when to book for sum 2008?

[welshlamb]

hav'nt been on the boards for a while (all slighlty depressed after comming home xmas 2007) Anyway the best way to get over the holiday blues is to book another one. I've done a bit of shopping around today for flight prices for July 08 right at the very beginning of the school holidays (i think around 22-25) for three weeks, so far the prices have been quite steep. i was wondering if anyone knows when some of the airlines have good deals of sales on offer. what would i be expected to pay for these dates? i was hoping to get flights for around 720. Do you think i'm being optimistic or if i hang on do you think i will get something better. The other thing is i need to fly from Manchester, we don't mind a flight with one stop as i know not many airlines fly direct from manchester for a duration of 3 weeks. Contacted virgin today and they wanted really silly prices. Please can anyone help as i'm now in disney mode and theres no stopping me.

 

[wayneg]

hav'nt been on the boards for a while (all slighlty depressed after comming home xmas 2007) Anyway the best way to get over the holiday blues is to book another one. I've done a bit of shopping around today for flight prices for July 08 right at the very beginning of the school holidays (i think around 22-25) for three weeks, so far the prices have been quite steep. i was wondering if anyone knows when some of the airlines have good deals of sales on offer. what would i be expected to pay for these dates? i was hoping to get flights for around 720. Do you think i'm being optimistic or if i hang on do you think i will get something better. The other thing is i need to fly from Manchester, we don't mind a flight with one stop as i know not many airlines fly direct from manchester for a duration of 3 weeks. Contacted virgin today and they wanted really silly prices. Please can anyone help as i'm now in disney mode and theres no stopping me.

Firstly do you have any Virgin flying miles? we have booked this August school hols for £533+2000 miles each.
We have been a few times in 6 week hols and this is the most we have ever paid even without miles. Last august we used BMI thru Chicago cost us £330 each. Never had to pay anywhere near £720
It is way too early to get flights yet, most dont release them until 11 months from your return date.
These we booked for this August I booked Xmas morning, that was the first day they were available with Miles and money.
We priced up with Virgin holidays for this August, flights, 25 nights at Courtyard by Marriott, Full size car with Platinum insurance, £4,700 done it myself for £2,700 for 3 of us. They are way OTT for summer hols.

 

[mungo]

sometimes you just have to wait around, and then book when you are happy with the price. We booked virgin flights for this July in March at £370 ea inc taxes, they went quickly, and then were back up to £700. Last august we got last minute £450

check with virgin but check with airline network and opodo too.

 

[wayneg]

http://www.travelsupermarket.com/travelmerge/travelsearch.aspx?package=4

This is a good search engine that searches companies like airline network, opodo and many others.

 

[welshlamb]

weyneg you've had some really good flight prices they are so much better than i was prepared to pay. can i ask you which web site you book through or do you go through a particular airline direct. We've always gone through a company called dial a flight prices have'nt been too bad but i get the feeeling i could proably get them cheaper.

 

[wayneg]

weyneg you've had some really good flight prices they are so much better than i was prepared to pay. can i ask you which web site you book through or do you go through a particular airline direct. We've always gone through a company called dial a flight prices have'nt been too bad but i get the feeeling i could proably get them cheaper.

I dont use any website in particular, I have a list of sites in my Faves I check with.
I start looking the day they are released (11 months from return date) and I spend 30-60mins a day looking for flights and hotels until I find something.
I missed out on BA flights for around £300 this Ausust by a few minutes waiting for my wife to come out of a meeting, her phone was off until 6pm, and they changed their prices back up to over £700 while I was talking to her. Others on here got them for £300.
You just have to be patient and look for offers, mistakes, indirect.
Next Year I will be looking for flights on 24th July for 25 nights, I believe that brings us back Bank Holiday Monday(earlier than usual), from Manchester, which is similar to what you want. So if you send me a PM I will keep it and let you know if I see anything for our dates.
Wayne

 

[crabbie1]

I dont use any website in particular, I have a list of sites in my Faves I check with.
I start looking the day they are released (11 months from return date) and I spend 30-60mins a day looking for flights and hotels until I find something.
I missed out on BA flights for around £300 this Ausust by a few minutes waiting for my wife to come out of a meeting, her phone was off until 6pm, and they changed their prices back up to over £700 while I was talking to her. Others on here got them for £300.
You just have to be patient and look for offers, mistakes, indirect.
Next Year I will be looking for flights on 24th July for 25 nights, I believe that brings us back Bank Holiday Monday(earlier than usual), from Manchester, which is similar to what you want. So if you send me a PM I will keep it and let you know if I see anything for our dates.
Wayne

Wayneg
We are hoping to go around then as well.So is it 11 months from when you return next trip that you can book or 11 months b4 you want to go. We used miles plus money this time and paid £1456 for 2 adults and 1 child(though I upgraded after) and I didn't book till march.They were £735 but I kept watching and then they dropped so I booked them.Glad I did as they haven't really dropped anmore-YET!!

 

[tubtruck]

Hopefully the open skies agreement may bring the flight prices down, its cheaper to fly to Australia in July/August school holidays than to Orlando, the airlines need kicking!

 

[wayneg]

Wayneg
We are hoping to go around then as well.So is it 11 months from when you return next trip that you can book or 11 months b4 you want to go.

To be precise its 336 days from the date you want your return flight with scheduled flights. Its approx 11 months, so if you want to return end August 2008 then the flights will be available end Sept 2007.
Different for flydrives, you can book them with Virgin now right up to Dec 08.

Hopefully the open skies agreement may bring the flight prices down, its cheaper to fly to Australia in July/August school holidays than to Orlando, the airlines need kicking!

Not expecting quick changes, it will take a few years for the routes to get going, but Virgin desperately need competition for Manchester-MCO route, Their service gets worse every year and prices are crazy in school hols.

 

[welshlamb]

did you book everything seperate, then?
We've always got a flydrive package,but do yuo think it woul be cheaper to egt this sperate from the flights?
In case you have'nt noticed we're trying to do it the cheapest way we can!

 

[wayneg]

did you book everything seperate, then?
We've always got a flydrive package,but do yuo think it woul be cheaper to egt this sperate from the flights?
In case you have'nt noticed we're trying to do it the cheapest way we can!

In school hols Flydrives are usually expensive. I have just checked for next August for 3 of us Virgin flydrive £3,300 before I even got to adding the car and insurance, so £1,100 just for a flight They also overcharge you on the cars compared to booking flights and car from a different company.
We have booked Flydrives in past when price has been right but its rare.

 

[mungo]

did you book everything seperate, then?
We've always got a flydrive package,but do yuo think it woul be cheaper to egt this sperate from the flights?
In case you have'nt noticed we're trying to do it the cheapest way we can!

Have you considered an indirect flight they are usually much cheaper, and we use www.freshcarhire.com or www.yescarhire.com for our car hire.