When do I book flights?

Clairebear · 16 Jun 19, 09:17 AM

I am Planning our first trip as a family to Florida. We have booked accommodation and are patiently waiting for flights to be released.

We hope to fly out on the 30th July and fly home on the 20th August. I know flights are released about 11 months before but is that 11 months before departure or return date?

Thank you

mi55pink · 16 Jun 19, 09:29 AM

To book return flights the date of the return needs to be available.

I think Thomas Cook may already have released flights for these dates. Virgin are 11 months and BA 355 days.

I start checking when they�re released and book as soon as I�m happy with the price. Once booked I don�t look again!

**cornishfrogboy** · 16 Jun 19, 09:42 AM

If you are looking at Norwegian, a �return� is simply an out price added to a return price. These are generally released at 355 on their site and you can pick up your out before waiting for a return flight.

Search engines are generally at 330 and therefore if you want to book a return, then it will be visible at 330 from the date you intend returning. That does not mean however that it is in any way the �best price�.

Airlines vary, but 330 from the return is a good guide . There is no hard and fast rule.

Travel companies with their own airlines such as TUI and TC can release much earlier and you will find them on their own site. Virgin are different in that Virgin Atlantic is not owned by Virgin Holidays and therefore their flights are a separate business.strangely, the best Virgin deals that I have achieved have come from Delta. Others have done well with Air France/KLM. This is because those airlines own 80% of Virgin Atlantic and sell Virgin flights on codeshare.

Flight research in general is a rather complex subject with many differing viewpoints and rather large savings to be made if you have both a knowledge of the market that tells you when you are looking at a great deal. Diligent research of all sites and search engines is also essential.
If you hope to go on Skyscanner only at 330 days exactly from your return leg on a Friday and pick up a great deal within a quarter of an hour, then your chances are not very high. I believe that this lack of research is why many (but not all Dibbers) believe that the difference between a package and a DIY is negligible. Research is laborious, time consuming .. and can pay big dividends.

There are numerous good threads on research and purchasing on the DIBB.

Clairebear · 16 Jun 19, 10:14 AM

Thank you both. I never realised booking flights would be so difficult. I have a price in mind that I am willing to pay and I have tracked the flight prices for this summer. Hopefully I can bag myself a bargain! 🤞🏼

**cornishfrogboy** · 16 Jun 19, 11:18 AM

Originally Posted by Clairebear

Thank you both. I never realised booking flights would be so difficult. I have a price in mind that I am willing to pay and I have tracked the flight prices for this summer. Hopefully I can bag myself a bargain! 🤞🏼

It can be as simple or as complex as you like. You can simply book flights if price is not greatly important... or you can research, possibly saving �1000 on a family of 4. I like saving money!

I have spreadsheets of trends and periodic research, will consider indirect, will consider arriving or leaving at Pensacola, Daytona Beach, Sanford, MCO, Tampa, Miami. I would also happily use any one of London (either), Birmingham, Manchester or similar at this end. Whereas you have booked your accommodation and now seek flights, I book my flights and then construct my vacation around them afterwards. Whilst Orlando usually pays a part in a US vacation, it is never the only part these days as you can see from my signature.

Good luck with your search. For research (if you do any), I recommend Google. If you initially look at one ways, you can use the tools to look at ..
Best price on different days.
Cheapest airport comparison for departure on a map.
cheapest airport comparison for arrival on a map.

You can then, having worked out that, say Tampa is cheap on a Wednesday and MCO a cheap departure point on a Friday, search those criteria on a return ticket basis.

You can then compare your google result with Opodo, Skyscanner, Kayak and co.

You can then, if it is all with one airline, try it on their own website. (If it is Virgin Atl, don�t forget to try Delta, Air France and KLM also).

You can then try a direct telephone approach with airlines, credit card in hand. You might get a better offer or even seat allocation there and then.

Don�t forget that for children, APD is not chargeable (outward leg only).

Hoping this helps with your decision making!

Guest · 16 Jun 19, 11:23 AM

Originally Posted by Clairebear

Thank you both. I never realised booking flights would be so difficult. I have a price in mind that I am willing to pay and I have tracked the flight prices for this summer. Hopefully I can bag myself a bargain! 🤞🏼

Booking flights is not at all difficult at all. You might as well park this for now, start looking in September and as soon as you see a price you like buy flights. Very straightforward.

**cornishfrogboy** · 16 Jun 19, 11:40 AM

Originally Posted by Claudette

Booking flights is not at all difficult at all. You might as well park this for now, start looking in September and as soon as you see a price you like buy flights. Very straightforward.

I wish it were that simple for me. The more I look, the more I learn. If I can save a lot, then I don�t have to work so hard to earn so much (plus pay tax and NI on it before I spend it). I have already been researching this years prices since Christmas for guidelines to next years vacation location and time to purchase... and I haven�t even been on this years yet!

It is simply a question of what is important to you.

Clairebear · 16 Jun 19, 12:20 PM

Originally Posted by cornishfrogboy

It can be as simple or as complex as you like. You can simply book flights if price is not greatly important... or you can research, possibly saving �1000 on a family of 4. I like saving money!

I have spreadsheets of trends and periodic research, will consider indirect, will consider arriving or leaving at Pensacola, Daytona Beach, Sanford, MCO, Tampa, Miami. I would also happily use any one of London (either), Birmingham, Manchester or similar at this end. Whereas you have booked your accommodation and now seek flights, I book my flights and then construct my vacation around them afterwards. Whilst Orlando usually pays a part in a US vacation, it is never the only part these days as you can see from my signature.

Good luck with your search. For research (if you do any), I recommend Google. If you initially look at one ways, you can use the tools to look at ..
Best price on different days.
Cheapest airport comparison for departure on a map.
cheapest airport comparison for arrival on a map.

You can then, having worked out that, say Tampa is cheap on a Wednesday and MCO a cheap departure point on a Friday, search those criteria on a return ticket basis.

You can then compare your google result with Opodo, Skyscanner, Kayak and co.

You can then, if it is all with one airline, try it on their own website. (If it is Virgin Atl, don�t forget to try Delta, Air France and KLM also).

You can then try a direct telephone approach with airlines, credit card in hand. You might get a better offer or even seat allocation there and then.

Don�t forget that for children, APD is not chargeable (outward leg only).

Hoping this helps with your decision making!

Thank you lots of great info there! X

Andybear · 16 Jun 19, 03:30 PM

Originally Posted by Clairebear

Thank you both. I never realised booking flights would be so difficult. I have a price in mind that I am willing to pay and I have tracked the flight prices for this summer. Hopefully I can bag myself a bargain! 🤞🏼

It's not difficult at all for most people. As soon as you see flights at a price you're happy with just book them 😀