Here are some of my random travel tips if you are planning a visit to the US anytime soon while the AUD dollar is in our favour!
1. Getting from Australia to America
Firstly, I recommend researching flights and THEN going to visit your local travel guide. My pick is Australian travel agent, Flight Centre. They will actually beat any flight you find online by $1 even if it costs them money to match your flight! (That’s just about a coffee in America ok!)
Secondly, consider flying into Los Angeles and booking your own internal flights. I recommend Southwest for the most convenient and economical option. (You cannot book Southwest flights through a travel agent) They don’t fly everywhere but they allow two free 23kgs bags (most airlines charge extra for any baggage so don’t be deceived by cheaper flights!), their flights are often less expensive – especially if booked more then a month out AND you can change flights and receive money in credit rather then getting charged huge fees!
Also if you download DING on your computer or iPhone you can be alerted of extra discounted fares daily. Seats are not allocated, so when you check in you are given a number which gives you the order in which you will board. A boarding pass with A23 boards before B13 for example. You can check in up to 24 hours prior.
If you plan to fly out of Los Angeles the same day you arrive, I would recommend at least a four hour layover. It recently took me just under two hours just to clear customs and I didn’t arrive during peak.
Caution: LAX airport is the most boring airport I’ve ever been to… don’t be deceived by the concrete massiveness from the air!
You will almost certainly have to collect your baggage and check into a different terminal – especially if you did choose to book internals yourself. Check this with your travel agent. Here is a link to a great map of Los Angeles Airport (LAX) so you can work out how far you would need to walk.
When you pick up your bags there are free trolleys. So I recommend grabbing one of them and walking to your next flight. It will most likely be an ungodly hour of the morning by the time you arrive (Australian time!) so the best thing to do is get as much sunshine as you can!
2. Getting cashed up
If you are wanting to get cash out prior to traveling (a good way to stay within budget!) you can avoid $8 bank fees by ordering cash through the Australian Post Office rather then a bank.
If you have a Westpac Bank account you can withdraw money out of a Bank of America atm without being charged fees – just the standard currency conversion rates. Or you can just use the Westpac Credit card and just get charged the daily currency rate. You can buy $1.50 coffees in the US… they like plastic over here.
3. Avoiding getting kicked out of the country
To holiday in the US you must have a Visa Waiver. This costs $14 per person and can all be done online here. Print out the form and keep it with your tickets just in case you’re asked for it… most likely though, they will scan your passport, take all your fingerprints and a mug shot and they’ll already have the visa waiver number. They know everything about you! It’s kinda creepy!
If you have travelled to the US before have you got any travel tips or recommendations to add? Or if you have any further questions please don’t hesitate to leave me a comment and ask. I’ve done this leg more times then I can count so I’m sure I can help!
Happy planning!
Awesome blog Joy!!
Here are my questions……
How much cash should we have on us when we arrive at the airport?
Should we book our airport transfer in advance, or is jumping in a cab the better option?
Is there anywhere in the US that I can get a decent coffee, or is it all bad?
What are your tips on overcoming jetlag?
Here’s a good trick…when you are boarding your international flight, wait in the boarding area until you are the VERY last person to get one the plane….wait right there by the door and avoid eye contact with the hostess calling for al passengers.
then dawdle on the way down the gang plank to the plane… the point of what you’re trying to do is wait for EVERYONE else to be on the plane and in their seats.
once you’re the last one on board, and everyone else is sitting down, you can walk in a get a standing up-birds eye view of the cabin and available seats, and go and sit directly in a row of free seats (not in your own seat) before anyone else has had time to do the post-takeoff open-seat scramble.
Then spread out and enjoy your row to yourself! woohoo!
@Ness with your airport transfers where will you be going between? If its just at the airport in LAX there are plenty of free shuttles and its a short distance to walk… give the kids an opportunity to stretch!
I’ll write a blog on the jetlag thing…
Coffee… I don’t drink it but I’ve heard more bad reports then good… often the non-chain coffee places are better… but you might just work out how to tell them what you actually want… IE extra milk, half strength shots…etc. All the best with that one!
I like! These days though they fill them planes to the hilt! If you actually get a seat with a seat free beside you you are on a roll! It’s a bit nasty!
Joy we’re going straight from the airport to Anaheim, our flight gets in at 6:50pm and we want to get a transfer straight to Anaheim, as we are hitting Disneyland the very next day
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