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TwitterNew Zealand is a great place to visit for sure. The problem for us Europeans is that it’s way too far away. In fact it’s probably the farthest trip destination on Earth with the questionable  exception of Antarctica. By the way, New Zealand is a good hub for visiting Antarctica. But let’s get to Zealand without crashing the bank first! So, what are the reasonable options for the European citizen? Let’s see.
From London
The most logical choice for most Western Europeans would be London. Flights for the upcoming New Zealand Summer start from around $1,400 for return trip to Auckland. Some of the most affordable flights surprisingly go through Seoul, South Korea. Be prepared for two approximately 11 hours long flights.
Other good options are often offered by Emirates with stop in Dubai, UAE. and sometimes a second stop in Sidney, Australia.
From Rome
If you are closer to Italy, do not hesitate to search for a flight from Rome. You can find one a bit cheaper – for about $1,300 return trip. The cheapest flights from Rome also usually include stop in Seoul. Sometimes the best deal comes from China Airlines but be prepared for more stopns – in Delhi, India, then in Taiwan, and maybe even one in Sidney.
From Istanbul
If you are living in South-East Europe, your best option might to fly from Istanbul. Istanbul is easily reached from most European countries and its neighbors can even go by land. Flights from Istanbul are also cheapest – I can see deal for about $1,200.
Best prices are currently offered by Turkish Airlines and go through Abu Dhabi and Sidney.
Malaysia Airlines often have good offer too. Their planes stop only in Kuala Lumpur which makes them more comfortable. It’s in the middle of the road so you will have to do approximately two 10 hour long flights.
From Singapore
WTH, Singapore is not in Europe yet?! Of course it’s not and I guess it will never be 🙂 Think about what kind of great trip you can do for nearly the same costs. Flights from Singapore start at about $700 and often include just one stop in Brisbane, Australia. You can get to Singapore from Europe for about the same $700 and enjoy few days stay here. Moreover, Singapore is next to Malaysia where you can get overland. So if your goal is leisure trip, you can visit two nice countries along your way to New Zealand without drastically to increase your costs.
Visiting neighbor countries or countries along the way to somewhere turned into my best strategy to see more of the world with less money. We always try to do this when visiting a small country and often arrange connecting flights with few days takeover instead of buying connecting flight from the airlines. The costs are only a little higher but the saving compared to visiting both destinations on two independent trips is huge. So think about this if you plan a trip to new Zealand or any other long trip involving connecting flights.
Of course you also need to have the extra time – otherwise it’s just rushing the things to put more flags on the map.
And Once There?
Here are few things to check regarding your stay in New Zealand:
