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 Sydney Essentials
Australia Deals and Features
Get Our Best Travel Deals and Tips
 Post Your Ideas for Saving Money in Australia
 Traveling to Australia is a pricey proposition -- the airfare alone could bust your budget, and the sheer length of the flight encourages most visitors to stretch their visit for well over a week (it'll take you that long just to get over the jet lag!). So how can you afford a two-week or longer journey to the Land Down Under?
It may not be as difficult as you think. We've put together 25 ways to help you save money on every aspect of your trip to Australia, including info on cheap eats, discount cards, fun freebies and more. Got a suggestion that we've missed? Post it on our message boards!
 Getting There
1. Do your homework. One of the biggest expenses of any Australia trip is the airfare to get there. Luckily, the global economic slowdown has led to a rush of great flight deals to Australia. We recently saw a fare of $675 roundtrip from Los Angeles to Sydney on Qantas Airways (before taxes), and May fares from New York to Sydney on United Airlines are running just $910 roundtrip with taxes and fees. As you hunt for bargains, don't forget about newcomer V Australia, which began service between the U.S. and Australia in March 2009. Get started with our Australia deals.
2. Time your visit. Airfare is typically most expensive between December and February, which is summer in Australia and the most popular time to visit places like Sydney and Melbourne. You'll likely find lower fares during the shoulder seasons: spring and fall.
3. Consider an air pass. Qantas offers a seasonal Aussie AirPass that includes roundtrip airfare to Australia as well as three domestic flights within the country. Prices are based on season and how far you plan to fly within Australia. We've seen prices as low as $999. For more options (including passes that are also valid in New Zealand and the South Pacific), see our story on Air Passes.
Trip Planning
4. Keep your focus. Australia is enormous -- it's nearly the size of the continental U.S. You wouldn't try to see the entire U.S. in two weeks, so don't attempt to do it in Australia either. If you have limited time for your trip, fix your sights on one or two regions and explore them thoroughly -- you'll have a more relaxing experience, and save both time and money on transportation.
5. Consider a cruise. The recent economic slump has led to major discounts within the cruise industry -- and if you're looking to see a variety of destinations without having to unpack more than once, a cruise is a cost-efficient and convenient option. A few examples: We found a 10-night Royal Caribbean cruise in November for $919 per person, and a 14-night Holland America cruise in December for just $1,199 per person. In both cases the cruises cost less than $100 per person, per night, a price that includes accommodations, meals, entertainment and transportation from each port to the next. P&O Cruises Australia is another affordable cruise line to consider.
6. Look for freebies. Australia has a wealth of museums and attractions that don't charge admission fees -- like Sydney's Museum of Contemporary Art and Brisbane's botanic gardens.
7. Buy a discount card. You can purchase a SmartVisit Card for popular tourist destinations like Sydney, Melbourne and Tasmania. The cards include free entry to many area attractions, as well as special offers and discounts, for a single price. These cards may save you money if you're doing a lot of sightseeing in a short period of time.
 Money Management
8. Get a great rate. Americans should take advantage of an exchange rate that's more favorable now than it has been in recent years. (At this writing, $1 USD is worth $1.51 AUD; see XE.com for the latest rates.) It's hard to predict what will happen in the coming months, so you may want to prepay for your hotels, airfare and tour packages ahead of time to lock in today's strong rates.
9. Skip the exchange counter. You'll get the best exchange rates by using your credit card or withdrawing money from an ATM; that's because you'll be exchanging money at interbank rates, which tend to be 2 to 5 percent better than the rates exchange bureaus charge. ATM's can be found just about everywhere in Australia except the most remote towns and villages, and credit cards are accepted at many stores and restaurants. But beware of fees -- most banks will charge you to withdraw money at a foreign ATM or make a purchase in a foreign currency. One exception is Capital One, which doesn't charge its American cardholders a fee for foreign purchases. For more information, see Money Matters on the Road.
10. Negotiate a better deal. Haggling isn't huge in Australia, but with the local economy on the skids, you might find more room for negotiation than you'd expect. (For best results, come prepared with a better offer from another retailer and ask the store to match it.) Haggling is always in style at Australia's open-air markets -- you can negotiate great deals at places like Paddington Markets, the Rocks Market and the Bondi Beach Market, all in Sydney.
11. Get a refund. If you purchase $300 AUD or more in goods from a single retailer, you are eligible for a refund of the goods and services tax (GST) that you paid on those items. You must get an original tax invoice from the store where you made the purchase and present it when you depart Australia. For more information, visit Customs.gov.au.
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