Any secrets to getting cost effective flights?

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MnM
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Any secrets to getting cost effective flights?

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Post by MnM »

Obviously flights prices have been increasing for some time and will continue to do so, but are there any “trade secrets” for getting the most cost effective flight prices, such as booking at 2am or on a Bank Holiday etc?

Initially I use Skyscanner to find the best base prices and flight times then go direct to the airline website. I also try others such as Tui but found Jet2 recently to be the most expensive.

I am looking for flights from 3rd – 16th April to cover Easter so I expect slightly higher prices to a degree. However, checking prices on a fairly regular basis, I have noticed even for normal dates, ie not including easter, flights to Ercan from the UK are only very slightly dearer than a year or so ago, whilst flights to Larnaca have increased significantly and almost on a parr with flights to Ercan.

Wizz particularly have doubled their prices over the last month, probably to cover all the compensation they are withholding from customers including us and I’ve no doubt other airlines have increased prices for the same reason or at least in part, but not double!

Asia111

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Post by Asia111 »

On UK news today there is a high demand for holidays. With inflation and high demand flights, hotels and package holidays
likely to remain high for the foreseeable future.
When folk say ‘enough is enough’ and decide to stay home prices may drop a bit, but I would’nt hold your breadth for 2023.

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Post by PoshinDevon »

It’s difficult trying to find reasonably costed flights. We are fortunate that we can book well in advance. We usually book flights almost a year advance with Turkish/BA and as soon as they are for sale if we use Pegasus.
Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass,it's about learning to dance in the rain

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Post by ginge »

Try Paphos for cheaper fares.

Easyjet have return flights from Gatwick at £231 at the moment for your dates.

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Post by Brinsley »

And the profits go to:-
Turkish Airlines $1.5 Billion profit for the last year! Crap food, surly staff, miss-selling of tickets (no baggage allowance), Miles & Smiles scam credits, restricted alcohol etc. etc. No longer a 'Globally Yours' good service airline but a Government money 'cash cow' since the sacking of the previous CEO and appointing 'their own man' for profiteeriing/racketeering purposes only!

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Post by benjaminbutton »

What gets me Brinsley is that we still have what I considered to be sane, intelligent and picky friends who won't travel any other airline. If it is always as bad as you say I can't believe they would put up with your description. PS: They fly Business but it shouldn't make that much difference surely?

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Post by PoshinDevon »

To balance things out, we often fly with TA and have always found them to be a good airline.

Reasonably priced tickets can be found if you are able to book well in advance. The on board service is good and if needs be they will help fast track you onto any connecting flight. They are a lot better than many.

As we are reluctant to use airports in the ROC we are of course restricted in choice. However; we are trying different options such as Easjet to Antalya and onward connection via Pegasus. Next year we are using TA from Ercan to Istanbul and then BA onwards (At time of booking BA prices were very good). We have also after many years not using this route, have booked with Pegasus from Stansted to SAW and on to Ercan.

Living in the south west our options are limited and nearly always require us to travel up to London to fly.
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Post by SussexBoy »

MnM, I tried more or less those same Easter dates as you (from 5th April) with BA through Skyscanner. They were extremely expensive but I then I tried booking for 3 weeks as the period extended beyond the Easter holiday period. This reduced the basic return flights from/to Heathrow to £249 pp. These are daytime flights. Hold baggage costs and booking specific seats were, of course, extra. So, it was cost effective to stay in the family villa for 3 weeks rather than 2.

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Post by Dawnie1 »

Just booked Easy Jet 28/3 to 25/4 £173 each with luggage into Larnaca. Land at reasonable time too. Great price.
For last 20 years, always came into Ercan, but since Covid, travelled into Larnaca as Ercan just too expensive for us.

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Post by MnM »

Thanks for all the feedback everyone. Hopefully this will be the last trip with luggage which will mean cheaper flights in future anyway. Just looked at flights for September ish and they're a lot cheaper.

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Post by Mollie the cat »

Just looked at flights from Ercan to Manchester return, late April for 2 weeks, almost 1100 sterling, madness, complete madness, last year 580 return.

They can do one!

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Post by Keithcaley »

They can do one!

??? meaning ???

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Post by mish »

Our lovely little local Robin Hood airport has now closed. But we find easyJet from Liverpool to larnaca is good. But difficult if hiring a car at LCA as it's too late to cross the control with most flights landing in the evening. Luckily we stay with friends near LCA. Otherwise it's a stay at a BnB and get to the crossing the next day. Win some, lose some!

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Post by MnM »

Booked flights today finally, Stansted to Ercan with TA, 8kg cabin bag each, 20kg hold luggage each, preferred seating, £990. Was originally looking at 3rd April to 16th but returning 14th now and saved about £300 that way. Easyjet to Larnaca for 3rd to 16th in comparison was nearly £1100. Hopefully next year will be better as the fuel surcharge alone was £330.

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Re: Any secrets to getting cost effective flights?

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Post by Hellsbells »

Mollie the cat wrote:
Thu 05 Jan 2023 6:49 pm
Just looked at flights from Ercan to Manchester return, late April for 2 weeks, almost 1100 sterling, madness, complete madness, last year 580 return.

They can do one!
Was this with TA? We normally travel TA from Bham to Ercan but searching other airports we very surprisingly found Pegasus flights from Manchester to Ercan to be much cheaper than TA for 2023. Just booked mid May to early July, 2 adults for approx £560 whereas TA wanted around £900!

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