Need Advice on Booking to Africa
Jan 11, 2013, 3:11 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 31
Need Advice on Booking to Africa
Hi,
Am sorry if someone has asked this question before.
I need to book a flight from PDX to LUN in August. It seems all the available flights all go through AMS and takes me through 4 segments with crazy layovers.
I was hoping for the PDX-ATL-Jburg-LUN route but it's not there.
My question is, when would be a good time to book , tickets are $2100-$2400 at the moment,, and i've seen them for as low as $1700 last year but am not sure when i saw them , and if i should wait till like May/June to see if prices drop. and if that ATL-Joburg route will come back,
Please advise.
Am sorry if someone has asked this question before.
I need to book a flight from PDX to LUN in August. It seems all the available flights all go through AMS and takes me through 4 segments with crazy layovers.
I was hoping for the PDX-ATL-Jburg-LUN route but it's not there.
My question is, when would be a good time to book , tickets are $2100-$2400 at the moment,, and i've seen them for as low as $1700 last year but am not sure when i saw them , and if i should wait till like May/June to see if prices drop. and if that ATL-Joburg route will come back,
Please advise.
Jan 11, 2013, 3:21 pm
#2
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,404
DL has been flying ATL-JNB nonstop this week. The route exists now and AFAIK it's an extremely profitable year-round route. Try multi city search by segment, call DL, or work with a good real live human travel agent. Often when you search on delta.dumb, only a subset (sometimes the cheapest) of the available options are presented to you.
In addition to AMS on KLM, check also for itineraries connecting through CDG using AF as this might give more attractive connecting times.
In addition to AMS on KLM, check also for itineraries connecting through CDG using AF as this might give more attractive connecting times.
Jan 11, 2013, 4:18 pm
#4
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: BOSish
Programs: DL PM / MM, Nat'l EE
Posts: 449
Just poking around itasoftware.com I found some fares in the $2200 range for Delta/Partners with routing of PDX-AMS (DL), AMS-NBO (KLM), NBO-LUN (Kenyan) and returning LUN-JNB (SA Airways), JNB-ATL-PDX (DL).
I would suggest using itasoftware.com first if you are just looking for the cheapest days for your tickets anytime in August. Use kayak.com to book when you have confirmed dates, especially if you have to mix with South African for a leg. You may be forced to book on an OTA site like Orbitz for your trip which may have it's own pitfalls that others may know more about.
As far as when to book, I don't believe there is any hard and fast rule here. If demand warrants high rates, they won't drop at all.....
I would suggest using itasoftware.com first if you are just looking for the cheapest days for your tickets anytime in August. Use kayak.com to book when you have confirmed dates, especially if you have to mix with South African for a leg. You may be forced to book on an OTA site like Orbitz for your trip which may have it's own pitfalls that others may know more about.
As far as when to book, I don't believe there is any hard and fast rule here. If demand warrants high rates, they won't drop at all.....
Jan 12, 2013, 5:37 am
#5
Join Date: Dec 2005
Programs: DL, AA, US, SWA
Posts: 1,129
ITA matrix is your friend in this situiation.
Jan 12, 2013, 7:49 am
#6
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Where you want to be
Programs: DL DM & 1MM, AA, BA, National Emerald
Posts: 384
To try to answer your question about fare costs during certain times of they year..
High season is generally about Nov- early Feb due to being warmer and Christmas time in Africa. Lower march to early June then higher during our summer time. Fall is cheaper too.
Right now we are getting out of highest time.
JNB on DL stays pretty high due to demand.
JNB -LUN would probably be on SAA and they can be high.
Going through NBO is an option but KQ doesn't go to LUN real often.
High season is generally about Nov- early Feb due to being warmer and Christmas time in Africa. Lower march to early June then higher during our summer time. Fall is cheaper too.
Right now we are getting out of highest time.
JNB on DL stays pretty high due to demand.
JNB -LUN would probably be on SAA and they can be high.
Going through NBO is an option but KQ doesn't go to LUN real often.