Optimum time for booking long haul flights

www.momondo.co.uk

Use the above to search for flights. When it gives you the results, click on "flight insights" which will give you all sorts of info on cheapest week/day of week/ airline etc. etc.

Although it's not immediately obvious, once the flight insight info comes up you can click on the different sections for much more detailed info.

Once your destination and dates are decided you should book as early as possible. (Prices are normally available 11 months in advance.)

Thanks guys,so KC from what you are saying the price is unlikely to drop in the next eleven months?

Booked flights for Japan March 2017 as soon available. £750, direct to Toyko, return via Helsinki.

Prices now higher; unless you're prepared to wait until the very last moment (rarely feasible) early if best.

* early is best

I assume from your post that you are looking for at least 4 tickets. I wouldn't be leaving it until the last minute unless I was travelling alone.

Tickets currently 520 pounds with Aeroflot for next July. LHR-Moscow-Bangkok.Return.

leave it later and you should be able easily to beat 520 for Bangkok

Check the weather summary for the area you're planning on visiting as it can be a bit too much some places. I'm thinking monsoon, high temps and humidity etc. so worth a look before committing.

Correct topshop. Air tickets are priced in bands and naturally passengers buy the cheapest ones available.
Thus the later you leave it the more you are liable to be charged.

Of course the cheaper tickets are more restricted for changing or cancelling so make sure your dates and itinerary are definite.

Thanks KC, the main reason for asking my initial question was that it seemed so much cheaper to fly a few months earlier,July was not in school time,and I just thought that maybe leaving it till say January to book may have seen cheaper flights.

Pantsonfire, there is only two going and I can already beat that for a direct flight, but thanks anyway.

Also do cheaper airlines introduce fares at a later date, ie flybe and easyjet etc for Europe?

Not sure now how far in advance the cheap & cheerfuls publish their fares but you can easily keep an eye on Expedia.

If combining them with intercontinental flights watch your baggage allowance as the no-frills' allowances are not usually as generous as those of the mainstream airlines. Also always leave plenty of time for connections because of delays, baggage reclamation, etc.

Wouldn't say it is always the case the earlier the cheaper. Probably cheapest in the long run to get them as soon as they come out but if a particular flight isn't selling as good as predicted as other ones then they do fluctuate down as well as up. Skyscanner do a price alert thing whereby they will email you updates when the price changes on a flight on particular dates and they do go down as well as up presumably if the demand is lower than  predicted by the time it gets to certain times before then there is a formula that re prices them lower in the same way as if demand increases.

Look at secretflying.com

They publish offers and error fares (but read the warnings about error fares and book that first before anything else, and wait for confirmation, etc)

Current offer (for example):
The Qatar Airways “Travel Festival” is back!!

For example, fly from Moscow, Russia to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam for only €265 roundtrip (see image below).

The sale also applies for Business Class tickets.
For example, Stockholm. Sweden to Dubai, UAE for only €672 roundtrip.

There are many different routes worldwide on sale. Have a play around and see what you find.



Promo ends 5th September 2016
Travel period: 15th September 2016 – 30th June 2017

Also, you do realise that the summer months in the far east is usually the rainy season?

Dec - March is the season in thailand.

Thanks Shab,I did realise that, and that is the reason I initially questioned the pricing..to me it's @rse around face.

June is considerably cheaper than July about 100 pounds per person.

recent bombs in Thailand may well have reduced demand

Up until last year I travelled to Thailand 2/3 times/year and I preferred to book direct with the airline rather than use a third party and I prefer to fly direct after a nightmare journey one year where I ended up stuck in an airport in Turkey for about 14hours!!!! then got diverted to Gatwick then had to get a bus to Heathrow to collect my car then had to drive 2 hours up the M1, after that I always preferred to pay (only) a little extra to get on the plane in England and get off in Thailand and vice versa.
I always found Eva air to be the least costly (unlike BA they do not charge you to book your seat in advance)and I have never had any problems with the bookings or the journey. A direct return flight from Heathrow to Bangkok for July 2017(for a three week duration) is currently showing £503 on the Eva air website’
I often found it was better to book early(I usually booked at least 4/5 months in advance)and it always was cheaper flying midweek (Wednesday always the cheapest day).
Also in the early days, I once booked via a website that gives cash back using a third party(Opodo I think) and I found on the final price there was a surcharge the same as the cashback offer.
I currently have return flights from Bangkok to Heathrow booked, which I only booked 4 weeks ago(I had to book short notice) with Eva air Flying out on the 13th Sept.(the flights for the 13th were much cheaper than any other date !!) and these cost 27000Baht each (£600), the cost to fly on other days either side of the 13th cost up to £200-£400 more.

So I would recommend booking well in advance, direct with the airline and if the cost is ok try to book direct flights. If possible, be flexible with your dates(this can be the biggest money saver)

Depends on where you live in the UK. Only Heathrow has flights direct to Bangkok. If, say, Manchester is your local airport you may think factoring in 1 stop in the Middle East is less trouble than going to Heathrow.

Also flights can usually be had cheaper elsewhere than direct with the airline.