When To Book Usa Tickets Aug 07?

[Maca44]

I have been invited to a wedding in Seattle in August 2007, but the cheapest tickets I have found thus far after search the Internet is around the $2,700 (incl taxes etc). QF and UA are about the same at the moment. I am aware it is high season, and have looked at a lot of different routes such as SYD-SFO-SEA, SYD-LAX-SEA and SYD-HNL-SEA, and have had a quick look at routing via Asia and then on to Vancouver (YVR).

Can anyone tell me if any of the airlines are likely to release better priced tickets to SEA, or should I bite the bullet and get one now. I am travelling in Y, and although I am a Life Member of the QP I don't care which carrier I use as I will be away for a week only so saving money is the main objective for this trip.

 

[NM]

NZ have a fare of $1459+++ from SYD to LAX or SFO for travel between 18 July and 31 October. This is a "land fare" through Best Flights so must include you spending a minimum of $300 on things like car rental or accommodation through them which may or may not be a problem to you.

You could then purchase a separate SFO/LAX-SEA on someone like AS or UA.

 

[NM]

Or if you prefer OneWorld, then how about this Cathay Pacific deal through Best Flights for $1929 to YVR and drive to Seattle from the to help include the "land component".

 

[serfty]

Using this tool (log in as Guest if asked), for a random week in Aug, it gave a fare of AUS2321; this included a Jet

Star leg to HNL, a AC back from HNL and CO codeshares (operated by NW) direct HNL/SEA.

Looking further, you could do JetSaver to HNL for AUD1170 each & the CO on NW Codeshare HNL to/from SEA for AUD693 each. Making a total AUD1860 each.

 

[StevePER]

Costless has both a QF/NW combo fare via Asia and a HA/NW combo fair via Hawaii for $1581+++, but that's only for the second half of August. When are you looking to go?

 

[Maca44]

Thank you for your assistance. One more quick question: do carriers release deals to the USA for August in any particular month or should I just buy now for whatever I can get. Thanks again.

 

[Evan]

Generally they release Jan - Mar
But special can happen at any time if load is low, and price will rise if demand is high.

Hence QF can charge full price all the time for business class to London from the east coast of Australia, as there is always demand there is rearly sales.

Evan

 

[coco50]

Thank you for your assistance. One more quick question: do carriers release deals to the USA for August in any particular month or should I just buy now for whatever I can get. Thanks again.

Good thread Maca44. I have been invited to a wedding in Charleston in June and I've just been looking at AA and QF and the fares are astronomical. Should I try to book now or wait?

 

[coco50]

If the cost is so high in that season with QF or AA would a Circle Pacific fare be better value?

 

[serfty]

Good thread Maca44. I have been invited to a wedding in Charleston in June ...

Is that CHS (SC) or CRW (WV)?

 

[serfty]

In the vien of previous posts here, return travel HNL to CHS in June on AA/AE can be had from AUD975 pp. (CRW has no AA flights)

 

[baswitzer]

Ive been looking to go in April 07 since about August last year. The fares have just started to come out now. Have you looked at Air Tahiti Nui? They are offering a great deal at the moment for travel up until May and they may release something soon. The fares on this route really are ridiculous.

 

[Maca44]

No wonder the costs are so high when you look at all the additional expenses, and this is from the webjet page, and what the hell is a seat price guarantee after you have paid for the ticket.

TOTAL PRICE
The pricing for the above Itinerary is as follows (all amounts include GST):
Flights 1 Adult$ 2,316.00
Immigration and Naturalisation Services Inspection Fee (INS)$ 9.00
Passenger Movement Charge$ 38.00
Transportation Tax - Domestic and International$ 38.80
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Fee (APHIS)$ 6.50
Insurance Levies$ 12.00
Fuel Levy Surcharge$ 270.00
Customs User Fee$ 6.50
Passenger Civil Aviation Security Service Fee$ 9.90
Passenger Facility Charge (PFC)$ 5.80
Passenger Services Charge - International$ 42.74
Total $ 439.24
Taxes, Charges and Commissions (click here to compress)
Seat Price Guarantee - 01 August 2007 Flight QF73 Departing Sydney $ 4.40
Seat Price Guarantee - 15 August 2007 Flight QF3732 Departing Seattle $ 4.40
Price Guarantees (click here to compress) $ 8.80
Processing Fee $ 15.95
Total Value of Your Booking$ 2,779.99
Paying for your bookingGuarantee and Processing fee payable now to Webjet $ 24.75
Balance to be charged for Qantas Airways Flights $ 2,755.24
GST included in the above total $ 2.25

 

[Mal]

what the hell is a seat price guarantee after you have paid for the ticket.

It's a Webjet thing. Basically it's similar to price insurance - the price you pay at the end of the booking (subject to conditions) is the price you were originally quoted. IE, if all availability in the class that you were booking is gone and the fare went up then you'd still pay the original price. It's $4.40 per sector I believe.

Webjet Travel - Online airfares at cost price for all airlines

Seat Price Guarantee:
Airline price specials usually sell quickly. Webjet electronically accesses “real time” seat inventory but even that can change in the space of minutes. To ensure you get the best possible seat price when you have selected your flights, Webjet will electronically lock in and guarantee your chosen flight prices regardless of fluctuating airline flight prices, provided you complete your booking within 30 minutes. Webjet reserves the right to limit liability to $1,000 per booking in the event of third party errors by airlines, their distribution partners or other airfare provisioning entities. Our “Seat Price Guarantee” attracts a non refundable fee per flight sector which will be displayed during the booking process and charged to your credit card by Webjet.

 

[coco50]

Sorry, Serfty. Charleston, South Carolina = CHS