Travelexpo

[SIMTRAC]

Has anyone been to the travel expo that is going around oz at the moment?? I am interested to see if it is worth it as we'll as useful. I keep being told there are 'great' discounts there...... But no one can tell me what they are on or what they mean by 'great'!!

 

[zanzibar138]

I might go on Saturday. Personally I'm not sure how great those things to uber-planners like us DISers It's the sort of place I can imagine getting a great deal if you're flexible on the destination and the timing. But it's free, so still worth checking out if you're not doing anything else

 

[battymum]

We went on Saturday in sydney, it's worth it if you have a trip in mind and are ready to book. You can usually get the same deals at your local flight centre around the same time.

 

[gogo65]

But then that would mean you would have to deal with flight centre

 

[PrincessInOz]

I walked past a Flight Centre yesterday. They had a sign up saying that Qantas would match any fare from another airline or words to that effect.

 

[WanderlustNZ]

Flight Centre do those travel expos here in NZ also. Like previously mentioned, I find the deals are only good for those with the flexibility to travel soon or at an off-peak time.

However, I keep going back to these Expos every year. Why? Because I love glossy holiday brochures.
I feel a bit like a kid in a candy store carrying home my bag of bright, colourful brochures full of exotic locations and shiny, new cruise ships. I love to flick through them like a magazine and dream about where my next holiday will be.

I hope that doesn't sound too weird?

 

[zanzibar138]

However, I keep going back to these Expos every year. Why? Because I love glossy holiday brochures.
I feel a bit like a kid in a candy store carrying home my bag of bright, colourful brochures full of exotic locations and shiny, new cruise ships. I love to flick through them like a magazine and dream about where my next holiday will be.

I hope that doesn't sound too weird?

That sounds awesome, and is the main reason I go to these things too

 

[SIMTRAC]

That sounds awesome, and is the main reason I go to these things too

Ok I'm in. Going this Sunday and taking the husband and kids...... Too hold all the brochures for our next trip!!!!!!

 

[Kangarucci]

Instead of going all the way into the city, 1 1/2hrs, I made an appointment with a FC consultant for the Saturday. Thank goodness I did as there were people waiting. Each client was there for much longer than 30mins.

If you want to go thru FC, I had screw ups with them , book an appointment over the weekend.

 

[SIMTRAC]

Are the deals pretty good? We are traveling at Christmas after the magical 10 December so I kind of chuckle when people talk about 'great deals'. Because that is the busiest and most expensive time of the year! So far directly booking with air nz is saving me 1400 rather have a TA book exactly the same flights with air nz!!!! I know there's a difference, but didn't think it would be that much on just the return to lax to syd.....

 

[cola]

I went to the Sydney one last weekend, most of the flight specials were book there on the day with Flight Centre (it is basically a Flight Centre expo) I did book my September fare on the day, and it's the first time I've used a TA for ages. The United guysaid you could pay $60 more if you wanted to book online directly with them. Air NZ had a pretty amazing deal but it was only up to mid-August - I think it was kids under 12 fly free or something? I've no kids under 12, and couldn't go that soon so it didn't sink into the memory bank well.

The European prices just seemed normal.....

 

[Sugarglider]

I went to this last year and the deal was about $100 or $200 p.p. off the usual discount deals. e.g. You can usually get $1500 economy SYD - DFW rtn on Qantas as their special price - so they were offering something like 1300 or 1350 - something like that
and you had to book it on the day - right there with them. Although they all said I could ring them on Monday and they would honour the deal.
I spoke with flight Centre, Qantas and Virgin - and they were obviously tracking each others prices and no one was offering a big deep discount. I didn't check any other destinations.
if you have a family and am buying 5 airfares it could be worth up to $1000 saving and worth the visit.

 

[ky71]

We went last weekend to the expo in Perth.

We ran into a TA we knew and booked flights to Europe in July. From the research I'd already done, we saved about $420pp (four of us are going this trip so nice $$$). We walked around for about 20mins and there wasn't much to see. Although we did go only to book the flights and we got that done so a successful trip!

 

[ame]

We went to the snow one last year and loved it. Stocked up on pens and lanyards to last a while we went to the cruise one as well and it was horrid. So crowded we couldn't move our dd's wheelchair so we just left.

I do love all the shiny brochures though

 

[SIMTRAC]

Just went to the one in Canberra today........and found it cheaper to book direct and also, they kept telling us that January dates gave not been released yet. Funny thing was I had printouts with prices for if (now when) I do it myself.......

Are fares released to the public before TA's??? We always thought it was the other way around.