How close to departure can you still buy tickets?

[NZflygirl]

I had to book flights back to NZ at short notice but was waiting on more info. I think around midnight QF/EK morning departures were still available ~ 8amish departures but come 4am they were gone!! It's still 4hrs out. Anyway, flight went to VA/NZ. I was really surprised QF locked online bookings out this early. I suppose I could have called but at 4am I didn't think of that!

 

[anat0l]

I think for online bookings, international flights it is 4 hrs and domestic flights it is 2 hrs. This is irrespective of whether you are cash, pay with points or award.

Some routes or fares may be more restrictive than this.

EDIT: Just confirmed these numbers with Qantas.

 

[clazman]

Pretty sure CX is 12 hours, but stand to be corrected

 

[Matt_Sullivan]

I have bought an international ticket at the airport 45 minutes before departure (EK in Dubai ... long story, involving too much liquor) so turning up at the airport can work. Quite a reasonable price too, given the circumstances: about US$700 for a one way economy Dubai to HKG

 

[yohy?!]

Pretty sure CX is 12 hours, but stand to be corrected

Much closer than that, 4 hours from memory

 

[TheInsider]

Website about 3-4 hours, call centre and the airport, up until about -30.

 

[Cynicor]

Air Asia was around 2 hours. We found out when my brother went to check in for a tiger DPS flight and they had cancelled it Edith no notice. Everyone else was queuing to buy but I told him to jump online to ensure he got a seat. Worked well in the end.

 

[NZflygirl]

Thanks for the confirmation.

I'll know for next time but figured there must be a few people book last minute now and then and they might want the fare! 4hrs seems early for international given you could pretty much check in up to an hr prior and if you can buy an airfare at the airport closer to departure I can't see why they wouldn't just keep sales online a bit longer.

 

[cambriamarsh]

I've arrived at BNE couldn't get on a QF flight so had to go VA which was at it after check in close. Price was ok maybe 30 mins before the flight.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

If you have right of entry to a country, I guess 4 hours would be about right.
Australian QFd flight, I have bought ticket about 2 hours before a flight.
I guess if I wanted to get to NZ in a hurry, (as an Aussie passport holder and not needing to apply for a visa prior to arrival), I presuppose I could try for the 4 hours margin, but not if I wanted to try a visit to the UK/US.

 

[cambriamarsh]

If you have right of entry to a country, I guess 4 hours would be about right.
Australian QFd flight, I have bought ticket about 2 hours before a flight.
I guess if I wanted to get to NZ in a hurry, (as an Aussie passport holder and not needing to apply for a visa prior to arrival), I presuppose I could try for the 4 hours margin, but not if I wanted to try a visit to the UK/US.

I've booked AU to NZ in less than 2 ours quite a few times. If the paperwork is in order I guess they sell tickets until the doors shut

 

[astrosly]

I've bought REx tickets 15 mins before departure, and they were still selling tickets up to boarding at 10mins to departure.

This is not really related to your QF to NZ question but as I had to recover on the spot from a QF no show aircraft I felt I should mention it

 

[anat0l]

I've bought REx tickets 15 mins before departure, and they were still selling tickets up to boarding at 10mins to departure.

This is not really related to your QF to NZ question but as I had to recover on the spot from a QF no show aircraft I felt I should mention it

I assume that most airlines will allow you to purchase a ticket at the airport (at the sales counter) right up until the time that the flight is closed for check-in, including international airlines.

Purchasing tickets online would have larger windows... I presume this would be because the ticketing process would not be forced as instantaneous as it would be at a sales counter. Does that suggest that there may be steps taken in between a sale of a ticket and the ticket being issued itself which may take some time for an online sale but would be forced through as a matter of process in a sale at the airport?

 

[wandersen]

I have bought a QF flight at the airport 20 mins before departure. It was Mel-Syd. Had been there for the weekend and he last JQ flight of the day was cancelled (at the last minute of course). I ran over and bought tickets on the last qantas flight back. The agent felt sorry for me and I was WP at the time so sold me a lower (booking) class ticket than was available.