Star Alliance member Air India has issued a discounted business class fare for flights from Milan to Sydney and Melbourne, selling tickets for as little as €1,747.
While this is a decent price for the pretty direct route to Australia, it comes at the cost of two lengthy layovers at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi Airport. A six-hour-daytime layover is necessary on the way to Australia; while an overnight layover is required on the way back to Europe. According to Air India’s transit rules, you need an Indian e-visa to exit the airport and spend the night in a hotel.
You can also add a couple of nights in Delhi to make the visa worthwhile without increasing the ticket price when booking through Air India’s website.
Our availability calendar highlights all possible flight dates at the lowest price for trips up to 28 days. It will forward you to Skyscanner with your selected flight dates. From there, you can proceed to Air India and can also check what OTAs have to offer.
Booking with a stopover
Since the overnight layover on the inbound is necessary to get the cheapest fare, it makes sense to split up the last leg into two parts. You can use our Go2 tool and book tickets via Skyscanner or enter them manually on Air India’s website.
Air India operates Boeing 787-8 aircraft on all flights involved in this deal. These planes feature 18 lie-flat-seats in business class, configured in a 2-2-2 pattern. You can find a review of the product here.
Search & Book
According to the fare rules, these tickets are on sale without an expiration date. A minimum stay of four days applies, you cannot stay longer than three months. As previously mentioned, stopovers can be added with only slightly increasing the ticket price.
Google Flights is the most convenient way to find additional flight dates for flights without stopovers. For stopover flights, there are no preview calendars available, so you have to resort to trial and error. You can do this on Google Flights as well, or use Air India’s own stopover search.
While online travel agencies offer cheaper tickets, we recommend booking directly with Air India. According to the comment section on our German website, Air India even offered free transit visas on its own website in the past.
Why is booking with an airline better than with an online travel agency?
More often than not, online travel agencies offer lower fares than airlines do. We still recommend booking with the airlines directly. There are two main reasons for that:
Better Customer Service
In case any problems like delays, cancellations or missed connections arise, you can communicate directly with the airline. The airline has to take care of you because you have a contract with them.
If a travel agency issues your ticket, you may have to reach out to them first. You also depend on your OTA to forward information like flight changes instead of receiving them directly from the airline. In many cases, you may get a prime exhibition of responsibility shifting rather than problem-solving.
This especially applies to premium tickets. You don’t want to spend more than €1,000 to wind up with some budget OTA’s telephone hotline in case anything goes wrong.
Baggage and Other Fees
Economy fares not including hold luggage are industry standard by now. In most cases, travel agencies charge much higher baggage fees than the airlines themselves. If bags are not included in your fare, airlines are often the cheaper alternative.
This also applies to other things like food services, insurances or priority treatment. In almost all cases, you pay less for additional amenities when booking on the airlines’ website.
Miles & Points
Air India issues tickets for all flight segments in booking class Z. Star Alliance frequent flyers can earn the following mileage for a trip to Sydney:
- 41,240 Miles on Aegean Miles+Bonus
- 41,240 Miles on Ethiopian ShebaMiles
- 41,240 Miles on TAP Miles&Go
- 30,930 Miles on Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles
- 30,930 Award Miles + 800 Points on Miles&More
- 25,776 Miles on Asiana Club
- 25,776 Miles on Air Canada Aeroplan
- 25,776 Miles on EVA Infinity MileageLands
- 25,776 Miles on Copa ConnectMiles
- 25,776 Miles on Singapore KrisFlyer
- 25,776 Miles on Thai Royal Orchid Plus
- 25,776 Award Miles + 12,888 Tier Miles on Avianca LifeMiles
- 25,776 Miles on ANA Mileage Club
- 25,776 Points + 5,156 SQC on Air Canada Aeroplan 2026
- 20,620 Award Miles + 3,278 PQP on United MileagePlus
- 20,620 Miles on Egyptair Plus
- Customize Calculation
Destination
Information & Tips for Australia
Australia is known for natural wonders like the Great Barrier Reef, Uluru, and the beaches of Sydney, along with vibrant cities like Melbourne and Sydney. The local currency is the Australian dollar (AUD), and credit cards are widely accepted. The price level can be high, especially in major cities, but there are budget options available for food and accommodation. The weather varies by region—tropical in the north, temperate in the south, with hot summers and mild winters. The best times to visit are typically during spring and autumn for mild temperatures.
Australia’s transport infrastructure is generally good, with well-developed road networks, public transit systems, and domestic flights. In major cities, public transport options like buses, trams, and trains are widely available, though some areas may require a car for convenience. Between cities, domestic flights are common and fast, but bus and train travel can be slow and less frequent for long distances. Driving is a popular option for exploring regions outside cities, with roads in good condition but long travel times due to the country’s vast size.
We’ve compared various esim providers, such as RedteaGO and Airalo. To see which plan is best for your travel needs and which network offers the best coverage, feel free to read our detailed guide:
The Best eSIM Plans for Australia 🇦🇺 Compared
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Information & Tips for Sydney
Sydney is known for its iconic sights like the Sydney Opera House, Harbour Bridge, and Bondi Beach. The currency used is the Australian dollar (AUD), and credit cards are widely accepted. The city can be expensive, particularly for accommodation and dining in tourist areas, though there are more affordable options in less central locations. Sydney has a temperate climate, with mild winters and warm, humid summers, making it a year-round destination. The best time to visit is typically during the spring and autumn months for pleasant temperatures.
We’ve compared various esim providers, such as RedteaGO and Airalo. To see which plan is best for your travel needs and which network offers the best coverage, feel free to read our detailed guide:
The Best eSIM Plans for Australia 🇦🇺 Compared
→ All Dealz for Sydney
Cover Picture: © jovannig - stock.adobe.com
Comments (2)
Hello,
What is the cancellation policy here?
170E for the whole trip, or per segment? I cannot figure it out…
Hi Marcin! According to the research done by our German colleagues, it’s €170 for the entire trip.