Flights from New Zealand go on sale as Australia starts to reopen its borders to international travellers - but a holiday across the ditch will cost far more than ever before
New Zealand families could spend almost AU$10,000 to have a holiday in Australia due to expensive flights and mandatory paid quarantine when returning back home.
Kiwis will be able to fly to Sydney and Darwin without quarantine from October 16 under the first stage of the trans-Tasman travel bubble.
Prior to the pandemic, flights from NZ to Australia cost $354 on average with budget options on the most popular route from Auckland to Sydney as low as $131.
But now, one-way flights from Auckland to Sydney all cost $595 with Qantas in the whole month of October.
Meanwhile, one-way flights from Christchurch to Sydney cost $574 with Qantas in the first month of the travel bubble.
People arrive at Sydney Airport after flying from Auckland in September. New Zealand families could spend almost AU$10,000 to have a holiday in Australia due to expensive flights and mandatory paid quarantine when returning back home
While New Zealanders arriving in NSW and the NT won't have to spend 14 days in hotel quarantine, they will not have the same treatment when they get home.
Arrivals in NZ have to spend 14-days in 'managed isolation' at a hotel and foot the bill for their two-week stay.
This costs $2,869 for the first person, $879 for each additional adult and $440 for each additional child.
It would cost nuclear family with two parents and two children a total of $4,628 to stay in hotel quarantine upon returning to NZ.
If a family of four flew with Qantas from Auckland to Sydney on October 16 and returned on October 30, it would cost them $4,862 return.
With the additional cost of hotel quarantine in NZ, the holiday would cost a total of $9,490 - not including accommodation, entertainment and food costs in Australia.
Qantas is charging $595 to fly from Auckland to Sydney and $574 to travel from Christchurch to Sydney in all of October
Jetstar is much cheaper than Qantas, with most one-way flights from Auckland to Sydney in October costing $200 and two costing $139.
One-way flights from Wellington to Sydney range from $202 to $334 with Jetstar in October.
The budget airline has not offered flights from Christchurch to Sydney until late November, but early options range from $200 to $455.
Jetstar is also not offering flights from NZ to Darwin until late November.
The only route available is Auckland to Darwin with prices ranging from $392 and $512 in November. Flights in December are going for up to $528.
Qantas is not currently offering flights from NZ to the Northern Territory.
Jetstar is much cheaper than Qantas with most one-way flights from Auckland to Sydney in October costing $200 and two costing $139
Qantas and Jetstar put their tickets on sale after Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack announced the travel bubble on Friday.
Anyone arriving will have to declare they have not been in a hotspot - defined as place with three COVID-19 daily cases over three days - in the two weeks before their flight.
Mr McCormack said South Australia is likely to be the next state to sign up to the agreement after NSW and the NT.
Australians are still not allowed to travel to NZ as the country will only open its borders after there is 28 days of no community spread in Australia.
Mr McCormack said he wants two-way travel but said no date has been set for when Australians can visit NZ.
Jetstar flights from Auckland to Darwin Airport range from $392 to $528 in November and December. Qantas is not currently offering flights from NZ to the NT