Recommended Flight Bookers Around Xmas??

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PetAT

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#242664 8-Nov-2018 11:25

Hey everyone! I was looking for any suggested flights/ticket bookers, Will be spending a holiday week with friends in europe from mid dec to early jan. guess better book it within next few weeks. Any suggestions from your experience? Whats a good place to look for well priced airfairs that wont cause me a headache?

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#2122087 8-Nov-2018 11:25

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Paparangi

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#2122105 8-Nov-2018 11:58

If you are looking for an online flight search tool, then Google Flights has always worked well for me. Compares all the possible options and suggests the cheapest: flights.google.com

PetAT

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#2122107 8-Nov-2018 12:05

Is it better to search for them online or go into some shops or call them up? Whats the say on Flightcenter?? Reliable? I see some tickets there that are much cheaper than anywhere else?

Another question I had in mind, And all you need for a small holiday in countries within the EU for a week is your NZ passport right? No need for any Visa before hand for the most part? So all I need is a ticket, and away I go. :D

frankv

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#2122114 8-Nov-2018 12:23

PetAT:

Is it better to search for them online or go into some shops or call them up? Whats the say on Flightcenter?? Reliable? I see some tickets there that are much cheaper than anywhere else?

My approach would be to use an online search tool to find what suited me best. I wouldn't even bother with a travel agent, but if I did, it would be after finding the best online deal.

Beware that online sites may track you, and bump the price that they offer you if you repeatedly look at the same flight. Also beware that they may bait you with a cheap no-luggage flight price, and by the time you add on checked luggage, seat selection, etc. it's significantly more expensive.

PetAT

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#2122116 8-Nov-2018 12:25

frankv:

PetAT:

Is it better to search for them online or go into some shops or call them up? Whats the say on Flightcenter?? Reliable? I see some tickets there that are much cheaper than anywhere else?

My approach would be to use an online search tool to find what suited me best. I wouldn't even bother with a travel agent, but if I did, it would be after finding the best online deal.

Beware that online sites may track you, and bump the price that they offer you if you repeatedly look at the same flight. Also beware that they may bait you with a cheap no-luggage flight price, and by the time you add on checked luggage, seat selection, etc. it's significantly more expensive.

Great suggestions, I will watch out for those, nah, not going to bother with an agent but just grab a ticket online and all. Any other sites that are trusted or whatnot let me know, I will probably come back to this topic in a few weeks when I am ready to book a ticket. cheers everyone! :D

trig42

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#2122117 8-Nov-2018 12:28

I wouldn't be waiting too long to book a ticket if you are going in December.

Last minute flight deals to Europe may not be cheap.

Also, yes, for all western European countries, you only need your NZ passport, and you shouldn't have to go through any more Customs than the place you land and the place you take off. There are exceptions, but it does cover most of Western Europe.

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#2122120 8-Nov-2018 12:35

There's no such thing as last minute deals in December! Better book asap.

PetAT

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#2122121 8-Nov-2018 12:37

Oh gosh! alright guys I am on to it, gona grab tickets next week! Phew!

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#2122127 8-Nov-2018 12:48

This week

djtOtago

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#2122128 8-Nov-2018 12:52

This week.

For example. The flights I booked 7 months ago to London for mid December, are $1200 more expensive each way if I trtied to book them today?

PetAT

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#2122131 8-Nov-2018 12:58

Okay This week then! I am gona do some searching tonight and check with yer all and go from there. very excited haha!

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frankv

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#2122239 8-Nov-2018 15:38

Supposedly, the cheapest time to book a flight is 6 weeks before takeoff. This does depend on currency fluctuations, the price of oil, and a bunch of other things. So, before 6 weeks prior, prices may fluctuate, but after that, they will probably increase. I suspect that this comes from US sources, so it may be different for NZ-Europe flights and it's probably due to business flight bookings, so may be different around Xmas.

SkyScanner and Hopper.com track prices for flights you specify, and notify you of price changes. Hopper predicts the date when prices start to increase. However, searching other sites seem to give cheaper flights than those two.

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#2122241 8-Nov-2018 15:44

Through an agents can be hit and miss.

While they may have been handed a deal to bundle by airlines (limited allotment of different class seats to fill quick, cheap hotel for same period) and be passed onto you cheaper than you find solo online. You'll pay a $30-50 booking fee premium for the pleasure. But that MAY then come with a bit of seat-hold leeway to adjust names/dates/times before confirming as its essentially a wholesaler adjustment

PetAT

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#2124719 13-Nov-2018 13:06

Bought em the other day, good thinking getting them earlier on, saw prices kept going up every other day and was becoming harder to find a return flight that matched dates I was after. Its NZ Airways and British Airways.

Okay so this is obviously my first time at it, but I printed it out and they said I can take it to the airport during check in and then they will hand me the boarding passes. anything else I ought to know or do? Should I call to ask the airliners to send me the boarding passes early if thats an option?

lxsw20

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#2124721 13-Nov-2018 13:14

I just hand over my passport and they hand back tickets. No need to mess around with any other paperwork.

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