Third-Party
Scoot is having an incredible sale on flights to Greece. Travel is in late April - June/22. Prices listed are for carryon luggage only.
$562 Return Melbourne to Athens Flights
Scoot Return Airfare to Athens: from Melbourne $562, Sydney $591, Gold Coast $610 @ I Want That Flight
960
nocure on 17/02/2022 - 12:01 iwantthatflight.com.au (1427 clicks)
Last edited 17/02/2022 - 16:50 by 1 other user
Last edited 17/02/2022 - 16:50 by 1 other user
Related Stores
closed Comments
lots of countries have no opened up international routes to pre pandemic levels, good signs
Under $600 to Europe is amazing.
Total cost is over $1000 return, unless you just take the very basic flight with - no checked in bag, no food & random seat!
Scoot is a low cost carrier, with lots of extra charges!
When you add in basics like a checked in bag, basic meals & seat allocation - that adds $452 each!
Heres an idea thats so out there. Dont avail those extras.
Already suggested! But would you?
I've done that for years. Used to travel cheap overseas 9mth a year!
Most wouldn't do that on long flights!Its a long flight with no food! Can't sit with travel companion, & only a 7kg bag.
But once those basics are added, it's not that cheap compared with some major airline Deals, that include those basics & better in the price!
@INFIDEL: People have survived longer without food.
Cant sit with travel companion? Not the end of the world. Im sure you will end up at the same destination with stories to tell about the convo you had with the passenger next to you. Or you know you can amuse yourself with say some movies or tv shows you got on your tablet or phone.
7kg hand carry? People have travelled with less and managed.
If you want them luxuries by all means pay the extra. For those who like to travel on the cheap. Why not.
I believe what you are after is all the perks of other flights with choice of seats luggage and meals for the price of this flight. Which is unlikely to happen.
@xoom: Speak for yourself!
What have you done travelling so absolutely cheaply??I believe what you are after is…
Best not to make unfounded assumptions!!
Have been a regular low budget overseas traveller (until last few years). Longing to travel!
Have written about my ultra budget travel experiences here!
Only worked a few days in decades - I'd rather travel (cheaply for longer)!Flew with Air Asia to UK in 2010, just bought a little food on $650rtn flight. My budget tip is to sleep for most of flight! (Saves on eating & arrive refreshed.) Usually bring light food on with me.
Only flown budget airlines with no extras, since then. Haven't ever paid for seat choice.
On Scoot to Singapore, was randomly seated between foodies from Malacca & Singapore. Left flight with a long list of places for great food & their numbers!A trick some of us learnt with budget airlines, wait to last at check-in & be allocated great seats at no extra cost. Some cheap airlines sell those empty seats in flight! So end up with 3 seats, while others are crammed in!
Only travelled overseas with small pack weighing around 7kg in over 10yr.
Often wear 3 layers of clothes through check-in to lighten carry-on & shed those once on board. Always take a jacket with lots of pockets!In rural Ireland (Ryan Air flight from Stansted), learnt the advantage to be first out of airport with small carry on bag. Hitched a lift with interesting local into Kerry! Always great to get local perspective!
Hitchhiked overseas & sleep unobtrusively on beaches & parks on many travels in Japan. Or $13/n hotels there. (Staff there know me, my writings are on the walls, and have performed Rakugo on TV. My photo was used to promote the traditional storytelling.)
Almost always eat cheap with locals. Many times locals are impressed & pay for my meals. Made friends with locals in tiny rural villages. Gave away so much food & clothes to needy. Had great adventures!
Was given us$200 while hitching in mountains in Japan. As we had such a good 2 days, the others considered i deserved a gift. I was embarrassed. Japan is different!
Lived with Monks on my travels in Nepal - so used to fasting. And operated a free food service in 2 cities here.
So am very used to travelling cheaply!!
Just most might not think this Deal is so cheap when they consider all the extra charges!!
@INFIDEL: Wow!! Fascinating travel stories. Would love to meet you at one of the Ozbargain meetups. :)
@Mamajo: It pays for drinks on my travels😉
Was telling one of my tales to fellow travellers in a dusty village in Myanmar. One of them finished it. He'd heard me telling it in Yangon & couldn't help himself!
Was there volunteering - training locals. It's a great way to learn about people. Paid the bar bill (us$50) for a party we'd organised for 40 locals on an island in the middle of the Irrawaddy River. Just another amazing experience for me.
Was in Myanmar, at the first International Writers Festival. The military only lifted written censorship as I flew in on a $40 flight. Met local authors & leaders, as I randomly do. And sadly spotted a corpse floating down the river - a military killing, while travelling with a British Journalist (illegally in the country)…
Was at the Brisbane meet again this year.
@INFIDEL: I adore your passion for travel. I used to be like you, well maybe I never slept in parks but I used to just grab a backpack and go, choosing a destination by tossing a coin!
I still travel as much as I can, however…Time flies like crazy… Fast forward to 2022 and if I ever wanted to follow your steps on a 20 hour flight with Scoot in economy my body would say: 'What the **** is wrong with you?! You treat me this cheap and I'll give you pains in return and make sure that you're always tired and unable to enjoy any of your destinations <evil laugh>'
So I say do it if you're in your 20s, don't ever look back.
When you get a little older, just remember your body is your temple. If you want to enjoy this world on a budget, don't try to save up on a comfortable bed and a good night sleep.
@polstralian: Yes, often requires different approaches at different times of life.
Generally, when younger, we are more resilient, able to put up with a little discomfort, but often have less $. So go for cheaper offers
Later in life most want more comfort (disliking pains) & able to pay more for pleasures like travel.We don't have to be young or lack money to enjoy budget travel! Just a sense of adventure! The passion as you put it.
Met a millionaire in an upmarket backpackers (free drinks!), and 90 year olds in a YHA setting out on the Overland Track in Tas (great tales).
I'm still travelling cheaply - despite being considered wealthy. Its a simple joy - experiencing slow travel over many years, not spending much, but having great contact with locals, & eating with them, instead of being cocooned in a hotel etc.
Planning to do this for rest of my life.
Its an enriching experience.
First backpacked overseas decades ago😉 Budget travel was a revelation!
Back then I camped on a $10 thin foam mat. Now I require something for more comfort ($180 Exped down filled self inflating mat)!
Still backpack. Knock around with 20 year olds (who think I'm knowledgeable & help me feel 20 again), & also accepted by 70 year olds (who think I'm young & have time to share their lives).
In some countries, wild camping is acceptable.
On a beach on Shikoku Japan, 2 elderly men excitedly whispered outside, while I slept in my tent. They considered it a great honour I chose their tiny fishing village! So we shared coffee.
Walking there on a trail with Buddhist Henro (pilgrims), slept in parks in villages. But made sure no one would notice - that would be very inconsiderate in Japanese culture, but not the sleeping rough!
Like you say, our bodies can tell us 'What the **** is wrong with you?!…
18hr cheap train trip (sleeping in seat) last year damaged my neck & spoilt the 3 week island holiday. (Wouldn't have happened when I was younger!)
Now its an unfortunate downside for me of cheap travel. Should have flown, but was expensive with a big bag. Or at least broken the journey, which I did on my return trip.
Question is - am I enjoying travelling like this?
For me, this public transport is just to get me to a destination, to live an interesting life! (personal motto).
So, as long as I am reasonably comfortable, I need no more.That long train trip - was a definite no! So won't do that type of travel again!
🚅🚞 Enjoy your travels!! 🚁🚀
@INFIDEL: You are a great story teller! You can keep writing and I will be happy to keep reading :-)
Staying at YHA is pretty comfy vs sleeping in parks or upright in Scoot's economy. I'm therefore not surprised you met a 90 year old there. I also made friends with some wonderful seniors when backpacking (wherever a bed was provided).
I never mentioned my wealth status as this does not always reflect on the quality/budget I set aside for a trip. It's simply mood related and depends on what kind of adventure I am setting off to.
I enjoy 5* hotels and I equally adore camping in my tent in the Victorian bushland, stargazing at night. I just bought a comfy stretcher + a self inflating mat. Did I spend a fortune for it? Absolutely not. Does it improve my experience and allow me to enjoy outdoors longer with no back pains? - hell yes! ;-)
Interestingly you mentioned that a long train trip is no longer something that you would consider. I guess this comes down to the countries you have experienced those trains in.
I travelled on a night train in Thailand multiple times. Slept in a flat bed (it was cheap as chips) and even though it was hot and involved some pretty big cockrouches crawling everywhere, I still got plenty of rest and I'd be happy to do it again!
I travelled across Europe on night trains too. I used to do it as a teenage boy on my very limited pocket money. I was so eager to see what's out there! So I used to jump on a night train eg from Warsaw to Prague, sleep comfortably for 10-12 hours, refresh myself in the morning then enjoy the city during the day, go out at night and come back on a train the following day. Crazy memories.
I still do night trains in Europe and even though they are no longer as cheap, if booked a few weeks in advance you can score a great deal! I am therefore still happy to do long distance night trains and overall I enjoy train trips during day hours as well. You get see a totally different perspective of both the country side and the cities.
What I stopped doing all together are 24h + coach bus trips which were a great way to travel in my early 20s across Europe. They were cheap and already relatively modern. My first trip from Warsaw to London was on coach bus. I am still friends with some of the people that I met on that bus. If I wanted to repeat it today, my back would have killed me!
And this concludes around your motto: public transport is just to get me to a destination, to live an interesting life!
I agree to a certain extend. Whether it's a bus, a train or a plane (in the worst case scenario, can be a Scoot flight too lol) they are all an improtant part of my overall escapade. Why - it was mainly during my journeys/along the way that I met the most interesting and wonderful people, many of whom are still my friends today. For me it's never just about the destination, it's about cherishing and making the most of every single minute after I leave my house on the next adventure, it's about the people I meet along my way, whether it's on a budget or not. One way or another, a comfy bed or a self infalting mat and at least 6 hours of sleep is a must ;-)
All in all, it all comes down to a personal preference and as long as you get to experience and enjoy the beauty of this world, seeing it all through your own eyes, it's what matters the most!
Happy travels to all of you!
@polstralian: Thanks, for reading.
Travel & people are a favourite topic for me.My train travel last year was $25 Brisbane to Townsville. The old trains had more comfy seats, now they're hard, unless you upgrade.
Overnight travel is a usual budget travel tip to save costs on accommodation, especially with travel pass.
My tip is backpackers leave behind a lot of clothes at backpacker hostels before flying out. Most places have a free clothes etc box. Handy when travelling light to pick up clothes on arrival! (My wardrobe has so many found free on travels.)
(In Osaka, my usual cheap place is in a slum. I wash the cast off good clothes when people fly home after teaching English. Then distribute to local homeless.)Overnight buses - not for me. I'd rather travel slow, stop, & enjoy the journey.
While some race through many counties, I prefer seeing a region in depth. Base myself somewhere cheap on a transport hub, & explore from there. And come back another time to explore other regions of that country. The advantage of having plenty of time for slow travel.
Yes, for me the people, culture & local food make the experience. That's part of the destination for me, just as much as a child repeatedly kicking the back of my airline seat is an unfortunate part of the journey😉
On storytelling….
Have appeared on Japanese TV performing traditional Japanese storytelling - Rakugo (in English).
Locals said I showed great respect & understanding. But realised I am not that good, after watching a class of Japanese who had trained for years.Created a popular student newspaper at Uni. From that was employed to lecture in writing. Then was asked to teach Professors how to teach. Learnt as I went, my usual way. Uni provided a top floor office for me as a 2nd year student. My professors were jealous - it was bigger & better than there's😊
Never really worked, just taught how to see things differently. My workshops always sold out. Clients included one of the top in world of their sport, State Manager of multinational, Minister of Govt… They taught me so much. Best way is to be paid well to have fun & learn.
That is the way I travel overseas. I take my time. People warm to my childlike curiosity. And invite me to learn more. Some don't want me to leave, finding a wonderful woman to marry, a house to live in, …
I move on. I'm a traveller.Sometimes the best gift is to show true understanding & interest in another's life & stories. And for them to know they will be remembered.
In Kyoto listened to a Japanese man (Jay, in his 40's), who took a day & a few plum wines, before he could say he was dying. Terminal Cancer. I guessed as much by his behaviour, but allowed his story to gently unfold. We talked through his fears.
In Japan that's not done - it's a Formal culture with specified rituals, not informal chats.
He felt so relieved he referred to me as Buddha. It was such a wonderful shared experience for both of us.
Just 1 intense day. Travelled on. A month later he had disappeared.
@M00Cow: Yes, what is tolerable, squeezed in for a short time, can be unbearable on a long haul flight. Athens is a long way from Singapore.
Scoot was one of the better budget airlines in my experience! So you can imagine how bad some were.
Last year, took an 18hr train journey - sitting up because it was cheapest. Never again!!
Injured my neck trying to sleep. Was in pain when I reached the island. Dr wasn't able to see me as required imaging, meaning a trip to the mainland. Spoilt the holiday, by being so cheap!!Learnt to sleep anywhere… on broken down buses in mountain travel in the Himalayas long ago. It passes the time, until a goat on the bus wakes you up😂
Quite sure if I'm getting a ticket under $600 I can afford $10-$20 on food. I won't need much, just something to tide me over for the Singapore - Athens flight. Probably go for a kids meal ($10)
Checked in luggage is honestly such a pain I normally don't bother anyway so nothing lost there.
Total cost: $611 :)
Oh it's doable. As I did on AirAsia GC-London long ago.
Have flown Scoot a few times @$99 with no extras to Singapore.For me its not the journey, its always the destination. So a little discomfort makes me happier to arrive!
Never paid for extras (including food) when flights cost so little (eg $1 each way Jetstar GC-Adelaide, Ryan Air £1 flights in Europe).
It's just if people aren't aware that's what this price buys, they may not be happy bunnies afterwards! Was told in previous comments - it can spoil some people's holidays😉
Famous saying here - "you get what you pay for"!
Some will compare this cheap price of this LCC with full service airlines…
$10-$20 on food
Better recheck your maths!
Food may have limited availability if not pre-purchased. Seen that with LCC.Have you looked at the meal choices on Scoot site? Had a quick look… While checking screen after screen of extra charges.
All meals I saw were $17ea pre-purchased. There are 2 flights each way, so very basic meals add up to $68. Like all LCC, they will want to make money out of you, so there will be overpriced snacks.
The meals don't look appetizing or large! (I've eaten a purple rice gruel on a flight - because it was included. So I'd eat them.) Seem similar to choices on Air Asia, but dearer.
@INFIDEL: Flown Scoot before and other LCC. On scoot, you can prepay a kids meal for SGD 10 (About $10 AUD). I don't need something on the Syd-Singapore flight, I can pick something up in the extended layover for cheap. I wouldn't even bother with a meal if it was just to Singapore.
Food isn't a priority tastewise for me, it's literally just to have something in my stomach. I'm happy to pay $20 for the convenience when I'm saving $500+Btw since when has (economy at least) airplane food ever looked appetising 😂
@decc0: Sounds like good planning!
Yes, I never buy food on flights around 8hr or less (eg Singapore, KL, Tokyo). After all it's the amount of time most people sleep, not needing food.Of course not eating them, I don't know what Scoot's meals taste like. But I did frequently buy Nasi Lemak on Air Asia flights because it was great
Plan to visit Greece. Won't take up this Deal as planning to travel for years, so have different requirements.
@INFIDEL: Yeah it's smart in Scoots part to only include the $17 meals when actually booking tickets but once they are booked you can go "manage my booking" and find you can pre-order a lot more.
<8 hrs goes by real quick. Bring a device with downloaded movies/TV shows and music and sleep off the rest :) A few offline games wouldn't hurt either!
Of course not eating them, I don't know what Scoot's meals taste like.
Only have once but just tasted like generic airplane food to me, or maybe I'm just not fussy 😂
@decc0: Have travelled a lot, so prefer to sleep😴
Took up those airline food Deals - enjoyed the taste. Yes, most don't look great!
I simply fast or have a light snack I brought on. Then look forward to an interesting meal on arrival!
After all that's why I travel.Got burnt in collapse of Air Asia - may still have credit. Only time I pre-paid meals, I was looking forward to travelling so much - 2 years ago.
Enjoy Greece.
I have too much to do here (prepare & sell house) ready for a long adventure! Greece can wait.
Loved it LS👍
Never heard it before.
Miss Ireland, hearing "fecking" all the fecking time😉"Cheap Flights! …found a flight for 50p"
Like in the song, was travelling to Kerry. Cheapest flight was a £1 Ryan Air flight Stansted to Kerry. But the cheapest way to Stansted Airport from London cost 10 times more! Was still a very cheap flight with no issues. As usual with Ryan Air, airport looked more like a cow paddock.
But as t&c stated RA weren't responsibly for lost luggage! And checked bags + insurance were exorbitant…
Learnt to travel light for first time. Bought a small pack to carry on (10kg limit). Still use it on some travels.So an adventure began😊
Thank you Ryan Air & Cheap Flights!
Cost can be dearer than recent full service Singapore Airlines flight Deals to Europe… if you want to take a bag, eat, & select your seats (try the quiet zone).
Good price for nice time of year in Greece, if you don't want the extras & can travel light. Meals are available for $17.
Good price, but seems to be 20+ hour layovers in Singapore. Gotta pay a fair bit extra to avoid that.
Is Singapore open for us? I mean just spend a little while in Singapore as a mini extra little destination on the way to Europe?
I did a Greece trip in 2019 and did exactly that - had 22 hours in Singapore and was perfect to leave the airport and experience Singapore.
Yeah whenever my sister had a long layover at singapore. She goes out of the airport and roam about the place. Eat and watch the sights. 20+ hours is plenty to do that.
The key detail here is 2019
A colleague is trying to get his flights back to the homeland, but cannot visit Singapore, and is stuck with the hotel, which is like USD800 (apparently), or lounge around with kids for 20-odd hours. Buyer beware
I believe Singapore is open.
'colleague' must be unvaccinated. They have a thing called "Vaccinated Travel Lane" I believe
Wouldn’t mind a few hours layover in Singapore…if u an get out of the airport and grab some street food.
yep mrt is cheap as well.
If you book thru Scoot and select to depart a day earlier, still get a good price but with a 25hr flight.
couldnt find anything. would you be able to provide an example of the dates please?
Sure! Go to flyscoot(dot)com directly.
Plug in 31 Aug - 15 Sept. and the fare is $640 return. 25hrs there, 20hrs return.
Protip: Upgrade seat selection to scoot silence bulkhead seats with massive legroom for an extra $424
Great prices. Wow.
I think the 20+ hours at Singapore layover would be brutal, we still can't enter Singapore without quarantine etc, so, the flight I looked at I would be at Changi between 4am until 1am for next flight. Would be okay if you're in the right terminal at Changi (they have a free cinema etc) but from memory, an airline like Scoot doesn't fly out through the big/nice international terminal, but rather a different one so all those free luxuries don't exist. I could be wrong though, if someone has more info, please add.
Either way, amazing deal. Sub $600 to anywhere in Europe is insane.
Not quite right there anymore. Under the VTL, you can enter Singapore with just a RAT on arrival from 22 Feb onwards. Scoot fly to Terminal 1 in Singapore which Qantas and many other airlines also use. But all the terminals at Changi are interconnected anyway.
My experience was different at Changi, and couldn't access the "good" terminal with movies etc. Would have been flying with some budget carrier for sure - Tiger/Scoot/Cebu/JetStar or something, might have changed since I was there. Didn't know about the RAT thing from Feb 22, that's awesome news!
Wife and I went to Thailand via Singapore on Scoot with a 8 hour layover in December 2021. We arrived early morning around 3am and the airport was dead. All shops closed, and construction inside the airport. A few of the smaller cafes opened around 9am but none of the major restaurants (maybe they opened later). You couldn't move between the Terminals, so we pretty much just slept on some couches for majority of the time. I'm not sure if things have relaxed since then as Omicron was at its height.
The VTL only allows you to be in Terminal 1 in Changi (or whichever terminal the airline is berthing),
and all the shops are closed (ie. it's a ghost town there)There are still passengers in white hazmat overalls, transiting through SG airport,
so the threat and risk-mitigation is still 2020 style.
Singapore now (from next week) only requires quarantine till a supervised RAT is done - so if they are doing these at the airport then you should be free for the stopover.
Still no worth it to fly Scott though. Worse LCC around.
Scott
Agreed, I certainly wouldn't want to ride Scotty from marketing.
OzB Scotty > OzPM Scotty
I fly Scoot frequently when I'm doing just a Singapore trip. Their business class seat for $500 is a steal. That said, I would never fly economy with them, but you can use it to have Jetstar price match
They are pretty hardcore when it comes to food and drink on the plane. I've seen the staff yell at people for eating food that wasn't bought in the air. On a flight to Singapore, you need at least one meal, and then onwards to Greece, another 2. You'll be spending nearly $100 in food and drink on top of your airfare in economy.
The flight to SYD out of Singapore was at 2/3am so was OK if you payed for Scoot Quiet, as no one else would, and slept all the way.
Any time spent awake was a nightmare.
Luckily I didn't find that when I used them in 2019 in Greece. I snuck on Subway and ate that.
If it's $485 to add on checked baggage this is truly a terrible deal
LOL why would you do that?
Did you check the extra charges?
Total flight cost over $1000 return including basics on a "low cost carrier"
I was surprised!! (I'm used to flying overseas very cheap. Flew with AirAsia to UK.)If you take any checked in luggage, eat the 2 basic meals each way, & select the seats - that's about what those basics cost on "low cost carrier" Scoot!
Otherwise you're limited to a 7kg bag, sneaking your own food on those long flights (can buy on flight), & taking the random seats you'll be allocated (you didn't want to sit together, did you)!
Parent business, Singapore Airlines might be a better & more comfortable way to travel.
Don’t do that.
And if you need buy some cheap clothes there and just leave them behind when coming back.Just need a pair of shorts, pair of pants, undies and pair of shoes .. and a toothbrush.
Was doing that overseas since 2010!
Warm time of year, Greek islands… Don't need much in clothes.
Can just take carry on pack for travels of about a month. Travelling in warm season means bag is lighter. Buy basic needs & clothes there, give away old clothes before return.
A freeing way to travel. No waiting at carousel for luggage!
Enjoy!
Not cheap!
$452 extra each return for 20kg bag, meals & seat selection.
$1062 return GC-Athens!! Ouch!
Better airlines may have cheaper offers.On Scoot site:
"FLYBAG" shows $141 extra each way for 20kg check-in baggage
"FLYBAGEAT" is $34 more with mealsBut adding bags in booking is $129 for 20kg, all meals (basic) $17ea.
$102 charge for return seat selection!!
Can set to let Scoot choose - my usual option.
What's Scoots rebooking like for trips impacted by COVID, voucher, no questions asked refund, or lose the lot?
There has been a bit of bad press about Qantas's voucher bookings. Not saying the two are the same.
For Etihad I got ever cent back minus the CC fee. (but had to fight for that)
"Enjoy a one-time FREE date change for bookings made from 10-03-20 to 31-03-22.
You will be able to make one date change up to 4 hours before you fly. T&Cs apply."
From Scoot site after selecting flight etcMight be best to book flights as singles, rather than return?
Apparently all flight agencies (Kiwi, Gotogate, Lastminute…) have low rating. Very low, in fact!
I am not sure I would take the risk with any of them.What I used to do (pre-covid) was use Flight Centre's price match guarantee and book through them instead. Don't know if this still works but should?
It doesn't tried it recently and 'flight centre no longer price matches'. However their price was only slightly higher so I booked with them anyway.
Oh, I should add, I got my Etihad refund after fighting a FCT company (Flight Centre Travel). I've always booked though companies that are licensed travel agents in Australia, and someone like FCT seem less shady. After speaking with them for ages it basically came down to if Etihad returned the full amount, they would pass it on. But at least FCT tried, others may have just fobbed me off.
Maybe it’s better to book these ultra-cheap flights last minute. Even if you can get a voucher, it may be next to impossible to redeem.
What's the BYOF policy on Scoot these days? They still tell ppl off?
Movies in the cinema at the airport play non stop. Also great food, butterfly area, largest indoor slid……
It looks like there are additional rules for just transiting through Singapore, i.e. negative testing result, even though Greece only requires vaccination certificate. Not worth it.
🔮 So that's what your crystal ball is predicting for "late April-June"? 🔮
Must come back & check your prediction then!
What a great price!
I just booked a one-way Canberra to Ballina flight (via Sydney) on Qantas for $576 🙄🥲
The usual extras on your flight (baggage etc) costs almost that price in this Deal😉
True
I don’t even need checked luggage for domestic trips.. but will need for a Europe trip!
It all depends on what you really need on the trip & reason for the journey.
I like to be agile & flexible by traveling light. And I'm cheap😉
@INFIDEL: I like to be cheap 😃
I’d rather buy clothes at the destination than pay $200 in luggage fees 😂
Very much with @the INFIDEL on the 7kg carry on being the way to go. We've done about a decade of European trips like this - with a bit of care and wearing heaviest clothes on board you can cover pretty well mid Spring through mid Autumn. We got a bit wet on a few days, but all part of the travel experience.
The big plus for us isn't low cost airlines and fast transfers (it's a nice bonus though - we can be out of a European airport and on the way to the city centre in less than 20 minutes after touchdown). It's much more about ease of travel when you are there. 10 minutes to put everything into a small backpack, no effort to move through crowds, no suitcase to lug, no worries about stuff getting stolen. Just get up and go when you are ready and arrive fresh and relaxed rather than sweaty and angry with suitcase bouncing over cobblestones behind you. It is just unbelievably more comfortable.
No MEL - ATH-MEL flights in June ??? Come'on OP.
Wow, wasn't expecting to see pre pandemic prices so soon.
Under $600 to Europe is amazing.