How far ahead do you book your flights?

[Bazle]

I was speaking with a mate yesterday, and he was complaining about flight costs in February, although he was specifically referring to Business Class. 

I am a creature of habit, so prefer to fly with EVA between LHR and BKK, Premium Economy. I am wanting to travel out in March and return in April, so, out of curiosity, went on to the EVA website to see the prices. I was not surprised at the prices (they are similar to what I've paid for the last few flights), but I was shocked at availability: several flights were shown as having only 6 or so seats left, and several others just weren't shown as options.

It concerned me enough to think that I needed to book now, which I did. A cynic might say that that was what they were trying to achieve!

There seems to be plenty of demand, even 7 months ahead, so prices falling in the short term appears unlikely.

[Nightcrawler]

I usually an book about 6 weeks ahead on the basis that I may not be alive or well enough to fly beyond that window. 😄

I have  given up on my expectations of flight costs coming down as thr demand is still outstripping supply.

I simply avoid UK school summer holiday periods when the ights rocket in price  and Christmas, that I  like to spend with family. And of course avoid Songkran. 

But the most overriding factor is whether I still want to return at all on the strength of my last trip and whether I need a change of surroundings. 

 Being retired, apart from those periods above, I can go anytime and of want could book just a week ahead on impulse  

I always fly economy and won't go over the 800 quid mark, whoever it's with  

[Krapow]

I've booked already for end of March, start of April.

Restricted to school holidays, it's over Easter and also Songkran, so was going to be high.

That said, i got all 3 of us for £3100, wnhich was slightly cheaper than same last year, though it's with Thai, not EVA.

[Captain_B]

It may be that the 6 are available from that particular agent at that particular price. I suggest you look again in 2 months time at the same flight.

Purely for education as you have already booked but more knowledgable for next trip.

 

Ps. You never see 100 seats available let alone 500!

[Bazle]

39 minutes ago, Captain_B said:

It may be that the 6 are available from that particular agent ..........

It was not an agent.

[richy65]

Booked mine in March for my December trip, prices are rising now

[Stillearly]

I usually book about six months in advance ... it's something I always did when I was working , to ensure I could get the holidays I wanted ... but even now I like to be organised ... probably overly , as I also book internal flights , hotels and transport months ahead as well ... 

[Painter]

In a previous life, I booked upto 8 or 9 months in advance, as I could only travel in high or peak season. Since retiring its been 4 or 5 months, but due to issues here I've hardly looked for this winter as can't commit yet. I'm guessing this winter's trip will be expensive....

[Derek Dangleberries]

I wait until I see anybody on here reporting there is a sale on ...Then I check out the airline website to see if it fits my timings and price range ...

It worked last time anyway .. and was 9 months before flying.

[Siam Addict]

Booked my flights for December about 6 weeks ago, Eva were over £4k business class so I went Etihad with one stop for £2,100.

Just looked at Kayak and Eva is down to £3,100 and Etihad are down to £1,717🥹

I took a gamble and lost! Prices were going up daily.

I was always told the sweet spot to book tickets was about three months prior to your flight.

 

[Stillearly]

9 minutes ago, Siam Addict said:

Booked my flights for December about 6 weeks ago, Eva were over £4k business class so I went Etihad with one stop for £2,100.

Just looked at Kayak and Eva is down to £3,100 and Etihad are down to £1,717🥹

I took a gamble and lost! Prices were going up daily.

I was always told the sweet spot to book tickets was about three months prior to your flight.

 

But do the flight times and stopovers compare as well ? I just had a quick look for my dates and saw the Etihad at £1717 , but it's a 9 hour wait for the second flight and total travel time of 23 hours ... 

[boydeste]

I usually book my flights in advance if the price point sits right. This year after my last European fishing trip, I need to renew my passport. 

Once I have my passport then it's game on. Unfortunately this will probably mean paying over the odds, but being retired I can juggle dates to help.

Already the prices look fairly high for my likely dates, so will do a bit of research and if need be may take a gamble and book.

[Lemondropkid]

54 minutes ago, boydeste said:

I usually book my flights in advance if the price point sits right. This year after my last European fishing trip, I need to renew my passport. 

Once I have my passport then it's game on. Unfortunately this will probably mean paying over the odds, but being retired I can juggle dates to help.

Already the prices look fairly high for my likely dates, so will do a bit of research and if need be may take a gamble and book.

I know it's off-topic but how long does a UK passport renewal take?

[Siam Addict]

1 hour ago, Stillearly said:

But do the flight times and stopovers compare as well ? I just had a quick look for my dates and saw the Etihad at £1717 , but it's a 9 hour wait for the second flight and total travel time of 23 hours ... 

 

EVA only has one flight from Heathrow a day so that has dropped, but I double checked the Etihad flight and it was different, the flight I am booked on has gone up by £200.

Happy days!😀

[Krapow]

I never used to book too far ahead, as from my own experience they were expensive, then they gradually reduced the price to i assume fill the plane. I used to check regularly, even after booking, for my own knowledge for future reference.

But that was before Covid, and there was more choice including direct.

It's pretty much different now, they put out what i would consider high prices, and in general they seem if anything to go up not down, i assume because of demand and people will pay it. That said if you have a quick check most days as i do, you find prices do go down after a while, but only for a short time. On my recent trips i've saved and lost by booking far ahead. This Easter it just went up and up after i booked for £3300 for the 3 of us. This Summer i could have got a better price than the £2800 i paid which i jumped at, at the time. Annoying, but them's the breaks, it's costly when it's 3 people.

So i'm currently checking most days for Summer next year, and have told myself i won't be pulling the trigger until under £3000 at a minimum. It's only EVA available currently anyway, Thai won't do so far ahead for another couple of weeks.

As said, before i wouldn't have dreamt of booking so far ahead as i knew they'd come down, but things are not the same as they used to be, sadly.

I just checked my flight prices for over then Easter that i had booked for £3100 a few months ago with Thai.

Prices now, exact same dates -

Thai - £4400

EVA - £3200

EVA has came down, they were £3800

Thai has went up from the £3100 i paid, to £4400 

 

[Stillearly]

@Krapow you can set up an email alert with Kayak or Skyscanner that lets you know of price changes for the criteria for set 

[boydeste]

23 minutes ago, Lemondropkid said:

I know it's off-topic but how long does a UK passport renewal take?

Can be several weeks depending upon demand. 

I will most likely do an emergency renewal which can be up to one week or if you attend the passport office for a pre arranged appointment, you can walk away with a new one. Obviously the cost goes up accordingly. 

I will balance my needs against flight prices at the time.

[Krapow]

5 minutes ago, Stillearly said:

@Krapow you can set up an email alert with Kayak or Skyscanner that lets you know of price changes for the criteria for set 

I can and have before, but i always book direct now, and check pretty much every day anyway, so don't really see the point.

I won't use Agents now at all, my piece of mind is more important to me than saving small potatoes. 

I know they show prices with the airlines direct as well, and it would give an indication, but i check pretty much every day anyway.

Edited August 28, 2023 by Krapow

[Derek Dangleberries]

2 hours ago, Lemondropkid said:

I know it's off-topic but how long does a UK passport renewal take?

 

1 hour ago, boydeste said:

Can be several weeks depending upon demand. 

I realise that the question refers to getting a renewal done in UK but thought that it may be useful to say that I went into Keyvisa by Big C Pattaya Tai last week to ask, and they said 2 weeks!!!

[boydeste]

5 minutes ago, Derek Dangleberries said:

 

I realise that the question refers to getting a renewal done in UK but thought that it may be useful to say that I went into Keyvisa by Big C Pattaya Tai last week to ask, and they said 2 weeks!!!

That may be how long it is currently taking them, but it very much depends upon demand at the time, this is from the Government website which states to allow up to 10 weeks from receiving your old passport.

I did one for my mate last year and it took 10 days, but it was out of holiday season.

[Derek Dangleberries]

2 minutes ago, boydeste said:

That may be how long it is currently taking them

Yep, I was surprised when they said 2 weeks too. 

[boydeste]

1 minute ago, Derek Dangleberries said:

Yep, I was surprised when they said 2 weeks too. 

Especially as it needs to be posted each way too, which must take up a few days.

Maybe the passport office prioritise over seas renewals, or perhaps it's BS to get your business.  LOL

[Butch]

i'm searching EVA as we speak. looking for March / Arpil return before Songkran, Econ outward and Premium back is coming in at £1599. I've got 20k miles I can offset it with, but only by just under a 70 quid.

I'll be a poor man tomorrow I think. I always come back PE regardless, as the 13 hours kills my back, as I found out to my cost on the THAI 787 last sept.

The mrs paid £1600 for Emirates to the RP in Oct, so the expense is across the board it would seem.

[boydeste]

This thread has prompted me to do a few dummy dates for my winter travels. Quite surprising how much the price differs from date to date. All quite high I may add.

Ummm fuel for thought.

 

[Derek Dangleberries]

2 minutes ago, Butch said:

I always come back PE regardless, as the 13 hours kills my back, as I found out to my cost on the THAI 787 last sept.

I flew back to UK in June with EVA and nicked 2 of the back support cushions to use on the coach and in my sons' cars because of my bad back.

Bloody useful they were too !!!