When to book airfare?
Oct 19th, 2003, 01:34 PM
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When to book airfare?
We are planning a trip to London for March-April of 2004. When do we book the airfare for the best rates? As of now, we can fly direct from Detroit for about $472.00. This sounds low to me, but I'm a novice. Any opinions?
Oct 19th, 2003, 02:50 PM
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Hi Lynnie,
That's a good price.
http://airtravelcenter.com/onetrav.htm has a nonstop on BA on Mar 30 for $470 that you might want to consider.
That's a good price.
http://airtravelcenter.com/onetrav.htm has a nonstop on BA on Mar 30 for $470 that you might want to consider.
Oct 19th, 2003, 05:02 PM
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Maira,
"Book now if you find a decent fare. Fuel prices are going to be very unstable and a good airfare may be a rare find in 2004"
This is the second, or maybe third time I've seen you make the above statement. Do you know something the rest of us don't?
LynnieD,
I do agree, you should book this fare now. The chances of it being significantly lower are slim to none, higher? somewhat better, but I don't have any insider info like Maira
"Book now if you find a decent fare. Fuel prices are going to be very unstable and a good airfare may be a rare find in 2004"
This is the second, or maybe third time I've seen you make the above statement. Do you know something the rest of us don't?
LynnieD,
I do agree, you should book this fare now. The chances of it being significantly lower are slim to none, higher? somewhat better, but I don't have any insider info like Maira
Oct 19th, 2003, 06:53 PM
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note about prices...in general from the usa trips to europe are very reasonable from nov 1 to march 15 or 31 and then begin to increase in price until june when they begin the high season....
if you could confine your trip to march you would get an excellent price and that is available now....sometimes there is a little lesser price in january for a short time for the early spring...
british air has kept their fares quite reasonable most of the past year and even kept them low into june from the winter time....the price you have been quoted if it includes all the taxes is quite good....the taxes amount to $90-120 for each ticket...r.t.....
i sometimes use air france with a change of planes in paris for the best fare to london...also virgin is great too...you are in detroit so i suppose that means northwest is your best bet with a change in amsterdam, but i find their england fares not to be the best, at least from boston where i live...
if you could confine your trip to march you would get an excellent price and that is available now....sometimes there is a little lesser price in january for a short time for the early spring...
british air has kept their fares quite reasonable most of the past year and even kept them low into june from the winter time....the price you have been quoted if it includes all the taxes is quite good....the taxes amount to $90-120 for each ticket...r.t.....
i sometimes use air france with a change of planes in paris for the best fare to london...also virgin is great too...you are in detroit so i suppose that means northwest is your best bet with a change in amsterdam, but i find their england fares not to be the best, at least from boston where i live...
Oct 19th, 2003, 09:44 PM
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If you have to go at a specific time, ie you have vacation time bookes at work, then my suggestion is to book airfare that you are comfortable with for your dates. There is an extremely good chance of lower fares in Jan and Feb. but most of these have very restrictive timing and are on sale because of that. Most people can only go on vacation on predetermined dates and these are usually the dates you want also, hence higher fares.
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Oct 20th, 2003, 01:28 AM
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I would wate until Jan or Feb before booking. Usually March-April is a inexpensive time to fly. It's a gamble but I do think the price will drop closer to $400 by then. I've never flown for over $350 to Frankfurt from Boston during april. I don't know about detroit though.
Oct 20th, 2003, 02:08 AM
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That is a good fare from Detroit for April and if you are getting the schedule and the carrier that you want, I would book it. There is far more room for the fare to go up than to go down. Because Detroit is a Northwest-dominated hub, the fares can sometimes be less competitive than they may be from, say, Chicago.
Oct 20th, 2003, 05:56 AM
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AA-- I work as an environmental engineer and energy conservation is one of the areas I oversee. There has been a lot of discussion regarding energy sources (natural gas, fuel oil) for today and the future and the importance of locking in the usage rate, as the price of oil is bound to be even more unstable. As with everything that has to do with the economy these days, there is a lot of uncertainty and one does not really need to be engineer to figure that....
Oct 20th, 2003, 08:38 AM
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Maira,
Uncertainty YES
But if we knew exactly how our energy sources will react to the ups and downs of our economies, we all be very rich. It has been mine as well as millions of other investors experience that one can never predict with exact science of what happens next week, forget about next year. I remember back in the 70's and 80's many scientists were predicting oil wells running dry by early next century. Well guess what, it is early next century, and we're finding more not less oil to this day.
My point is this. Energy prices could go up, but as we witnessed over the years, they could just as well drop to some very low levels. I would not hedge my plane ticket or 2 on the notion that gasoline may cost 10 cents more per gallon next June. That has been going on almost every year. Unless you can tell me that gasoline will be $2 more per gallon, I will wait for the next airfare sale. At least I agree with you on one point. One does not have to be an engineer to figure that out....
Uncertainty YES
But if we knew exactly how our energy sources will react to the ups and downs of our economies, we all be very rich. It has been mine as well as millions of other investors experience that one can never predict with exact science of what happens next week, forget about next year. I remember back in the 70's and 80's many scientists were predicting oil wells running dry by early next century. Well guess what, it is early next century, and we're finding more not less oil to this day.
My point is this. Energy prices could go up, but as we witnessed over the years, they could just as well drop to some very low levels. I would not hedge my plane ticket or 2 on the notion that gasoline may cost 10 cents more per gallon next June. That has been going on almost every year. Unless you can tell me that gasoline will be $2 more per gallon, I will wait for the next airfare sale. At least I agree with you on one point. One does not have to be an engineer to figure that out....
Oct 20th, 2003, 09:09 AM
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Even for your area that airfare sounds good. I do not think we can count on when airlines traditionally lower fares. It does not seem to happen on a regular basis nowadays as it did before. So if you find an airfare that is good now I think you should purchase it.
Oct 20th, 2003, 09:56 AM
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Thank you all. I thing I will book now, as it is the flight we want for good times, as well as being a nonstop.
I also booked a flight from Edinburgh to London on BMI for L11 plus taxes, totalling L26 per person since we need to get back to London for our same day flight home.
Thanks again for all of your input. This site is a lifesaver for a novice trip planner.
I also booked a flight from Edinburgh to London on BMI for L11 plus taxes, totalling L26 per person since we need to get back to London for our same day flight home.
Thanks again for all of your input. This site is a lifesaver for a novice trip planner.
Oct 20th, 2003, 10:27 AM
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oh, I think you can still count to some degree on when airfares go down -- there are always going to be cheaper in winter than Spring. I'm booking for that same time next year (only not London) and found that air fares on my route dropped about $200 a couple weeks ago. Now they are at the level I would expect for March. I think I saw Continental/Virgin with fares of about $350 from Wash DC-London RT, they were the cheapest from my city.
Airfares are generally going up around April 4-6th in 2004 due to Easter, on the routes I'm checking. there was just a big sale in the paper Sunday on United, I believe, that had good winter fares that ended 3/31-4/6. Personally, I would book that fare without even hesitating as it sounds good to me, especially if it is nonstep.
I have never seen fares at their lowest in March as someone else says, they are always lowest in late Jan-February whenever I've checked.
Airfares are generally going up around April 4-6th in 2004 due to Easter, on the routes I'm checking. there was just a big sale in the paper Sunday on United, I believe, that had good winter fares that ended 3/31-4/6. Personally, I would book that fare without even hesitating as it sounds good to me, especially if it is nonstep.
I have never seen fares at their lowest in March as someone else says, they are always lowest in late Jan-February whenever I've checked.
Oct 20th, 2003, 12:12 PM
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LynnieD- I live in the Detroit area too! We are going to London in January, and got a flight for about $350. It works best for me to connect through Chicago- I meet up with my family there and then we all fly together to London. (One person is coming from Denver, another from Houston). The direct flight you are getting sounds good- enjoy your trip!
Oct 20th, 2003, 03:58 PM
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A lot of airlines are having promotionals that end with the purchase date October 21.
I say book now if you can but I have not read your thread. GREAT DEALS ON and the travel dates extend into Spring. I would check out Virgin saw $85 each way from New York.
I say book now if you can but I have not read your thread. GREAT DEALS ON and the travel dates extend into Spring. I would check out Virgin saw $85 each way from New York.
