Where Have All The Cheap Air Tickets Gone?

[trales9]

trying to book 4 flights to bangkok for december ,last year i paid £540 inc tax each .this year they are all around the £700 mark(big jump)can anyone give me any advice where to get the best deal manchester uk to bangkok return ,oh by the way went to pattaya last year the best holiday ever and we cant wait to get back in december

thanks in anticipation of your many replies

trales9

[libya 115]

trying to book 4 flights to bangkok for december ,last year i paid £540 inc tax each .this year they are all around the £700 mark(big jump)can anyone give me any advice where to get the best deal manchester uk to bangkok return ,oh by the way went to pattaya last year the best holiday ever and we cant wait to get back in december

thanks in anticipation of your many replies

trales9

I remember that December 7th is the 'cut-off' date for cheap return flights to Bangkok. You might have to change your travel dates for cheaper tickets. So many people want to be in Thailand over Christmas and New Year, 700 quid is not bad really.

Or try travel on 24th/25th December or 31st/1st January: they are usually cheaper.

[endure]

Most airlines use the 10th December as their cut-off date. Flying on the 5th December from Manchester fares start at £470 with Qatar. Go to www.kayak.co.uk and take your pick.

[Kerryd]

I book my tickets online, and have noticed quite a jump in prices recently. I bought tickets in February for an early April flight (Dubai - Bangkok). A couple weeks ago I tried to book the same flights, through the same airline, for a flight in June (then tried for July), and noticed the prices had jumped over $200.00 US for the same flights (from $546 on Gulf Air to well over $700).

No significant holidays during the time periods I've been looking at. Low season in LOS. Fuel prices have probably increased somewhat (but not by 40% !).

I usually try various options when booking (discount ticket outlets, places like Kayak, Expedia and FlightCenter, plus the airline websites themselves). It takes a little time, but I can usually find the flights I want at the cheapest prices available, and can select my seats in advance.

When I plan a trip, I plan the whole thing, including thinking about what happens on arrival, getting off the plane, getting through Immigration, baggage and so on. Seat selection can make a big difference. If you've been stuck in the window seat of row 55 (economy class of course), you know that it can take 20 minutes just to get off the plane. By the time you arrive at Immigration, 3/4's of the plane is already ahead of you.

That is why I now take aisle seats, as far forward as I can get. Business Class if possible as well. My goal is to get off the plane and out of the airport in the least amount of time possible. After that I can relax and take my time.

[Mobi]

Having brought out family from the Uk for the past 2 years, I know a bit about airfares in December/January.

As others have said Dec 10th is the cut off date for most airlines to raise their peak season fares (some even earlier), and late May is already quite late to book cheap tickets on many airlines, as their cheap seat allocations are already full.

My brother and family used Qatar airways last year, and although they had to change planes, were quite happy with the flights.

The previous year I got some cheap tickets on Austrian Airline - changed planes in Vienna - for my daughter.

You will have to shop around and do it quick. The best bet is to trawl some of the big internet air ticket sites, where you put in a date and a destination, and they will immediately list all the airlines and prices - starting with the cheapest. This way you will spot, as I did, any special deals that are still around. You will also find that different sites will quote different prices so check a number of them.

You are restricting yourself by flying from Manchester. London will have a far greater choice - but I know it's along way.

Edited May 23, 2007 by Mobi D'Ark

[suiging]

To get to BK this year I sent some family members via HK and then Macao.

I know this sounds strange but a cheap ticket to HK was available where they stayed a day to get over the lag and then a very efficient service to Macao where cheap Asian air fares kick in ( 800 hk$ ) .

[jbaldwin]

To get to BK this year I sent some family members via HK and then Macao.

I know this sounds strange but a cheap ticket to HK was available where they stayed a day to get over the lag and then a very efficient service to Macao where cheap Asian air fares kick in ( 800 hk$ ) .

That similar to what I have booked to go back to the UK in September

Oasis Hong Kong to Gatwick return, including taxes was 4049 HKD (17,900 baht or £263)

Booked Air Asia Bangkok to Macau and return Cebu Pacific Hong Kong to Manila and then Manila to Bangkok

[lotus eater]

Coming up next month I'll be looking to buy a cheap return ticket originating thailand. (Have just obtained my retirement visa - previously was out every 3 months, and on return tkts originating europe.) Future tkts also will originate here.

I'd be grateful if Thailand residents could give me info on best procedure/names for finding a tkt BKK/CDG (paris) - website/travel agent (preferably in Chiang Mai). Want to go mid june, return about a month later.

Also, given that I have flexibility of departure dates (just need to be there on or before 24 june) will I do better buying asap or doing it within the last week? Sometimes it used to be better to wait.

As an aside, is there a possibilty of getting anything like the same discounts on business class?

(Over there I used to buy tkts on govoyages.fr & opodo.fr & opodo.co.uk)

Look for ward to tips & advice. And thanks a lot.

[Mobi]

By far and away the best and cheapest deals IMO are available at AW travel, Business Inn Hotel, 155/4- 5 Sukhumvit Soi 11, Bangkok. (They are in a sub Soi near the Ambassador Hotel) Phone 02 2557155-8. Khun Sangchan.

They were put on to me by a long term resident some years ago, and they are always the cheapest - any airline, and very efficient, and will respond promptly to all enquiries by phone fax or email.

I'd be very surprised if you find better.

Good luck.

[BROWNY]

trying to book 4 flights to bangkok for december ,last year i paid £540 inc tax each .this year they are all around the £700 mark(big jump)can anyone give me any advice where to get the best deal manchester uk to bangkok return ,oh by the way went to pattaya last year the best holiday ever and we cant wait to get back in december

thanks in anticipation of your many replies

trales9

You are probably looking too far in advance.

I think you need to wait a couple of months for Thai & EVA to release their discount fares. They are usually around £470 from LHR - not sure about Manchester.

I am looking out for good fares in November at the moment, but nothing much around at the moment.

[Humphrey Bear]

I book my tickets online, and have noticed quite a jump in prices recently. I bought tickets in February for an early April flight (Dubai - Bangkok). A couple weeks ago I tried to book the same flights, through the same airline, for a flight in June (then tried for July), and noticed the prices had jumped over $200.00 US for the same flights (from $546 on Gulf Air to well over $700).

No significant holidays during the time periods I've been looking at.

School holidays in UAE and Saudi June through September.

Lots of people going on to Oz. Lots more heading for Malaysia.

But compared to pre-9/11 all airlines are very crowded. I have not got any statistics, but I feel that there are less flights, more crowded.

[Mobi]

trying to book 4 flights to bangkok for december ,last year i paid £540 inc tax each .this year they are all around the £700 mark(big jump)can anyone give me any advice where to get the best deal manchester uk to bangkok return ,oh by the way went to pattaya last year the best holiday ever and we cant wait to get back in december

thanks in anticipation of your many replies

trales9

You are probably looking too far in advance.

I think you need to wait a couple of months for Thai & EVA to release their discount fares. They are usually around £470 from LHR - not sure about Manchester.

I am looking out for good fares in November at the moment, but nothing much around at the moment.

Having been buying cheap tickets for Thailand for more years than I care to remember, I will be amazed if you get cheaper deals if you wait.

The airlines release the cheapest tickets first - to get some cash flow in, and as the year progresses, the prices - especially for the peak December period get progressively higher. Flights for December are always fully booked. They release blocks of tickets to their agents, and when they are sold they release another block - each more expensive than the previous one. I know this for a fact. In fact, most flights are well sold by the time they take off - whatever time of year. They got the pricing off to a fine art - cheap at the start - then screw you if you leave it to the last minute and are desperate.

If you sit around waiting for cheap deals - the longer you wait, the longer you will wait. I guarantee it.

[endure]

I'd agree with Mobi. Last time I flew was with Emirates - a January flight. I bought a ticket in March for £480 and watched the price climb as time went on. The week before I flew they were asking £860 for the same ticket.

[BROWNY]

trying to book 4 flights to bangkok for december ,last year i paid £540 inc tax each .this year they are all around the £700 mark(big jump)can anyone give me any advice where to get the best deal manchester uk to bangkok return ,oh by the way went to pattaya last year the best holiday ever and we cant wait to get back in december

thanks in anticipation of your many replies

trales9

You are probably looking too far in advance.

I think you need to wait a couple of months for Thai & EVA to release their discount fares. They are usually around £470 from LHR - not sure about Manchester.

I am looking out for good fares in November at the moment, but nothing much around at the moment.

Having been buying cheap tickets for Thailand for more years than I care to remember, I will be amazed if you get cheaper deals if you wait.

The airlines release the cheapest tickets first - to get some cash flow in, and as the year progresses, the prices - especially for the peak December period get progressively higher. Flights for December are always fully booked. They release blocks of tickets to their agents, and when they are sold they release another block - each more expensive than the previous one. I know this for a fact. In fact, most flights are well sold by the time they take off - whatever time of year. They got the pricing off to a fine art - cheap at the start - then screw you if you leave it to the last minute and are desperate.

If you sit around waiting for cheap deals - the longer you wait, the longer you will wait. I guarantee it.

Not necessarily - if you look at Thai and EVA flights for November they are around £600 at the moment, that will not be the price for the next 6 months. It will fluctuate, but there is no guaranteed best time to buy.

I have missed out on on some good deals on Thai by booking 5 months in advance - only to see them reduced by £100 a few week later.

As a travel agent told me a couple of years ago - if you see a good deal take it, as there is no way of predicting how they prices will go.

[sungod]

To get to BK this year I sent some family members via HK and then Macao.

I know this sounds strange but a cheap ticket to HK was available where they stayed a day to get over the lag and then a very efficient service to Macao where cheap Asian air fares kick in ( 800 hk$ ) .

That similar to what I have booked to go back to the UK in September

Oasis Hong Kong to Gatwick return, including taxes was 4049 HKD (17,900 baht or £263)

Booked Air Asia Bangkok to Macau and return Cebu Pacific Hong Kong to Manila and then Manila to Bangkok

Wow, happy traveling, you're a better man than me!

Incidently BA are offering good fares online,

You can travel to most airports in the UK from 27,000 baht, book before 31st May, travel between 1st June and 31st July. I have to pop back for a week and managed a fare for £520. Quite reasonable when you consider what time they fly and the fact its direct.

http://www.britishairways.com/travel/lcoffers/public/en_th

Edited May 23, 2007 by sungod

[mr.buffalo]

Booked my flight on Sunday to come to Thailand 5th December return UK 4th Jan and Emirates are charging £1200 ( I bought a ticket ) and what I could see from their website flight availability is getting tight already. I flew Qatar once and never again as the time I flew with them they changed my departure date 3 times, how disgusting is that?

[Prakanong]

Booked my flight on Sunday to come to Thailand 5th December return UK 4th Jan and Emirates are charging £1200 ( I bought a ticket ) and what I could see from their website flight availability is getting tight already. I flew Qatar once and never again as the time I flew with them they changed my departure date 3 times, how disgusting is that?

If thats economy the prices are getting high.

Most I have paid around that time is 900GBP about 6 years ago when demand was very high and I left it late.

[pepsi666]

some pretty good deals from EVA air at the moment, but I dunno if you want to get down to LHR, but have a shufti in the daily mail sometime, or try www.travelbag.co.uk

[Jiu-Jitsu]

Booked my flight on Sunday to come to Thailand 5th December return UK 4th Jan and Emirates are charging £1200 ( I bought a ticket ) and what I could see from their website flight availability is getting tight already. I flew Qatar once and never again as the time I flew with them they changed my departure date 3 times, how disgusting is that?

That's a little too much. I'm getting £500 for those dates from London.

[Mobi]

As I have already said, I have been booking tickets for Thailand for many years, all kinds of airlines, for peak, off peak, from 9 months in advance to flying the next day. I have bought direct from the airlines, booked by phone and recent years nearly always through the internet.

Sure, there will always be last minute bargains, if the airlines suddenly find they have a few unsold seats on their hands, but the chances of this happening in peak season is extremely unlikely, and if you want the uncertainty of waiting, and taking a chance, then fine.

I reiterate, that in 95 % of cases , the earlier you book the better deal you will get.

Travel bag is good, E bookers is good - they are all fine, and there's a few others which are even better and keener in their pricing. Just google cheap air fares to Thailand and spend a few hours browsing - you will find them all. You will also find that some agents can offer cheaper tickets on certain airlines than others - that's why you have to shop around. One airline will have the cheapest on Eva, another on Qatar, and so on. I think it has to do with the allocation each agent gets from the individual airlines. I've actually been on line and watched cheap fares disappear from an agents list as they become fully sold, and this was months before sceduled departure.

I have used many internet agents - and used East West for Thai Inter, and never had any problems - especially these days with etickets. There's always a deals out there that will suit you if you look hard enough, and do it early enough.

'nuff said

[BROWNY]

Sure, there will always be last minute bargains, if the airlines suddenly find they have a few unsold seats on their hands, but the chances of this happening in peak season is extremely unlikely, and if you want the uncertainty of waiting, and taking a chance, then fine.

I reiterate, that in 95 % of cases , the earlier you book the better deal you will get.

think we are talking about 2 different things here mobi.

Thai and EVA have not released their discount fares for the (UK) winter schedule yet. These are the fares I always take advantage of. Currently nearly £600 for November, will drop from anything between £50 and £150 in next months - then I will book.

I got that tip from this forum about 2 years ago - and I have used that principle about 10 times since.

Did the same for my trip next month - waited til February and the prices on Thai dropped from £600 to £470. But then dropped again to £440 - but its all in the luck !

But, I never travel in December so you are the expert on that one - and prices are out of my budget !

I guess I travel outside of peak times, hence the availability of discounted fares.

[Mobi]

[

think we are talking about 2 different things here mobi.

Yes, Brownie, we probably are

Let's hope the OP can make some sense of all this and find his cheap tickets

[Weho]

From time to time, Sri Lankan has some web deals, direct from their website, which are impossible to beat, especially from a reliable airline... with just a quick connection or free stopover in Colombo. they are partners with Emirates. i remember a few months back there was some deal like 18,000 baht roundtrip to europe, with taxes included... probably not in december though.

that Oasis Hong Kong is a great deal, even with the extra airline spent to get to hong kong.

I would also try weird airlines that go to bangkok, and could go to europe too, like Uzbekistan airlines and Air Astana out of kazakastan... they may have some cheap fares.

sometimes Royal Air Brunei has had good web specials too. Vietnam Airlines can get you to Paris pretty cheap, if you have a good travel agent.

[trales9]

thanks for all your advice,and help.just found flights xmas day with qatar air £552 looks good so i will probably book in the next couple of days

thqanks to you all again

[suiging]

A word on Oasis. Be flexible. The price changes on a daily basis depending on take up rates. Monday may be price x Tuesday price y.

Get a good agent

[barryofthailand]

I too have looked at the air fares most of the airlines with the exception of Eva have substantialy raised their fairs across the board. The reason imo is fuel and landing fee costs. Eva to America and the UK has about the best overall fares