Flight Passes

islanddiva05:24 UTC27 Feb 2011

x-posted on Australia & NZ Branch

I'm looking for some help on a handful of flight related questions ~

Qantas Boomerang AirPass - does this still exist? I can only find older references to it on the Internet but not Qantas site?
Virgin Blue Airpass - seems like there are some good deals to be had, available to non-residents, Has anyone used this? I'm struggling to find a review on the web.
Anyone care to opine what South Pacific island they would chose for a 7-10 day trip - Fjii (Nadi), Tonga, Solomons - all available on the pass. It's likely the only South Pacific experience on my Australia-NZ-SP trip. I may be able to get to two places...

I will read my guidebook, but thought I would poll you knowledgable folks as well.
I'm a diver, love beaches, photography & culture, if it matters.

Thanks very much!

Laszlo06:24 UTC28 Feb 2011

Fiji, with its diverse islands well connected to each other both by sea and air is generally the best bet for a brief trip. Tonga would be my 2nd choice. In the Solomons or Vanuatu you'd almost certainly need to fly to get to outer islands within a limited time, and the gateway islands tend to be underwhelming.
Most of us would not suggest to visit more than one country in so little time!

Just looked up VB's airpass.
It doesn't seem horribly great value for island-hopping, as it costs FROM AU$199 per flight, and you'd have to keep returning to AU (or NZ) from every Pacific destination.
May (or may not) be OK for a RT from AU to a single island, or to connect distant island nations such as say Tonga and PNG though.

islanddiva02:28 UTC01 Mar 2011

Thanks Laszlo for your comments.

My current thought on the pass is to use it to go Sydney-Auckland-Tonga-Syd for slightly under $500 which seems like a pretty good deal to me. Mind you I'm tainted by the crazy flight prices in Canada.
If I do try and visit an additional country, some part of my planned time in Australia will suffer.... so I will probably decide once I am there, because as you said, it's not always great value in the pass.

Laszlo04:21 UTC01 Mar 2011

If you do get those 3 flights for under $500, it should be a pretty good deal indeed.

Flight Passes Country forums / Pacific Islands & Papua New Guinea
islanddiva05:24 UTC27 Feb 2011	x-posted on Australia & NZ Branch I'm looking for some help on a handful of flight related questions ~ Qantas Boomerang AirPass - does this still exist? I can only find older references to it on the Internet but not Qantas site? Virgin Blue Airpass - seems like there are some good deals to be had, available to non-residents, Has anyone used this? I'm struggling to find a review on the web. Anyone care to opine what South Pacific island they would chose for a 7-10 day trip - Fjii (Nadi), Tonga, Solomons - all available on the pass. It's likely the only South Pacific experience on my Australia-NZ-SP trip. I may be able to get to two places... I will read my guidebook, but thought I would poll you knowledgable folks as well. I'm a diver, love beaches, photography & culture, if it matters. Thanks very much!
Laszlo06:24 UTC28 Feb 2011	Fiji, with its diverse islands well connected to each other both by sea and air is generally the best bet for a brief trip. Tonga would be my 2nd choice. In the Solomons or Vanuatu you'd almost certainly need to fly to get to outer islands within a limited time, and the gateway islands tend to be underwhelming. Most of us would not suggest to visit more than one country in so little time! Just looked up VB's airpass. It doesn't seem horribly great value for island-hopping, as it costs FROM AU$199 per flight, and you'd have to keep returning to AU (or NZ) from every Pacific destination. May (or may not) be OK for a RT from AU to a single island, or to connect distant island nations such as say Tonga and PNG though.	1
islanddiva02:28 UTC01 Mar 2011	Thanks Laszlo for your comments. My current thought on the pass is to use it to go Sydney-Auckland-Tonga-Syd for slightly under $500 which seems like a pretty good deal to me. Mind you I'm tainted by the crazy flight prices in Canada. If I do try and visit an additional country, some part of my planned time in Australia will suffer.... so I will probably decide once I am there, because as you said, it's not always great value in the pass.	2
Laszlo04:21 UTC01 Mar 2011	If you do get those 3 flights for under $500, it should be a pretty good deal indeed.	3