# Do flights get dearer closer to date?



## ardman (17 Jul 2012)

We're hoping to fly to Malaga in mid-August for 9-10 days. We haven't booked accommodation until we get flights. Our dates are flexible to within a couple of days. As the time gets closer, flights with Aer Lingus and Ryanair seem to heading upwards.Is this the norm? I was hoping prices would go the other way if flights were not full.


----------



## martindfs (17 Jul 2012)

i fly a fair bit to texas and i use skyscanner, sometimes the flights days before takeoff are cheaper depending on airline and demand. check them out as i find this site brilliant


----------



## STEINER (17 Jul 2012)

I generally thought this. However, last year we flew Ryanair to Malta.  We booked flights in April for August.  Ryanair lowered the fares in July, fares were about €40 cheaper each than what we paid.  I was surprised to say the least.


----------



## EvilDoctorK (17 Jul 2012)

ardman said:


> We're hoping to fly to Malaga in mid-August for 9-10 days. We haven't booked accommodation until we get flights. Our dates are flexible to within a couple of days. As the time gets closer, flights with Aer Lingus and Ryanair seem to heading upwards.Is this the norm? I was hoping prices would go the other way if flights were not full.



Mid August = High Season ... so they're probably not going to get any cheaper closer to the time .. I imagine that strategy is more likely to work in the off season .. no hard and fast rule of course, but generally speaking as it gets closer to the time if a flight is empty the airline will be keen to get rid of the seats as after the plane has left they're useless - however this is countered by the fact that people who book at short notice tend to be less price sensitive (business travel, people who have no choice) so the airline won't always want to sell seats cheaply nearer the time


----------



## ardman (17 Jul 2012)

Now that you mention it I've heard of skyscanner before. I'll check it out. Good point about business travel. I've looked at map of plane and available seating and there seems to be a lot of vacancies. Would it be possible that the airlines would be expecting to fill these via travel agents/package deals? I've heard that flights are advertisd more cheaply early in the week or late at night. I have not seen it anyway. Any thoughts on that?


----------



## SparkRite (17 Jul 2012)

FWIW I had to fly from Stanstead to Dublin in July 2006 and Ryanair cost me 550EU one way for myself and my daughter, booked on the day.
So it would appear that they are prepared to leave seats empty rather than sell them off cheaply on the day.


----------



## orka (17 Jul 2012)

ardman said:


> I've looked at map of plane and available seating and there seems to be a lot of vacancies.


Just because there are seats available for selection doesn't mean there are that many tickets left to buy - with Aer Lingus you have to pay to advance-book a seat whereas you can select a seat for free when you check in - so most people don't select and pay for seats.  A flight could show 50 seats available for selection but there might only be one (expensive...) ticket left to buy - and 49 people happy to take what seats are available for free at check-in.
FWIW, it has rarely been my experience that seats get cheaper closer to the time, particularly this close.  If you book months in advance, you might see cheaper seats when there's still a couple of months to go to the flight - but as others have said, it's better business for the airlines to fleece desperate/'indifferent to cost' punters who are booking last minute.


----------



## SparkRite (17 Jul 2012)

cashier said:


> I often wonder if they deliberately hold a few seats back for emergencies, I have often heard it say that Michael O'Leary makes his money out of people returning to ireland for funerals



And that is exactly the reason I had to return.


----------



## ardman (17 Jul 2012)

Good point Orka about advance booking fees. Seems obvious now that you pointed it out. 
Thanks for replies


----------



## coolhandluke (17 Jul 2012)

I booked seats to malaga for oct way back in january and even then july and aug were dear enough, i have seen very few cheap flight to any destination in spain or portugal this year, i think capacity is way down (spanair gone wallop) so the airlines are holding out for last minute bookers.


----------



## IsleOfMan (18 Jul 2012)

Ryanair flights are probably at their cheapest 6 weeks before a flight. Aer Lingus don't tend to drop their prices nearer the flight time.


----------



## elcato (18 Jul 2012)

> I have often heard it say that Michael O'Leary makes his money out of people returning to ireland for funerals


In the 80's when I was in London, this chestnut was been said as well except replace MOL with AL or Virgin. It's not exclusive to Ryanair, it's (excuse the pun) life.


----------



## vandriver (18 Jul 2012)

The flights I have booked for mid August are €125 per ticket more expensive than when I booked them in January.(Ryanair)


----------



## Harry31 (18 Jul 2012)

One of the problems which I have encountered with booking flights well in advance is that Aer Lingus (not sure about other airlines), have a habit of changing the flight times.  this is a bit annoying, but if you were using AL to get a connecting flight it could cause big problems.


----------



## runner (18 Jul 2012)

Slightly off track here, but harry31's point has happened to me recently. Does one have any recourse when the scheduled flight times are changed without notice?


----------



## Harry31 (18 Jul 2012)

Runner:  I've had that happen a couple of times when I've booked well in advance.  Nothing can be done as far as I know - I did contact Aer Lingus - with no joy I'm afraid.  Was only offered refund & the alternative flights were much more expensive.


----------



## EvilDoctorK (18 Jul 2012)

On flight time changes:

I believe if the change is made within 2 weeks of your departure then you may be entitled to some compensation ( depending on how large the time change is)

If the change is made more than 2 weeks before your departure then they only need to offer you the right to cancel without penalty


----------



## runner (18 Jul 2012)

Thanks, you have both confirmed my suspicions that nothing really can be done except cancel, which I wont do as it would cost me even more that way. I suppose its the peril of eary booking to get good prices. Its with Ryanair anyway which makes it less lively that anything can be done..cheers all for help!


----------



## denisebrown (18 Jul 2012)

*don't worry dear*

Well you should not be worried Runner. have a safe journey and enjoy a lot.


----------



## ardman (18 Jul 2012)

Had not thought of doing the obvious in relation to my original question but I've just done it now. I looked up AL flights leaving in the next couple of days. Prices up in the moon. Bang goes my original plan of getting flights cheaper closer to departure date.


----------



## roker (18 Jul 2012)

I was trying to get from Cork to Newcastle for a funeral, and it would have cost me approx €600 with Ryanair, because I had to book 2 separate flights Cork Dublin and Dublin Newcastle,(you cannot book on one ticket with Ryanair) there were twice the charges.


----------



## vandriver (19 Jul 2012)

vandriver said:


> The flights I have booked for mid August are €125 per ticket more expensive than when I booked them in January.(Ryanair)



And Aer Lingus are looking for €106 per ticket more than Ryanair's huge quote!


----------



## roker (21 Jul 2012)

Does that include 20kg of luggage?


----------



## Stronge (30 Jul 2012)

I book flights to Malaga on a regular basis and these are the opinion that I have come to:
With Aer Lingus I have found that they have sales every so often and they offer a reduction of a certain % for a certain length of time.  When that times has passed they move on to another offer for later in the year so if you do not take advantage of it when they offer the reduction it does not come again.
Ryan Air seem to have increased their prices this year to Malaga.  I have got return flights up to this year for as little as 50Euro but that day is long gone.  What appears to be happening this year is that they reduce some mid week prices  today and then tomorrow it came be back up then maybe the following week it is down again  I find that there are no great reduction..  I have just book flights for October, I got them with Aerlingus as they were much cheaper that Ryan Air.
If either of them cancel a flight or change the time, I always call them up and ask for a flight on a day or time that suites me and I have never had to pay any extra money even if the flight is dearer than the original one.


----------



## dereko1969 (31 Jul 2012)

I booked a Ryanair flight to Alghero Sardinia in early May for travel in mid July and paid €290 a mate booked in mid/late June and got the same flight for €190! 
First time I'd heard someone benefitting from a later booking.


----------



## tinkerbell (29 Aug 2012)

Seems to be a real lottery with some airlines?   Booked Emirates flight back in June for 781 for Oct next and since then I have watched it drop by 300 euro!    Thought it could only get dearer as time went by but the opposite happened.  Very unfair way they have of pricing IMO especially by such a huge amount.


----------



## Leo (30 Aug 2012)

That's the way they all usually operate. Start off expensive, then price lowers in the months leading up to the flight if there is still enough capacity. Then, as the flight sells out, or getting close to the date, they go up.

This maximises their revenue per seat. Early bookers will pay that bit more to have peace of mind their ideal flight times/destination are booked. Later on, the bargain hunters hit the scene and discriminate more on price than route/timing. Closer to the time, people who must get whatever flight (business travellers on expenses, people travelling for family emergencies, etc.) book convenient flitghts with much less regard for price.


----------



## tinkerbell (31 Aug 2012)

Odd thing with these flights was that they started off cheaper, not expensive.    I had been watching them for several months and they were under 500.   I was flexible with dates but in June they rocketed to the max then dropped and since then have remained at the lower end rather than rising again.


----------



## dereko1969 (31 Aug 2012)

tinkerbell said:


> Odd thing with these flights was that they started off cheaper, not expensive. I had been watching them for several months and they were under 500. I was flexible with dates but in June they rocketed to the max then dropped and since then have remained at the lower end rather than rising again.


 
Obvious question, but why didn't you book them when they were under €500? 

Secondly, why are you still checking the fares? You'll only ending up feeling smug or annoyed neither is a great way to be.


----------



## tinkerbell (31 Aug 2012)

Yes dereko1969 my circumstances did not allow me to book until June?   You want more info on that pm me!! Secondly, I was checking for a family member who was hoping to head over too and had been considering going on same flight!!    Hope that satisfies you?


----------



## dereko1969 (31 Aug 2012)

Sorry should have put a smiley there, was only meant in jest


----------

