Book a month in advance or wait until the last minute?

[stevenaive]

I realise this is a very generic Q but hey.....

I would like to visit the UK at the end of September, return from Sydney cattle class.

Currently tickets are quite pricey for the better seats, mostly a little over $2K.

I wonder if given the relatively quiet time of year I might be better off waiting until a few days before and hoping for some last-minute options?

I once went on six hours' notice and got an Emirates flight to Birmingham for $1,600 in May 2016.

Your thoughts and in particular experiences are very welcome.

 

[Hvr]

If for some reason you can't get a ticket what will you miss out on?

If it's important buy the ticket now. If not, take the chance.

 

[stevenaive]

There's always a way to fly this route even at a moment's notice (isn't there?)

I guess I wonder if the price might go up by $200 or down by $200

 

[Melburnian1]

PR has a sale that started today with return Y fares from A$1079 SYD to LHR:

404

www.philippineairlines.com

Modern aircraft, great on board service, good safety record and generally good punctuality. Minor downside is that transfer at MNL could be improved.

The timetable indicates that Mondays and Tuesdays are the best days to depart SYD as it's straight through to LHR:

https://www.philippineairlines.com/en/~/media/files/flighttimetable/intl%20summer%20timetable%20august%2014%202019.pdf?la=en

Bear in mind NSW school holidays start on Friday 27 September so if you at all can, try to depart before this.

 

[stevenaive]

I already looked at this site and found a flight for $1,600 with a night in Manila - not sure if that is good or bad

Other next cheaper options run through Hong Kong which carries its own risk at the moment

 

[Tredders]

I realise this is a very generic Q but hey.....

I would like to visit the UK at the end of September, return from Sydney cattle class.

Currently tickets are quite pricey for the better seats, mostly a little over $2K.

I wonder if given the relatively quiet time of year I might be better off waiting until a few days before and hoping for some last-minute options?

I once went on six hours' notice and got an Emirates flight to Birmingham for $1,600 in May 2016.

Your thoughts and in particular experiences are very welcome.

gidday.dependant upon your dates in Sept there appear to be flights available from around $1300 odd.
check out Google flights

 

[Melburnian1]

I already looked at this site and found a flight for $1,600 with a night in Manila - not sure if that is good or bad

Other next cheaper options run through Hong Kong which carries its own risk at the moment

If no same day connection, you will get a basic, modern 'Red Planet' type hotel with aircon, a Queen bed and en suite in Y, with transfers by car and probably meals. Nothing startling but quite acceptable if you are like most travellers and don't want to pay airline W (Premium economy) or J (business class) fares. The opportunity to briefly see a new city, so always good in my book. And a better airline than distinctly overrated Qantas.

Hong Kong at present (with no disrespect to its freedom seekers) is like the plague: avoid.

I don't like 'the sandpit(s) so I avoid the Middle East 3 as they're known while the mainland Chinese airlines have many staff whose English is poor, unlike PR.

Ring the Sydney office of PR (Mon - Fri only, 0900 - 1700 hours) to ask re this 'STPC' (stopover paid by airline) offer. They will arrange it for you.

 

[stevenaive]

You will get a basic 'red Planet' type hotel with aircon, a Queen bed and en suite in Y, with transfers and probably meals. Nothing startling but quite acceptable if you are like most travellers and don't ant to pay airline W (Premium economy) or J (business class) fares. The opportunity to briefly see a new city, so always good in my book. And a better airline than distinctly overrated Qantas!

Ring the Sydney office of PR (Mon - Fri only, 0900 - 1700 hours) to ask re this 'STPC' (stopover paid by airline) offer.

Thanks for this. Are you saying that if the advertised flight includes a night in Manila then it will likely include accom + meal costs as above? If so then v tempting

 

[Melburnian1]

Thanks for this. Are you saying that if the advertised flight includes a night in Manila then it will likely include accom + meal costs as above? If so then v tempting

As I understand it, 'yes' to accommodation and free transfers. Meals may be included but you'd have to check with PR, but even if not, restaurants in cities like MNL are at all price points and there's a huge variety of food from which to choose, as Manila is about 2.5 to 3 times larger in population than Sydney or Melbourne. Mall of Asia (a shopping centre larger than Melbourne's well known Chadstone) apparently has more than 210 restaurants although when I've been there, they're rather spread out so I've never tried to count them.

I believe meals are included for J class passengers on an STPC but that's presumably as they're paying a far higher fare. Typically this will be an international hotel buffet. PAL doesn't always, but loves to put up its J class transit passengers at the ageing but part renovated Century Park Hotel not all that far from the Manila NAIA airport, as the hotel is owned by the Tan family who own PAL. Symmetry, eh?

The PR office number in Sydney is (local call from anywhere in Oz) 1300 887 822.

A 'free' night included, or as I said above 'STPC" in jargon is common among airlines provided we travellers are genuinely transiting from flight A that arrives on day A to flight B that departs on day B, and there's no other alternative that the airline offers. If we just did it because we wanted a night in locality X but there was a same day timetabled connection available, STPC would not apply. Hope that makes sense.

 

[Lynda2475]

given the relatively quiet time of year

End of Sept is school holidays and that generally drives the prices up. So if you can fly out before the school holidays begin in your state then that will keep the prices down.