Anyone looking into the crystal ball?
Feb 3, 2009 | 7:33 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2008
Programs: star alliance, british airways executive club
Posts: 90
Anyone looking into the crystal ball?
so my partner and i have to book a handful of big (for us, at least!) tickets this year: Cape Town-YYZ and LHR to YYZ (both return) in July/August, and LHR-Cape Town return in October, and Cape Town-LHR - somwhere in Europe at christmas.
the way oil is going, and the economy in general, we have no idea if it's better to wait for sales or pull the trigger now. will there be sales? don't want seats on an airline that goes bankrupt, and rather not get caught out buying quickly, like i did last year, becuase oil was 'only $120 per barrel! so far, no great deals have been jumping out at us, anyway.
what's everyone's thoughts?
-mike
the way oil is going, and the economy in general, we have no idea if it's better to wait for sales or pull the trigger now. will there be sales? don't want seats on an airline that goes bankrupt, and rather not get caught out buying quickly, like i did last year, becuase oil was 'only $120 per barrel! so far, no great deals have been jumping out at us, anyway.
what's everyone's thoughts?
-mike
Feb 3, 2009 | 6:20 pm
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC*SE 2MM
Posts: 17,053
If nothing is screaming "buy" right now, I'd suggest you wait.
When looking to book, conside flying SAA from CPT to a US hub and then picking up a separate connecting flgiht to YYZ - seems that SAA regularly has great "deals" to the US but not so much to Canada.
When looking to book, conside flying SAA from CPT to a US hub and then picking up a separate connecting flgiht to YYZ - seems that SAA regularly has great "deals" to the US but not so much to Canada.
Feb 4, 2009 | 6:33 am
#4
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: YUL
Programs: Super Elite 100K
Posts: 854
Details
What kind of tix are you buying - Y or J? Can you cancel the tix you buy and re-book? Or are you buying bargain basement fares?
If the tix can be changed, book now, and put the chore to bed. If sales pop up, cancel and re-book. If the tix can't be changed, or only with substantial fees, then it depends on what your comfort level is with waiting it out for a better deal. The question is, when will you pull the trigger, if you do put off the purchase? When the tix are 10% cheaper than today? 20%? 30%?
My point is, know what your goal is before you put off the purchase, so you know what your thresholds are. i.e., the tix must be 15% cheaper by July 1st, 2009, for example. If not, buy at the prevailing price, and forget it.
My two cents, buy the tix today and focus your energy on making money, instead of wasting time worrying about how to save a few pennies. Do you really want to have to check the websites, or pester your TA, every day for a lower fare? Free your mind - book the tickets.
If the tix can be changed, book now, and put the chore to bed. If sales pop up, cancel and re-book. If the tix can't be changed, or only with substantial fees, then it depends on what your comfort level is with waiting it out for a better deal. The question is, when will you pull the trigger, if you do put off the purchase? When the tix are 10% cheaper than today? 20%? 30%?
My point is, know what your goal is before you put off the purchase, so you know what your thresholds are. i.e., the tix must be 15% cheaper by July 1st, 2009, for example. If not, buy at the prevailing price, and forget it.
My two cents, buy the tix today and focus your energy on making money, instead of wasting time worrying about how to save a few pennies. Do you really want to have to check the websites, or pester your TA, every day for a lower fare? Free your mind - book the tickets.