US Vacation in Mid-June to Mid-July

kozb on 16/01/2025 - 10:59
Last edited 16/01/2025 - 15:16 by 1 other user

Hello OzB members, I am looking to book Melbourne to Charlotte (CLT) flights for my family of three (38F, 9YO daughter and 4YO boy) as they intend to meet their close family living in NC.

I have tried multiple combinations (such as MEL- LAX - CLT - DFW - MEL or MEL - DFW - CLT - DFW - MEL via Nadi in most cases) and the ticket fares are around $6K to $7K for three of them and in some cases $8K also. Are these usual fares around this period or is it worth waiting for some deals?

I thought of splitting like MEL - LAX and 3 days in LAX before taking a domestic flight to CLT and continue our family trip and again return from CLT to LAX and then fly from LAX to MEL, still the prices are bit higher for my needs.

Any suggestions? Thanks in advance.

Travel Charlotte North America United States

Comments

  • Dollar General on 16/01/2025 - 11:01
    +1

    Will not take long for Trump to turn America into a dumpster fire and fares may come down

    • Fredfloresjr on 16/01/2025 - 11:23
      +2

      and Australia will be the 51st state. LFG!!

      • Thrift on 16/01/2025 - 12:25
        +5

        Maybe we'd be the 56th state:

        • 51th: Trump PanAmCanal
        • 52rd: Trumpland
        • 53st: Trump Greatest Israel (formerly eastern Syria)
        • 54nd: Trumpanada
        • 55st: Trump TaiWinning
        • 56rd: Trump Greatest Southern Land
        • Lastchancetosee on 17/01/2025 - 15:00

          Don't forget Greenland and Canada

          • Thrift on 17/01/2025 - 17:31

            @Lastchancetosee: That's the 52rd and 54nd states. They are fine states. The best states, some say. They are all great beautiful states.

    • c64 on 16/01/2025 - 18:10

      do you watch police chases on youtube? there is one channel, WhenPigsFly420, that always points out the Dollar General stores along the way during a chase. after many, many videos, a perp was finally pitted right outside a Dollar General store.

      • Dollar General on 16/01/2025 - 18:15
        +2

        They stole my name

        My lawyers are in touch

  • 87percent on 16/01/2025 - 11:06
    +4

    might be worth asking a travel agent

  • ryefig on 16/01/2025 - 11:20
    +3

    I thought of splitting like MEL - LAX and 3 days in LAX before taking a domestic flight to CLT and continue our family trip and again return from CLT to LAX and then fly from LAX to MEL, still the prices are bit higher for my needs.

    Make sure you are booking the domestic US flights on the US version of the airlines websites (and make sure you use a card that doesn't charge a foreign transaction fee). Sometimes you pay a premium for booking from overseas (on the .com.au website).

    • kozb on 16/01/2025 - 11:23

      Thanks, will keep this mind

      • beeawwb on 16/01/2025 - 11:31
        +1

        Just to add to this idea - this is absolutely how I would do it (book the trans-Pacific flights on one site and the internal USA on another) - but also keep in mind that if there's any issues with making your connections (flights delayed, cancelled, etc) the airlines are generally only caring about the stuff that's booked on the same itinerary in terms of resolutions. You need to decide if that's within your personal risk tolerance.

        • ryefig on 16/01/2025 - 13:22
          +1

          Yes this is a good point. I think OP has mitigated this by allowing 3 days in LAX before flying onward.

          • beeawwb on 16/01/2025 - 13:34

            @ryefig: Agreed, one of the additional benefits of a stopover is extending the amount of buffer time you've got for things going off piste.

  • jv on 16/01/2025 - 11:22
    -3

    Not worth the risk with Trump as president.

    It would be like planning a trip to North Korea…

    • 87percent on 16/01/2025 - 11:26
      +3

      … with worse hair

  • greennick on 16/01/2025 - 11:23
    +4

    The best prices are when the tickets become available, depending on the airline 9 to 13 months, usually 11 months. So, if you wanted cheap prices, go back in time and book them 6 months ago. Otherwise, you're playing with fire waiting for sales as the cheaper tickets sell out more and you are left with the more expensive last minute ones.

    • Aleigh123 on 16/01/2025 - 15:17

      playing with fire

      Perhaps in more ways than one if they go to LAX.

  • beeawwb on 16/01/2025 - 11:24
    +3

    Having recently done an East Coast USA trip from Melbourne, with a 9 day stopover on the way over and then returning directly, the stopover was definitely worth it. This was intentional because we were going to be spending some time in California anyway but after doing the return leg (BOS->SFO->NAN->MEL) we were wiped out. In any future trips we'll definitely be breaking them up with West coast stopovers in both directions.

    Cost-wise… July is summer vacation for the USA so I think prices are already going to be high for any itinerary that includes dates in July. Skyscanner is showing July as high for pretty much the entire month.

    • kozb on 16/01/2025 - 11:29

      Appreciate your inputs a lot. Thanks

    • kozb on 16/01/2025 - 11:29
      -1

      Which airlines did you book for your domestic legs? Would you recommend or any advise around domestic booking?

      • beeawwb on 16/01/2025 - 11:37

        American on the West->East leg (LAX->BOS) and United on the East->West leg (BOS->SFO). They were… fine. I think the American flight was a little better, and the ground staff for United were abysmal, but I also put a little bit of that on us not knowing the specific check-in procedures they wanted us to follow.

        Those are the only recent experiences I have with internal USA flights so I can't really comment on any of the other providers in terms of service.

        • kozb on 16/01/2025 - 11:37
          +1

          Thank you

        • niss200sx on 16/01/2025 - 20:18

          As a matter of interest, did you find the East Coast of USA as expensive as some make it out to be? Would be interested to know how it compares to major cities here… Cheers!

          • beeawwb on 17/01/2025 - 22:26

            @niss200sx: I didn’t find it any more or less expensive but we were staying with family in New Hampshire most of the time so it’s not exactly the most metropolitan or cosmopolitan place in the East. I think the USA in general isn’t great value with the current exchange rate and many other factors, it’s not exactly my first port of call for a holiday (or vacation) if it wasn’t for family.

  • bargaino on 16/01/2025 - 11:46
    +3

    "Vacation"? I see you are already practicing their language :-)

    • kozb on 16/01/2025 - 11:49

      :D

  • Lukian on 16/01/2025 - 12:14

    Fly to Hawaii, have a nice few nights, then fly onwards cheaply as you're already in US territory.

  • djkelly69 on 16/01/2025 - 12:20
    +1

    CLT is a major hub for AA, so I would be targeting them for domestic flights if you go that way as they should have the most flights and options to there.

    Also be aware most US domestic flights don't include baggage by default whereas the international with a transit probably does, so if you are comparing costs between the different options make sure to include that.

  • sam-1966 on 16/01/2025 - 13:46

    Have you thought about doing Amtrak from LAX to CLT? Nice trip, relaxing and see a bit more of the country.

  • Stewardo on 16/01/2025 - 14:17
    +2

    $1200 Melb-Atlanta on these dates with Qantas American
    https://www.google.com/travel/flights/s/2VB2p7B7FNUwny758

  • marchozb on 16/01/2025 - 15:53
    +1

    worth keeping in mind you're getting slaughtered by FX at the moment

  • c64 on 16/01/2025 - 18:37

    be sure to get a Wagon Queen Family Truckster for your rental car

    • kiitos on 17/01/2025 - 08:21
      +1

      In Metallic Pea

  • tabitha731 on 17/01/2025 - 09:56

    You are choosing to travel in America’s peak travel season. So prices will obviously be jacked up, and given the destination is not a common American destination .. there will be plenty of of stop overs from an international starting point

  • kozb on 17/01/2025 - 10:14
    +1

    Thanks everyone. Booked MEL - LAX - MEL for $3.1K via Fiji for 3 passengers from Mid June to Mid July.

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