when do the cost of flights decrease?

[scojos]

am watching to get flights next aug (5th), really struggling to get them below £700, thats a massive increase on last year!
having read a few flight threads, can anyone tell me how long it will take for prices to drop?
thanks
tracy

 

[jmagla]

We are in the same boat, the current flight prices for next August are so high that we wont be going unless they drop to around £500 (preferably direct but will go indirect). I find it hard to believe that families can afford these prices even for School holidays, nearly £3000 for a family of 4 such as ours, just to get there is too much.

 

[sandshal]

Highly unlikely they will decrease, only increase. That said, you may find the odd bargin if you fly indirect .......... Waynes the master!!!!!

If you've got your mind set on Virgin I'd advise you to bite the bullet and book now or certainly before Christmas, we've been 2 August's on the trot now and watched the prices increase gradually during the build up to the holiday.

 

[scojos]

there are 5 of us, and at £700 each, we ll have to cancel our holidays, cant afford that sort of money - its massive, flying indirect with an asd kid, is feasible but id rather not....
looking at indirect flights its 12-13hours flight, which is not going to happen!!
thinking about staying 1 night and then flying on, how difficult is it to jump into a airport hotel, get some sleep and then travel on?
josh wouldnt cope if he had to jump from 1 plane to another....
thanks

 

[wayneg]

Its impossible to know. If seats are not selling they will reduce them, if a competitor has a sale they might compete, we usually book in October but once it was Xmas day before I saw what we wanted.
On the other hand if the economy improves and seats sell well they will not come down and only increase.
I have a £500 limit for Virgin direct and £400 anyone else indirect, always managed it before don't see it being different for next year.
My problem is do we just goto Florida or go elsewhere 1st for a change, maybe into Washington then drive down the coast, or do an Alaskan Disney cruise 1st(2011), so many options.

 

[jmagla]

I have a £500 limit for Virgin direct and £400 anyone else indirect, always managed it before don't see it being different for next year.

That is reassuring, you have much responsibility Wayne, many of us will be hanging on your every post around flight sale time

 

[scojos]

That is reassuring, you have much responsibility Wayne, many of us will be hanging on your every post around flight sale time

totally agree

 

[orangetiggs]

yes prices for scheduled airlines dont normall decrease unless they have sales etc as they sell the cheaper classes first which leaves the expensive flexible fares that noone wants to pay the prices for

We got miles and money last nov for our flights and paid £613 for 2 of us with VA

 

[Pegasus928]

I have a £500 limit for Virgin direct and £400 anyone else indirect, always managed it before don't see it being different for next year.

So how much would it cost me for you to send a PM before you make it public on the forum

 

[wayneg]

So how much would it cost me for you to send a PM before you make it public on the forum

The ones we booked this year, Biz class for £465 were around for 2 days after I posted. Plenty of time.

 

[howlongtillsummer?]

I wouldn't book our hotel until I had flights. Flying direct from Belfast we have one and only option (Flyglobespan) which we booked at the end of August for £650 each. Thankfully this was in time to book Free Dining at the reduced price at OKW. It is unbearable waiting though isn't it? I supposed it is all down to supply and demand...I hate gambling on that sort of thing though.

 

[scojos]

So how much would it cost me for you to send a PM before you make it public on the forum

ill double whatever he offers...
hey wayne, you should just stop working and take bribes, its one way of earning a living, tax free too

 

[Mermaid2sea]

Have you tried BA they have a sale on at the moment..

 

[wayneg]

Have you tried BA they have a sale on at the moment..

Just checked BA, economy £863.90pp
Their sale doesn't seem to cover Florida and only on for departures in next few months. http://www.britishairways.com/travel/flights-sale/public/en_gb

 

[pigby]

Wayne

Do you usually go in summer school holidays? It is California we are looking at for next year and the prices (indirect with US) are coming up at just over £600 per adult - do you think it's worth hanging on?

 

[wayneg]

Wayne

Do you usually go in summer school holidays? It is California we are looking at for next year and the prices (indirect with US) are coming up at just over £600 per adult - do you think it's worth hanging on?

I have never tracked flight prices for West cost in August, both our trips over there were Oct half term, 1st time paid £375 with Virgin Direct, 2nd time around £400 from MAN~Chicago~Vegas internal Vegas~LA then back LA~Chicago~MAN
At £600 I would be waiting so far out, I have always found best prices between Oct~Xmas but its always a gamble with flights, prices can go either way.

 

[ford family]

Part of the problem is the new taxes, pushing up prices beyond the control of the airline. We've just booked some flights to Sarasota/Bradenton for the end of next month and the fare is £187 plus taxes of £226 for a total of £413 each.

We are looking at airfare to Asia to join a cruise next year and are considering train to Paris and Air France flights onward to avoid the long haul taxes.

ford family

 

[heatherbelle]

There's a thread running over on the Dibb, that Continental are quoting an average of £550.00 for August, which is quite a bit cheaper than Virgin for those wanting direct flights. It's a code share flight, so it may be worth looking at it you don't want to take the risk.

For the post about LA. In October, there were flights to LA from LHR with VA for £360.00 for the school holidays in August. But they went up later in the year with a massive bump.

 

[starwarsclark]

Hi all,
We have done everything, hotel (CDR) RPR 2 nights, all tickets etc. but not the flights yet as we go 15th August 2010, can go a few days earier but not later, so really waiting for something decent to appear in flight pricing - There are 6 of us as well - Yikes!

Would be "happ" with £500 - £600 each. Fingers crossed.

The code share thingy with Continental and Virgin - How does that work please?

 

[wayneg]

The code share thingy with Continental and Virgin - How does that work please?

Its a Virgin plane you fly with but so many seats on each flight are allocated to Continental, they have been doing it a few years, must be at least 5 years since we did it this way. You buy them via Continental, sometimes cheaper than Virgin other times more expensive.

We just did an AirFrance/Delta code share, booked with AirFrance but code share with Delta so actual flight was Delta, many airlines do it.