When to buy Plane tickets, Over seas travel?

Macca23 · 11-09-2007, 01:31 PM

Im lucky enough that myself and the soon to be wife are heading over seas to UK next May for our honeymoon.

How soon do people think buying the tickets?
I have the cash ready to go now. We have found some good deals so far! Around the - $3000 is the going price atm. (theres a few cheaper but i dont trust the extreme cheapo airlines)

We also looked into a few travel agents. They rekon hold off a few more months. Oct/Sep Are the cheapest to buy. Early bird season then. They rekon as low as $2500 for the 2 tickets. How true and trust worthy are travel agents?

How soon do others who have been heading over seas buy tickets?
Do you prefer using airlines direct or the online deals, webjet etc or a agent?

Any savings would be good and would be happy with under the 3k for a decent airline, but my luck is that i will wait and they will all be $4000 at the time :togo:

Cheers

Hayden!!

JG66ME · 11-09-2007, 01:42 PM

I travel O/S a lot but most of my travel is Business and most of my travel is Qantas or BA.

If I was you I would book now. What Airline do you intend useing? For a trip to the UK on a budget I would use Thai with a stop over in Bangkok on the way home. Thai is very good and at the moment prices are good. Cathay Pacific is a pain only because its via Hong Kong and thats out of the way. My prefrence is always to go via Singapore to the UK but Singapore Airlines are more expensive than Thai and you only save an hour or so. Malaysian is also very good.

Steve

Oh yes, enjoy your time away, best to you and yours.

digitalpunk · 11-09-2007, 01:46 PM

My girlfriend and I are looking at a big trip next year in early July.

We are looking to go to Fiji (for a wedding) then off to London, Holland, Paris, Italy, Malta, Bangkok (the girlfriend wants to stop over for shopping on the way back).

Ours is much more complicated then yours because we have to go to Fiji then we have to either go through L.A or back home to get to London, but, we got quoted a little over $3000 for the flights. One of my close friends is a travel agent so I trust her, she also told me to wait until the last week of October or first week of November to book to get the early bird discounts.

JG66ME · 11-09-2007, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by digitalpunk

My girlfriend and I are looking at a big trip next year in early July.

One of my close friends is a travel agent so I trust her, she also told me to wait until the last week of October or first week of November to book to get the early bird discounts.

Sounds like good advice

The Yeti · 11-09-2007, 01:57 PM

I have found the sooner the better for booking tickets, unfortunatly when I travel I tend to only have a few weeks notice at best and I tend to pay full tilt for my air fairs, I try to fly Qantas or BA for no other reason than I started earning points with them when Qantas was our prefered carrier now we jsut go with the best value it doeasnt matter so much but as I have arround 400,000 FF points I try to keep them up so I can take my wife and kids with me when I go for extended preiods, dont beleive the crap you hear about the Qantas FF program I have taken my family to the US Italy and NZ on points and the longest notice I have given them is 8weeks, they may not fly on the exact flight I want them to and I may not be able to be on the same plane as them but I always seem to be able to get them a flight

the only down side of flying Qantas and BA is the hostys arent as nice

_2: as some of the other airlines

irlewy86 · 11-09-2007, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Yeti

the only down side of flying Qantas and BA is the hostys arent as nice

_2: as some of the other airlines

Unless your name is Ralph Finnes

Macca23 · 11-09-2007, 02:22 PM

Thanks for quick replys,

Thai and Air new Zeland seem to be the better rates. JAL run a special, late next month(inside info), Dad worked for them up until last month(retired) so no more staff discount prices

:

digitalpunk - Sounds good your prices :evil3: Compared to ours anyway. Thats what a few other agents have told us bout those times is best to buy. My luck thow is that it wont be and the prices will double :evil3:

Would like to go qantas or BA but they are at the top of the price list! and well i dont really mind too much on which airline or where it fly by, but shorter the better for sitting time.
As long as it has a bar, food and big economey seats haha

henry 351 · 11-09-2007, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Macca23

Im lucky enough that myself and the soon to be wife are heading over seas to UK next May for our honeymoon.

Cheers

Hayden!!

Mate, planning the honeymoon before the wedding, you do have your priorities right...

How about a little side trip to the Monaco Grand Prix? (24-25 May)

Seriously, most travel agents are professionals, but do find a good one. The bigger ones (like Fright Centre) get offered specials the smaller agencies don't qualify for due to their turnover, so shop around.

Booking online is ok if you know exactly what you want, but I think a good travel agent with real experience and feedback is what you are after.

the_scotsman · 11-09-2007, 02:39 PM

I fly back home to Scotland every few years. Went back last August to get married.
Ballpark figure for August onward is around $2500 which is a decent price. Ealrier in the year maybe nearer $3000. I always go with BA, but Singapore and Thai should be around the same.
Doesn't make a huge amount of difference when you book I have found.

Macca23 · 11-09-2007, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by henry 351

Mate, planning the honeymoon before the wedding, you do have your priorities right...

How about a little side trip to the Monaco Grand Prix? (24-25 May)

Seriously, most travel agents are professionals, but do find a good one. The bigger ones (like Fright Centre) get offered specials the smaller agencies don't qualify for due to their turnover, so shop around.

Booking online is ok if you know exactly what you want, but I think a good travel agent with real experience and feedback is what you are after.

Yeah honeymoon now. We do have the wedding all booked and sorted, The miss's just has to choose the cakes and flowers

We origianlly were only going to go to gold coast but we got the wedding etc @ a very good $$ and a bit of a helping hand from my inlaws, which aloud us to free up the CASH for a better honeymoon.

Im happy to go through a agent but the few we stopped in to see havent been to helpful, just hand us 10 magazines and say come back.

We only need the flights done not the rest of it as accomadition is taken care of already.

Quote:

Originally Posted by the_scotsman

I fly back home to Scotland every few years. Went back last August to get married.
Ballpark figure for August onward is around $2500 which is a decent price. Ealrier in the year maybe nearer $3000. I always go with BA, but Singapore and Thai should be around the same.
Doesn't make a huge amount of difference when you book I have found.

$2500 is what we have been told is what we can exepect around late october. $500 in my pocket im happy with, just wondering if its worth the GAMBLE to wait till then.

henry 351 · 11-09-2007, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Macca23

We only need the flights done not the rest of it as accomadition is taken care of already.

OK, on another tangent, there are internet only specials that agents don't have access too. Trawl Webjet and the others.

If the inlaws are comfy and have access to Amex Platinum (or better), then their travel service is very good. On occassions when myself or mates have used them, no agent can get near their fares. This includes my ex-wife who was a Fright Centre manager. Boy was she peeved when I booked the travel!

Macca23 · 11-09-2007, 04:24 PM

Dont know anyone with a amex :togo: but good idea.

Found a Cathy Pacific $1570ea Return, + Taxes thats bout the best so far!Yes have been trawling and will keep on doing so. just hope dont wait too long and they sky rocket!!!

jason_85 · 11-09-2007, 04:35 PM

hey mate

i know this isnt going to UK but me and the mrs have just booked a holiday to singapore and thailand in december.

I found that it is more expensive going through a travel agent than it is to book everything yourself online. and these days its very simple to do!!!

We are flying overwith Etihad (owned by UAE government) cause they have deals on at the moment.... and are alot cheaper than Jetstar (we were trying to avoid having to use them

)

I would check them out anyway cause i think they do flights to the UK ... there customer service is great... i had an issue with my online booking cause my comp crashed during the credit card processing!

Cheers

Jason

the_scotsman · 11-09-2007, 05:03 PM

I find http://www.bestflights.com.au/ are a good place to search, they have a lot fo deals on there all the time.

Pedro · 11-09-2007, 05:29 PM

We travel overseas at least once per year and do all our own flight/accom/dining reservations ourselves. It's surprising what you can find with a bit of trawling.
We use:- http://www.airfaresflights.com.au/, http://www.bruneiair.com/, http://www.airasia.com/site/en/home.jsp, http://www.virginblue.com.au/, http://www.ryanair.com/site/EN/, plus others

sgt_doofey · 12-09-2007, 12:18 PM

Don't forget that any prices quote won't include taxes such as airport fees and fuel surcharge. You'll have to get a final price to find those out.

The wife and I leave for Italy, France and the US in 3 weeks time. I paid $2966 all up for my airfare. The wife's is being paid for by her work. We always go through a travel agent, but our travel agent is a friend of the wife's family, so we always get good advice. Our ticket is a round the world fare due to where we are travelling. They usually aren't much more than a return airfare to one country, so don't forget to check those out as well.

Macca23 · 13-09-2007, 08:41 AM

Thanx for the extra help peoples.
Just been checking every few days on most those websites above and stop into travel agents when have a chance. So hopefully in the next month should be able to get a good deal sorted

Yes when im checking on net ....the actual price- including taxes you just jump over to the payment screen and it calcualtes the taxes and gives you a exact $$ amount.

Macca23 · 04-11-2007, 05:41 PM

Thanks for all the help people!!!

Just booked our tickets today! ending up going thai airways. We got a great deal from the travel expo in sydney today!

We've been keeping a close eye on them and hunting everywhere. But ended up with thai, good medium price and hopefully medium quality airline. THere have been a few a bit cheaper( Chinese/Korner/royal bruni) and BA and qanats were only another $200 each on thai.

But thanks all for your help again!

JG66ME · 06-11-2007, 12:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Macca23

Thanks for all the help people!!!

Just booked our tickets today! ending up going thai airways. We got a great deal from the travel expo in sydney today!

We've been keeping a close eye on them and hunting everywhere. But ended up with thai, good medium price and hopefully medium quality airline. THere have been a few a bit cheaper( Chinese/Korner/royal bruni) and BA and qanats were only another $200 each on thai.

But thanks all for your help again!

Thai is good. You made a good choice. And I wish you all the best, enjoy Britain.

Steve

PS, good luck with your wedding and all the best for your future together.

Pedro · 06-11-2007, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Macca23

Thanks for all the help people!!!

Just booked our tickets today! ending up going Thai Airways. Good medium price and hopefully medium quality airline.

But thanks all for your help again!

Thai is not medium. In my experience, it's one of the best.

Macca23 · 06-11-2007, 08:55 AM

Thanks again

: Carnt wait to go, got almost 4 weeks over there now.

Going to do a few extra areas now. Just tryin to work out best prices for some of the tours to paris, irlend etc. Booked all accomadation as well from home over the net, fare cheaper than agents could.

also choose thai as its a 747 there and back(my prefrence over the airbus's some other companys use) plus the 747 are usually a 1hr ish quicker over those bigger distance's!

Pinch · 06-11-2007, 09:15 AM

Have fun on the trip!

So was it the Flight Centre expo in Sydney last Sunday? I was going to go but had to big a night on Sat. Apart from your good fares was it any good?

Wife and I going on the first o/s trip to Italy, France, UK in July and ended up on Cathay Pacific for $4100 all up flying Syd - Rome, then London - Sydney.

After trawling the airfare sights www.bestflights.com.au seemed the best, BUT they have a 4% amex surcharge (I use amex to get the free travel insurance) which made it slightly more than the airline online site which doesn't have amex surcharge but higher price.