA’s U. S. Mileage Earning Partners: None on this discounted fare, even though it’s a SkyTeam member.