Is anyone else waiting for prices to drop

[ting_tong 63]

As people are still afraid to travel in September(9-11), would you think that prices for tickets will drop during the first week in September?

 

I am holding off to buy my tickets until then

[upena 2]

I don'r think that is a factor. Higher gas prices are killing the airlines right now. Can't really see any reason for 'em to lower their prices - I just booked turough a travel agency for $670 (about $75 - $100 more than I normally pay - BUT - I have tickets in hand. China AIr web sight lists prices as $605 (+85 in taxes and fuel surchrge) for Aug and Sep (when the booking part of the web site is working). Travelocity and expedia list same flight at over $900 - but you know how it goes - every day there are different prices listed.

 

Last year we flew CAL and got the tickers for about $520 (all taxes included) - but normal airfare from HNL to BKK for me has been right around the $600 mark

[BigDUSA 71]

I'm waiting to book United, PHL-BKK is over 1K right now.

[Shilo 371]

BigDUSA,

 

Take a look at Angel Travel http://www.angeltravel.com/

 

If your planning to go after Aug 31 it looks like Ann might be able to get you in a seat for $760 on United.

 

http://www.angeltravel.com/Airfare/United/...Zone_n_Fare.htm

 

 

Good luck,

 

Shilo

[torrenova 644]

I don't reckon that the Sept 11 thing will have any effect. Last minute deals may be on hand but these seem somewhat thin on the ground at the moment.

 

I've booked some people on BA (LHR-BKK) for £611.40 on their website. Sure, you can get Emirates for £485 but the direct services (they didn't want Eva) are around £600.

 

Etihad is offering LHR-BKK for £370.

[pussydog3 0]

I too am going in September and was hoping for a price drop too.

After reading all the posts complaining of higher prices this year, decided to bite the bullet and buy a ticket on Eva from LAX.

I live in Indiana, so will have to fly separately to LAX. Reason I did this was EVA arrival time in mid afternoon and departure time in early afternoon is soooo much more humane than the 1150PM arrivals and 0600AM departures of NWA.

$750 for EVA ticket. Haven't purchsed LAX ticket yet.

Also read many positive comments about EVA Air.

[saigon_butterfly 1]

Waiting on NW to offer that cash and miles for Nov. If that doesn't happen, will probably try for the United/Eva deal. SB

[echster 1]

BigDUSA,

 

If your planning to go after Aug 31 it looks like Ann might be able to get you in a seat for $760 on United.

BigD,

 

Was messing around on the EVA webpage and a RT ticket in Evergreen Deluxe to/from LAX can be had in early September for $700 and change.

 

 

All,

 

Ticket prices are mostly based on supply and demand. Tickets in summer and around holidays are expensive because that's when folks like to travel and kids are out of school. Tickets in spring and fall are cheaper because kids are back in school and the parents are working.

[pussydog3 0]

Be aware the fares Eva shows you initially do not include taxes.

Click on "fare rules" and you will get a pop up window showing the final price.

 

I found that if either departure date or return date included a weekend, fares were higher.

 

Like I said earlier though, EVA has awesome arrival and departure times in BKK and that was definitely a deciding factor for me, even if I pay a little more.

Also, while this will be my 1st personal experience, I have read many positive comments about EVA in forums.

 

They are a FF mile codeshare with Continental OnePass so you can accrue those miles with EVA.

[pussydog3 0]

SB,

 

May not matter to you, but fine print I saw on NWA cash & miles deal trips do NOT accrue new FF miles.

[randolpho2 0]

I am heading out on Delta/Thai August 18th out of Little Rock and paid $942... it sucked considering that winter fares go in the $750-$850 range on United, but what can you do? If anyone else is locked into dates and has to make a departure in August from the Midwest or Midsouth US, there are several airports if you use Orbitz that have the $942 price available even today.. the next closest is in the $1200-$1300 range on United

[Greg_B 306]

It seems the demand for Pacific travel is up this year and prices are heading upwards also. I got a Jan 2005 for $624 {tax included} on EVA and I was happy with the price.

 

The week of 9-11 still scares the people and always will, bookings for that week have never recovered to past levels. Great time for a vacation...!

[exwannabe 1]

On Eva I have been flying "backwards" BKK->LAX->BKK and have no problems getting quotes at 34000 Baht + Tax for Evergreen Delux or 66000 baht for Business Delux. My latest ticket is "leaving" to LAX Sep., "returning" again for BKK Dec 26.

 

Besides a slight price break for flying backwards, it seams much easier to get the cheaper quotes. Booking the normal way, the prices can be twice as high when the cheap seats are gone.

 

Also, Aug. is an "embargoed" month for outbound flights, so no cheapsets. But I was able to change my existing Oct return flight to Aug. no problem (waitlisted for Biz upgrade though).

 

Only problem is, if I screw up I'm stuck in LOS

[pussydog3 0]

I paid $750 (that includes all fees and taxes) for a Sep 8-Sep18 RT LAX-BKK economy seat.

 

Turns out that even though Continental's website says EVA is a "partner" airline, OnePass miles only accrue when an EVA flight is booked through Continental.

WTF? They told me I would get EVA miles, not OnePass miles.

O well, who cares. Just get me there in one piece and with all my luggage!

[rb 20]

prices should drop some after summer travel is done, end of aug-sep, but not as dramaticly as we've gotten usta. my guess is 10-15% instead of the 20-33%, according to the wall street journal. US carriers are losing so much trying to compete with the discount airlines that the only place they are making money is on international fights and international travel is up so no need to discount yet, of course if something happens.........

[BigDUSA 71]

echster,

 

Thanks for the "heads up" but with double frequent flyer miles on UA. I'm locked in with them. Plus in the fall they usally give me a two for one coupon and I may have a buddy coming with me in November.

[Emil 0]

BigD,

 

I just started flying exclusively with UA this year and was wondering if you can explain how those 4-500 mile upgrades we receive for every 10K miles flown are used.

 

Can I accumulate these over 2 years and then cash in 16K's worth for an upgrade to business on any economy ticket?

 

Emil

[BigDUSA 71]

Emil,

 

The 500 mile upgrades can be used for domestic upgrade to first class. No go international but they are good on the domestic portion of your trip.. They do expire but they put the miles into your account. Request the upgrade when you book. I'm a Premier Executive and I get upgraded 90% of the time.

[Emil 0]

BigD,

 

Thanks for the info. The domestic portion of my trip is only 90 miles with only 1 type of seating. If they convert those to miles in my account that will help get my next free trip.

 

Emil

[Shilo 371]

Well it looks like NWA is trying creative ways to raise their prices. I have always gotten my tickets in Sept for $760 (+tax) from the midwest to BKK. But my travel agent says that there is now another charge of $35 for travel on weekends (Fri, Sat, Sun). It sucks because I always leave on a Friday and return on a Sunday

 

An extra $70 or about a 10% increase.....

 

Still, traveling half way around the world for $830 plus tax still seems like a deal

 

 

Shilo

[cowboy 0]

I just got an email from united today listing several asian cities for 550 to 650 for travel after aug 1. BKK was not on the list but it is a good indicator that fall fares should be soft like in past years.

 

My last trip I flew in Bix class on miles. The united flights over were good. The thai air biz class from bkk to HK were pretty lame . Old plane, average service definately a couple of steps down from uniteds biz class. I then flew singapore airlines biz class from hk to sfo. WOW compares to united's first class. Seating was fantastic converts to flat bed, great service, on demand video and tv and games. real Qt as stew. arived 45 minutes early. Left hk at 10 p.m. arrived sfo 6:45 pm same day. So I left Bkk at 4 pm (or 2am in sfo) and arrived sfo 6:45 p.m. Total elapsed time 16hrs 45 minutes.

[Tahoe_Bill 0]

I just booked my November flight on UA . $750 SMF (Sacramento) - BKK. I was beginning to wonder if the fares would ever drop. Discounted fares available now until Aug 13 or until allotted seats sell out. The offer includes a stay 3 nights / pay for 2 nights at Marriott Hotels. I’m not sure if this includes the BKK JW Marriott, but I’ll do some checking.

 

Bill

[kjvegas 2]

After September 4th or 5th the fare decreases, I was going to go to LOS in August but they charge us up the ass with the summer fares. I'm leaving September 18th which is a Saturday night and paid $750 (30,000 baht) on Eva which included my Vegas - SFO connection. I booked Economy but have enough miles to upgrade on both long haul flights but I have to fly cattle class from Taipei to Bangkok. I was originally leaving September 17th which is a Friday afternoon in Evergreen Deluxe and was paying $950 (38,000 baht) out of LAX and I was taking a Southwest air to LAX so it was well over $1000. I had to change my flight by one day because my boss is a bitch and wouldn't give me one day off but I saved almost $300 and I'll still be in LOS for over 2 weeks. Also I have a voucher on Southwest to go to TJ again in November.

 

cheers

kj

[ekeheley 0]

Take a look at this site...itasoftware.com... They don't book or sell tickets but some guys at Boston University started this site and it's got loads of information on it concerning available flights to just about everywhere.

After the window comes up, click on the upper right corner on "fares" and you'll get a window to type in your destination and dates, etc. and it will give you all the flights, and prices for that. If you find a flight, and price you like, click on "details" and it will give you all the particulars for that flight that you can print out and take to your agent for booking. Good luck. ErnieK

P.S....orbitz.com... which is owned by the arlines, is also a pretty good site to order tickets. They only add five, or ten dollars to the price of the ticket, for their service. Unfortunately you have to pay FEDEX $19.95 for second day delivery, in addition to the ticket price.