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Thanksgiving premium fare discussion

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Old Oct 28, 2014, 2:19 pm
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Last edit by: 18sas
This thread is to discuss the historically annual premium class fare sales that occur for travel (mostly TATL) during the US Thanksgiving holiday period.

FAQ

Q: When is Thanksgiving? What travel dates are covered in the Thanksgiving Day sales?
A: Thanksgiving in the United States is observed on the 4th Thursday of November.

The week of Thanksgiving and the weekend after are considered to be the busiest period for US domestic air travel due to large numbers of people traveling to spend the holiday with loved ones. As a result business travel demand, especially for international business travel, is unusually weak. This drop in demand is believed to be the origin for the Thanksgiving holiday international business class fares.

Typically these fares are offered for travel outbound from the US in the period from the Sunday before to the day after Thanksgiving. Return travel is usually valid for the day after Thanksgiving to the following Wednesday.

Q: When do the Thanksgiving fare sales start?
A: Sometime in the summer with an average start date of Aug 4.
The first reports, by year, posted on the message boards of Thanksgiving holiday sales are as follows:

2015: Jul 25**
2014: Aug 9
2013: Jun 18
2012: Jul 11
2011: Aug 8
2010: Aug 18
2009: Aug 11
2008: Jul 2
2007: Sep 22

**In 2015, on Sep 30 OW initiated a very brief 2nd round of discounted fares. It only lasted about 18 hours.

Q: How good are the Thanksgiving sales? What are some typical prices?
A: Many times the Thanksgiving airfare deals are the lowest TATL premium class fares offered the entire calendar year.

The lowest prices reported to the board each year are as follows:

Note: All prices from here on out are all-in round-trip/return prices in J unless otherwise noted.
2015: $1608 NYC-LIS on OW
2014: $1625 JFK-MAD on a combination of US/AY. Sample dates: 11/27-12/02
2013: $1400~ NYC-LHR/DUB/MAN on UA/DL/AF/KL
2012: $854 EWR-DUB on US
2011: $1380 NYC-DUB on *A
2010: $1272 EWR-LHR on CO
2009: $1309 EWR-OSL on CO
2008: $1560 PIT-FRA on AA
2007: $1100~ EWR-ZRH on UA


Some other notable deals reported:

2015
$1795 NYC-LIS on ST

2014
$1700 JFK-ARN on AY
$1800 JFK-BCN/MAD on ST/OW
$1940 MIA-MAD/MAD-JFK on OW/*A
$1950 MCI-MAD/BCN on OW
$2050 EWR-OSL/ARN on *A
$2000-$2100 BOS-MAD/ARN
$2074-$2120 MIA-MAD/BCN on ST/OW/*A
$2088 BOS-MAD
$2100 NYC-OSL on ST
$2157 DFW-MAD on OW
$2800 LAX/SFO-MAD/BCN

2013
$1417 JFK-LHR/DUB-JFK on ST
$1444 PHL-FRA/MUC on US
$1448 JFK-LHR/LIS-JFK on ST
$1486 EWR-BRU on *A (+9W)
$1500 JFK-LHR on VS
$1514 JFK-LHR/BCN-JFK on ST
$1519 JFK-LHR/MAD-JFK on ST
$1537 JFK-LHR/BSL-JFK on ST
$1539 JFK-LHR/GVA-JFK on ST
$1544 JFK-LHR/BRU-JFK on ST
$1563 JFK-LHR/DUB-BOS (booked Oct 30)
$1600+ NYC-FRA/MUC/VIE/GVA on *A
$1612 JFK-LON (booked Sep 19)
$1613 NYC-LHR on *A
$1629 JFK-BCN
$1673 EWR-AMS (booked Jun 30)
$1753 LGA-AMS on *A
$1900 RSW-LIS/CPH/LHR/OSL on *A
$1965 JFK-CDG on ST
$1986 BOS-VIE on *A (booked Sep 15)
$2025 IAH-LHR on OW/ST/*A
$2050 NYC-IST
$2115 JFK-MLA on *A?
$2120 AGS-LHR/AMS-SFO on ST
$2200-$2300 LAX/SFO/SEA-???
$2237 IAD-FCO on *A
$2344 MIA-LED on ST
$2400~ DEN-TXL on *A
$2464~ SFO-LHR
$2500-2600 LAS-LHR/CDG
$2566 SAN-AMS on ST
$2605 LAX-CDG on ST
$3000~ ORD-LHR on *A in F
$3663 SFO-LHR in F
$3666 SFO-LHR on UA in F

2012
$1050 BOS-DUB on *A
$1085 LGA-MAD on *A
$1250 JFK-LHR on VS
$1270 ORD-DUB on *A
$1659 JFK-BRU on *A/ST
$1696 AGS-LHR/AMS-JFK on *A/ST
$1754 BOS-LHR on ST/VS
$1936 LAX/SFO(?)-MAD
$1960 RDU-FCO on ST
$1977 RST-LHR on ST
$2000- AGS/BHM/CAE/CHA/GSP/SAV-LHR on ST
$2000+ LAX/SFO(?)-FCO/CDG/ATH
$2100~ MSY-OSL on ST
$2300~ SFO-LHR/FRA on *A
$2427 CMH-LHR on OW in F
$2540 JFK-IST on ST
$2571 ATL-LHR on ST
$2662 BOS-IST on ST? (booked Jul 31)
$3600 LAX-LHR on *A in F

2011
$1400 JFK-LHR/BRU/CDG on ST
$1414 JFK-BRU on OW
$1475 EWR-LHR on *A
$1491 JFK-BCN on OW
$1500- NYC-BRU/CDG/LIS/MAD/FRA/DUB/AMS/VIE/MAN/OSL/SNN/GVA/CPH/MUC on *A
$1650 EWR-FCO on *A
$1668 IAD-CDG on *A
$1700 IAH-DUB on *A
$1717 DCA-MAD on OW
$1860 CMH-MAD on *A
$1900 WAS-LHR on UA
$1907 BNA-BCN on ST
$2035 FNT-FCO on ST
$2033 BNA-FCO on ST
$2258 LAX/SAN-BRU on ST
$2285~ DEN/LAX/SFO-LHR on *A
$2297 SFO-MUC on OW
$2400 JFK-MUC on *A in F
$2916 WAS-LHR on *A in F
$3640 SFO-LHR on *A in F
$3740~ SFO-FRA/MUC on *A in F
$4000~ LAX-LHR on *A in F
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Thanksgiving premium fare discussion

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Old Aug 10, 2015, 2:55 pm
  #166  
 
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I would be reluctant to patronize BA for this very reason.
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Old Aug 11, 2015, 7:45 am
  #167  
 
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I don't think BA charging a fee is too outrageous, especially if you have 1W status and you can select seats at booking (Emerald/Sapphire) or 7 days ahead of time (Ruby).
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Old Aug 11, 2015, 1:04 pm
  #168  
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Originally Posted by ComplexAnalysis
I don't think BA charging a fee is too outrageous, especially if you have 1W status and you can select seats at booking (Emerald/Sapphire) or 7 days ahead of time (Ruby).
Sure it is. If you are willing to drop a few thousand on airfare then the seat should be complimentary. That kind of nickel and diming is what will cost them business. As long as there is another airline not doing that and the fare is around the same amount, who would want to book with BA?
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Old Aug 11, 2015, 3:52 pm
  #169  
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A lot of OW elites see it as a positive as it means there are usually still good seats for those regular flyers who are booking close-in.

Agree it is a negative for those who fly OW less often
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Old Aug 11, 2015, 6:50 pm
  #170  
 
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Originally Posted by DL2SXM
My guess is that this week will see the airfare drop by a few hundred. I'm gonna say Tuesday
OK, it's Tuesday.
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Old Aug 12, 2015, 8:10 pm
  #171  
 
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Appreciate everyone's input and bringing the US-SCL deals to everyone else's attention.

But since we have a thread for that deal already, and since it is available for many, many dates outside of the Thanksgiving period, I think we should try to keep all discussion related to it in that thread.

-18sas
Moderator, Mileage Run forum
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Old Aug 12, 2015, 9:15 pm
  #172  
 
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Originally Posted by 18sas
Appreciate everyone's input and bringing the US-SCL deals to everyone else's attention.

But since we have a thread for that deal already, and since it is available for many, many dates outside of the Thanksgiving period, I think we should try to keep all discussion related to it in that thread.

-18sas
Moderator, Mileage Run forum
If the purpose of this thread is only to discuss/post TATL fares specifically filed for USA Thanksgiving, then maybe a title change would be helpful.
----------

I personally would suggest changing the title to something like this:

Thanksgiving/Christmas/New Year - Premium fare discussion

If members wish to mention other (not TATL) fares (like the USA-->SCL fares) that are available in Nov (and/or Dec), they can link to them in this thread. For example:

This thread has fare/s available during USA Thanksgiving:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/premi...ess-class.html
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Old Aug 12, 2015, 9:47 pm
  #173  
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Originally Posted by CokeandTaco
If the purpose of this thread is only to discuss/post TATL fares specifically filed for USA Thanksgiving, then maybe a title change would be helpful.
----------

I personally would suggest changing the title to something like this:

Thanksgiving/Christmas/New Year - Premium fare discussion

If members wish to mention other (not TATL) fares (like the USA-->SCL fares) that are available in Nov (and/or Dec), they can link to them in this thread. For example:

This thread has fare/s available during USA Thanksgiving:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/premi...ess-class.html
^+1
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Old Aug 13, 2015, 10:28 am
  #174  
 
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Thumbs up

Originally Posted by PV_Premier
^+1
+1 here too!^
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Old Aug 13, 2015, 11:05 am
  #175  
 
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Originally Posted by CokeandTaco
If the purpose of this thread is only to discuss/post TATL fares specifically filed for USA Thanksgiving, then maybe a title change would be helpful.
----------

I personally would suggest changing the title to something like this:

Thanksgiving/Christmas/New Year - Premium fare discussion

If members wish to mention other (not TATL) fares (like the USA-->SCL fares) that are available in Nov (and/or Dec), they can link to them in this thread. For example:

This thread has fare/s available during USA Thanksgiving:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/premi...ess-class.html
Originally Posted by PV_Premier
^+1
Originally Posted by lainys
+1 here too!^
+1 From me too

Add me to the list... neither thread gets enough traffic to warrant separate threads, but I am interested in both.
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Old Aug 13, 2015, 6:52 pm
  #176  
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nothing...still in the $2200ish range.
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Old Aug 14, 2015, 7:41 pm
  #177  
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while not a discounted fare, award miles are and you can get into D1 for 87,000 miles.
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Old Aug 18, 2015, 7:35 am
  #178  
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Delta JFK - MXP $1900

Hot off the presses...Delta has price matched the latest EK Business class special on the JFK-MXP route. Actually, Delta has a bit better of a deal with what looks like no black out dates over the holidays. If it coincides with EK then this special will expire on 8/20.

JFK - MXP on Delta metal or Alitalia, $1905.00 and that's all in. To bad Milano's Christmas markets pale in comparison to those in Germany. Oh well, might have to make an exception for this year!

Last edited by DL2SXM; Aug 18, 2015 at 7:48 am
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Old Aug 18, 2015, 8:46 am
  #179  
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Originally Posted by DL2SXM
Hot off the presses...Delta has price matched the latest EK Business class special on the JFK-MXP route. Actually, Delta has a bit better of a deal with what looks like no black out dates over the holidays. If it coincides with EK then this special will expire on 8/20.
I also think that DL J is better than EK J. At least if you prefer all-aisle access.
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Old Aug 18, 2015, 9:02 am
  #180  
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Originally Posted by Dieuwer
I also think that DL J is better than EK J. At least if you prefer all-aisle access.
not only that but this is on DL's A330 so the seat is light years better then the 763/764 D1 seat.
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