Flight booking advice!

[Ruth B]

hello all,
We are planning on going to Orlando mid Oct 2016.
I had priced flight( based on Sep prices) and we're coming in around 2.5-3k for the 4 of us.
Just looked at flights for early October and they are coming in around 5k!!!
I was hoping to book with ba when they were first released but now wondering if this is best?

We would like to fly virgin or ba and was hoping to book asap after they were released to have it done and stop me obsessing!! Also want to fly direct as have 3 and 8 year old.

Any advice on booking at 11 months or waiting game? The fly drive deals are currently cheaper ( 3.2k) but for some reason are not flying out the date I would like?!

We have disney( free dining ) booked and universal ( free cancellation) but are limited by school times.
Any advice/ reassurance would be appreciated
Ruth

 

[scoobydooby]

Clear you cookies before each search and check four times a day every day. Once you find a price you are happy with book and don't look again. Put your flight dates into Skyscanner and set up an e mail alert for price changes. It's a game. This is how I play it. Depends how much nerve and how much cash you have when you press go.

 

[wayneg]

Flights are rarely cheaper on release anymore. Won't be easy if you are tied to direct in school hols. As above it's a game, keep checking and buy when happy with price.

 

[chmurf]

Same advice as above.
set yourself a price you'd be happy to pay based on the simulations you did. And if the price reaches or goes below that threshold, BOOK and never look back.

check the fare classes (airlines may use different fare codes)

for example VA uses these codes for Economy

Y, B, R, L, U, M, E, Q, V, X, N, O

Y is the full fare economy (the most expensive)
O is the most discounted economy fare (least expensive)
any letter in between is a level of discount.
N is more expensive than O, X is more expensive than N, and so on.

there is no way of telling when a fare class will be available, and how many seats will be available in that class. So you need to clear cookies, and check regularly

when you do your sims on VA, you'll see those letters between brackets

if you see both flights on an O fare, then they won't go any cheaper (unless there is a sale for your dates)
if they're on M they will go down at some point

(each airline has their own codes, for example the cheapest with Delta at U, T and E. AA are S, N, O, Q)

if you're returning during half term and/or at peak times (this year we flew back on 31/10 and price was extortionate) you'll pay a lot more than if you are flexible with dates.

 

[Ruth B]

Thank you all for your help.
I have registered on flight scanner and even checked out flydrive( don't really need a car but prices with VA are cheaper than Ba just flights) fly drive is sold out for chosen date which panics me even more!!

Chmurf- where do I see the letter codes? When I search on virgin I can't see any brackets or codes.

I will be so relieved to get this booked but going to need to hold my nerve and have faith it will work out.
Thanks so much for all help

Ruth

 

[chmurf]

Chmurf- where do I see the letter codes? When I search on virgin I can't see any brackets or codes.

varies from site to site.
(on BA you need to click on each flight number to see the detailed info)

on VA, once you've selected your flights, look on the right under the price, and just above the "next step" button

click on "view fare breakdown" and a box should popup and here are your fare classes.
on the example below, the first flight is in M, which means it's an average price (6 classes are cheaper). Second flight is in X which means its a fair price, not the cheapest but a nice price nonetheless (only 2 cheaper classes)
The aim of the game is getting both flights on the lowest fare class. But you're never guaranteed a cheaper fare class will be released for your flight, and if they're released it might sell out before you see it.

 

[Ruth B]

Thank you very much.

 

[scoobydooby]

Don't book today, it's Y all the way. Bonkers prices on VA!!!

 

[Pooh's-Honey-Pot]

This has helped me loads thank you! I didn't know about the codes. My flights are opening next week on Virgin for October 2016 and I'm horrified at the current prices for the week before! Least I know what to look out for now!

 

[tinkerpea]

I also need flights for around the 20th September for 3wks or even 18nights.
However I checked va today and there crazy expensive.
Praying they come down.
I have a sonority aspergers and he deals for better on va flights