When do you buy you're plane tickets?

[Mike R]

I was wondering when everybody buys there airplane tickets?

 

A few months in advance or later on?.

 

Half februari I looking into the price for a ticket from Amsterdam to BKK and found the cheapest price to be € 715,-- incl. tax and insurance.

Now the 1th of March the same ticket costs me now € 810,-- euro incl. tax and insurance.

 

So was I too late to buy it?.

 

Haven't traveled by plane that much so no idea if this is common.

[Fergal]

May be different for me as I fly from Australia. What I have found in the past is that if I book any flights (not date of flying) around xmas or school holidays the prices go up. I was also told that around this time of year the airlines tend to get cheaper as they have just come off the 'honeymoon' xmas period and school holiday dates for this part of the world.

 

In short, flight costs will fluctuate dramatically at any given time. 1 month ago my flight was $1200. I booked it last week for $885. Just a matter of having the nerve to wait I suppose.

 

Really....not much help am I.

[Magoo57]

Best prices from UK tend to be between 4 and 3 months before you want to travel. Generally cheaper flying wednesday to wednesday also. If you wait any longer you usually find the prices shoot up as the airlines raise prices once they've sold a certain % of tickets.

Edited March 1, 2010 by Magoo57

[therealnapster]

Best prices from UK tend to be between 4 and 3 months before you want to travel. Generally cheaper flying wednesday to wednesday also. If you wait any longer you usually find the prices shoot up as the airlines raise prices once they've sold a certain % of tickets.

 

i asked the same question in dutch part of the forum, no real clear answers as of yet...

 

pretty much clueless about this myself...

[Slacker]

I usually start looking at sites like Kayak about 6 months before travel - with Kayak you can set up weekly email alerts to track flight prices. They will give price options including travel sites, but I usually opt for booking through an airline's website directly. Number 1 rule with flights is that you will always hear of one cheaper the minute you commit to a price, so set yourself a price you are happy with and then book it.

[Derbytony]

Flying from the UK I always buy my tickets about 4 months in advance. I fly out on March 12th, and bought the ticket in November.

 

I usually get a good price doing it this way.

 

Cheers

Tony

[Mike R]

Now for some odd reason the price dropped again?. Seems to be random..

[jocky king]

A day or two from departure sometimes offerred a great deal.. To fill out half empty flight. Have a look now and see how much to fly tomorrow or wednesday.

[malcyx]

Hey man, thats expensive..

I fly from Aberdeen, no direct flight as they dont have the facilities for the larger aircraft.

I like to go via Amsterdam as i like the cofee and cakes lol...

Most ive paid for ticket is 700 that incudes flight to Dam..

Least ive paid is 450 had a night out in singapore that trip..

Singapore to bangkok flight was £80 return..

do you have dates for your trip...

Edited March 1, 2010 by malcyx

[Lestat]

My experience with tickets for May is that it should become cheaper here in March and April. Have patience and keep looking. I'm looking for tickets in May too.

Thai airways should come down to about 600 Euro round trip with no stops.

Edited March 1, 2010 by Lestat

[vmm]

A day or two from departure sometimes offerred a great deal.. To fill out half empty flight. Have a look now and see how much to fly tomorrow or wednesday.

 

Yep, sometimes they drop the price a day or two before the flight, although that doesn't seem to happen very often especially during the high season. You just have to be ready to go on a very short notice if you want to catch those last minute flights.

 

The best deal is to look for the discount fares, but you can get them usually only on low season and you have to book them maybe 3 months in advance. My flight from Europe to BKK last August (booked in June) was only €440 at discount. I think €715 at this time of year is about the lowest price you can get.

[Gone with the wind]

A few times I've got a return ticket from Melb to Bkk for $220 return with Air Asia, but thats booking waaaay ahead...like 6 months.

[OKAY]

I have found that the best prices from the South Easter portion of the USA are about 120 days out. I'm going at the end of March and the fabulous price I got was right around the end of November. My math is not all that good but it was pretty far in advance. $980 vice $1110 today

[MR_HACHE]

Its worth noting that the prices go down, up, and down again quite regularly, on the same sites. I've found this the case eveytime over the last 7 years.

For instance this morning, flights for the dates I wana go in May, they were £617 for Eva air from london, through ebookers. Half hour ago I checked Ebookers again, they were down to £480.

[Kandinski]

Living in a remote part of the world it's essential I secure ticket the earliest. If I have lived closed to a major airport or even better an airport hub I would have gambled as many airlines drop prices close to departure

[bill130]

I have found that the best prices from the South Easter portion of the USA are about 120 days out. I'm going at the end of March and the fabulous price I got was right around the end of November. My math is not all that good but it was pretty far in advance. $980 vice $1110 today

Thanks

[califdann]

I was wondering when everybody buys there airplane tickets?

 

 

 

Just bought my tickets (R/T) from LAX to BKK on Korean Air today Mar 18th. $835.00 after all the fees, taxes, and etc... Best price I could find. Flying late October.

 

DMC

[mic59]

A few times I've got a return ticket from Melb to Bkk for $220 return with Air Asia, but thats booking waaaay ahead...like 6 months.

 

I managed to get one on sale with AirAsia, but I live in Adelaide so I had to take a Virgin flight to Melbourne. Even then the total cost was still less than I would pay for a flight from Adelaide to Bangkok. Total with taxes, meals, luggage was $911.

[Heart Sink]

This is a very interesting question. I have yet to find the correct answer..I suspect there isn't one. Sometimes you are luck, sometimes you are not

 

Its worth noting that the prices go down, up, and down again quite regularly, on the same sites. I've found this the case eveytime over the last 7 years.

For instance this morning, flights for the dates I wana go in May, they were £617 for Eva air from london, through ebookers. Half hour ago I checked Ebookers again, they were down to £480.

 

I have also noticed this phenomenon! It pays to check regularly

[ritch]

i fly from aberdeen

from amsterdam or london

london is pretty cheap finding some flights for 400+

depending onyour budget i also

 

emirates and qatar have good reviews

i got for 450 this time because my bro put up the monyey before i finalised my searches

lastminute dot com had 403 june 6 to aug 8 for 403

 

however this time were with statravel and can chagnge return for 35 £ so not all to bad since it was 150 to change back with chin a airlines