V-Flyer

We're looking at travelling to Australia and New Zealand for Summer 2015 (yes, school holiday peak period ) and I wanted to ask for some advice on how/when to book the best price flights for the trip.

Specifics are; Departing for Oz at end of July/start of Aug 2015, then returning some 4-5 weeks later. I don't have FF membership with carriers other than VAA (although wife has relatively minimal BA status).

Sooooooo, how to get to Oz and back as economically as possible - when is it best to book and does anyone know any secrets of the "how to get to Oz in peak travel period for nine-pence ?

I don't want to travel on air china anything, as I'm not sure we'd get there and back in one piece ) !

All advice welcome...

Thanks as always!
Viz.

Paging Mr HWVLover.... he spends much of his life researching this. Whole areas of Berkshire are known to suffer power shortages when he cranks up his algorithms...

I suspect key questions will be..

- how many in the party?
- what class of travel?
- where do you want to make first landfall in Australia / NZ?
- how many stops can you handle on the way out / back?
- how well do you handle jet lag?

Edited to add: lucky you. Lots of planning for adventures there and on the way!

Paul

I am heading back that way at the same time this year. It's not the cheapest time to travel. I booked in January during the sales. I use skyscanner to compare. Not sure of your class of travel. If you go with an established carrier - anything under £1k is a good price in ec these days during peak times. PE under £1.8k and business under £3k. The Chinese/Korean airlines can be cheaper or head to Singapore and book a Scoot flight. Everyone has a preferred carrier, but if you decide on Emirates the cheaper flights may have an additional stop in Asia and on a 777 which has less room in width and seat pitch than the A380. Having mainly used Virgin I'm flying BA next time in PE. Let me know if you need more help. I research this route a lot.

pjh wrote:Paging Mr HWVLover.... he spends much of his life researching this. Whole areas of Berkshire are known to suffer power shortages when he cranks up his algorithms

It is why I have my own grid centre.

Hi Vizbiz, without going into specifics of my various trips I don't have too much to add to VL's excellent advice.

I monitor prices using Matrix.ita and skyscanner. As skyscanner, matrix has a free app for your android and/or apple kit.....On The Fly....available in the respective app stores. It is also worth playing around on travel agency sites as there are times when there are deals available which are not publicised elsewhere....the one I got via Last Minute for my trip down here last Christmas was not shown anywhere else.

My recent trips have been on VS, EK(5) and my latest belle of the ball, EY. I have done 4 non-stops Middle East to OZ and 2 (EK and EY) via Singapore. My trips have been in J, Y and, as this one, a combination. Anything you want to know about any of that lot, just let me know.

I have tended to base my choice of carrier on price and EK were, prior to the link with Qantas, usually best priced, along with Cathay. Regarding timing, keep an eye out for sales which do seem to occur frequently amongst the carriers.

The only time I have noticed much change in prices is at Christmas, where Y flights were double plus the norm. Interestingly there was no price bump for my Easter flights.....circa £800 for to and fro BNE in Y (before I started bidding for and getting upgrades!).

And finally, a general point........and I apologise in advance if this is sounding patronising or like teaching your granny to suck eggs but I don't know whether you know OZ, whether you are visiting relatives or doing a tour. If you are new to it and intending doing a tour remember this is a huge place



and that is before you get to New Zealand.

Let me know if there is anything you need.

Regards,
David

pjh wrote:Paging Mr HWVLover.... he spends ALL of his life researching this. Whole areas of Berkshire are known to suffer power shortages when he cranks up his algorithms...
Paul

) even funnier given how true that is!
NB corrected typo in your quote..