For many, Australia is the destination of a lifetime. To make it more affordable, I compared offerings for seven-night vacations to Sydney this spring, testing departures from Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York. All packages include additional taxes and fees for airfare.

Sample prices in May are:

Expedia has vacation specials to Sydney starting at $1,482 from Chicago, $1,227 from Los Angeles, and $1,530 from New York.Travelocity’s vacations start at $1,578 from Chicago, $1,333 from Los Angeles, and $1,650 from New York. Orbitz has vacations starting at $1,682 from Chicago, $1,437 from Los Angeles, and $1,742 from New York.

The listed rates are per person based on double occupancy. Single travelers may pay a supplementary charge for each package. Availability is limited.

Which deal offers the best value?

Expedia has the best rates for all departure cities. It’s always a good idea to compare costs before making a reservation, however, and you can use our price-comparison tool to search multiple travel providers.

Another important factor to consider is the type of lodging included. To compare hotel ratings, visit TripAdvisor.

Please note that many providers do not list booking deadlines, and not all packages may be available for the travel dates you want. Be flexible with your travel dates to find the best deal for your vacation.

All prices, dates, and booking details listed here were valid at the time of publication. Some information may have changed since that time.

(Editor’s Note: SmarterTravel.com is a member of the TripAdvisor Media Network, an operating company of Expedia, Inc. Expedia, Inc. also owns Expedia.com.)

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