How early is too early to book an international flight?

Question

I want to go overseas this summer, but I don't know when to book the flight. Of course I'm looking for the best deal. I don't know if I will get that by booking early (say 4 or 5 months before) or waiting until about a month or two before. I would hate to book the flight and then find it was reduced a couple weeks later.

Anyone have any advice on when to book an international flight? I would be going to Japan......thanks.

Answer 1

You should always book as far ahead in advance as possible, as the price is only going to increase as people buy up the cheap tickets. The price would only be discounted if they don't sell enough seats and that won't happen for a flight to Japan. If you leave it til the last minute you'll find it costs probably twice as much as it does now.

Answer 2

11 and a bit months before the flight is usually too early as the reservation systems don't open up until then.

Contrary to what one poster thought, don't leave it til the day of the flight to buy a ticket. They know you're desperate and will often bump the price up. And, of course, there might not be any cheap tickets left.

January is often a good time to book flights as many airlines have sales on (it's a lean month for them, as everybody has spent money at Christmas).

Just keep watching the fare, once a week or so. And shop around.

Answer 3

i would contact the airline 3-4 months in advance and check the price. It depends on the time of year and the occasion that you are traveling to if it is a popular time and a popular place to be traveled to then you will need to book like 3 months in advance if it's not a popular place and time then 4-6 weeks should be plenty of time, I would ask them when booking the flight if there is a possibility of the rate going down and if there is any better deals on the tickets? Tell them you want the best deal they can offer you for your money and sound very confident in yourself and know what you are talking about don't let them give you the run around!

Answer 4

International flights have a lot more involved than domestic flights and therefore everything in preparation for the flight takes longer. Here are some examples of why you must be there early: 1. Security lines can be long (not always, but there are times when they may have a larger-than-usual number of travelers needing more “attention” and that causes the whole line to slow down tremendously. I have seen many people miss their flights because they were held up in security. 2. Flying internationally requires more documentation, including a passport and sometimes a Visa as well. This takes a lot more time at the gate to check each of these as the agents do not have to check those for domestic flights. And just so you know, if a passenger gets on a flight with the wrong documentation, there is a very good change they may not be allowed to enter the country at their destination. The airlines are very careful about making sure all passengers have the correct documents with them prior to boarding to make sure this does not happen. If an airline employee/gate agent lets a passenger go without the correct documents, the entire crew working that day can get in trouble – so they are very careful! 3. Checking baggage for an international flight (usually on the trip back home as people tend to buy stuff on vacation and then there is more to bring home) can take longer as sometimes they are overweight and the passengers must pay an additional fee or repack some luggage in order to distribute the weight better. This can hold up the line and take longer. 4. All planes are checked by mechanics between flights, refueled, cleaned and new food and drinks are put on the plane. This is all done just after the plane is unloaded from one flight and boarded for another. Sometimes with longer flights this may take longer and delay a flight. While they may not happen to your flight, it may have happened to one in another city earlier in the day and people then missed connecting flights. Or someone may have had other difficulty and missed a flight. Those passengers are then placed on the “standby” list and can be put onto the next flight with available seats. If a passenger does not show up for a flight within a specific amount of time prior to take-off, the airline has the right to release that seat to a standby passenger who is there and waiting. In other words, if you are late getting from the security line to the gate and you get there five minutes before the flight leaves, there is a very good chance your seat may be gone and you will have to wait for the next flight. The airlines do this because with so many air travelers these days it is necessary to get as many people on a flight as possible and get them to their destinations quickly. If they have a passenger standing there in front of them waiting and another one who is late and may not even show up, they will accommodate the passenger who is there waiting. They don’t do this without warning, though – there is always the warning to be there at least 2-3 hours early, they make numerous calls throughout the terminal for boarding, and many make announcements about “last call” and informing passengers that if they are not there within a specific time period their seats will be given to someone else – sometimes even announcing the missing passengers’ names. 5. If everything is ready and all the passengers are there early, the flight may leave early and get you to your destination early. That is good for all parties involved! So even though the airlines require you to be there that early, isn’t it better to be there early and be assured you will get on the flight than wait until later and face the possibility of not getting on? Most airports have plenty to do while you’re waiting – shops, eating, plugs and Wi-Fi for laptop computers, etc. So just get there early and realize that the airlines are just suggesting that early time for everyone involved – not to cause problems.

Answer 5

Here is the best way to do it.

Start looking now, at 4 to 5 months.. if the price seems fair, or afforable to you, buy it.

If it seems to high, wait a little while and check every month. Generally speaking airline tickets are the cheapest about 1 month to 6 weeks before the flight. However, it is a gamble also. Prices can go way up--- if those flights fill up. So you hav to decide accordingly.

Answer 6

The longer you can wait the better. If you book now, you have security knowing you'll be on the flight, but if you book the day of the flight, you are doing the airline a favor, because that seat probably would have gone empty! Airlines give out good deals to fill those empty seats the day of the flight!

Answer 7

For Asia flights, I use a travel agent. I can book now and not have to pay until months later. In the meantime, I know I have a seat at a fare I can live with. If the price goes down, my travel agent charges me at the lower fare than originally quoted.

Answer 8

25 decades

Answer 9

two years

Answer 10

10weeks is tooo early