Italy Travel And Hotel Guide

There are no direct flights to Italy from Australia or New Zealand. All flights require either a transfer or stopover en route - often a welcome break as flying time is upwards of 21 hours. Several airlines fly to both Milan and Rome via an Asian or European city. Fares are highest between mid-May and August and at Christmas; low season is October to mid-November and mid-January to February; while the rest of the year is classed as shoulder season. Tickets purchased direct from the airlines tend to be expensive; travel agents generally offer much better deals, and have the latest information on special offers and stopovers. They can often also help with accommodation packages, tours and car rental, as well as organizing your visa and travel insurance. It’s also worth checking out Web sites like www.travel.com.au and www.sydneytravel.com for discounted fares.If you’re planning to visit Italy as part of a wider world trip, then Round-the-World tickets offer greater flexibility and are better value than a standard return flight. There are numerous airline combinations to choose from; for example, a straightforward ticket (no backtracking) from Sydney or Auckland to Honolulu, then Vancouver, London, Rome/Milan, Bangkok, Singapore and back home, starts at A$2099/NZ$2399. However, more comprehensive and flexible routes are offered by “One World” and “Star Alliance” allowing you to take in other destinations in the USA, Canada, Europe, Asia as well as South USA and Africa; prices are mileage-based from A$/NZ$2700, for a max of 29,000 miles up to A$/NZ$3700 for 39,000 miles.

Tags: accommodation packages, auckland, backtracking, bangkok, combinations, direct flights, europe asia, flexible routes, flying time, honolulu, mileage, return flight, season tickets, shoulder season, star alliance, stopover, travel agents, travel insurance, welcome break, world trip