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Online Flight bookings - who do you use?

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I recently posted about online hotel bookings and was able to source even a better deal than I was previously getting. I thought it would be good to check out some other online flight booking agents.

 

I recently used bestflights.com.au to book 2 different International Flights. I also compared another flight and beat what my employer paid for a 3rd flight, but they insisted on booking it. I also went airline direct which was much higher in all three cases.

 

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http://www.bestflights.com.au/cheap-flights/phone-flights-details/round-world-flights/lufthansa-star-alliance/109344

 

It's located in Australia, so you can also call them from there. You can book from anywhere. When booking the International routes I just utilised round the world option. You'll see tabs for various zones. They also offer many other services (Car hire, hotels, insurance, coach tours, etc......) I have only used the flight deals.

 

The only problem I ran into was when a flight was cancelled by Thai Airlines. They cancelled routes because of downturn in tourists travelling and probably only fly that route 4-5 times a week instead of daily. Anyway, best flights contacted me by email well ahead of time, and offered me to leave BKK a day earlier or go a day later. Neither worked for me as I had already prepaid a hotel to leave BKK that day and arrive Australia a certain day. I told them I needed to be in Australia and was happy to go to Melbourne instead of Brisbane. Best flights said I would incur a rerouting fee. That wasn't acceptable for me since Thai cancelled the flight. I felt like best flights didn't represent me well so I got Thai Airs number from them and spoke to someone direct over the phone. They got back to me in two days time with everything taken care of. I guess by law they didn't have to, but they did as it was no skin off their dicks.

 

Here is another online travel agent that may be worth looking at: http://www.cheapflights.com/book-flights-hotels/?source=goCheapflights-Top10Terms_Top10Terms-CheapInternationalFlights-e&srckeyword=cheap+international+flights&srctype=search

 

Who do you use?

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Party animals,

 

I recommend "skyscanner". Great sight for online flights and hotels. it basicly scans many websites and gives the cheapest price. Agoda is also amongst these sights

Hope it help

Tony

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I've used bestflights too.

Others are jetabroad, skyscanner and travel.com.au

Whenever I find a price I check it directly against the airlines website as often it is the same (or slightly cheaper).

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I've used bestflights too.

Others are jetabroad, skyscanner and travel.com.au

Whenever I find a price I check it directly against the airlines website as often it is the same (or slightly cheaper).

 

I've had my eyes open for a possible trip in August. Webjet advertised a 24 hour global sale last Sunday. When Sunday came I found that it was only a $20 discount each way from their regular price....some sale :banghead: .

 

Then I looked at Best Flights who had some sales in their Asia section. Found a great deal on Thai Airways from Oz. Naturally it was more from Brisbane than Perth but I found a flight that takes me direct to BKK from Brisbane. I get in at 8:20 P.M. and have a layover till 7:45 the next morning when I go to Phuket. Then I come back through BKK and have a stopover for few days before heading back to Brisbane direct. My total cost was $968 AUD with taxes and fees included.

 

So now I'm looking what to do during that first layover in BKK (Arriving 8:20 P.M. till 7:45 next morning. Someone mentioned some showers before customs for incoming passengers that are free or may just book a room at World Inn for $25 a night and use that as my ST room.

 

Sale lasts till 7/13 and allows one stopover.

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I am traditional and extemsively use my travel agency.. they can find the good deals too and ahving a direct link with airlines they can negotiate soem rates soemtime, forcing a bit the systems

This way I book flight, rates and seats but have the ticked issued till the real last minute and can change

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Hi,

 

I live in Australia and use www.lastminute.com.au.It always seems to have good deals i.e. i booked a return SYD-BKK with emirates arriving on 3rd August departing 31st August for $940 return including all taxes.

 

Can't wait to be back in LOS :)

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Like with my hotel bookings I deal direct with the airline and book online.

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I've stopped using online , I built up a good relationship with the staff at flight centre in auckland , I tell them when we want to go and flights booked for me and mrs lotus , Been traveling for work and trips to Thailand for the last 5 years , I seem to get better seating when I book with them.

 

It's still a rip of cost wise flying to Thailand from New Zealand.

 

 

Lotus

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I've stopped using online , I built up a good relationship with the staff at flight centre in auckland , I tell them when we want to go and flights booked for me and mrs lotus , Been traveling for work and trips to Thailand for the last 5 years , I seem to get better seating when I book with them.

 

It's still a rip of cost wise flying to Thailand from New Zealand.

 

 

Lotus

 

Have you considered a cheap Jetstar flight (or a relatively cheap QF/NZ) and then Jetstar/Air Asia/Scoot from the East Coast, or is it still too much hassle?

I've often flown from Melbourne for $400-$500 return so it could be an option, although I could see how connecting and whatnot would be annoying.

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thai air have specials starting now

companion fares

condition apply

well worth a look

aussie to bkk

 

Thanks for the tip aussie ,,will check it out

 

 

Mate you have to take the companion with you mate, you can't just bring one back with you. :Rolling___:

 

 

 

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If I go with you do we have to act :gay: ?

 

I think those Thai Air specials are until July 31st. That companion fare was on Best flights as well.

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After doing a fair bit of online research into "getting the best flight deals" , thought i would share a bit of info here.

Number one tip when doing regular searches for flights on the same particular dates is " clear your cookies" . This is because the online sites remember your previous searches & tend to increase the prices quoted for those same dates . I played around with this for several weeks to put it to the test and sure enough up went the fares after repeated searches for same dates were performed.

In addition to the above there can be some normal price variances from day to day but no where near as severe.

Also the use of the consolidator and/or aggregator sites saves quite a bit of time . Popular examples of these are kayak , skyscanner and momondo ( think thats how its spelt) .

After recently searching for syd-bkk-syd flights , if i wasnt fussy about what time of the day i could get direct flight for as little as $640 return (thai) .

But for me the 4:30pm arrive bkk and 7:20pm leave bkk was well worth the extra $230 i eventually paid ( purchased through skiddoo, who i found through skyscanner search)

 

I dont use travel agents anymore for flights or accom , but it may be prudent to have one do flight searches for the same dates as well. However they dont get much money per air ticket , so dont expect them to put in the hours searching that the individual can themselves via online searches.

Edited by aussierod77

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When I booked for my next trip I tried some of those online booking sites and the fairs were either the same (different airline though and they wanted an overnight in KL) as Thai Air or were more expensive so I just cut out the middleman and booked with Thai Air, all my bookings now are done online as I gave travel agents the flick a long time ago.

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I have been looking around for flights ex BKK to go to London. Aside from the fact prices have gone up a lot, it really does appear that the Internet age has not hit Thailand, at least as far as flight bookings go. From what i can see, the best fares are on the airlines own websites.

 

I will check out some real travel agencies as well over the coming weeks. seems like 32,000b is about the best economy fare and 82,000b the best Business class fare (South Asian/Indian carriers excluded - I have done the Mumbai transfers before for business and vowed never again).

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I use these guys a lot to get a reference price. They've been way ahead of the curve for a long time, mainly because they've developed the search engines for most of the airlines. It was a bit of a secret for awhile. Now they're more generally known. Nowadays, many of their attractive features have been added by some airlines (like looking ahead a month for the best price)...good for us retirees who aren't bound by the demands of wage slavery.

 

http://matrix.itasoftware.com/

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i book online with Thai Airways have found sometimes there prices do vary between days of the week and flight times (syd-bkk-syd ) ,but there the only real choice for the times i like to fly ,but still cheaper than travel agents .

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