Airfares Question: Flying Novice

[vespa]

Hi All.

I have only flown twice and that was 25 years ago. Anyway I would like to shake the flight nerves. Thats another story.

So I thought I might do some little flights like Syd to Cairns. However I notice that at this time of the prices are quite high. Like close to $500 oneway. Now being as I no zilch about this, is there any chance that flights can be cheaper eg booking on the day you want to leave ?

THe reason I have left this so late is that my long service is building up and I have to take 10 days off from Tuesday 6/7, so 3 days in Cairns might have been good if possible.

 

[MAX_1]

Maybe look at some other cities, like Adelaide, Melbourne,etc.

I just quickly checked on bestflights.com for Syd-Adelaide for next week and found many flight at about $200 return.

Its Qld school holidays right now and maybe the Cairns flights are in extra demand,hence the pricing.

 

[vespa]

Thanks Max for the advice.

So I was wondering then, those really expensive domestic flights, if they are not sold, is that it or do the airlines maybe discount them closer to the flight departure ?

I know this question might seem silly because I cant figure that they would prefer the seats empty to offering them at a discount and at least getting something.

Funny too that prices to go to Cairns are more expensive than flying to Fiji on a 747. Obviously there is so much I dont know as a really inexperienced traveller.

 

[gilby08]

The fares 99% of the time will increase more or stay the same closer to departure, as they know people with last minute bookings have no other choice (deaths, sickness, events, business)

 

[MAX_1]

Lots of things don't make sense with air travel.

For instance,
I travel to melbourne a few times a year and the tickets are purchased by others.
When I get to Qantas Club, I check if there are available seats in business class and offer to use my points to be upgraded. No Go.
Qantas loses a great oportunity to burn up QFF points every day and the J seat stays empty for that flight.

 

[harvyk]

Yeah $500 each way is pretty expensive, as funny as it seems that's getting into the territory my US trip cost per flight last year. Even now $500 each goes a long way to getting you from SYD - HKG (Hong Kong), which is a flight I'm doing later this month.

You don't state if you have a passport or not, but you could do SYD to AKL (Auckland) leaving next Tuesday, and returning on the Wednesday for $503 return...

Or for $604, you could to SYD to PER (Perth) return, again leaving next Tuesday, returning on the Wednesday...

Each one of those is a nice sized flight, enough time for some lunch \ dinner, and to watch a movie, and it's a lot cheaper than $500 one way...

You also have of-course the SYD-MEL's, and you can usually find cheaper fares on those even as close as 24 hours from departure.

 

[mhen]

Welcome vespa

25 years is definitely too long between flights. Not only is flying fun it also opens up a world of possibilities.

As well as the cost of the flight you need to consider accomodation costs (do you have friends/family in other cities), do you need to rent car while there, and most importantly what do you like to do, eg wine-taste (Melbourne or Adelaide), beaches (Gold Coast or North Coast), theatre (I love theatre trips to Melbourne), warmer than Sydney (Brisbane), or as harvyk suggests Perth or Auckland for a longer flight to experience the on-board food and entertainment.

Also if you are a bit nervous about flying do you have any friends or family who can fit in a short trip with you. Having someone to talk to and to share the experience with can help.

 

[danielc]

Have you considered Tiger Airways to the Gold Coast? Did a sample booking and found $78 on the 06/07/10 17:25 - 18:50 flight with $88 for the return on 10/07/10 with a choice of two departures both at very civilised times. With extra charges you might be looking at $200 return which isn't bad for booking this close to the date.

Personally, I have flown Tiger a few times, and never had any problems. Other than the two-hour check-in requirement, for leisure travel where you aren't locked to a particular timetable, they can be good value. Considering the flight times to the Gold Coast are less than 90 minutes any lack of in-flight amenities should be quite tolerable. When I have used them in the past I have checked the plane rego aftwerwards and in all cases the planes were fairly new (ie less than 3 years old) A320s.

 

[vespa]

Thanks guys for the replies. Being a novice, I found you answers informative.

In the end, this leave was beyond my control so maybe Cairns was a bit ambitious. Kinda of thinking Hamilton Is and will do some research. I prefer to go somewhere a bit warmer than Sydney and not to far.

So if Cairns cant happen this time then so be it. I really learnt a lot from your answers.

Thanks.

 

[medhead]

I think I got an email about package deals to Cairns the other day, possibly from Jetstar. I'd suggest checking the Holiday booking function of each of the airline websites, Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin Blue.

Edit:

I just tried a quick search. Jetstar doesn't seem to offer anything before 8/7 and it is $1200 for 4 nights, airfares (SYD-CNS) and hotel.

Qantas is only offering packages starting from 9/7, prices from $1318, flying on Jetstar and looks like about the same as what Jetstar offered. (I think also for 4 nights)

Virgin blue seems to offer flight from 6/7 but $990 for flights and hotel, but the hotel is the whiterock leisure park. I'm not familiar with that location but it is just of the edge of town to the south and I think is might be a van park. To add a hotel in the CBD is from +$775 for the hotel (Rydges). This is for 7 days not 4 days.

Maybe this is a bad suggest from me.

 

[vespa]

I think I got an email about package deals to Cairns the other day, possibly from Jetstar. I'd suggest checking the Holiday booking function of each of the airline websites, Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin Blue.

THanks, I hadn't thought of the packages. I will certainly have a look on the sites you mentioned. Again thanks for your research and the alternative approach.