Air Ticket - Increasing or decreasing closer to date of flight?

[andypattaya]

Before a few months I was buying air ticket at Emirates. Rates were from 800$ to 1200$.

 

Now I'm looking for another flight. Prices are from 1800$ to 2200$.

 

Ok, it's high season and Christmas. But I'm not happy to pay prices like this. Will this go down closer to date of flight? About 40 days left... .

[Vego69]

Before a few months I was buying air ticket at Emirates. Rates were from 800$ to 1200$.

 

Now I'm looking for another flight. Prices are from 1800$ to 2200$.

 

Ok, it's high season and Christmas. But I'm not happy to pay prices like this. Will this go down closer to date of flight? About 40 days left... .

I booked flight from Aust 3 months ago at $1100 return. Now $2000 AUD. in short in peak season prices will keep going up. Most flights will be close to full that time of the year.

[ProudAussie]

My mate booked with thai air for 22nd Dec $2600 ONE WAY !

[Vego69]

My mate booked with thai air for 22nd Dec $2600 ONE WAY !

That's madness. Just did Thai Airways search on my dates.

 

http://book.statravel.com.au/staglobe/AirFlightSearchResult.do;jsessionid=CFF2FC59FAEBC15591D3EB077DF72B0B?followAction=AirFlightSearch

Edited November 18, 2012 by Vego69

[jerry]

My experience is that the prices are at their lowest 4 - 6 weeks before flight . Not shore about christmas time though .

[juir]

Generally, with flights (to anywhere, not just Thailand) there are several phases of the ticket price. Prices are generally quite high if you book months in advance, because the airlines figure these people are the ones who have decided "I am going on vacation in March of 2013 come Hell or high water," and they have those people by the balls. As the time gets closer, the price starts to drop, as the airline starts to think about getting the flight full. It's not very cost-efficient to be flying a half-empty jet, so the lower prices help lure more buyers. As the travel date draws closer, however, they will save the last handful of seats on any flight for extremely high fares -- this is because business travelers (for many of whom cost is less of an issue) often do not book flights until the last minute. Also, the airlines figure that if someone needs to go to whatever destination on such short notice, they really have to go, and will pay for it. That's basically how all fares work, the only questions are the timeline of when the transition from low to high happens, and determining where the "bottom" of the fare is, as it dips. I try to book flights no more than 2 months in advance, myself, but not less than one month out.

[LOTTELLEE WINNA]

Generally, with flights (to anywhere, not just Thailand) there are several phases of the ticket price. Prices are generally quite high if you book months in advance, because the airlines figure these people are the ones who have decided "I am going on vacation in March of 2013 come Hell or high water," and they have those people by the balls. As the time gets closer, the price starts to drop, as the airline starts to think about getting the flight full. It's not very cost-efficient to be flying a half-empty jet, so the lower prices help lure more buyers. As the travel date draws closer, however, they will save the last handful of seats on any flight for extremely high fares -- this is because business travelers (for many of whom cost is less of an issue) often do not book flights until the last minute. Also, the airlines figure that if someone needs to go to whatever destination on such short notice, they really have to go, and will pay for it. That's basically how all fares work, the only questions are the timeline of when the transition from low to high happens, and determining where the "bottom" of the fare is, as it dips. I try to book flights no more than 2 months in advance, myself, but not less than one month out.

 

Thanks buddy - I was unaware of exactly how the system works...very informative

[Stillearly]

Prices for Christmas will not go down

[LRanger]

Keep looking hard. Certainly prices will skyrocket about 4-6 weeks out from peak season. But sometimes you can get some leftover seat deals too. Xmas 2010 I picked up a $540 Au flight from sydney to bangkok on Emirates, and a return on Jetstar for $400 so about 1000 all up for peak season.....

[ptr91]

Keep an eye open for last minute ticket. usually very cheap

[Stillearly]

Keep an eye open for last minute ticket. usually very cheap

 

At Christmas ?

[ptr91]

At Christmas ?

yes lol. just because it's christmas doesnt mean every plan is full as i pretty much only travel at christmas time.and with only last minute tickets, well not sure about thailand tho..

[Vego69]

Big call waiting at Christmas.....unless you have deep pockets!

[juir]

True, you can also get really great deals if you wait to the absolute last minute (like 2-3 days out) but that's certainly not a surefire thing. I'd love to be able to just say, "Ooo, $600 RT to Bangkok, the day after tomorrow! I'm all over it!" but that would be difficult to manage. I envy those of you who can do it!

[7-Eleven]

Before a few months I was buying air ticket at Emirates. Rates were from 800$ to 1200$.

 

Now I'm looking for another flight. Prices are from 1800$ to 2200$.

 

Ok, it's high season and Christmas. But I'm not happy to pay prices like this. Will this go down closer to date of flight? About 40 days left... .

 

Give me the date you want to fly and your departure airport.

[andypattaya]

PRG -> BKK

 

21 or 22 December - 12 or 13 January

[likeaking]

CebuPacific from BKK starts at <600 baht R/T four months prior to flight and can be >3500 baht ONE WAY the week of the flight. I've paid both.

[jinners]

In my experience there is no formula, just the ball ache of keep checking and then making the "is it as low as it s going to get" decision.

[7-Eleven]

PRG -> BKK

 

21 or 22 December - 12 or 13 January

 

The DXB - BKK sector for your dates is oversold.

[Seedy]

I have flown actually on Christmas day from LHR to BKK and it was considerably cheaper than the 24th or 26th December.

[dirtyslag]

I have flown actually on Christmas day from LHR to BKK and it was considerably cheaper than the 24th or 26th December.

 

Did the same thing last year and again this year there is a big difference but check out the prices after jan 1 they just plummet!

[andypattaya]

Emirates were sold out (totally) yesterday, not a single flight +-3 days. So I booked Korean Air for 1500$. Not happy, but what can this farang do? I hate high season!

[smartbuy]

Check out http://www.expertflyer.com/

Very technical, but worth trying. Only expertflyer will come up with the goods

 

For .au, I found AirAsia and Scoot useful. For a while, flying to radioactive Japan first made sense, then a hop to BKK.

[Harvez]

i have paid for tickets over christmas last minute you still find tickets cheap enough 1500 from mel espeially if you leave on christmas day or new years eve.

[peachyjuice]

This is the most expensive year I've ever seen!

 

i looked at a flight just recently from lax to bkk dec. 14 - jan 5 , thai air..... a ridiculous $5,000 + round trip, economy!!!.. now i love da pussy as much as the next guy but $5000 goes a lonnnng damn way in TJ Mexico... fuck those prices and the airlines... simply on principle..

 

i did find a ticket for $1800, but not at all thrilled about it. Airlines, like anyone else, have a fairly short learning curve... these days, they're running less flights but at full capacity.. makes perfect sense... years ago you could be on a trans-oceanic flight and often see plenty of seats unavailable.... no more.... at least from lax, those long haul flights are ALWAYS packed... so the airlines got u by da balls, especially at high season.... was just over in manila in november, $863 round trip....

 

supply and demand just simple, f'in economics.......

Edited December 2, 2012 by peachyjuice