Best time to buy overseas tickets (is there one?)

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johnSD

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I need to buy two J class tickets BNE-YVR-BNE for June/July 2018. Bookings are just becoming available on some airlines with no doubt more to follow. My question is when is the best time to purchase?
Early, when they first open bookings or wait, monitoring on a regular basis. Appreciate any advice and thanks in advance for help.
 
I always buy tickets when they first come on the airline reward calendar, especially if needing 2 tkts. And, I mean that I look for what I want constantly when my chosen time period comes on. It would help if on your AFF profile you mention what if any airline status you have. And, say which airlines / route you'd prefer.

Welcome to AFF!

I need to buy two J class tickets BNE-YVR-BNE for June/July 2018. Bookings are just becoming available on some airlines with no doubt more to follow. My question is when is the best time to purchase?
Early, when they first open bookings or wait, monitoring on a regular basis. Appreciate any advice and thanks in advance for help.
 
I always buy tickets when they first come on the airline reward calendar, especially if needing 2 tkts. And, I mean that I look for what I want constantly when my chosen time period comes on. It would help if on your AFF profile you mention what if any airline status you have. And, say which airlines / route you'd prefer.

Welcome to AFF!
Thanks for prompt reply. I am a life member Qantas Club but only bronze status now as I am retired. Do not have enough QF points for 2 x J RT tickets. Best I can see at the moment is Korean, one brief stop ICN each way and about 40% cheaper than QF which goes via LAX and the unpleasantness that entails. My dilemma is should I grab the Korean tickets now or wait and see.
 
As for times to purchase tickets, I've read many theories over the years. everything from 6 weeks to 6 months.

For availability, 6+ months is the go. Price, can vary wildly. Set up a price watch (track price) on google flights for a few weeks and watch what appears. https://www.google.com.au/flights/

Only seeing to the 1st week of June 2018 atm, but $6100 is the best I'm seeing on JL. I'd be reasonably confident you could snag a J fare in the next couple of months for around the $5k mark, possibly a little less, if you keep a close eye.


edit: after posting, already changed, seeing $5460, on China Southern with a long layover in CAN,
 
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Have you considered PR (Philippine Airlines?) It will be shortly commencing using refurbished A333s with QF-like beds in J class (1-2-1 configuration) from MEL and SYD to MNL; from MNL to YVR, it is a B773ER with 2-2-2 slightly sloping beds on which the couple of times I have used this airline have been quite acceptable to sleep on, although obviously if in a window seat one has to step over another passenger if the aisle seat is occupied.

If I'm not mistaken PR would be priced more cheaply than Korean or Japanese carriers.

If there is no same day connection in Manila, provided you book through an Australian travel agent or online with PR you will receive a complimentary one night stay in a 3.5 - 4 star hotel plus transfers (not sure about meals.)

June departures (2018) are as yet unavailable on PR's online system but a May departure returning in early June was $5185 return from SYD in J:

https://bookings.philippineairlines.com/flypal/AirFareFamiliesFlexibleForward.do

Find a specialist Filipino travel agent and they should be able to beat that price.

The BNE - MNL planes are not as good with PR as it is only an A320 or A321 that stops in DRW, but you could always get a cheap domestic fare down to SYD in economy class to connect (using VA for domestic flights) but if you do, try to ensure it is all on the one itinerary.
 
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Booking 9-12 months out is unlikely to give you the best price, unless you're travelling at a very peak time (e.g. the week before Christmas). Generally I would wait for a sale, which often happens around 6 months out.
 
Agreed with Mattg, unless traveling at peak times, wait for a sale. Whilst YMMV, the days of getting the best deal by booking a year ahead are pretty much gone.

Just keep in mind when traveling overseas, our peak times and their peak times may not line up. Keep an eye out for any public holidays or events which may make Canadians (or any transit country) want to travel as that will have an effect on any sales which come by.
 
Even though you didn't mention it, I read your this as a question about rewards seats. Sorry about that.

I always buy tickets when they first come on the airline reward calendar, especially if needing 2 tkts. And, I mean that I look for what I want constantly when my chosen time period comes on. It would help if on your AFF profile you mention what if any airline status you have. And, say which airlines / route you'd prefer.

Welcome to AFF!
 
Early, when they first open bookings or wait, monitoring on a regular basis. Appreciate any advice and thanks in advance for help.
get a smartphone app called Hopper.
search for your flights, it will tell you when is the best times to buy the ticket, and roughly how much you might save/lose by waiting.
 
The Frequent Flyer Concierge team takes the hard work out of finding reward seat availability. Using their expert knowledge and specialised tools, they'll help you book a great trip that maximises the value for your points.

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Ignoring the OP's required flights and just focusing on the thread title.

Depends what and where you're flying. When flying small airlines to remote locations, I'll book right on the fringe of seat release due to small aircraft and limited options. Back in February I booked us seats on 6 flights we're taking in Dec .... due to it being a tiny airline (tropic air) with a fleet of 14, 6, or 3 seater birds.
 
I will give you access to my travel diary. Whenever I'm travelling it is always peak time, either at the departure point ("Yes everyone's heading away then too") or at the destination ("Yes that's their peak travelling time"). So, avoid the times when I'm travelling and you'll be fine.

Note that you'll also avoid scaffolding, 'closed for maintenance' signs and terrible exchange rates, all of which seem to go up when I'm travelling. I assume I'm on some sort of list.
 
I will give you access to my travel diary. Whenever I'm travelling it is always peak time, either at the departure point ("Yes everyone's heading away then too") or at the destination ("Yes that's their peak travelling time"). So, avoid the times when I'm travelling and you'll be fine.

Note that you'll also avoid scaffolding, 'closed for maintenance' signs and terrible exchange rates, all of which seem to go up when I'm travelling. I assume I'm on some sort of list.


After I've made a booking, my wife usually asks "why have you booked a flight during school holidays?” or something similar.

Some people never learn (especially those with no school age kids).
 
Hi, I have a question in relation to sales. If I want a business fare at a sale price from an Asian airport ( intending to book the Australian leg to Asia in economy) & register with airlines for sales... do I put down an Australian starting airport assuming sales are worldwide at the same time.. or do I need to register all the different Asian airports where the airline touches down - meaning multiple registrations & newsletters? Hope this makes sense! Thanks Jennie
 
Hi, I have a question in relation to sales. If I want a business fare at a sale price from an Asian airport ( intending to book the Australian leg to Asia in economy) & register with airlines for sales... do I put down an Australian starting airport assuming sales are worldwide at the same time.. or do I need to register all the different Asian airports where the airline touches down - meaning multiple registrations & newsletters? Hope this makes sense! Thanks Jennie

I dunno. I'd keep an eye on the 'cheap international airfares' thread here on AFF, and you might want to look at signing up to some of the blogs like onemileatatime or the premium fare deals on FlyerTalk.

Some airlines offer country-specific deals, some offer system-wide deals (like Sri Lankan's 50% off sale). So you' probably be subscribing to way too many sites.

You can also use googleflights... enter in the departure point only, leaving the destination blank. Slect dates and hit 'search'. This will give you the best price they can find to any city from that origin using their map. It can turn up some surprising results. It takes just a couple of minutes to check the most common cities with deals: BKK, CGK. MNL, KUL, CMB.
 
Thank,you ME that's great advice. Are there any OZ travel agents who will do the booking & therefore are keeping a close watch on sale fares ... or, is it a 'do,it yourself' affair?
I was going to look,11 months ahead of flights but gather from what I have read here that six months before travel is a better point to look for cheaper fares ie sales. Any comment on that?
Also I gather Mad Rooster is linked to,the travel,industry & offers great advice. Any way to find out which agency he works for & get him to book for us or is that discouraged on this forum?
Cheers
Jennie
 
Thank,you ME that's great advice. Are there any OZ travel agents who will do the booking & therefore are keeping a close watch on sale fares ... or, is it a 'do,it yourself' affair?
I was going to look,11 months ahead of flights but gather from what I have read here that six months before travel is a better point to look for cheaper fares ie sales. Any comment on that?
Also I gather Mad Rooster is linked to,the travel,industry & offers great advice. Any way to find out which agency he works for & get him to book for us or is that discouraged on this forum?
Cheers
Jennie

You can private message madrooster at any time and I'm sure he would be happy to help, or provide recommendations :)

Sales can be at any time. It really is luck of the draw. I doubt there will be many - if any - Oz travel agents monitoring cheap fares from foreign ports. Probably not worth their while when they can make commission off highly priced fares ex Australia. The fares that were out last year for under $2000 flying Oman Air to Europe (ex Manila) almost certainly wouldn't have been monitored or promoted by travel agents here.

Just beware that you need to do your homework... if on separate tickets it's a good idea to build in a long buffer (perhaps overnight) between your separate tickets unless the airline out of Australia has multiple daily flights (in case the first is late or cancelled).
 
Thanks again. It's very kind of you to take the trouble. I'm in my early 70's & my husband in his late 70's so not as adventurous as we once were!
How do you send a private message to someone on the forum? Sorry to be a bit dense!
Cheers
Jennie
 
Thanks again. It's very kind of you to take the trouble. I'm in my early 70's & my husband in his late 70's so not as adventurous as we once were!
How do you send a private message to someone on the forum? Sorry to be a bit dense!
Cheers
Jennie

Click his name @madrooster and select ‘start a conversation’.
 
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