Flights to Hamilton Island

BOOK AHEAD - well ahead.

The biggest saving you are going to make is on your flights.

Hamilton Island has its own airport. Its easiest to go straight there rather than any of the local options of boats and buses. Although there are lots of other options, they will all cost more. There are direct flights to both Brisbane and Sydney. From outside these areas, there are lots of connecting flights. Don't bother trying to build your own connecting flights as it will cost a lot more. As an example, the cost from Melbourne via Sydney was $179. Sydney to Hamilton discount was $169.

webjet.com.au is as good as any. As an example if you were booking Melbourne to the island its $459 standard each way - a month or so out you can get the same flights for $179. There were four of us and the saving was over $2200. Not a bad discount eh!. Even from near-by Brisbane the saving is around $200 a fare!

Virgin AU also has "Happy hour". 12:00 to 1:00 (AEST) - amazing discount fares appear in this very small time window. (http://www.virginblue.com.au/) Notice can be short and return flights rare... but then combine it with another discount fare. Out and back, 'return' fares are rare, but you never know.

If you are coming from Melbourne, don't ignore Avalon. Its a couple of sheds in country Melbourne - A cab will cost a bit more, but check out what you will save on the fares!!

Frequent flyer points: Use these, no matter the brand. Most allow you to top up your points with cash. An aspect that no one mentions is that using any points, appears to significantly discount the fare! You are better to spread your points out over all the flights than load them all on the one. Check it out - we saved about $400 each way with five of us.

Remember: The big savings are in the flights - its worth spending the time (and it will take time)

cheers, Steve