Do flights get dearer closer to date?

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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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?
 
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