$5,000 return: sky high ticket prices hit Australians’ holiday hopes as airlines prepare for takeoff

Australians hoping to fly overseas in the coming months are facing exorbitant costs due to high demand and a scarce supply of seats on services flying into the country, as experts warn high prices will last another year. The complicated logistical planning required for airlines to ramp up from skeleton operations has meant those seeking to take advantage of the reopened border will face financial hurdles, while aircraft are recalled from desert parking lots and furloughed staff and ground handling contracts are brought back online. A backlog of more than 45,000 Australians are also still stranded overseas, adding another layer of complexity, demand and frustration to the picture. An analysis of flight costs by booking site KAYAK shows the average cost of a one way economy ticket from Sydney to New Delhi – the most sought after route on the site over the past month – is $1,051, while the return leg on average adds $2,668 to the ticket cost for travel between November and December. The average outbound leg from Sydney to London – the next most searched route over the same travel period – is priced at $1,012 for economy, with the return part of the trip costing $2,109. While those prices are averages, some searches for individual services are significantly higher. A search for a three-week return trip from Sydney to New York from early to late December brings up options that consistently cost $5,000 for an economy ticket on Qantas. In addition to India and the UK, countries with large diaspora communities in Australia, as well as locations with high concentrations of stranded Australians are dominating flight searches. Services to the United States, Nepal, Fiji, Lebanon, Bangladesh, the Philippines and Pakistan are rounding out the top 10 most sought after routes.<br/>