Timing of airfare purchase

[Lissy]

Hi All
I'm curious - is there an "optimum" time to purchase airfares for interstate travel? For example, is it better to buy a long time in advance, or try to pick up bargains close to travel time?
I'm looking at booking some airfares in September, and I noticed that although Virgin Blue has all sorts of airfares available, Qantas has exactly the same fare for every flight, which suggests to me they haven't done their special fare structuring this far in advance.
Any thoughts?

 

[Jas]

I picked up a SYD to MEL flight for the next day @$50 once. But only once.

If you do a lot of travel, virgin has a newsletter in which they pre-announce their sales.

Jas

 

[geoffw]

Hi All
I'm curious - is there an "optimum" time to purchase airfares for interstate travel? For example, is it better to buy a long time in advance, or try to pick up bargains close to travel time?
I'm looking at booking some airfares in September, and I noticed that although Virgin Blue has all sorts of airfares available, Qantas has exactly the same fare for every flight, which suggests to me they haven't done their special fare structuring this far in advance.
Any thoughts?

It's a lottery.

You can pick up a good airfare two months ahead- and then find a special promo for $39. Or you can wait and miss out on the $79 ordinary fare.

(If you are going to Canberra- or maybe some other destinations- also check out Rex).

Most of the time you're better getting the cheapest available fare from the carrier of your choice, well in advance. (though check out your destination airport as well. Jetstar to Melbourne may cause youi problems getting into Melbourne from the airport).

If someone does come out with a cheaper airfare in the meantime- well, maybe $30 difference (between lowest advertised $79 and the odd $49 fare) isn't that much.

 

[Rolf Latham]

Hi Lissy

If you want the cheapest fares, dont be chicken to split your trip up.

I used to fly lots and while airport parking at 40 + bucks a day wasnt negotiable, I found that I could do a one way trip on different carriers more cheaply than by choosig the rtn options

ta

rolf

 

[geoffw]

I used to fly lots and while airport parking at 40 + bucks a day wasnt negotiable

Not negotiable, but avoidable. If there's one person travelling, $10 one way on the train (in Sydney)- if there's a few more, a taxi can be reasonable

I found that I could do a one way trip on different carriers more cheaply than by choosig the rtn options

That's the advantage of the net- you can shop around.

Certainly, they now sell by the flight- there's no advantage any more about doing a return trip.

 

[Sim]

If you do a lot of travel, virgin has a newsletter in which they pre-announce their sales.

So do Qantas

Interestingly, they both tend to come out within hours of each other

 

[Sim]

Not negotiable, but avoidable. If there's one person travelling, $10 one way on the train (in Sydney)- if there's a few more, a taxi can be reasonable.

It really depends on why you are travelling, geoffw.

If you only ever travel for pleasure, spending the time to catch a train is reasonable.

For business trips though, especially if it is frequent, the time is simply too valuable to waste on a train, and if you have lots of luggage, is a pain in the proverbial given that they do not supply special "airport" trains in Sydney - simply the regular domestic services which are rather unsuitable for airport transfers.

I usually catch a cab to the airport, but it's usually $90+ return trip. For stays up to two nights I'll generally park in the short term car park at Sydney airport, it's cheaper than a cab ($37 a day). I usually don't have enough time to play with long term parking - easier to catch a cab.

For short trips - overnight or day trips, when time is of the essence (ie you are running late and the carpark is bound to be nearly full), Qantas valet parking at the airport is convenient and not much more expensive, and you also earn FF miles

 

[Sim]

I'm curious - is there an "optimum" time to purchase airfares for interstate travel?

Although it's mostly targeted at international travel (I don't think there's a Virgin Blue forum !), there is an excellent and extremely active forum for travellers of all kinds - especially flyers at flyertalk.com. Worth finding the Qantas forum there and asking some questions - beware that it's actually a FF forum mostly though. Worth checking out anyway.

Incidently, they recently made the change to the same software we use here

 

[geoffw]

Hi All
I'm curious - is there an "optimum" time to purchase airfares for interstate travel? For example, is it better to buy a long time in advance, or try to pick up bargains close to travel time?
I'm looking at booking some airfares in September, and I noticed that although Virgin Blue has all sorts of airfares available, Qantas has exactly the same fare for every flight, which suggests to me they haven't done their special fare structuring this far in advance.
Any thoughts?

Check out http://www.jetstar.com.au/ - they've got 200,000 $39 fares. There may be one for the time you wish to travel. ($39 + taxes + surcharges- which are really just airline add-ons)

 

[LucasK]

Just wondering:

I heard about this thing they used to do in the US (not sure if Australia allows it). People would buy airfares in advance for the busy seasons (ie. buy christmas tickets in June), then when the flights sold out, they gave up their tickets in exchange for 2 more bonus tickets during other times.

Or I suppose you could sell your tickets on ebay, if transfer is allowed?

 

[units4me]

hi all, you might find these tips useful. To keep airfares low. If possible 1/ avoid school holidays. 2/ Avoid monday morning and friday arvos in and out of capital cities. 3/ early morning and late night etc. flights can be pretty cheap. 4/ Surf airline websites. 5/ Check midweek airfares as they generally seem to be pretty cheap also. You dont need to book months ahead. I'm taking the wife and kids to QLD next week (from Melbourne return) for only about $800. I only booked it the other day. Cheers.

 

[Timmsi]

Hi,

It pays to search different airlines and then different times of the day or days next to when you are wanting to go.

We are heading to Melbourne this weekend - flying down Jetstar @ $39 and flying back Virgin @ $39. The best of both worlds!!

Timmsi

 

[geoffw]

Hi,

It pays to search different airlines and then different times of the day or days next to when you are wanting to go.

We are heading to Melbourne this weekend - flying down Jetstar @ $39 and flying back Virgin @ $39. The best of both worlds!!

Timmsi

Jetstar operate all flights from Sydney and Brisbane from Avalon airport. Avalon is a long way from Melbourne.The Avalon website suggests a 60 minute bus trip time to Franklin St Melbourne, cost $12 pp.

http://www.jetstar.com/flyingWithUs/airport/airportInfo/avv.html
http://www.avalonairport.com.au/

 

[DaveJ]

Jetstar - MLB airpor

Don't forget the Jetstar flies into avalon airfield at melb. which is a LONG way from the city... adds to the cost.

Although at $39.00 its a bargain

BTW - You can no longer change the name on airtickets.. (eg ebay). Sorry.

I also have a friend that buys tickets from a travel agent in asia (thailand i think). He buys an around-the-word ticket +9-12mths in advance and gets 5 continents with 4-5flights in each continent valid for 12months at a cost around $9000.00AUD. Sounds alot but it is 12months worth of flying.!

DaveJ

 

[Timmsi]

Hmmm,

That's odd - my ticket says Depart Newcastle and arrive at Melbourne - Tullamarine.

I thought Tullamarine was Melbourne's main airport which is the one closer in?

I wonder if this is because it is from Newcastle and not Sydney?

Newsflash - Thanks for the links - just checked it all out - we're safe because it is from Newcastle to Melbourne and they still fly into Tullamarine. Whew!!

Timmsi

 

[DaveJ]

I stand corrected... I thought Jetstar only flew into Avalon...

They sound better and better

DaveJ

 

[Sim]

If you are above 5'2" tall be careful of Jetstar - their seat pitch is even tighter than Virgin Blue.

Actually, I exaggerate with the 5'2" bit, but be wary if you are tall - or have long legs ... the seats are VERY close together and it could be rather uncomfortable on a longer flight.

I haven't flown on them yet, and I have no intention of doing so. Virgin Blue was painful enough for me, and Qantas 737-800s are very unccomfortable too. I'm 6'2".

 

[geoffw]

I'm 6'2".

hehe

Maybe a tad more than slim

(A phrase about pots and kettles comes to mind. I'm shorter but with a healthy middle age spread)

 

[Sim]

Actually, waist size or anything else doesn't tend to come into it unless you are really large - I don't tend to have problems with anything like that.

I'm refering purely to the length of your upper legs - basically from your back to your knees - ie the amount of space required to actually fit length-wise in the seats is more of a problem for many people because it's purely related to height (or at least leg length).

 

[geoffw]

I'm refering purely to the length of your upper legs - basically from your back to your knees - ie the amount of space required to actually fit length-wise in the seats is more of a problem for many people because it's purely related to height (or at least leg length).

OK, I understand.

I've never ever had problems related to being too tall (well, except for travelling on the Metro in Mexico City, where the average height is not high).

I guess this is not the same as what the ATO refers to. You're referring to a leg's length transaction, not an arm's length one.