Sample Australia to US Fares

22 March - Typical one-way fares.
Sydney Los Angeles Air Pacific Late May A$1147
SYD Honolulu Late May A$558
Honolulu Sydney Jetstar mid June A$638
LAX SYD Air NZ mid June US$997
BNA SYD US mid June US$1600

19 March - JT found this one but the cheap seats are going fast. Over 27 May and back 18 June SYD to LAX A$1115 return to Honolulu then US$400 on Delta HNL LAX return for a total of about A$1600 to LAX. Be careful that if your flight is late, the connecting airline will put you on the next flight.

17 March - Air NZ A$1856 to San Francisco + under A$300 to Nashville. So about A$2150 for a bit of inconvenience (a stop in Auckland). Found on http://www.airnewzealand.com.au/default.htm and cheaptickets.com .

13 March
- If buying your tickets now, I just can't see the benefit of flying anybody but United or Qantas SYD-BNA or MEL- BNA. Yep you can save maybe $200, but you always have to stop once crossing the Pacific. Plus the annoyance of booking connecting flights.
- China Airlines (diff from Air China) thru Taipei about A$1900 total SYD LAX.
- United Syd dep 27 May BNA dep 15 or 16 Jun $A2374. united.com.au. Quote here.

12 March - Air Tahiti Nui Sydney dep 29 May Los Angeles dep 18 June A$1868 and LAX arrival and departure time good for connections to BNA. Cheaptickets.com has flights that connect both days to Nashville for about US$250. Southwest has nonstop flights LAX-BNA also. Air Tahiti quote here.

11 March - Air NZ Melbourne dep 27 May to Nashville dep 15 June A$1838 (about $300 more from Adelaide). Quote here . US$320 flights available LAX Nashville.

11 March - Even Cheaper but requires overnight in LA both directions- Hawaiian Air Sydney dep May 28 to LAX dep 17 June A$1732 quote here . US$320 flights available LAX Nashville.

11 March - Sydney to Nashville May June: The cheapest fare going, is under A$2000 on Air China via Shanghai and LAX. But the kicker is that you have to spend a night in Shanghai. If you don't want to do that, it is useless.

11 March - Melbourne dep 27 May to Nashville dep 15 June A$2389 unitedairlines.com.au . See the quote here.

Tip
If a travel agent wants to talk prices "plus tax", tell them to get lost. You only want to talk total price. They will give all sorts of excuses to not talk full price (Best Flights is the worst) but they can get you the full price. If you let them talk "plus tax" prices, they can pull the meanest trick$ on you later.

Tips, LAX to Nashville

Very cheap fares in May June.

Use cheaptickets.com, but check www.southwest.com for their nonstop flight to Nashville. Very few airlines go LAX to BNA nonstop. Some 11 March fares for late May to early June Return (but always consider one way tickets on different airlines):
11 Mar - SouthWest US$119 or less each way.
11 Mar - American nonstop return $234. See quote here

JTsBarAndGrillGoldenRule - He who has the gold, makes the rules.