Looking for your experience on when you purchase the tickets. Is there a better time frame? Book early or wait?
Planning to fly with my wife from Los Angeles to London next June 2018. I have done this flight three times in the last 10 years, and was fortunate to fly Business Class on someone else’s dime. This time I will be paying for both of us. Looking at rates right now there is a big spread between coach, premium economy, and business.
Don’t think i can put up with coach, and business is almost 4 times as much. Premium ecomomy my be the way to go.
Do rates generally get better or worse as June approaches?
You’ve got plenty of time to book this trip. Generally, it seems international fares begin to solidify/rise at four months out. Keep an eye on the fares and, when it gets to a price you think is reasonable, buy. Getting low fares is a little like picking stocks - you can sorta see a trend and, maybe, hit it at the bottom - but as often, you miss. I’m traveling to Paris next spring and the Pre Eco price is $1400ish from DFW - I’ll buy at that fare. I’m a fan of premium economy. I think the difference in seat room and food/service is worth it on an international flight.
I usually book within a month and haven’t really noticed a big price difference. The problem with booking so far in advance is that if you can’t go, the cost to change is more than the amount you would save by booking so far in advance.
I err on the side of ensuring I can make it and then book.
I’m with Sanuk on this one. I have wasted too much time observing what plane ticket prices do as well. Generally going to Europe cheapest flights are 3-4 months out. But only a few hundred more a month out and often less. Premium economy is worth it if you are six feet tall maybe not so much if you are five foot six. It is quite a bit more expensive. Sometimes you can pick it up as an upgrade for alot less and if you book through the airlines website and well in advance you are likely to get first offer for upgrade after the frequent fliers.
If you have the ability to get to Canada, in a reasonable amount of time, fly from there versus the US. Every time I go overseas it is thru Canada and I save a ton on tickets. My son just go married and going to New Zealand for the honeymoon. The tickets were about $1600 ($800 each) less, flying out of Toronto. Took the family to Italy last summer and save $3K flying out of Toronto.
Subscribe to Scott’s Cheap Flights. We just went to Amsterdam for $400 round trip.
On what?!.. a fucking glider?.
I’m in same sort of boat as the OP . I’m looking to fly to Finland next July - family of 4- with added problem that I’ve got one hell of a phobia around flying. Just looking at that name of your service provider with the word ‘cheap’ embedded right smack centre sure wouldn’t do me any good… lol. I don’t even let my poor wife book us on to discount carriers when I am forced to fly. Yeah yeah …I know… totally illogical but phobias are like that
I’m a late 50s 183 cm ( 6’) 100 kg + and have just done a couple of weeks at the FINA 17 world champs in Budapest
Flew Sydney > Dubai ( 14 hrs.) then Dubai > Budapest ( 5 hrs.) and return.
Basic economy all the way. The seating is adequate.
would I like more legroom? of course.
would I pay the rate increase required? absolutely not.
suck it up, LA London is not a very long trip and keep the thousands you save for your holiday, for an extra show in the West End, or whatever treat you feel you & frau deserve
Subscribe to Scott’s Cheap Flights. We just went to Amsterdam for $400 round trip.
What month and who did you fly with? My wife and daughter are in Europe right now and flew on Norwegian Air for $484 in early July – Lowest we’ve had during summer months in probably 10+ years. Flew in and out of different airports (Dublin and Edinburgh) as well. I think she booked around March but said the prices hadn’t changed in late May. Norwegian is no-frills though.
If you have the ability to get to Canada, in a reasonable amount of time, fly from there versus the US. Every time I go overseas it is thru Canada and I save a ton on tickets. My son just go married and going to New Zealand for the honeymoon. The tickets were about $1600 ($800 each) less, flying out of Toronto. Took the family to Italy last summer and save $3K flying out of Toronto.
Except it costs more to fly to Canada than Paris and I’m not talking some super sale deal. We wanted to go to Quebec we went to where they speak real French instead.
Subscribe to Scott’s Cheap Flights. We just went to Amsterdam for $400 round trip.
On what?!.. a fucking glider?.
I’m in same sort of boat as the OP . I’m looking to fly to Finland next July - family of 4- with added problem that I’ve got one hell of a phobia around flying. Just looking at that name of your service provider with the word ‘cheap’ embedded right smack centre sure wouldn’t do me any good… lol. I don’t even let my poor wife book us on to discount carriers when I am forced to fly. Yeah yeah …I know… totally illogical but phobias are like that
Icelandic Air is probably your best bet depending where you live
Subscribe to Scott’s Cheap Flights. We just went to Amsterdam for $400 round trip.
What month and who did you fly with? My wife and daughter are in Europe right now and flew on Norwegian Air for $484 in early July – Lowest we’ve had during summer months in probably 10+ years. Flew in and out of different airports (Dublin and Edinburgh) as well. I think she booked around March but said the prices hadn’t changed in late May. Norwegian is no-frills though.
I’m taller and heavier than you and only fly economy too. I can suck it up for a couple of grand.
We flew with American Airlines and we left the second week in June.
Here’s a sample of the latest email, we only subscribe to the free emails.
TO:
Stockholm (ARN)
FROM:
Boston (BOS) - $302
Chicago (ORD) - $510
Denver (DEN) - $490
Fort Lauderdale (FLL) - $502
Las Vegas (LAS) - $495
Los Angeles (LAX) - $365
Miami (MIA) - $487
Minneapolis (MSP) - $452
Montreal (YUL) - $652 CAD
New York City (EWR) - $330
New York City (JFK) - $330
New York City (LGA) - $418
San Francisco (SFO) - $464
San Jose (SJC) - $481
Toronto (YYZ) - $589 CAD
Vancouver (YVR) - $677 CAD
Washington DC (BWI) - $446
Washington DC (DCA) - $443
Washington DC (IAD) - $419
I usually book within a month and haven’t really noticed a big price difference. The problem with booking so far in advance is that if you can’t go, the cost to change is more than the amount you would save by booking so far in advance.
I err on the side of ensuring I can make it and then book.
This. Check Theflightdeal.com and secretflying.com then track prices on Google Flights then purchase when the price is low enough to your like. Also, flying to Europe in June on a major carrier is not going to be cheap so expect to shell out a few coins.
I usually book within a month and haven’t really noticed a big price difference. The problem with booking so far in advance is that if you can’t go, the cost to change is more than the amount you would save by booking so far in advance.
I err on the side of ensuring I can make it and then book.
This. Check Theflightdeal.com and secretflying.com then track prices on Google Flights then purchase when the price is low enough to your like. Also, flying to Europe in June on a major carrier is not going to be cheap so expect to shell out a few coins.
Yep if you can back your trip out to April or even May, you could potentially save thousands. Last November-ish, I bought a round trip flight (from Kansas) to Rome for $428 (via Delta) for travel in mid-May. Used Google Flights to identify the best dates, prices and location. While on my trip, I met 4 other travelers who all booked around the same time for flights the same week - all from different departure cities, and some to different destinations (I was on a cruise that picked up passengers at multiple ports). Looking at my ticket details, the price of the actual flight was only $100, and $328 was added in taxes and fees. Something about April to May that has airlines slashing their prices to Europe.
Subscribe to Scott’s Cheap Flights. We just went to Amsterdam for $400 round trip.
On what?!.. a fucking glider?.
I’m in same sort of boat as the OP . I’m looking to fly to Finland next July - family of 4- with added problem that I’ve got one hell of a phobia around flying. Just looking at that name of your service provider with the word ‘cheap’ embedded right smack centre sure wouldn’t do me any good… lol. I don’t even let my poor wife book us on to discount carriers when I am forced to fly. Yeah yeah …I know… totally illogical but phobias are like that
Icelandic Air is probably your best bet depending where you live
Flying out of eastern Canada so yeah… few others have mentioned Icelandic