Uhluru/Ayers Rock: Domestic Discount Airlines?

[LSKahn]

I finally got my ticket to Melbourne and Christchurch for next summer (next summer in the US, that is).

Anyone know of a good discount airline that flies to Uhluru. I would like to go there from Melbourne for a few days. I know the hotels are expensive (I would stay at the not so cheap hotel, but what can you do?).

Open to any suggestions. As of today, however, DC-Melbourne-Christchurch-Auckland-DC is all set. Of course, the bill will come next month. I thought I had better lock in because I got an excellent deal. I will be flying Air New Zealand (with United for frequent flyer programs). Last time I had a ticket from Quantas and my experience with them was not good (delays, delays). I ended up rerouted home on Air NZ and it went so smooth! This time I fooled around for hours with various fare combinations on Quantas and, when I finally got around to checking out the same itinerary on Air NZ, they were much cheaper--not to mention more convenient flight times.

[soliteyah]

According to my pal Wikipedia, Qantas is the only airline that flies to Ayers Rock: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayers_Rock_Airport And it doesn't look like it flies directly from Melbourne, ugh.

But it looks like you could take Tiger Airways to Alice Springs Airport, which is farther away. http://www.tigerairways.com

Hope that helps a little -- such an exciting trip!

[LSKahn]

Due to logistics, I have eliminated Uhluru and will go to Tasmania instead. My research is the same as what you discovered. Tasmania is right across the strait from Melbourne, so I think it is a better use of my time to go there.

I will worry about Uhluru if there is ever a next time.

Hey, I will be the only person from the US to go to Australia twice on vacation and not go to the Great Barrier Reef and/or Uhluru. I am OK with that.

Alice Springs is 4 1/2 hours driving from Uhluru. I do not want to get involved in that.

[Host Bonjour]

I was going to say Qantas as well, there really is no other way but you've chosen Tasmania and I think you will enjoy that VERY MUCH.

As for Christchurch in NZ, I KNOW you will LOVE Chch (how they abbreviate it there) it is a very, very pretty which looks very English. I really had a lovely, lovely time in Chch........I could have stayed longer but had a LOT of NZ to see on South Island!! And WOW was that wonderful!! Most beautiful place on earth - magnificent because it HAS EVERYTHING. I have seen beautiful places on so many trips but I have never been to one place that has it ALL. And NZ does. My good friends live in Chch and their respective families live in Nelson and Canterbury Plains, both on South Island. I went as far south as Dunedin - spectacular.

In any event, I know you will enjoy your time in Chch and there are a few good side trips you can take from there so you will get to see some other sights as well. Glad you are headed back down under. I will be too because I want to go back and see my "NZ family" again and I cannot leave this world without seeing NZ again - for as much as I DID SEE there is still more to see, including of course my people, and I cannot wait to see that heavenly country again.

I am glad you get to see Oz and NZ for the second time. And who knows - you might go a third.

As for Uluru, it's nice to see but Aborgines consider climbing it disrespectful and there have been many disastrous accidents with climbers. They consider the rock sacred and do not believe it should be climbed by anyone. I for one, would NOT. So going to see it, would not be high on my list. Alice Springs, though, would be. Great city in Oz to visit. So is Melbourne, the Gold Coast city you are headed for and so I know you will enjoy that very much for sure.

Can't wait to hear the trip reports from that one. And I have to go over to Scandinavia because I think I missed the last installments from Finland as I was sick for a longtime and unable to read. I hope overall it was a great experience.

Oz & NZ = GREAT EXPERIENCE GUARANTEED!!!!

[LSKahn]

Yes, who knows? There could be a third time. You never know.

I do intend to do some driving around on the South Island.

I never intended to climb Uhluru, but I did intend to do the walk around it if I had gone there. Air connections are really only convenient to Uhluru from Sydney, so that figured on it getting the axe. Maybe I will get an exchange in Sydney sometime. I did stop there for 5 nights the last time before I started my home exchanges and hit the highlights. As you recall, I landed there when the Pope did for World Youth Day which created a lot of challenges (if the Pope went to the right, I went to the left, etc., etc.) but I managed.

This time, because it will be my second time down under, I am sort of freer to set the itinerary as I have already hit some of the "must sees".

The third time Cairns or Uhluru!

[Host Bonjour]

Lauren

CAIRNS!!!!!!!!!!!!

No debate!

Got to do Great Barrier Reef, also some great towns up there and also the Whitsunday Islands, which you can take a day cruise to, as well. Hands down, CAIRNS!!

And yes, I do remember the Pope situation......timing not so great and 5 days in Sydney is good, but there's a LOT more to do and as you indicated, it's the primary "jumping off point" to most other big Aussie locales, like um, CAIRNS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh and did I mention you should go to see CAIRNS????????

You'll go back. I know you will. Who CAN'T GO BACK DOWN THERE? IT'S AMAZING!!
And you've like, almost been everywhere else? You also need to do a South Pacific Island visit. Hut exchange time!! lol

Just thinking about your travel future here, have your best interests at heart!

[LSKahn]

For Uhluru and Cairns there will have to be a third time. I try and stay focused on relatively small areas to maximize the things I can do using my home exchange home as a base and avoid paying for hotels.