Checked and compared: Alternative European flights that miss out the Middle East

Thousands of Australian cruisers are searching for European flights that don’t involve travelling over the Middle East.

A stop in Dubai or Doha is a common route for Australians to get to Europe – a whopping 51 per cent of travellers fly through major hubs in the Middle East to access different cities in Europe.

For those who have holidays or cruises in Europe in the next few weeks and months, the Middle East conflict will affect their plans.

It is now a good time to examine alternative plans with other routes between Australia and Europe.

For whichever situation, it’s a good time for Aussies to familiarise themselves with other flight routes between Australia and Europe.

Melissa Elf, Global COO, FCM Travel and Corporate Traveller said: “The majority of Europe to Australia flight connections operate via Asian hubs, not the Middle East, including Singapore, Hong Kong, and other major regional airports, with these routes continuing to operate normally.

“Passengers transferring via Asia – especially Singapore, Hong Kong, and Kuala Lumpur – have become very popular in the last few days

“Travel Managers and passengers should note that seat availability on these alternative routes is limited and subject to rapid change. Securing a booking requires prompt action and flexibility.”

So whether you’re trying to get home or hoping to travel over the coming weeks or months, you’ll want to act swiftly to secure safe and fairly priced travel for you and the rest of your travel party.

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What are the other routes between Europe and Australia?

There are a number of other ways to get between Europe and Australia, such as with

• Singapore Airlines (via Singapore)
• Cathay Pacific (via Hong Kong)
• Malaysia Airlines (via Kuala Lumpur)
• Thai Airways (via Bangkok)
• China Southern/China Eastern (via Chinese cities)
• EVA Air/China Airlines (via Taipei)
• Qantas (via Singapore on some routes).
• Qantas (direct to London via Perth)

So, which of these routes is best for you?

If we pick out random travel dates, for example, a return flight from Sydney to London, that leaves on April 14 and returns on May 12, you can see a basic summary of the flight options for Aussies.

Airline	Price range	Stopover location	Total transit time
Air China	$1250 – 1500	Beijing	Approx 30 hours there, 41 hours returning
China Eastern	$1600 – 1800	Shanghai	Approx 28 hours there, 27 hours returning
China Southern	$1600 – 1800	Guangzhou	Approx 40 hours there, 29 hours returning
Cathay Pacific	$2500 – 2700	Hong Kong	Approx 26 hours there, 23 hours returning
Thai Airways	$2500 – 2700	Bangkok	Approx 25 hours there, 23 hours returning

Sydney to Paris flight options for the same dates 

Airline	Price range	Stopover location	Total transit time
Malaysia Airlines	$1400 – 1600	Kuala Lumpur	Approx 25 hours there, 25 hours returning
China Eastern	$1400 – 1500	Shanghai	Approx 28 hours there, 28 hours returning
China Southern	$1800 – 2000	Guangzhou	Approx 29 hours there, 24 hours returning
Air India	$1900 – 2000	Delhi	Approx 30 hours there, 38 hours returning
Thai Airways	$2100 – 2300	Bangkok	Approx 25 hours there, 23 hours returning
Vietnam Airlines	$2100 – 2200	Ho Chi Minh City	Approx 29 hours there, approx 37 hours returning
Korean Air	$2100 – 2200	Seoul	Approx 40 hours there, 26 hours returning
Finnair	$2200 – 2400	Seoul + Helsinki (on the way) Helsinki + Singapore (returning)	Approx 30 hours there, 26 hours returning
Cathay Pacific	$2300 – 2500	Brisbane + Hong Kong (on the way) Hong Kong (returning)	Approx 32 hours there, 24 hours returning
Air France	$2400 – 2600	Los Angeles (on the way) Singapore (returning)	Approx 33 hours there, 22 hours returning

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So, who should you fly with?

• Looking for pure value? If price is your main consideration, it’s hard to beat the Chinese carriers like China Southern and China Eastern. Malaysian Airways is also another cheap option into Western European cities. 
• Looking for a highly rated airline? Cathay Pacific ranks at #2 overall on AirlineRatings.com list of top ranked full-service airlines for 2026.
• Looking to reduce transit time? This will depend on your exact route, but Thai Airways is a good reliable option that generally won’t have more than 24 hours of transit in either direction. 

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Quick tips 

• Check on aggregate sites such as Google Flights or Skyscanner for the prices for your exact dates, however, it’s best to book through the airline or a travel agent, not directly through an aggregate website. 
• Book as soon as possible! The longer the conflict continues, the more popular these alternative flight routes will become, meaning higher prices and less availability. 
• If you’re unsure about an airline, check websites like Airline Ratings or AirHelp for an approximate idea. 
• Expect a bit less comfort than usual. The truth is most of these airlines offer slightly less comfort and service quality than lines like Qantas or Etihad. It’s also generally a longer transit time. While they may not provide the comfort of your preferred carrier, these airlines can still offer you a safe and secure way to arrive at your destination. 

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The flexible ticket ‘insurance’ strategy

Cruise agent and expert Sharon Summerhayes, owner of Deluxe Travel and Cruise, stresses the importance of a flexible ticket in such uncertain times

Summerhayes spells out that if you currently have travel booked through the Middle East over the coming months, you should purchase a flexible ticket through Asia now. Then if your Middle East flight is okay to board, you can cancel your ticketing through Asia and board the flight through the Middle East, or if it isn’t, you can take this ‘insurance’ flight through Asia.

If the Middle East fly is okay to board, then it may cost you a couple of hundred in cancellation fees, but you won’t have run the risk of missing your cruise or travel entirely.

“I would recommend another flexible ticket purchase as insurance, if possible.  One with an airline transiting Asia like Singapore Airlines, Thai, JAL etc that has a low cancellation penalty.  Even if it costs you a couple of hundred in cancellation fees, you have the insurance that should you not be able to take your originally booked flight, you’ll still have the option with your ‘insurance’ ticket.

“Ensure that you’re aware of the cancellation time-frame as most tickets must be cancelled at least 24-48 hours prior to departure for the most refund.  Middle Eastern airlines are offering refunds for immediately affected passengers, but you won’t know if your booked flights are affected until close to your departure date.”

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