Earlybird fares - good value ??

lisajs68 · Nov 23, 2008

Hi, we are from Perth, Western Australia and are planning for the Camino Frances starting about September 12, 2009. Earlybird fares to Europe are out now. Does anyone have experience of whether they are really good value, should we jump in now?? Any past experience out there for me?
Cheers,
Lisa.

KiwiNomad06 · Nov 23, 2008

From New Zealand they are definitely good value: the fares get more expensive in a few months. But they do come with conditions attached that vary from airline to airline, eg how much do they charge to change the return date etc. And you probably have to pay for them quite soon after booking, which means you won't be earning interest on the money in the bank. I booked in November for an April departure which wasn't so far ahead, but September is still quite a way away...

I used a Singapore Airlines Earlybird flight. I wasn't sure how long it would take me to walk so I wanted a fare that had no charge for a first change of return date. (Some airlines charge $100 or $200 or more.) The only problem I then encountered was that I wanted to get out of Paris earlier than I had booked, at peak holiday time in July! But the service I got from Singapore Airlines was excellent in terms of helping me to get waitlisted in Paris, and then in terms of courtesy etc when I turned up at the airport to try standby on a flight waitlisting hadn't 'worked' for.

Margaret

jl · Nov 23, 2008

Hi Lisa, I used the RAA (automobile assoc) to book my fare from Adelaide. They set the fees for the taxes on the Tues and so it is dependant on what the oil price (good at present) is, and in turn what the US dollar is doing - which is what is used for the setting of the taxes. Check that out when you book - I gambled on having my tickets issued on the next wed. rather than the Tuesday that I paid for them. In the week since the original quote the taxes had gone up around $80 but when the tickets were issued in the following week I managed to save $77 on the original quote. I would think it would be even better if I was doing it this week - oh well - at least I have a seat exactly when I want it! I am flying out on Singapore Airlines on July 3rd 2009. Regards, Janet

Rebekah Scott · Nov 23, 2008

If you are booking that far in advance you might also consider getting insurance on the tickets... nobody knows what life might throw at you in the intervening period, and with insurance you can usually get your money back if something unthinkable happens.

KiwiNomad06 · Nov 23, 2008

The airfares from this part of the world are so expensive that travel insurance quite often has an 'initial' payment to cover just such issues. Sometimes you can pay something like $40 that will cover you for loss of deposits and airfares etc, while paying for the rest of the insurance for health etc closer to departure date.
Margaret