Do you book the cheapest flight or stick to one airline?

[The Storm]

I have travelled to LOS with Thai, EVA, Qantas, BA, Etihad and Emirates because I always booked the cheapest flights available for my dates.

 

However since last June I made the decision only to fly with BA and Emirates so I could accrue airmiles with their respective schemes. I picked these two because I either fly from LHR or Manchester depending on work. I am a gold member with BA and silver with Emirates so it is worth it to get the occasional 'free' flight or upgrade.

 

Does anybody else stick to one airline or are you driven only by price, for the record Emirates tend to be one of cheapest anyway (within a few pounds) when flying from Manchester so I don't really lose out too much.

[jocky king]

Etihad is my favourite Airlines but I still shop around for the cheapest flight, also look for the short transfer time (1hr min- 3 hour max). Some are over ten hours wait for the cheap flight, I wont take that.

[Muso]

I spend hours and hours, week after week trawling the net for the cheapest way to get to LOS... flights from all airports inc train fares to and from said airports... I have yet to pay more than £560 in 7 years and 16 trips... inc Dec/Jan flights.

You only get out what you put in in my opinion....

[RockyMtnJay]

I take the cheapest airline but take into account the legroom in economy. I will not fly a few airlines because of the small seat pitch. China Air is often the cheapest but no thanks. Fortunately my last five trips have been on either Korean or Asiana. So I can credit those miles to United and Alaska Air respectively where I try and build up miles.

[firewight]

For me, my regular airline is already the cheapest from my location in AU, so it's an easy choice for me!

[DaveDV]

for direct flights i have only 2 options, so it`ll be a combination of times and prices.

i did notice the flight i booked two weeks ago got 80 euros cheaper......annoying...

[7-Eleven]

Do you still get the same number of miles if you book your ticket via a booking agent such as ebookers as you do booking direct with the airline?

[The Storm]

I spend hours and hours, week after week trawling the net for the cheapest way to get to LOS... flights from all airports inc train fares to and from said airports... I have yet to pay more than £560 in 7 years and 16 trips... inc Dec/Jan flights.

You only get out what you put in in my opinion....

That is good going, I paid £1000 for a flight just before Xmas 2009 (cattle class) because I left it until a few days before to make the decision to go.

[whynotme]

i used to fly air canada almost exclusivly but with there new screw the customer policy i have switched to united.

as a super elite member with air canada i can still use all the perks when flying on united this year as its a star alliance partner.

i will have my 100,000 flown/paid miles this year exclusivly done with united as they seem to be the cheapest

[Muso]

That is good going, I paid £1000 for a flight just before Xmas 2009 (cattle class) because I left it until a few days before to make the decision to go.

I went Boxing day once, from Gatwick I think, or LHR, 2008 or 2009, I recall it was around the £510 mark...

[The Storm]

Do you still get the same number of miles if you book your ticket via a booking agent such as ebookers as you do booking direct with the airline?

That is a good question, I don't know the answer as I tend to book direct with the airlines theses days.

[FROST MEDIC999]

Stick with my Named Airlines even if a bit more as retain status and get the perks of being a FF.

 

Ghosty

[Deuces]

Do you still get the same number of miles if you book your ticket via a booking agent such as ebookers as you do booking direct with the airline?

 

Depends on the Ticket class your booking, cheap/deal/special flights never accrue points no matter who you book with.

[geezerrb]

for direct flights i have only 2 options, so it`ll be a combination of times and prices.

i did notice the flight i booked two weeks ago got 80 euros cheaper......annoying...

I am the same only direct from LHR to BKK after trying Qatar, Emirates etc and yes sometimes I get "pi**ed" when price drops radically but I made a big mistake last year. The price for an Air India flight was nearly £200 cheaper although I was advised by many to avoid but I used. I always can only afford to travel "cattle class" and ignoring much advice real experience of that class going with Air India I got a real eye opener in the worst service I have ever experienced.

[Seedy]

I stick with one airline and am now a gold member. 

My economy ticket gives me 50 Kg luggage allowance, 2 free upgrades a year, business class lounge access and a guaranteed seat in cattle class even if the flight is fully booked.

[nikcholas]

maybe this searcher can help

 

http://matrix.itasoftware.com/search.htm

[Capeyork]

I stick with 1. Jetstar direct to Bangkok from Melbourne Oz

Return with golf clubs picking my own seat exit isle $600aud

(and i have on several trips got it cheaper)

 

No food entertainment etc etc but for a 9hr flight it dont worry me

[muu]

I prefer a direct flight from the UK so that limits the choice of airline but at different times of the year prices are stupidly high. The last time I opted for a split flight with only a short transit time I saved around £200. Do this a few times and you save the equivalent of another flight though you obviously don't have the other benefits that go with FF schemes. There are some cheaper airlines that should be avoided but the likes of Etihad and Qatar often have good prices from the UK. 

[TrevorSea]

Flying from the UK, I favour Emirates or BA. The latter because I have to put an extra leg from Jersey to mainland UK and sometimes that leg is almost free for a straight through booking.

Stop over time (or rather the lack of it) is important to me because I find that I spend almost as much money kicking my heels in transfer lounges as I would have spent on the more expensive ticket.

 

The fact that I can leave Jersey on the 7.00am to LGW, catch the 10.00am Emirates flight via DXB, arrive Swampy 08.30 the next day and easily be in Pattaya for late morning is worth the extra £100 or so.

 

I have just had a look at prices for a August 2013 - Feb 2014 (LGW - BKK - LGW via DXB with Emirates) and it's £657.

 

I'm fairly lucky in that I know a long time ahead when I plan to be here.

 

 

Lots of comments about FF programs above. The BBC did a short program on them a few months back and generally found that they had lost their sparkle.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/fast_track/9672711.stm

They also surveyed the best time to book tickets which makes interesting reading although it is of more use to our members from USA.

http://www.bbc.com/travel/blog/20130108-whens-the-best-time-to-book-flights

[DaveDV]

I am the same only direct from LHR to BKK after trying Qatar, Emirates etc and yes sometimes I get "pi**ed" when price drops radically but I made a big mistake last year. The price for an Air India flight was nearly £200 cheaper although I was advised by many to avoid but I used. I always can only afford to travel "cattle class" and ignoring much advice real experience of that class going with Air India I got a real eye opener in the worst service I have ever experienced.

 

I wish I could cancel and rebook flights like you can with hotels

[whitespider - RIP]

Just a point - When you book the cheapest flights remember the ticket "class" also.

 

I dont mean whether its economy or biz etc. Most airlines sell off a certain number of economy seats on each plane in advance, often to agents or 3rd partys, to ensure costs are covered. However the lowest class usually has NO perks at all i.e. no refund, no ability to change dates etc.

 

In a nutshell (with "made up" prices and tariff just for example and assuming economy)

 

£460 - no refunds no date changes under any curcumstances

£480 - no refund - dates can be changed for an extra £100

£500 - no refund - no charge to change dates

£520 - refunds on cancellation, no charge for changing dates.

 

I stress I have made up those amounts and tariffs as there are many more but its often worth the extra few bob to gain some flexibility.

[HappyHour1973]

I usually won't change my ticket, I will get the best deal I can but if there's a super cheap dodgy airline with 2 stopovers then, no thanks

 

If it's a choice between a few and prices similar but one has a stop off, even for an hour, I would probably pay the extra to not stop off

[Cosmic36]

Since it takes me 30 hours to travel from my doorstep in Colorado to Pattaya I want to be semi comfortable. I won't pick the real cheap flights and always want at least a 2 hour layover between connections. I also won't do 8 hour layovers if I don't have to. I fly coach but pay more for the schedule I prefer.

[mikeyboy]

 

Usually fly with the airline that gives me the best price , although there are a couple of them i wouldn't use , and no more than 3 hours stopover is a must .

 

Mikeyboy

[semi-retired member]

Flying BKK-London-BKK, I tend to find someone who is cheap & has reasonable baggage-allowance, and then stick with them for a few years, until I get my 'free' flight on their airmiles. Then look round again.

 

Several years back it was Etihad, then Qatar Airways, Egyptair (but the low-prices were 1-year-only), and currently I'm using Jet Airways, will reach the freebie at the end of this year.

 

I'd live to fly with Etihad or Emirates, but they're generally B7k-B10k more-expensive than Jet, when they've got a sale on. Pity.