Cheap Flights to Sydney Australia
Keep the change for things to do in Sydney

Want to fly for less?  Who doesn't?   Here's how to find the best cheap flights to Sydney Australia. Keep the change for things to do in Sydney. And don't forget your visa for travel to Australia.

Cheap flights to Sydney Australia:
Sydney Harbour Bridge, Luna Park on left, Sydney Opera House behind

It may take some time and searching to get the cheapest international flights,but it's not hard to do. Finding cheap travel in Australia is even easier. Internal flights to Sydney are quite inexpensive in spite of the often huge distance between two places.

This page has my general suggestions for getting cheap flights. They're a good place to start. Go here for specifics on where to find the cheapest flights to Sydney.

Tips for Getting Cheap Flights to Sydney Australia

To Get the Cheapest Air tickets

Cheap flights to Sydney Australia
Discover Sydney: view from Callan Park
up the Parramatta River

Book early to get the cheapest air tickets. The budget airline model, also followed by full serviceairlines for their special deals, is that a limited number of seats are released at eachprice point. Once the cheapest are gone, they're gone for good.

The next price point then applies until it too is sold out. And so it goes on. The closer to the date of the flight, the less chance you have of finding a cheap seat. They've long been taken by smart travellers.

Seasonal Budget Travel Tips

Avoid peak seasons. For Australia, the highest of high season starts a few weeks before Christmas and goes until a few weeks after new year.

And generally try to avoid school holidays. If you can't avoid this time, grit your teeth and pull out your credit card.

Airline Rewards Cards

Cheap flights to Sydney Australia
Get air miles everywhere

Get just one of the airline rewards cards - something widely accepted like the Visa or Mastercard rewards cards - and use it for everything you buy. Those reward points will add up to air miles which you can use to pay for all or part of your trip to Sydney Australia.

Try for one with no annual fee, and don't get more than one as the rewards program charges can quickly outweigh the air miles value. The idea is to minimise your costs of using the card and maximise your earning of air miles.

For this to be really valuable you have to pay your card balance in full each month. If you're paying interest on an outstanding amount then air miles are only an illusory benefit. But if you manage to do that, then you really can travel for free.

I've been around the world three times, around Australia flying business class, and on lots of smaller trips, all on air miles. They work. But you have to use the system and not let it use you.

How to Get Cheap Flights

Be flexible with your travel arrangements. A few days either side of your target date can give you a wide range of prices, often with substantial savings.

Airline Travel Tips

Check airline schedules. Not every airline flies every day. Some very attractively priced airlines fly into Sydney only once or twice a week. Don't miss them by being too narrow in your search criteria.

Cheap Travel in Australia: Tips

Travel at off-peak times.

As well as looking at different days, look at off peak times. This probably applies more to flights within Australia, but can also affect international flights.

If it's a time that a business person would want to arrive or leave you can probably do better.

Very early morning, late evening and the middle of the day will often be considerably cheaper.

Lower Sydney Airfare Mid-week

Avoid flights on Sunday, Monday and Friday. This is not cast in stone, but again it's usually when the business world wants to come and go. Let it. Check out Tuesday to Thursday, and often Saturday as well, for better deals.

International Air Fare Alternatives

Cheap flights to Sydney Australia:
Travel via Uluru - it's possible

Consider the alternatives. Is there another airport close by that might provide a better deal?

Flying from your home town direct to Sydney may be easy, but it may also cost you significantly more than leaving from a nearby airport and arriving at a different spot in Australia. Climate and weather in Australia.

Internally, travel in Australia can be very cheap. So there's an added bonus - you get to see another part of Australia for free or very close to it.

Many International Airlines in Sydney

Compare airlines. You don't have to stick with just one. Mix and match airlines if it gets you a better deal. Especially if you're coming from Europe.

Singapore, and increasingly Kuala Lumpur too, is a great hub for picking up a budget flight for the Sydney leg of the journey.

Not Just the Flight

Cheap Flights To Sydney Australia:
Sleep In A Real Bed

Stopovers are wonderful.

Not only are they cheap, they let your body start adjusting to a new time zone.

You'll find it easier to handle your first days in Sydney.

Plus, you sleep in a real bed instead of an airline seat, so you get more quality sleep.

I often think that what we call jet lag is predominantly sleep deprivation.

It's one reason why business class travellers pay twice as much - to get a flat bed to sleep in.

A stopover achieves the same effect at a fraction of the cost.

Money Saving Travel Tips

Always ask about taxes and surcharges. They can bump up the cost of a ticket by hundreds. Not all airlines show them upfront. I know I've been burnt by them.

So keep a special eye out for them; sometimes you have to go through to almost the end of the booking before they pop up.

After finding cheap flights to Sydney Australia, don't forget to apply for the best Australian visa for your needs. If you want to stay for more than three months, or your country doesn't qualify you for an eVisitor or ETA, look at the visa requirements for Australia here.   If you're between 18 and 30, think about a work travel visa Australia.

Finally, what about accommodation? Here's an easy way to see different hotel prices and get the best rates.