Christmas / New Years Fares

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Evan

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Dec 26, 2006
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Hi,

Just wondering if anything strange happens around Christmas or New Years.
If it even valid to assume that the planes will be full and fares high due to the holiday season, some countries don't celebrate etc.

Would airlines be offering silly fares for non popular days like actualy Christmas or news day itsself ?

Just thinking randomly and thinking back to the year 2000 flights where you could welcome in the new year in atleast 3 different countries and timezones.

E
 
Hey Evan,

Hope SIN is treating you well still? :p

I've done a bit of research and generally its easier to find the "specials" availability because less people want to fly on days like Christmas or Boxing Day. (ie. N O Q) However, a lot of airlines will increase the cost of their base airfares for the period from Dec 10 meaning that even if you can get some availability, its still rediculous prices. RedEDeals to LAX with QF (BNE) go to $2943 from $2268 at Dec 10.

Not sure about other airlines but NZ seems to be the same also. And AA tends to block some availability to use YUPP's particularly HNL. I guess it is their busiest times and people will still fly. That damn thing called supply and demand again.

Cheers,
littl_flier
 
Business cabins are often relatively empty due to lack of Business travel. Economy is often oversold.

Expect some op'ups due to this.

I've heard some destinations have sales for J class, but havn't really seen this occur.

I'm looking for a nice jaunt away over Christmas/New years. After 'issues' travelling to NZ last year, I'm looking for an Asian destination where travelling by yourself over Christmas/New year isn't really that big a deal. So yep, any suggestions are welcome!
 
Mal said:
Business cabins are often relatively empty due to lack of Business travel. Economy is often oversold.

Expect some op'ups due to this.

I've heard some destinations have sales for J class, but havn't really seen this occur.

I'm looking for a nice jaunt away over Christmas/New years. After 'issues' travelling to NZ last year, I'm looking for an Asian destination where travelling by yourself over Christmas/New year isn't really that big a deal. So yep, any suggestions are welcome!

MMM like this one http://www.frequentflyer.com.au/community/cheap-international-airfares/qf-has-cheap-j-seats-6188.html a few years ago.

Qantas, please do the same this year!!! :)
 
littl_flier,
Singapore is good, hot as always, busy busy with work which i hate sometimes but hey thats life, seem to work to many weekends, looking for excuses not to work.


v8Statesman said:

Wow would be nice if they did that again :)

I knew fares were generally higher, just wants sure if they had some crazy fares in the mix for the main holidays etc. Worth a lookout since i will be taking time from work at Christmas. Probably heading to Japan but maybe in for something else different, just not sure yet.

E
 
I had the longest Christmas day in my life 2 years ago.

I started in Melbourne, had breakfast with the family, and ended up in Wisconsin with the then girlfriend for Christmas dinner.

From what I remember, flights were full and the airports were quite busy.. from memory it certainly was not a quiet time.
 
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First also gets hit hard during the holidays as well, which is why F is cheaper than J for unrestricted fares for Dec 25 to SIN, returning NYE flying QF, F is $6118 and J $6721. Mind you if you dont mind restrictions J drops to $3564.

From memory a few people from this board found themselves in F on a paid fare last year because it was at or cheaper than the J fare!
 
Domestically, Boxing day is generally one of Qantas' busiest days of the year (behind 'Good Friday' being the busiest IIRC).

And, yes there is plenty of D class around betwixt SYD-MEL/CBR/BNE.

Last year around Dec 29th I took a 'barmy army' inspired backfill award SYD-MEL for 7957 points (All up!) with a D class MEL-SYD for $406.

This year I am travelling with SWMBO and 2 others to BNE, returning on Boxing day.

As there were certainly not going to be ANY sales for that date, I waited until the O class started decreasing (from 9) before I booked 4 seats. This happened May 30th was for $150 each. It was only five weeks ago that O started to reduce on the flight I want to travel to BNE on; at which point I booked that as well.
 
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Sorry, I should have clarified that long haul is generally a little easier to get cheaper seats on if you're flexible with airlines (but hey, we love our FF points ;) ).

We looked at heading over to Lake Como in Italy last year for Christmas but left it until late October. The only dates we could get reasonable fares on was Christmas day.

This year, QF to LHR from BNE is cheapest leaving Xmas day and returing either 30 or 31 December.

Interestingly, there is still plenty of availability BNE-SYD/MEL and vica versa on Xmas Day on the base red-e-deals. Pretty much 95% or red-e-deals available. SYD-MEL is the same. Christmas Eve isn't to bad either.

No specials for these dates mind you.
 
littl_flier said:
RedEDeals to LAX with QF (BNE) go to $2943 from $2268 at Dec 10.

Which is precisely why we're going on December 6! Mr Vane didn't want to spend that long overseas, but when I showed him the fare difference he decided he could put up with his family for the extra week.
 
Harriet Vane said:
Which is precisely why we're going on December 6! Mr Vane didn't want to spend that long overseas, but when I showed him the fare difference he decided he could put up with his family for the extra week.
Very smart Harriet. I left on 9 December last year as well and came home of 2nd January. Total saving about $800 on a $2400 fare, quite substantial. I was just lucky I could get 4 weeks off. Enjoy the trip! :p
 
I'm still looking for a cheap trip away somewhere, so any suggestions would be welcomed. Flying out 23rd/24th/25th and returning 31st/1st/2nd Jan). Might end up with an award if I can find one so that's also a possibility (although just about impossible at that time of year).

Locally, I presume places like Uluru will be hot, overpriced and full of tourists.
Internationally, wouldn't mind one of the Asian countries.
Failing all that, I might end up back in NZ to do a few of their trains and some scenic driving through the South Island. Choices, Choices!
 
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Mal said:
Locally, I presume places like Uluru will be hot, overpriced and full of tourists.
I did Alice Springs and Ayres Rock in January last year and it was just so hot. The heat doesn't really affect me but it was just uncomfortable and sticky. They also close the Rock at 8am (I think) if forecast temperature is above 40 degrees so if you want to climb it, you have to do it straight after sunrise. The resorts at Uluru are also quite expensive but they may be cheaper because its mid-summer. I would think it would be hard to fill a week at Uluru in the middle of summer but maybe not. March/April & Sept/October are probably the best months before it gets too cold or hot.

A drive through the Bay of Islands to the tip of NZ could be nice.
 
Buy now or wait?

Just the thread I was looking for.

Planning a two-and-a-bit trip to India from Boxing Day onwards. One of the cheapest fares at this stage is SYD -DEL with QF/Jetairways via Singapore, for $2400, and the other is the same route with SQ at $2162 on Expedia. Both to me sound expensive, but this is when I have to have leave (I'm a contractor).

Should I purchase now and be done with it, or wait to see if prices fall? I've tried SYD - BKK - DEL, with little success, and SYD - KUL - DEL on MAS, but it was more expensive than QF. Couldn't get dates to work on SYD - KUL - DEL via Jetstar/Jetairways.

Any suggestions?
 
If you're looking at going very cheap, you could look at Tiger to SIN and then a Jet flight from there, may be a little cheaper but certainly more painful to go to MEL, then through DRW and then connect to India in SIN. Unfortunately you may just have to pay this price though. Internally, be sure to look at Kingfisher, a recent TR on FT gave them a rave review and they look like quite a good airline.
 
Hi,

I did look at the Tiger option, but the added cost of flying to Melbourne, then transitting through Darwin and then through Singapore made me think otherwise.

I guess my real question is this: what is the likelihood that fares will be discounted between now and the holiday season?

Cheers all...

PS. Very happy, just learned that I've scored an upgrade tomorrow. I've had 4 redemption flights and 3 upgrades this year so far on QFF.
 
HardieBoys said:
I guess my real question is this: what is the likelihood that fares will be discounted between now and the holiday season?
I would say this late out, there is very little chance of fares being discounted. If anything, the availability in the lower classed will sell out pushing you into higher fare brackets. If I were you, I would probably book now but you never know....



HardieBoys said:
PS. Very happy, just learned that I've scored an upgrade tomorrow. I've had 4 redemption flights and 3 upgrades this year so far on QFF.
Congrats, enjoy it!! :p
 
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