sarahburns

hey there,
just wondering if anyone has any experience with xmas flights to the uk? can leave perth in late november and have to be back by about feb and cant seem to find anything for less than about $1900. even air asia comes up to 1500!
would now be a good time to book flights before they get even more expensive, or should i wait? do flights usually get cheaper a bit closer to departure date, or rather more expensive?

thanks so much

sunbather

If you can flights over that period for $1900 then grab them quick!

sarahburns

really? its just that i found flights for feb this year for about $1400 and my partner just flew home a few days ago for 1400 as well...

Spellbound

Yes for 1900 or 1500 grab them quick!

We have paid for our daughter to visit us in Aus from the UK for Xmas for the past two years. (UK to Aus)

Last year, we booked about 3 months early - 1500 pounds (Approx $3000)
The year before - last minute - 1700 pounds. (Approx $3400)

In my experience they only get more expensive, the closer to Christmas you get.

$1400 is pretty good mid year - my husband went to the UK in Feb for his dads funeral and we paid $2100 and that was one of the cheapest flights we found with ok travel times. (Brisbane to Heathrow)

canadaeh

I always go at xmas and always only pay $1100 - $1400. Never more.

I usually book in April or August for those prices at xmas. My Mum just got an xmas fare last month for $1400 with Lufthansa.

For my fare I look on bestflights.com.au and take the cheap fare to Flight Centre who beat it. I'd say most cheap fares for xmas are gone now and the next cheap lot will come out in Jul/Aug.

lapin_windstar

February ain't Christmas!

You can try flying on Xmas Day or Jan 01 itself to get the price down a bit - although obviously you might miss out on some stuff.

Spellbound

Both of my daughters flights were leaving on New Years Day, which as previous poster said - chips a little of the flight.

Personally, I dont think that we book them early enough, hence the price.

sarahburns

thanks for that... anyone else who can confirm this or has experienced something similar?

Spellbound

Its my daughters graduation ceremony in the UK on the 20th Dec this year, and we were planning on going over. I wasn't even thinking about flights just yet but this thread sparked my interest in looking at buying flights back to the UK now rather than later this year.

At the moment, the cheapest flights that I can find are for just under $1600 with Malaysia Airlines and $1900 with Virgin flying via Sydney. lastminute.com.au (Brisbane to Heathrow) I know they are going to go up in price, the closer to Christmas we get, so I am fairly tempted to book now as I think we will be looking at $2700 each if we leave it much later.

I would like to know where you find flights for $1100-1400. I looked on bestflights.com.au and the cheapest was Malaysia Airlines for $2618. I suppose it depends how flexible you are with your dates for flying, I know that they are cheaper the earlier in Dec you can leave but I am looking at around the 17th Dec - 1st Jan.

canadaeh

I said above where and when to book, I find the cheap xmas flights in April and Jul/Aug usually, so looking now wont do any good.

For xmas just gone I flew for just over $1100, booked them at the end of July last year. I flew with Korean Airlines.

Last month I booked my Mum return for this xmas - leaving 14th Dec coming back 15th January, the flight was a total of $1400 with Lufthansa.

I'm going in a few weeks and got my flight cheap too (but that's not Christmas). I will be looking at going again this christmas but wont look for flights until July/Aug as at the moment don't think they're worth it. Obviously it’s no guarantee, but that’s what I do and it works for me fine. And yes it does also depend on how flexible you can be with dates. Play around with it a bit and watch out for the deals at those times and you should be able to grab it at that price.

coolshadows

try giving Dial-A-Flight a call http://www.dialaflight.com/

They are extremely helpful and usually find the cheapest route.

My parents are flying over for xmas for around $1400 each (I think with Qantas), but they booked ages ago.

Perthine

Malaysia Airlines has flights for about $1800 if you fly to Europe on the 24 December 2010.

coolshadows

I should add that my parents are flying London to Sydney (for 4 days site seeing) at the beginning of December, then on to Adelaide and back again via Sydney at the end of the December. All for about $1400 each.

xzibit

I paid about $1700 for a one way flight oz-uk early January, so if you can get returns for that price book it!!!

Perthine

Bestflights only gives you a quote if you pay about $160 up front.