Chances of getting good airfares

[thegurio]

Hi all, i was wondering if you guys knew of any secrets to getting more cost effective flight prices HBA-ADL. This is my most travelled route and i dont mind if there is a few hour stop-over in MEL as thats a tradeoff for flying a better airline.

Now i normally pay about $120 - 150 for a one way trip and i pretty much budget on paying $300 - 350 for a round trip all on DJ. (remember it all comes out fo my own pocket and im kinda capped with what i earn)

If i was to fly QF i wouldn't mind paying a bit extra - say $100 for a round trip. If you were to look you can see even with Red-E-Deals for a round trip will be in excess of $500 which for a trip thats only worth about $1000 it kinda hurts.

So i was wondering where you look? Or is it mainly done for SC's etc...

Another attrocity i noticed when looking for flights SYD-MEL was they were about $90-100... Now that i would quite happily pay even if DJ was $65-70 as i believe that QF is a much better airline

 

[littl_flier]

Unfortunately with no direct flights, it can be quite tough and when flying for business it's hard because you're not always able to be flexible and find the specials.

My only advice is to book when the specials are if you know when you need to travel. I've had a quick look and there are fares with QF HBA-MEL-ADL for $163 each way for travel in FEB with the current Million Seat sale.

For any last minute bookings, it might be bit different though.

 

[thegurio]

and surprise surprise - when i know i need to travel there arent any specials!

i do need to go in Feb so i'll look at that one... like i said if i can make a round trip for under $400 i'll do it every time...


So im assuming aside from getting tickets when theres specials on there isnt any other way? Funnily enough i assumed not but i thought i might ask...

 

[Petch]

like i said if i can make a round trip for under $400 i'll do it every time...

Tiger, heaps of availability in February -

• HBA-MEL $50
• MEL-ADL $50
• ADL-MEL $50
• MEL-HBA $50

CC fees $12, so total = $212. The layovers in Melbourne are 3-4 hours. (And Flight Combos aren't available thru Melbourne, yet.)

So, how much more is Qantas Economy really worth? (Drag your own bags between flights and save!)

 

[JohnK]

So, how much more is Qantas Economy really worth? (Drag your own bags between flights and save!)

Good point!

But then QF won't leave you stranded in MEL when you need to be in ADL for an important meeting. I think getting that type of assurance is worth the extra money. No guarantees with Tiger when their once a day service is cancelled. But if you don't care about arriving on time then the Tiger airfares are fantastic.

 

[Petch]

But then QF won't leave you stranded in MEL when you need to be in ADL for an important meeting.

Well, unless Qantas staff are out on strike! (Or weather is generally bad, or x% of their fleet goes U/S...)

However, I am hopeful that Tiger is getting its teething problems under control. But don't want to discuss them anymore, 'cause last time I contributed to a "Jetstar always late thread", guess what happened to me the next day for 1.5hrs.

 

[thegurio]

So, how much more is Qantas Economy really worth? (Drag your own bags between flights and save!)

I will answer that question with another one - How much more do you value your life and getting in on time.

I, for one, will never fly Jetstar after 4 encounters with them and every time they managed to REALLY p**s me off... and i am the sort of guy who takes a long time to get to that stage!

I am just looking forward to the time when DJ and QF match the fares and then we all win. You know now that I've been looking properly I'm noticing that i can do it for under $400 most times but I'm wondering if thats only because of their 1 in a mil sale?

 

[littl_flier]

You know now that I've been looking properly I'm noticing that i can do it for under $400 most times but I'm wondering if thats only because of their 1 in a mil sale?

Have a quick look outside the One Mill dates. Sales dates are 15 Jan to 15 Mar and 29 Apr to 19 Jun.

I am just looking forward to the time when DJ and QF match the fares and then we all win.

It's starting to go that way, the problem is QF fare aren't coming down. DJ fares are going up. :evil:

 

[JohnK]

You know now that I've been looking properly I'm noticing that i can do it for under $400 most times but I'm wondering if thats only because of their 1 in a mil sale?

That is because of the current sale.

Generally sales cover most non holiday periods of the year so if you knew your travel patterns a couple of months in advance you would be able to book cheap airfares with QF most times.

 

[serfty]

If you search using Qantas.com Domestic Multi Booking you can save at least one $6.60 CC fee than would be incurred with separate bookings.

 

[serfty]

I just did a test booking using the multi facility and, using the sales, HBA-MEL-ADL,ADL-MEL-HBA can be purchased for $330.77 (On QF, not JQ).

 

[thegurio]

I just did a test booking using the multi facility and, using the sales, HBA-MEL-ADL,ADL-MEL-HBA can be purchased for $330.77 (On QF, not JQ).

and thats the secret... I definately dont want to fly JQ at all - even if it does make it cheaper, like i said they have given me no confidence at all that when i fly with them they will do as i ask even if it is as part of a QF flight. And most times i travel with golf clubs - which are of course part of my important work tools! - and we all know that JQ arent human and you arent allowed any baggage excesses without buying another seat as its cheaper...