Best time to buy
Aug 6th, 2003, 01:45 PM
#2
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There is no consistent answer. You just have to keep checking. Last week, I picked up a fare for a flight in the late February-early March time period. This week, that deal is not available. Seven months out is often too early to find the best fares, but after sizing up fares over a number of years for this particular destination (among many others that I follow), I knew when to lock in.
Fare sales come and go. Carriers often follow suit or there can be head-to-head matchups that consistently produce good deals for certain itineraries. Cheap seats sometimes sell out and other variables can enter the picture that make it difficult to predict things with a lot of certainty.
If you list where you are traveling from, where you are trying to go and the general timeframe, there may well be someone here who knows something about deals that pertain to your trip.
A good idea: sign up for e-mail services from various carriers, travelocity and other sites that will tune you in to deals as they come up. But don't rely on them 100%! Keep checking and when you see that deal, don't wait to pounce!
Fare sales come and go. Carriers often follow suit or there can be head-to-head matchups that consistently produce good deals for certain itineraries. Cheap seats sometimes sell out and other variables can enter the picture that make it difficult to predict things with a lot of certainty.
If you list where you are traveling from, where you are trying to go and the general timeframe, there may well be someone here who knows something about deals that pertain to your trip.
A good idea: sign up for e-mail services from various carriers, travelocity and other sites that will tune you in to deals as they come up. But don't rely on them 100%! Keep checking and when you see that deal, don't wait to pounce!
Aug 7th, 2003, 05:37 AM
#3
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I had done a lot of research and found that fares, absent sales, seemed lowest between 60 and 120 days before the flight date, but the industry has been in turmoil over the last couple of years and I think those figures are no longer valid.
In July, I bought tickets for a domestic flight leaving tomorrow. They were $201. I kept checking the price since buying them, thinking that if it went down I would ask for a credit. Monday of this week, the cost was over $700, and yesterday it was $860. I think that buying at the last minute is not the best choice, unless you are really lucky.
In July, I bought tickets for a domestic flight leaving tomorrow. They were $201. I kept checking the price since buying them, thinking that if it went down I would ask for a credit. Monday of this week, the cost was over $700, and yesterday it was $860. I think that buying at the last minute is not the best choice, unless you are really lucky.
Aug 7th, 2003, 05:40 AM
#4
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yes - you have to keep checking and try with the help of this system : www.etn.nl/lcostair.htm
good luck
good luck
