Guest The Pom Queen Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 I thought I would start a thread for any tips or tricks for those who fly back to the UK and want to save money, ie what websites to search, what routes to fly etc. Please feel free to add to this or if you spot any specials let's post them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Pom Queen Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 1. Aim for the middle ground Normally, avoid booking your flight too late - the airlines will be able to smell your desperation and prices will usually be significantly higher. You could also miss out entirely. But, paradoxically, if you're not set on flying on a particular date, you could try your luck at scoring a last minute discounted flight. Sometimes, prices will drop for last minute tickets if airlines find they still have empty seats to fill. Just don't rely on this method, as you won't know when your luck could run out! Here's another tip - don't buy too early, either. When it comes to air travel, the super-early bird rarely gets the worm. The best time to buy a ticket is usually between three and 12 weeks before the flight. 2. Timing is everything Sometimes, you'll have a set date you need to travel on. Other times, when there's room for flexibility, try to fly during off-peak seasons - or "dead zones" - such as after January 7, during September, the first two weeks of November, or the first two weeks of December. Also, where possible try to fly at the middle of the week instead of the weekend. Most people tend to take to the skies on Friday and fly back home on Sunday, pushing the price of air travel higher on these days. Tuesday and Wednesday are usually the least expensive days to fly. 3. Play smart Use flight comparison websites to help you in your bid to track down the best deal, such as Kayak.com, which launched a feature this year that predicts whether airfares will rise or fall across different routes. Other flight comparison sites include Hipmunk.com and Faregeek.com. Look at all your options. If there are a few different airports in the area you want to visit, check them all in case one of the smaller airports is cheaper to fly into. Same goes for finding alternative routes - sometimes if you choose the longer route with the painful stopover, you could end up reaping the financial rewards. If you're not set on using a particular airline, browse through all the different carriers you could choose. You may want to sacrifice seat comfort and service to save some extra cash. Also, many frequent travellers swear by deleting the cookies on their internet browsers. Return visits to an airline's website can bump up the flight prices. 4. Seat selection Not all seats are equal. When you're flying with companions, you may not see all the seat options as the airlines typically show you the lowest ticket prices available to the whole group. That means, for example, that if you're flying in a group of five people you may never see the cheap $100 seats at the back because there may only be two left, which isn't enough for the whole group. Instead you may be shown five $200 seats for all. To get around this, make sure there's enough seats on the plane for the whole group. Then, go back and search one ticket at a time, so you could get two $100 tickets and three $200 tickets, instead of all of the five ending up being $200 tickets. 5. Uncover the hidden fees Make sure you're aware of extra fees such as those to choose your seat, check your bags and for snacks on board. Come prepared. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wolvesaussie Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 . we just saved $800 by flying to Dublin instead of any of the UK airports via British Airways of all people $1600 return... just need to pay the $50 to fly from Dublin to Birmingham on Ryanair now, easier than getting the train up from London. Some great tips, but I don't believe below.. Also, many frequent travellers swear by deleting the cookies on their internet browsers. Return visits to an airline's website can bump up the flight prices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacaranda Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 Do Ryanair charge for baggage Wolveaussie?I'm just thinking if you're packing fairly heavily,whats their allowance? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wattsy1982 Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 Also, many frequent travellers swear by deleting the cookies on their internet browsers. Return visits to an airline's website can bump up the flight prices. I think this is true, had this problem a couple of time before. The last time for instance I was getting increasing prices everytime I went on, then search via my work computer at the same time and the price difference was increadible Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 Do Ryanair charge for baggage Wolveaussie?I'm just thinking if you're packing fairly heavily,whats their allowance? Me too. Do they have a checked baggage allowance or is it pay per kilo? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wolvesaussie Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 (edited) Its an extra 35 pounds for the luggage. You pay in advance either 15/20/30 kg, 35 is for the 20kgs.. Its worth it for us for sure, if we had flown to London we would have to add about 60 pounds in train fare (maybe more).. Edited August 26, 2015 by wolvesaussie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robfromdublin Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 Me too. Do they have a checked baggage allowance or is it pay per kilo? They charge per bag up to a max of 20kg (max of 15kg is cheaper I believe). After 20kg you'll be charged excess baggage at a per kilo rate. Ryanair are scum though. If you're saving so much on taxes flying into Dublin then try one of the other carriers. I'm flying Aer Lingus in October after vowing to never fly Ryanair again (charged 140GBP to print boarding passes at Manchester airport when the 'pdf' they emailed to my phone was actually a hidden weblink and couldn't be printed at home 2 hours before my flight) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wolvesaussie Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 The weird thing is the flight actually goes Melbourne > London (via Hong Kong) so I am wondering if its actually a CP flight... then Aer Lingus to Dublin.... So its an extra flight, but its $800 cheaper than just doing the Melbourne to London bit... Thats $800 per person.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robfromdublin Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 To address the thread: Buy flights in September/October as long-haul carriers often release their early-bird prices around then Do not fly into Heathrow. Taxes cost too much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wattsy1982 Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 Do not fly into Heathrow. Taxes cost too much. Ive heard this before regarding heathrow but for our current search heathrow is coming up the cheapest by a fair stretch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newjez Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 I thought I would start a thread for any tips or tricks for those who fly back to the UK and want to save money, ie what websites to search, what routes to fly etc. Please feel free to add to this or if you spot any specials let's post them. Could you get about a hundred ducks, or maybe even a thousand, lace their feet together with string, and wait for winter? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith and Linda Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 . we just saved $800 by flying to Dublin instead of any of the UK airports via British Airways of all people $1600 return... just need to pay the $50 to fly from Dublin to Birmingham on Ryanair now, easier than getting the train up from London. Some great tips, but I don't believe below.. We researched this a couple of times and have never found significant savings, say $150 T0 200 each then you add on the short haul airfare and the extra baggage, and then weigh up the timings of connecting flights, than the chance of delayed/cancelled flights (especially in winter) the whole thing has for us to date just never stacked up. Sam applies to some European cities savings could be around the $300 mark but all the add-ons and hassles and longer travel times do not really work for the best. Not really knocking it and will keep looking. By the way our last flight to UK earlier this year was $1450, BNE to LHR return and included seats upstairs on the A380, with layovers of 4hrs going, 2hrs coming back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wolvesaussie Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 Yeah I agree I wouldn't do it for that much, but we couldn't find anything else under $2400 (booked at pretty short notice tho) and its a massive saving for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Collie Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 Hey wolvesaussie, spend a couple of days in Dublin (I'm just back), it's buzzing at the moment. Enjoy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Pom Queen Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 Scoot often do deals to Singapore for $199 it's then getting a cheap airline to take you the rest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith and Linda Posted August 27, 2015 Share Posted August 27, 2015 If you have to fly in the high season, like Christmas time, it may well be worth looking at some of the around the world fares, we have done this a few times now and a couple of times have actually been cheaper as they are advertised as a year round deal, even when direct flights on a particular date are shown as full we have got on them by the around the world ticket. Also even if it is a little more expensive and you have holiday time up your sleeve it is a cheaper way to see some other cities of the world We have done Xmas shopping in New York (and ice skated in Central park), skied in the States, along as seeing other places in the world too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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