5 Places to Find Summer Travel Deals

Many travelers who want to visit Australia don't because of the prohibitively pricey flights. But this summer, the biggest hurdle to getting to kangaroo country may just be the jetlag. (Also, keep in mind that our summer is their winter.)

Part of the reason: more competition. Virgin Blue launched flights to Australia this year and Delta will start flying to Sydney on July 1. Delta, for example, currently offers a round-trip flight from New York to Sydney (travel dates from July 18 to July 28) for $725. Last year, airfare ranged from $1,800 to $2,200, says Parsons.

Once travelers arrive they'll have a lot more buying power than last year. The U.S. dollar is almost 20% stronger than it was last summer compared to the Australian dollar ($1 equals 1.22 Australian dollars; last June $1 equaled 1.04 Australian dollars). Through July 30, a stay at the Hilton Sydney for at least two nights starts at $219 (U.S.) per night, a 50% savings.

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