When to book

Now is the time to bag a cheap flight to Australia. Many of the airlines and travel agents have special deals in January and you should get in quick even if you're not intending to travel until the end of the year. This is particularly true in 2006 - England defend the Ashes in Australia from November to January, which will heap added demand onto what is already the peak season. The best fares of all will be for departures between April (especially after Easter, April 16) and June, which is autumn down under.

Where to look

An agent like Trailfinders (0845 058 5858; www.trailfinders.com), Flight Centre (0870 499 0042; www.flightcentre.co.uk) or those listed right, can give you the best choice of stopovers, but these days the airlines sometimes offer their best fares direct though their own website. You should also check whether stopovers cost extra. STA Travel's £559 deal to Sydney includes a free stop in Hong Kong, but you must book it by this Wednesday. In high season, particularly in the run-up to Christmas, it is well worth checking business fares. Economy tickets soar to well over £1,000, whereas business fares often stay the same year round. Try Trailfinders or Thomson.