YIKES! Flight cost increases! Cruise cost is less then Premium Economy!

[nini]

So, now the cost has increased, basically overnight, for the flights that

we have been watching (on Princess EZAir).

Economy was running about $700.00 pp and is now about $900.00 pp

Premium Economy was about $1400.00 pp is now $1700.00 pp

Yes, Premium Economy is TWICE the amount of Economy and cost more than the cruise!

 

The cruise is in September so we have time to book. I was surprised to see the hike

which has been up for the last few days.

[CruiserBruce]

Air fare and cruise fare have absolutely no relationship. Too many variables...

[nini]

1 hour ago, CruiserBruce said:

Air fare and cruise fare have absolutely no relationship. Too many variables...

I realize that. It was not my intent to imply as such.

My intention was to point out the irony.

[Zach1213]

I'm not sure it's irony if it's pretty common. Just such drastic differences in how things are priced. On a cruise, the actual fare is only a fraction of what they'll expect to get from the average passenger - drinks, meals, excursions, shopping, etc. etc. For a flight, aside from maybe some seat or baggage fees, that's all they'll get from the passenger. 

 

That's the problem with flights, though - you never know what you're gonna get. Tomorrow, it could do back down to below what it was before...or it could keep going up. That being said, I bet the trend will continue to be upward as vaccine rollout makes fall travel more likely for many people. 

[bennybear]

Hope you’d already booked it.  As long as it’s flexible air you can rebook if it drops but the lower price is locked in.   I think there are going to be so many changes it will make our heads spin.  

[nini]

Agreed about potential head spinning. I had not already booked as

in the past, per people on this forum, the best time seemed to be

about 4-6 months before the flight.

I think the sudden jump may be due to the Pipeline project being shutdown.

And always, we always suffer at the pumps right away.

[CruiserBruce]

5 minutes ago, nini said:

 

I think the sudden jump may be due to the Pipeline project being shutdown.

And always, we always suffer at the pumps right away.

I doubt it. The pipeline is not in service, and wouldn't be for quite a while even if built out, so the supply situation is not changed. Plus the airlines hedge fuel. 

[nini]

Regardless, the consumer always suffers at the pump because of

the sensitivity of the market.

I do  not believe in coincidences...

[bennybear]

1 hour ago, nini said:

Agreed about potential head spinning. I had not already booked as

in the past, per people on this forum, the best time seemed to be

about 4-6 months before the flight.

I think the sudden jump may be due to the Pipeline project being shutdown.

And always, we always suffer at the pumps right away.

If you see something you like it costs nothing to book it as long as it’s a flexible fare.  That way you lock in the current pricing, but can still monitor for price drops.   The same works for cruise prices as long as it’s refundable.  This plan has saved us many thousands of dollars! 

[nini]

4 minutes ago, bennybear said:

If you see something you like it costs nothing to book it as long as it’s a flexible fare.  That way you lock in the current pricing, but can still monitor for price drops.   The same works for cruise prices as long as it’s refundable.  This plan has saved us many thousands of dollars! 

Yes, thank you for the reminder.

About 10 days ago, I had the pleasure of calling my sister and telling her

that I just saved her $750.00 !!! She was stunned and a bit speechless and

asked, how did I do that?

I told her that it pays to belong to CC AND to check on the cruise fares of your

currently booked cruise!  I do this periodically and this one really paid off!

 

I have done this before, but the $750.00 was very significant... let us hope that

this cruise happens in September 2021.

 

[Zach1213]

43 minutes ago, nini said:

I told her that it pays to belong to CC AND to check on the cruise fares of your

currently booked cruise!  I do this periodically and this one really paid off!

 

I have done this before, but the $750.00 was very significant... let us hope that

this cruise happens in September 2021.

 

 

Any little bit of savings counts, and I always urge people to also check hotel and rental car prices - they change, frequently, and as long as you're not pre-paid, it's easy to cancel and re-book. People always think about checking and re-checking airfares and cruise fares, but hotels and rental cars often go unnoticed. Not unheard of to reserve a car for $400/week, find a lower fare, and cancel/rebook for $300/week. 

[nini]

Yes, I always monitor those as well. And you are so right... most people

do not think to check.

[fbgd]

On 1/27/2021 at 1:55 PM, nini said:

Yes, Premium Economy is TWICE the amount of Economy and cost more than the cruise!

 

Get a more expensive cruise.

[nini]

14 hours ago, fbgd said:

 

Get a more expensive cruise.

LOL... I will get right on that.

[waterbug123]

On 1/29/2021 at 11:54 AM, nini said:

Agreed about potential head spinning. I had not already booked as

in the past, per people on this forum, the best time seemed to be

about 4-6 months before the flight.

I think the sudden jump may be due to the Pipeline project being shutdown.

And always, we always suffer at the pumps right away.

 

Hmm....while there are many who may come here to post, erroneously, that the "best" time to purchase is X, the more knowledgeable posters repeatedly remind folks that that's a myth; there is no single best time to purchase airline tickets.  It's a fluid situation, and trying to outguess airline pricing algorithms is an exercise in futility.  Watch, monitor, get a general idea of pricing, and decide what you're comfortable paying. If and when you see that price, buy.  

[bennybear]

2 hours ago, waterbug123 said:

 

Hmm....while there are many who may come here to post, erroneously, that the "best" time to purchase is X, the more knowledgeable posters repeatedly remind folks that that's a myth; there is no single best time to purchase airline tickets.  It's a fluid situation, and trying to outguess airline pricing algorithms is an exercise in futility.  Watch, monitor, get a general idea of pricing, and decide what you're comfortable paying. If and when you see that price, buy.  

Agreed, And if you book flexible through the cruise line you lose nothing if you change or cancel, so why wait? 

[nini]

7 hours ago, waterbug123 said:

 

Hmm....while there are many who may come here to post, erroneously, that the "best" time to purchase is X, the more knowledgeable posters repeatedly remind folks that that's a myth; there is no single best time to purchase airline tickets.  It's a fluid situation, and trying to outguess airline pricing algorithms is an exercise in futility.  Watch, monitor, get a general idea of pricing, and decide what you're comfortable paying. If and when you see that price, buy.  

Well said.

[scottbee]

On 1/27/2021 at 10:55 AM, nini said:

So, now the cost has increased, basically overnight, for the flights that

we have been watching (on Princess EZAir).

Economy was running about $700.00 pp and is now about $900.00 pp

Premium Economy was about $1400.00 pp is now $1700.00 pp

Yes, Premium Economy is TWICE the amount of Economy and cost more than the cruise!

 

The cruise is in September so we have time to book. I was surprised to see the hike

which has been up for the last few days.

 

Sounds about right.  Compare the income to the airline

6 rows (30" pitch) / 9 across = 54 economy seats
5 rows (36" pitch) / 8 across = 40 premium economy seats

now factor in there's addl income on the econ for seat selection/luggage, and potentially much relaxed change/canellation conditions normally included with PE fares.  You should expect PE to be (at a minimum) 50% more expensive than econ. 

 

[bennybear]

37 minutes ago, scottbee said:

 

Sounds about right.  Compare the income to the airline

6 rows (30" pitch) / 9 across = 54 economy seats
5 rows (36" pitch) / 8 across = 40 premium economy seats

now factor in there's addl income on the econ for seat selection/luggage, and potentially much relaxed change/canellation conditions normally included with PE fares.  You should expect PE to be (at a minimum) 50% more expensive than econ. 

 

Well said!  And some Dreamliners are only 7 across.  

[iancal]

On 2/4/2021 at 7:37 AM, waterbug123 said:

 

Hmm....while there are many who may come here to post, erroneously, that the "best" time to purchase is X, the more knowledgeable posters repeatedly remind folks that that's a myth; there is no single best time to purchase airline tickets.  It's a fluid situation, and trying to outguess airline pricing algorithms is an exercise in futility.  Watch, monitor, get a general idea of pricing, and decide what you're comfortable paying. If and when you see that price, buy.  

THIS is exactly our experience.  Very well said.  Start early, understand the pricing, the routes, the carriers.   When you see what you consider to be the 'right' price, right airline, right routing for you book immediately.  The offer might not be there an hour later.  And always try for a fare that can be changed, even with a change fee.

 

Moreover, we see differences between routes-going to Europe in the fall or going to SE Asia/Australia for the winter.

 

Our best ever fare to Thailand was booked on whim 10 days prior to departure.  Our flight to Athens and return from London in fall 2019  was booked six or seven weeks out.  The fare was the exact same one week prior to departure.  Two different routes, one ticket, same airline.

 

It is a crap shoot.  If you wait for the 'lowest price you have a good chance of a stayvacation instead of a flight to somewhere nice.

Edited February 9, 2021 by iancal

[iancal]

We have been watching four different international air fares from Canada over the past several months.  Hope to be able to grab one them in the fall and one for winter 2022.  We have no plans to book, just watching the pricing until we know that we can go.   

 

Athens:  Fall(with return from London or Paris):   fares are up by about 20-25 percent

 

Morocco:  Fall Return fare.   fares are down by about 12 percent.

 

Asia: (Bangkok or Kuala Lumpur) in early Jan:  No change but this is par based on previous years

 

Mexico: Fall  Cancun and Puerto Vallarta.  Fares are up/down but over all very consistent.