Flight Prices

[gholsong]

I was about to order tickets already for next summer (2006), but before I did a friend told me that flight prices are generally high during the first few weeks that the flights are scheduled, and then drop after a time, before rising again as the flight approaches. Is this true? Should I wait to buy tickets, or get them now? If I wait, when should I go ahead and buy?

Thanks a ton. By the way, for American pilgrims, flights on Aer Lingus seem to be the cheapest way to get to Europe. They also fly to a lot of places on the continent.

Grant

 

[Shamanca]

Hmm... I've always learned... book as fast as you can and that's what I'm always doing.
If you wait to long, the cheapest tickets are already forgiven, so I'd say... go ahead and book the flight
That's what I'm always doing when I have to fly... if it's within Europe or to America / Peru, always book as fast as I can.

But maybe someone else has got another / better suggestion.

Never flown with "Aer Lingus" and have no idea if that's the cheapest one.

 

[ivar]

I just stumbled upon this site:

http://www.sidestep.com

..they check flight prices at many travel sites (including RyanAir!).

I have never used them, but did a few searches and found them to be quite good.

Check it out.

Ivar

 

[William Marques]

I was about to order tickets already for next summer (2006), but before I did a friend told me that flight prices are generally high during the first few weeks that the flights are scheduled, and then drop after a time, before rising again as the flight approaches. Is this true? Should I wait to buy tickets, or get them now? If I wait, when should I go ahead and buy?

I was looking through some old Conde Nast Traveller magazines the other day and they had done some research on flight prices which seemed to prove what your friend said. The cheapest time is from a few weeks after the flights are open for booking till about a month and a half before the flight, during that time they reach a floor price which does not vary much. The most expensive time is just before take-off.

Other factors such as local sporting events, fiestas, seasonal holiday periods (Christmas, Easter and August in Europe) also cause peaks so if one day/week seems out of line you may find there is a local Grand Prix or Football Game that is distorting things for a short period.

Buen Camino
William