Country hailed ‘better than Greece, Spain'
Tourists are flocking to this stunning, lesser-known country they say is just beautiful as more famous destinations - only without the crowds.
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News.com.au
9 hours ago
- News.com.au
Unusual way of flying to Europe in business that's often cheaper and quicker than well-worn routes
When travelling to Europe, Australians typically choose from a limited range of options when it comes to airlines and stopover points. It's Qantas via Singapore, or increasingly direct from Perth to London, or one of the major Middle Eastern carriers – Qatar, Emirates and Etihad – via their homebases in Doha, Dubai or Abu Dhabi. But there's another option that has flown under the radar, pardon the pun, which is strange given it's often quicker and cheaper. Thai Airways has a growing presence in Australia and its convenient daily services to Bangkok offer a host of options for getting to popular destinations in Europe. The airline is renowned for its exceptional on-board service and high-end, restaurant-quality cuisine, so the time and cost savings only make it more of an appealing consideration. And those wanting to splash out and fly at the pointy end of the plane in business class can also nab more affordable fares than those travelling via the Middle East on larger carriers. The time and cost comparison is clear when measuring Thai Airways with popular carriers. crunched the numbers looking at a flight to the two most popular destinations for Australians – London and Paris – in early autumn, on the shoulder of peak season. Flying from Sydney to London on Qatar involves 25 hours and 30 minutes of travel, including a 95-minute stopover in Doha, at a cost of $9508 roundtrip in business class. Qantas can deliver you fastest, with a total flying time of 23 hours and 55 minutes, inclusive of a brief 90-minute transit in Perth, but it'll set you back $10,298 return. By comparison, flying Thai Airways to London requires 25 hours and 25 minutes, including the 3 hours and 20 minutes transit time in Bangkok, for $9464 return at the pointy end of the plane. Those heading to the French capital can secure even bigger savings. Flying business class on Etihad to Paris via Abu Dhabi will take 24 hours and 20 minutes, including a 140-minute stopover, and cost $10,536. Qantas can get you there in 24 hours and 35 minutes, with a two-and-half hour stopover in Perth, for $11,344, while a ticket on Qatar sets you back $9288 and takes 25 hours and 40 minutes, with an almost four-hour stop in Doha. But flying Thai Airways from Sydney to Paris takes 24 hours and 20 minutes, with an almost three-hour stop in Bangkok, for $9188. There are periods throughout the year where the cost difference for a business class ticket between Thai Airways and the major carriers is even greater. For example, in August, in the midst of peak season, return business fares to London are $1600 cheaper on Thai Airways, while a trip to Paris in the same period is about $1500 cheaper. The airline has invested heavily in expanding its international services over recent years, adding dozens of new routes, with several in Europe. In addition to London and Paris, Australians transiting via Bangkok can now fly directly onto Copenhagen, Milan, Brussels, Oslo, Stockholm, Zurich, Munich, Frankfurt and Istanbul. A stack of new aircraft are on the way in coming years. It also recently announced plans to roll out a new business class and premium economy offering across its entire long-haul fleet of Airbus A350s, Boeing 787s and Boeing 777s. In particular, the 'state-of-the-art' business suites are set to impress, with privacy doors and a host of tech features, like huge screens, Bluetooth audio and wireless battery charging. It has also bolstered its presence in Australia, now offering twice-daily flights from Sydney and Melbourne to Bangkok, as well as recently relaunching its direct service from Perth to the Thai capital. Thai Airways operates twice-daily services from Sydney and Melbourne to Bangkok, and once a day from Perth to Bangkok.
News.com.au
a day ago
- News.com.au
Jetstar takes advantage of huge Thailand boom
Thailand has always been a popular destination among Aussies – but since the release of the latest White Lotus series, travel to the destination has particularly boomed. Not long after the first episode of the new season dropped in February, Expedia searches for Koh Samui, where the film is set, spiked 70 per cent. 'This year, two-thirds of travellers say movies, streaming services and TV shows have influenced their travel choices, with a 16 per cent increase year-on-year [and] this trend shows no signs of slowing in 2025,' Expedia travel expert, Sarah King said. According to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), during the first four months this year, Australian arrivals grew by 16 per cent year-on-year to 273,961. Jetstar has also seen a boom in passengers visiting the destination and is now expanding its services to Thailand, adding more than 100,000 new low-fare seats between the two destinations. In 2024 alone, more than 400,000 passengers visited the Southeast Asian destination. 'We're reshaping our international network to focus on high-demand destinations, adding an additional 130,000 seats across Thailand, South Korea and Japan each year, and allowing Australians to take off more, for less,' Jetstar executive manager commercial planning, Lyle Brownscombe said. From October 2025, Jetstar will introduce two additional return flights per week between Brisbane – Bangkok, bringing the total to five weekly services within a year of launch. It will also add a weekly return flight between Melbourne and Bangkok, and two extra services between Sydney and Phuket during the peak Christmas holiday travel period. Fares will start from $299 – for example from Sydney to Phuket, one-way and $309 from Melbourne to Bangkok, one-way. The boost to Thailand flights comes as Jetstar this week became the largest carrier between Australia and South Korea, adding three more weekly flights between Sydney and Seoul. The airline now operates 10 return services per week to the South Korean capital city from Sydney and Brisbane. 'Our growth into Asia is backed by a significant investment in our fleet, including next-generation aircraft and upgrades to our Dreamliners, allowing us to fly further and more efficiently with more comfort for passengers,' Ms Brownscombe said. In celebration of its expansion, the airline is having a sale. Meanwhile, Jetstar airline will retire its Australia–Hawaii service, with the final Sydney–Honolulu flight departing October 24, 2025. Qantas will subsequently operate services from Melbourne and Sydney to Honolulu. The move has allowed Jetstar to redeploy its Boeing 787 Dreamliners to high-demand routes across Asia.
The Australian
2 days ago
- The Australian
Virgin Australia starts new flight paths from Brisbane to Doha in Qatar
Aussies will be given the opportunity to fly directly from Brisbane to the sandy plains of the Persian Gulf thanks to a new travel route opened up by Virgin Australia. Starting from Thursday, Virgin is launching flights from Brisbane to Doha's Hamad International Airport in conjunction with Qatar airways. Virgin Australia chief executive Dave Emerson said the new flights 'mark the beginning of a new era' for the company and for international travel to Australia. Virgin Australia chief executive Dave Emerson, with cabin crew, says the new route is another milestone for international travel from Australia. Picture: Supplied 'Through our partnership with Qatar Airways, we're not just launching new routes – we're opening the world to millions of Australians, delivering more choice, better value and a seamless global experience,' he said. 'This partnership strengthens Australia's global connectivity while generating jobs, boosting tourism and injecting billions into the national economy.' Hamad International Airport supports 48 airlines, and ushers millions of passengers through its terminals every month. Queensland Tourism Minister Andrew Powell said the new flights to Hamad would position the Sunshine State as a new gateway between Australia and the rest of the world. 'These new flights mean more tourists enjoying everything Queensland has to offer, giving visitors from all over the world affordable ways to reach our communities, boosting business for Queensland tourism operators,' he said. Virgin Australia has begun its new partnership with Qatar Airways to offer international travel. Picture: Supplied About 2.65 million passengers are expected to be arriving in Doha from Australia annually by this December, which Virgin says will increase 'competitiveness in the market and (provide) ample choice for Aussie travellers wanting to visit Europe, Africa and the Middle East'. Brisbane Airport chief executive Gert-Jan de Graaff welcomed the new flights. 'This marks the most significant increase in capacity between Queensland and Europe in the past two years, and we're confident these new daily flights will boost tourism, strengthen international ties and support Queensland's exporters,' he said. 'It's fantastic news for the Brisbane-headquartered airline and even better news for travellers and Queensland's tourism-driven industry.' Fares are available now for purchase, with some discounts ranging up to 15 per cent for select travel dates between October 16 and March 31 next year. Read related topics: Virgin Australia Jack Nivison Cadet Journalist Jack began his journalism career as a freelancer for the New England Times, a small community paper based in Armidale, regional New South Wales. He is currently a Sydney-based Cadet Journalist at News Corp. Jack Nivison
