Should flights be this expensive?

Kevwoody

Hi all, I went to book flights to Faro today for myself, my wife and 3 kids (9, 4, and 1) on both Ryanair and Aer Lingus.
The Ryanair flight was from Derry and worked out at £840.
The Aer Lingus flight was from Dublin and was costing over €1500.

My question is, why are these so expensive? The flights are for the last week in June return.

naughtysmurf

Yep, the flights I've been looking at for us are expensive at the moment also, looking at Faro, Malaga & Lanzarote, I'm going to hold tough a while, check the prices every day, in the last few years usually pay about €800/€850 for flights for four & that's travelling in July/August, for five I'd hope to get them for about 1K(ish)

mosstin

Kevwoody wrote: »

Hi all, I went to book flights to Faro today for myself, my wife and 3 kids (9, 4, and 1) on both Ryanair and Aer Lingus.
The Ryanair flight was from Derry and worked out at £840.
The Aer Lingus flight was from Dublin and was costing over €1500.

My question is, why are these so expensive? The flights are for the last week in June return.

Well there you go - that answers your question. Once the schools are out for the summer - and most of them are closed or closing at this stage - then the prices shoot up. Supply and demand.

Jocelynel

the flights to faro are much higher than previous years for next summer, i'm comparing them from prices over the past 5 years and they are up around 15% on 2013 prices. 5 years ago, i paid 115 each return and each year they go up, currently 88euros each way is the cheapest, but for a 6am flight which is stupid oclock for us!

Jamie2k9

The last week in June is one of the busiest week of the year, go the week before or week after.

88euros each way is the cheapest, but for a 6am flight which is stupid oclock for us!

The 6am flight with Aer Lingus on a Wednesday or Friday is with the A330-200 or 300 aircraft so it has to be early to get back, Wednesday will probably be the best day to get a good fare as its more capacity that a Monday or Thursday. The Larger aircraft is worth the silly o'clock time, much better jet to fly on than the narrow bodies.

naughtysmurf

€1075 for four SNN to Faro at end of July at the mo, not too bad

That's with Ryanair including four 20kg bags

Eponymous

Algarve is becoming so popular now too, which doesn't help matters. Seems like every one of my friends, colleagues or neighbours who went abroad last summer went to the Algarve.

OP, unfortunately, if you are stuck with those dates and are choosy about departure times, then you have to pay up.

That's the nature of the business. Flexibility pays.

youcancallmeal

Aer Lingus do a sale early in the new year and you will be almost guaranteed to get them cheaper then. Hoping to fly to Faro around June next year as well and waiting until January to book.

ger664

€959 inc bags for five from SNN to Faro in Mid June. There is currently no taxes on the shannon flights so maybe try them.

naughtysmurf

Anyone any thoughts on the prices to Lanzarote with Ryanair, July / Aug out of SNN, currently about €1500 for four, think they will drop?

Really fancy the short transfer time compared to Faro

Kevwoody

Hi all, thanks for the replies and tips.
I priced flights for the last week in may instead and they worked out around €700, so together with a 4 star hotel in Albufeira costing €540 for 5 of us for a week it's still pretty cheap.
Might go ahead and book the hotel, me and herself stayed there in August and said we'd love to bring the kids there, so hopefully the flights might come down in price in January

finbarrk

€140 each way Shannon Faro at the moment for the dates in July that I'm looking at with Aer Lingus. Hard to know if they will drop a bit in a sale

naughtysmurf

With the newish look Ryanair site, you have the option to pick & pay for your seat, just had a look at both Faro & Lanzarote in July & when it comes to selecting seats, they are all available, does this mean that the planes are still pretty much empty then at the mo?

I imagine as these are family destinations, the majority would book seats to ensure they are sitting together

Jamie2k9

naughtysmurf wrote: »

With the newish look Ryanair site, you have the option to pick & pay for your seat, just had a look at both Faro & Lanzarote in July & when it comes to selecting seats, they are all available, does this mean that the planes are still pretty much empty then at the mo?

I imagine as these are family destinations, the majority would book seats to ensure they are sitting together

Any previous bookings wouldn't have seats selected as it was not available until last week so they will have to pay while checking in online or wait until 24h before the flight for free seats.

endofrainbow

Jocelynel wrote: »

the flights to faro are much higher than previous years for next summer, i'm comparing them from prices over the past 5 years and they are up around 15% on 2013 prices. 5 years ago, i paid 115 each return and each year they go up, currently 88euros each way is the cheapest, but for a 6am flight which is stupid oclock for us!

previous air fares would have no bearing on current/future fares - book at a price you are happy with and don't look back.

Jocelynel

endofrainbow wrote: »

previous air fares would have no bearing on current/future fares - book at a price you are happy with and don't look back.

fair enough a lot of folk take this approach to booking flights, i go to Faro 3 times a year....so bit of experience on this route...i have a good idea of the pattern of the prices, so i know what i'm happy paying for my flights. if i can save us 20euros per flight...happy days!