Best Airfare Strategies for Australian River Cruise Travellers
For Australians, flights are often the most significant single cost of a European river cruise trip and the element over which you have the most control, if you plan well. This guide covers everything you need to know about getting from Australia to your river cruise departure port efficiently and affordably.
Choose the Right Departure Port
CroisiEurope's European river cruises depart from different cities depending on the itinerary. The most common departure cities for Australians are:
• Vienna (VIE): Gateway for Danube cruises. Served by Emirates (via Dubai), Qatar Airways (via Doha), and Qantas codeshare. Direct flights from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth.
• Amsterdam (AMS): Gateway for Rhine cruises. Excellent connections from Australia via KLM (via Amsterdam one-stop), Emirates, Qatar, Singapore Airlines. Competitive fares.
• Strasbourg (SXB): CroisiEurope's home port but a small airport. Better to fly into Basel (BSL) or Frankfurt (FRA) and connect by TGV train (Strasbourg is 2 hours from Paris CDG by TGV).
• Porto (OPO): Gateway for Douro cruises. Fly into Lisbon (LIS) or direct to Porto. Good connections via Dubai or London.
• Budapest (BUD): Gateway for Danube cruises starting in Hungary. Served by Emirates, Qatar, and Lufthansa connections via Frankfurt or Munich.
Open-Jaw Tickets: The Smart Move
If your cruise goes from City A to City B (e.g., Amsterdam to Budapest), don't book return flights to Amsterdam. Book Sydney → Amsterdam / Budapest → Sydney an 'open-jaw' ticket. This eliminates the cost and time of travelling back from Budapest to Amsterdam, and typically costs the same as or less than a return ticket.
When to Book
• 9 12 months ahead: Consistently the best economy fares from Australia to Europe. This is particularly important for peak season (June August) and Christmas departures.
• 3 6 months ahead: Fares have typically risen by this point for popular dates. Still bookable, but expect to pay 10 30% more.
• Last minute (under 3 months): Economy availability can be thin and expensive. Premium economy or business class may actually be competitively priced vs a last-minute economy seat.
Which Airlines to Consider
• Emirates (via Dubai): Excellent connections from all Australian capitals to Vienna, Amsterdam, Paris, and other European hubs. Good economy product. Business class (Business Class with fully flat bed) is worth considering for 20+ hour journeys.
• Qatar Airways (via Doha): Consistently rated among the world's best for service. Good Australian connections. Their business class is exceptional.
• Singapore Airlines (via Singapore): Popular with Australians for European connections. Changi is an excellent transit airport. Direct connections to Amsterdam, Zurich, Frankfurt, Paris, London.
• Qantas (via Singapore or London): Direct flights from Sydney/Melbourne to London Heathrow, with connections to all European hubs.
Points and Upgrades
A European river cruise is the ideal trip for using points. Business class to Europe from Australia typically costs 120,000 140,000 Qantas/Velocity points per person one-way. Award availability to Europe opens 12 months ahead on most programs set a calendar reminder and search on the day availability opens for your preferred travel dates.
Flying business class to Europe on a major trip is increasingly popular among Australians in their 50s and 60s the difference in physical wellbeing on arrival is significant after 20+ hours of travel.
Getting from the Airport to the Ship
CroisiEurope Australia (1300 739 652) can advise on the best transfer options from the airport to the cruise departure port. Most European cruise ports are well-served by trains, airport shuttles, and taxis. Pre-arranging a transfer provides peace of mind, particularly on embarkation day.
Book Your 2027 River Cruise with CroisiEurope Australia
CroisiEurope Australia handles all bookings for Australian travellers local support, AUD pricing, no credit card surcharges on Visa or Mastercard.
Phone: 1300 739 652 | Email: contact@croisicruises.com
Website: www.croisieuroperivercruises.com.au | Office: Tweet World Travel, 544 Magill Road, Magill SA 5072
2027 Early Booking is open now. Enquire today.
