Return fares to US for less than an Adele ticket

Helloworld is selling a limited number of tickets to Los Angeles for $699.

Return airfares to three US destinations are on sale for less than some tickets sold through official agencies to see Adele.

Seats to Los Angeles, San Francisco and Houston are being advertised for $699 through helloworld for restricted travel times. There are 100 of these and another 200 on sale for $799, travelling on Air New Zealand.

Customers must book at least three nights' accommodation through the agency and travel falls outside school holiday times.

When Adele tickets went on sale last November the most expensive seat set fans back more than $700 for the front row, VIP experience.

Since then tickets have been on sale for $850 on Trade Me for Adele, who plays her first show in Auckland tonight.

One woman complained of paying 10 times the face value of tickets through a reseller.

Helloworld executive general manager Simon McKearney said the fares were the cheapest since American Airlines launched into the New Zealand market just under a year ago.

"We had $699 to the USA and one year on we have collaborated with Air New Zealand for $699 to their US ports," he said.

"They're definitely the cheapest they have been."

He said Air New Zealand was "telling the big boys that they too can play in that space".

There were no restrictions on the accommodation booked through helloworld and can include a cruise or guided coach tour.

The US fares are from Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.

Fares on Air New Zealand's Auckland to Invercargill route during May, with a bag, are just under $500.

International airfares have been dropping because of intense competition between a growing number of airlines serving New Zealand.

Last week STA Travel advertised Auckland to London return flights for less than $1000 via Cairns and Manila for $979 return for travel during September, October and November.