Virgin Australia a330-200 short final by Jordan Vuong, CC-BY-2.0

Today I am flying to Sydney, as my interview with the US Consulate is tomorrow. In Sydney, the US Consulate only holds K1 visa interviews on Tuesday mornings, and I was lucky to get my interview date for April 7 at 10.15AM. I’m flying out today to spend the night in Sydney, rather than on the red eye Monday night (that would arrive early Tuesday morning) to avoid issues with tiredness or flight delays.

My boarding pass

My return ticket to Sydney was free (!) as one of the benefits my credit card gives me is a free domestic flight each year on Virgin Australia. I haven’t flown Virgin Australia in years and was surprised when I called the credit card hotline and was able to book this redemption ticket for my visa interview! I had checked in case tickets weren’t available, and the return flight was going to cost me around A$650, so I was super delighted.

Inflight meal: frittata

The crowd at baggage claim. So glad I only had carry on!

My exit out of Museum Station

I also paid the DS-160 fee, which is the fee for one of the online immigration forms the US Consulate requires. It cost A$344.50 (or US$265) at the US Consulate’s self assessed exchange rate of US$1  = A$1.30, which is not too far off the current exchange rate.

Travelodge Sydney

My room

Cost of ticket to Sydney: Free! (Thanks, American Express)

Cost of hotel in Sydney: A$106.25 (US$80.75 at US$0.76 to A$1)

Cost of train ticket from the airport to the hotel: A$17

Cost of DS-160: A$344.50

Total: A$467.75 / US$355.49