American travelers
This may come as a shock to you, but Australia is kind of far from the US. Here is some information to help you get there.
Flights
Unfortunately, flights to Sydney are often heavily booked and are expensive. If you are flying direct from the US to Australia, we highly recommend you fly a few days before you need to be there. Most airlines will only have one flight a day from/to the US, so if something goes wrong (i.e. miss your connection), you’ll lose an entire day. Also be very conservative if flying standby—we have been stranded (though it was Australia, how terrible!) for 4 days waiting to board a flight—they are always jam-packed.
The carriers that are your best bet are United, American, and Qantas. But by all means check out Orbitz for all the carriers, who knows you might get a great deal with Air China or something.
Flights from the US to Australia generally connect through LA or San Francisco. From one of those two cities, its a 14-hour flight, while from NYC, its a 22-hour flight including the layover in SF or LA.
While fares fluctuate wildly, they are at their cheapest right now. Buy your tickets now! Currently, fares are ~$900 from California and ~$1100 from the East coast.
If you have frequent flyer miles, this is a perfect time to use them. For example, round trip on United in economy is 60,000 100,000 miles.
Another option, if you want to do multiple destinations, is to use a “round the world” ticket. They allow you to do many stops all in the same direction (East or West). We’ve never used one of these, but we hear that they can be cost-effective.
Passports & Visas
You will need a valid passport. If you don’t have one, get one.
Every nationality except New Zealanders need visas. You’ll need a Tourist visa or an Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) visa, both of which are valid for three months. ETAs are just under US$11; standard visas cost US$35. When you buy your flight, ask the travel agent or airline to also purchase a visa on your behalf.
For those travelling on United, after you book your ticket, call United International Reservations (800.538.2929). Have your passport number and expiration date ready. The cost is (apparently) included in the airfare.
Australia is HUGE
Australia is almost the same physical size as the Continental US, but with just 10% of the population. Unlike the US, there’s not too much between the major cities except farming or desert, unless you go coastal. If you are considering traveling within Australia, be sure to understand the distance, and expect to fly between major cities.
Weather
March in Sydney is the end of summer with average temperatures around 77F, perfect for the beach, but not too hot. But be prepared for hot and cold—it can change quickly.
Weather north of Sydney becomes more and more tropical the further north you go. If you are going north, be aware it will be the end of wet season, (very, very humid) and check your destination for the seasonal box jellyfish, which you do not want to be swimming with. South of Sydney can be slightly dryer and cooler.
Currency
At the time of writing, the currency conversion was 1.00 USD = 1.30 AUD (check the latest). The weaker Australian dollar makes traveling from the US a pleasant surprise. You’ll find anything imported (such as electronics, gas, and clothing) will be stupidly expensive, but food and wine and travelling around should be pleasantly cheaper (but not too significantly).
Driving
Driving in Australia can be a great way to see it. Just be aware Aussies drive on the other (i.e., wrong… er… left) side of the road.
Time zone
Sydney is GMT +10. So that works out to be +14 to 16 hours ahead of New York, or +17 to 19 hours ahead of California. The range is due to daylight savings time, which both countries observe but at different times.
Phone
Country code for Australia is 61. The city code for Sydney is 02 (note: drop the 0 if calling outside Australia)
Mobile phones
If you are on Cingular, T-Mobile, or AT&T Wireless, you might have a tri-band GSM world phone that will work in Australia. Call your operator if you don't know.
If you do, you can either roam internationally on your US plan for about US$1 a minute or get a pre-paid SIM card in Australia from a local carrier (much cheaper).
Otherwise, if you think it is necessary, you can rent a cell phone. Check your guidebook.
Electricity
220-240V, 50Hz. Most modern electronics can handle the voltage, but you will need an adapter.
Weights & measures
The Aussies have smartly switched to the Metric system.
A word about eating and drinking in Austalia
Don’t leave the restaurant hungry—an entrée on an Australian menu is (correctly) the appetiser, not the main meal. Light beer in Australia is light on alcohol, not calories or carbs. So you Atkins dieters out there, beware.
Need more information?
Get a guidebook! See our Guide to Sydney for some recommendations.