Very much general chat.
I could do with some good advice on booking a long haul flight. I'm arranging a trip to South Africa in August. It seems like decades since I booked a flight to anywhere except Europe or the USA and things are always changing. Do any world travellers here have tips on the best way to go about this currently?
My fellow traveller is pretty much convinced that we should go down to the nearest travel agent or click on the SAA web site and book the cheapest flights we can find right away, on the grounds that air fares will only get more expensive or the planes will get full. Then it's done. Also, if we don't get a flight soon, the accommodation we want will get booked out. I reckon it could be worth waiting a bit. Do air fare prices drop?
I am sure we could spend time hunting for a better deal, but would we be wasting our time at this stage - is it too early? How late can we leave it? I have no idea what are currently the best search engines and web sites to check for flight deals and get advice. What would you do? Anyone have a particular recommendation and when's the best time to shell out?
There is no way, incidentally, that we are going to wait until the last minute and hope for a cut price deal a week before departure. No way. Absolutely no way no matter how cheap. For the sake of my sanity if nothing else, I reckon this has to be booked in about the next couple of weeks.
Comments
BA currently have a sale on, direct to Cape Town is about £700. Other airlines normally have sales around this time of year so check their sites. And sign up to travelzoo.co.uk - they will alert to any special deals.
I don't think long-haul really gets cheaper the closer you get to departure any more. The 'bucket shop' thing doesn't really happen.
Netflights is giving me prices to JNB starting at c.£600. Seems about right.