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$5000 return ticket: Aussies face sky-high flight prices as demand skyrockets​

Australians could pay a whopping $5,000 for international return flights.

In a few weeks, by around mid-November, Aussies will once again be able to travel overseas. However, the relatively cheap rates and deals that we enjoyed back in 2019 may be a thing of the past, at least for the time being.

Experts warn hopeful outbound travellers to be on the lookout for excessive costs as tens of thousands of desperate Australians stuck overseas could jack up demand for returning flights — which could lead to a dramatic increase in prices.

Further, with the continued hotel quarantine protocols for international travellers in place and the PM’s suggestion that Australia shouldn’t open up to tourists until next year, a lot of international airlines will continue to strip down their flight rosters which could potentially lead to stronger competition for seats.

Aussie travelers could pay up to a whooping $5000 for international return flights. Credit: Qantas

Costlier travel

According to data from KAYAK, a travel booking site, outbound travels from Australia are relatively reasonably priced. In fact, KAYAK showed that the average rate of a one-way flight from Sydney to London between November and December was only $1012. However, prices for returning flights averaged $2109 — more than double the cost of the one-way ticket.

The data also shows that the average costs for some of its other popular routes are soaring. For instance, the average rate for one-way economy tickets from Sydney to New Delhi, the site’s most in-demand route in the past month, is $1051 for flights between November and December. Yet, returning flights cost up to $2688.

Travelling to the United States is also not cheap as many flights to Los Angeles could cost up to a staggering $5000.

Additionally, international travel in these strange new times will be much costlier as more requirements, such as COVID-19 test results, are in place.

The government requires all passengers and crew flying in and out of Australia to provide proof of a negative Covid-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test result provided by a laboratory. These PCR test results must be obtained within 72 hours of the flight.

COVID tests cost around $140 to $200 on average while prices for travellers requiring same-day results can jump up to $300. Aussies planning for overseas travel must take note that Medicare does not cover COVID tests for travellers.

What do the experts say?

IBIS World Analyst Tom Youl, disclosed to The Guardian that according to his estimates, the return of the airline industry to its 2019 condition, in terms of ticket prices and capacity, "could take a full year".

On the other hand, Flight Centre boss Graham Turner believes there’s light at the end of the tunnel.

“There’s still 18 international airlines flying into Australia … they don’t all have the same seat availability they did before but once you can travel without hotel quarantine, things will go back to normal,” he said.

“Everyone wants to see family at this time so there’ll be a fair bit of demand because everyone wants to see their family but I think it’ll be normal, pre-Covid, high season prices once everything comes back on the market.”


Do you have any plans to travel overseas later this year, or will you be waiting until prices go back to normal? ​