travel to thailand over xmas

orange86

Hi,  im looking to travel to thailand from manchester airport. depart around xmas and back around 7 to 10thJan. The ticket cost is c£1k on sky scanner!!!

If i wait last minute do you think ticket prices could drop?
I've been on long haul flights with some empty seats around me!

sammyjammy

unlikely, mostly as availability drops they get higher, you could get lucky but how willing are you to risk it!

la531983

Is this a direct flight? Cant imagine many go from MAN. If so, look at going from an airport with more connectivity, such as LHR, CDG or AMS, it may get the cost down.

DullGreyGuy

orange86 said:

Hi,  im looking to travel to thailand from manchester airport. depart around xmas and back around 7 to 10thJan. The ticket cost is c£1k on sky scanner!!!

If i wait last minute do you think ticket prices could drop?
I've been on long haul flights with some empty seats around me!

Its the most expensive time of the year to go from the northern hemisphere to somewhere sunny/warm.

Tickets work on supply and demand but with AvE curves so yes last minute you may find it a bit cheaper but you may also find it double the price or no tickets left. 

Bicycleman22

£1000 Manchester to Bangkok over Christmas booking now. I would be suprised if you get good flight times with a good airline and no hidden extras e.g. bags  for that price.

Voyager2002

orange86 said:

Hi,  im looking to travel to thailand from manchester airport. depart around xmas and back around 7 to 10thJan. The ticket cost is c£1k on sky scanner!!!

If i wait last minute do you think ticket prices could drop?
I've been on long haul flights with some empty seats around me!

For goodness' sake, don't just click through on Skyscanner to buy the ticket. Use Skyscanner (and Kayak and ITA software) to find good fares but buy direct from the airline.

Christmas is peak tourist season in Thailand so prices there will be unusually high. And of course this is when air travel from the UK is at its most expensive. Plus it is a long journey and your holiday is for a short period, so by the time you have rested after the flight and are ready to start enjoying yourself it will be time to come home. So:
If you have a really good reason to go to Thailand now, choose a quality airline with reasonably direct flights and consider business class so you can sleep during the journey. It is going to be expensive, but that way you will get the most out of your holiday. (Don't forget that Etihad will give you a free night in a hotel in Abu Dhabi as a transit passenger: that is one way to arrive refreshed and ready to enjoy yourself.) Otherwise, go somewhere much closer and cheaper (Egypt?) and save Thailand for later.

Ayr_Rage

Prices from the UK to Thailand post Covid have been around the £1000 mark for economy and £3500 to £4000 for business and do not seem to vary that much by season, unlike previously.

DigSunPap

Always found that it gets more expensive the closer you get to the date of the flight. Unless you get really lucky. I would just book it to be safe if you are certain that you want to go.

Doshwaster

Prices for Thailand have been high all year so £1000 for over the Xmas/NY period doesn't sound too bad.

It will also be peak season for hotels and internal flights so get those confirmed as soon as the main flight is booked. In the quieter seasons you can usually book a day or two in advance as you travel around but at peaks times you need to make sure everything is sorted in advance.

Anyway, have a great time. I was there last month when it was still early season and pretty quiet but everyone was hoping for a bumper winter season after the last few years of having virtually no business at all.

tightauldgit

Yeah long haul flights to Asia from the UK have gotten a lot more expensive  post COVID. I think the very best prices I was finding were about £650 and that was out of London with a connection at off peak times so I don't think £1000 is going to be that far off the mark. It's highly unlikely to get any cheaper - the opposite in face, prices will only rise between now and Christmas. 

I'm going to Thailand for 3 weeks over Nov/Dec and then hopping over to Vietnam for the Christmas period. Christmas in Thailand seemed pretty pricey so I guess it's a peak tourist time - whereas Vietnam isn't really a peak tourist spot for European tourists.  

A quick check on google flights suggests £1000 is a pretty good price so if you want it I would get it before it's gone. 

jimi_man

Yes I looked on Google flights and other than a stupid 30 hour layover in China for about £800 or so, it was about £950+.

We are going in April towards end of UK school holidays and ours is one stop (Qatar) for £600. Asia is really expensive at the moment.