Flight prices December 2018

[Gunna123]

I’m looking for some advice. I’m checking out flight prices for December 2018, I am planning on travelling the weekend before Christmas from London to Bangkok and the current prices seem quite expensive. Anyway I’ve spoken with a few people who have advised me to book now as the prices will increase as the weeks go by. I have booked to travel at Christmas time in previous years and always managed to get a reasonable deal in September. I don’t usually check the flight prices this early so I’m not sure whether to book now or to hang back to see if the prices drop. Any advice welcomed.

 

 

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[javasumatra]

I’m in the same boat. I booked for Christmas 2016 in June 2016 on Thai in economy for ~ £500. 

Last Christmas I got Qatar in biz vce-doh-Bkk return for 1300 Euro. This year, the flights are a lot more expensive.

[Gunna123]

I’m in the same boat. I booked for Christmas 2016 in June 2016 on Thai in economy for ~ £500. 
Last Christmas I got Qatar in biz vce-doh-Bkk return for 1300 Euro. This year, the flights are a lot more expensive.

Like I say I don’t usually look at the prices this early so I’m not sure if in previous years they have been showing as this expensive but have then dropped in September/October. If they are only going to go up then maybe better to book soon


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[jocky king]

Last few years , I noticed that 24 th dec and 31.St Dec are the cheapest than the last two weeks of December . People don’t want to celebrate xmas day and new year day  on the plane .  Try skyscanner and see for yourself. 

[javasumatra]

Agreed but not this year.

[daytripperz]

I booked 6 weeks ago. Best price for my dates was Etihad from Heathrow.  Paid £754. It's now £796. 11th Dec to 6th Jan. Direct is over £1000. I paid £720 with Eva for my xmas 2016 trip.

I'd just book now tbh. You know you want to!

[Gunna123]

I booked 6 weeks ago. Best price for my dates was Etihad from Heathrow.  Paid £754. It's now £796. 11th Dec to 6th Jan. Direct is over £1000. I paid £720 with Eva for my xmas 2016 trip.
I'd just book now tbh. You know you want to!

I checked 2 days ago and Etihad from Heathrow were my best prices also. The prices seem to rocket the weekend before Christmas. Spoke with a travel agent just now and they seem to think the price will just go up now as these dates are so popular. As you say I think it’s time to just book it, gives me plenty of time to look forward to the trip.


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[taylor1975]

When you get to this point of the year, xmas prices only go up IMO. 

% wise, I've paid a fair bit more this year for nov/dec.

[maliminer]

The daughter just booked biz class yesterday Newcastle >dubai > bangkok 14th till 28th december 2689.72 gbp, Emirates

 

 

[Eric Le Roi]

4 minutes ago, maliminer said:

The daughter just booked biz class yesterday Newcastle >dubai > bangkok 14th till 28th december 2689.72 gbp, Emirates

 

 

...and no A380's on the Newcastle-Dubai legs either!!!

[maliminer]

39 minutes ago, Eric Le Roi said:

...and no A380's on the Newcastle-Dubai legs either!!!

ah 777 better anyway

[Eric Le Roi]

6 hours ago, maliminer said:

ah 777 better anyway

In Biz??? I've done both and I much prefer the A380.

Just my opinion though.

[bigbadbaz]

Last 4 years I go around the 7/8 December and return the 26th. Have gone Bizz and Qatar seems to be the best and I normally book early September 

[Straw]

I paid £411 for 15th December till 22nd January just after fares first appeared on Travel trolley but changing the outbound to 16th changed the price to £578. Emirates

[baggy67]

Last year I looked at flights for ages and all the quotes were for airlines of the China Southern, Jet Airways variety then a few months before Christmas loads of Emirates flights became available.Ended up booking a flight in November for Dec 28th at £531.I am gonna hang on to see if the same happens this year.The price got cheaper the later the return flight was in January.

[Gunna123]

Last year I looked at flights for ages and all the quotes were for airlines of the China Southern, Jet Airways variety then a few months before Christmas loads of Emirates flights became available.Ended up booking a flight in November for Dec 28th at £531.I am gonna hang on to see if the same happens this year.The price got cheaper the later the return flight was in January.

I’ve also noticed that most of the cheaper fares at the moment are with China Southern and Jet, never flown with them so not sure what they are like. I usually fly with either Etihad or Emirates, the travel agent I spoke with seems to think the flights around Christmas time will not come down in price now but I have booked in previous years at better prices in September. I still haven’t booked anything and will probably hang on a bit longer to see if there is any change now. To fly out the weekend before Christmas with Etihad or Emirates from London the current prices range from around £880 -£980 depending on the length of the stopover.

[neo1011]

Usually well over £1000 if you wait till the end of the year for a direct flight. Finnair was doing some good deals a month ago but the prices went up to about £750 within weeks.. in the end I paid £980 direct with Eva air leaving on the 19th

[baggy67]

If the Emirates flights dont materialise before October I will just book whatever airline.But they should be up by Aug/Sept last year there were tons of seats available,I even know what flight I want, EK8 from Heathrow.The pilots favourite, according to a mate of mine who’s Emirates pilot buddy was caught shagging a ladyboy in the Hilton.His wife turned up at the room to surprise him.But that as they say, is another story.

[neilri2001]

On 7/25/2018 at 15:41, jocky king said:

Last few years , I noticed that 24 th dec and 31.St Dec are the cheapest than the last two weeks of December . People don’t want to celebrate xmas day and new year day  on the plane .  Try skyscanner and see for yourself. 

Agree with you about December 31st. A few years back my partner and i had the entire business class section of a 747 to ourselves on a flight to Beijing and we paid peanuts ( figuratively speaking ). Not so sure about over Christmas. Been to Heathrow on both December 24th and 25th. The 24th was chaotic and Christmas Day was a helluva lot busier than expected. I guess that there are a lot of people who are coming to / from the UK who don't celebrate Christmas! 

[jocky king]

1 minute ago, neilri2001 said:

Agree with you about December 31st. A few years back my partner and i had the entire business class section of a 747 to ourselves on a flight to Beijing and we paid peanuts ( figuratively speaking ). Not so sure about over Christmas. Been to Heathrow on both December 24th and 25th. The 24th was chaotic and Christmas Day was a helluva lot busier than expected. I guess that there are a lot of people who are coming to / from the UK who don't celebrate Christmas! 

I noticed last week , those dates (24/25/31 of December) is expensive . Maybe when time comes nearer , those prices will come down .  

[Shaksey]

Looking at mid Dec until early Jan on any Oneworld carrier LHR-BKK with one stop, in Biz,, RJ seems to be cheapest at the moment, between £1600-1700. Then Finn at around £2000.

Two stops gives Finn/Cathay/Malay combo's for £1600-2000 worth a look if you have the time and want the extra points/Avios.

Couple years ago on Jan 1st I flew BA LHR-HKG then HGK-BKK on Cathay, all First and both flights were full which surprised me.

[javasumatra]

I just picked up biz ams-lhr-Kul-Bkk-sin-lhr-ams on ba, mh and cx for 1700 usd. Out 23 Dec, back jan 1.

ba are shit but priced accordingly.

[willem8]

I looked for Business with EVA or KLM from Ams direct to BKK on Dec 22 till Jan 5. Both EVA and KLM were more than €4400. I changed my dates to Dec25 till Jan 8 and paid €2280 with EVA now. KLM went down to €2750.  Maybe if i waited a little longer,i could get a little bit cheaper,but didn't want to take the risk of being to late and can see now already not many seats left.

[Ziplee]

Try Kayak.com put your dates in. When its done loading flights, look at left top. It will have a buy or wait tracker. Now DON'T buy from kayak, you can't pick seats.

[stacksreg123]

Your best bet is to sign up for some travel deals newsletter and try to book your flight when there is a great promotion going. 

I got my non stop DUS-BKK in December for 350€.

But if nothing comes along there is the point in time when it USUALLY only will get more expensive. 

To find out when that is, you need to use https://www.skyscanner.net/bttb/best-time-to-book-uk

It analyzes price development for your route over the last years so you have some statistically sound data.