How can I purchase flexible ticket with the possibility to change the date?

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  donga100 on 20/01/2014 - 22:19

  You are probably better off just booking the cheapest fare and then paying the change fee when the time comes. Most fares through Virgin Australia for example only cost between $0 - $75 if you change to a date with the same fare available. Most other airlines are the same/similar.
  http://www.virginaustralia.com/au/en/plan/fare-types/long-ha…

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  first in line on 21/01/2014 - 19:38

  What is a good company to book a ticket knowing that you will definitely change the date of the flight? Are there any that allows free changes?

  • 

    itx on 22/01/2014 - 01:39

    +2

    Generally speaking the higher your booking class ("Y" being the highest economy class), the less restrictive the change rules. Of course, the higher the booking class the higher the fare too (a ticket in full Y will almost always cost more than a discounted business class ticket!), so it's up to you to find the most optimal balance.

    An example: A Melbourne to Singapore flight has the following booking classes available for economy:
    Y at $3200, no change fees
    G at $1500, no change fees
    U at $1200, no change fees
    V at $1100, no change fees
    S at $900, $150 change fee
    K at $500, $300 change fee

    For there to be truly no fee if you switch dates, what you'll need is at least a V class ticket. Not only that, you'll need to make sure the flight on the date you wish to change to also has V class available for sale. Say if only G is available on the flight you wish to switch to, you'll have to end up paying the fare difference of ~$400 (difference between V and G fares). Y, on the other hand, almost never sells out on flights because it is so expensive, so changing from one flight to another where Y is available becomes much easier and more likely to be completely free (though even then, the price of a Y or V seat may change over time and cause a fare difference). My point is not all fares with "no change fees" mean "completely free to change anytime", but at the same time getting too expensive a ticket probably isn't worth it either.

    With that in mind, before booking any fare, ask for/find out the fare rules first. On many airline booking pages the fare rules will be available as a link during the booking process. Again, as an example, Air China has a fare rules link on the last one or two pages before payment. On that point, Air China seems to generally have low change fees (see http://www.airchina.com.au/en/promotions/flights.html?region… and have a look under the "rebooking fee" column for a general sense). Of course, the fare difference part remains an unknown factor.

    Another tip: if you're booking through a travel agent (whether online or physical), make sure to ask what fees THEY charge on top of the airline change fees I talk about above. Some travel agents can be very harsh and charge a few hundred dollars for changes even when the airline itself imposes no fee. Given that, booking directly through the airline might be a better idea.

    • 

      donga100 on 22/01/2014 - 08:48

      Good advice. Keep in mind, in the example Singapore fare above you would need to make at least 3 changes for the V class fare to be better value than the K class fare.

    • 

      first in line on 22/01/2014 - 12:51

      Good advice and thanks for typing all that up! Appreciate your effort!

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  retiredfeline on 22/01/2014 - 08:58

  Have you asked the French consulate how this requirement is normally satisfied? I can't imagine that you are the only young person in this situation. Perhaps the return ticket has only to be shown at the last stage when all the other hurdles are cleared and you are quite assured of a visa.

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    first in line on 22/01/2014 - 12:54

    The French consulate is impossible to contact and they don't answer emails. I have done research on the internet and looks like most people got the travel agent to book tickets for one year in advance for them or purchase a flexible one.

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      retiredfeline on 22/01/2014 - 17:35

      Well why not get the travel agent to book then and pay when the paperwork is done? This might be one of the few times they come in handy. Hitch might be TA doesn't give you enough cooling off period.

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  donga100 on 22/01/2014 - 13:00

  +2

  Sorry, I didn't pay enough attention the first time I read your post. I work for Virgin Australia and it's possible to make a booking with us now for travel in May '14 and return in May '15. Even though the return flight in May '15 isn't available yet if you explain to the call centre agent that this is what you want they should be able to place a note in the booking for you to change the date for free once it becomes available in the system. I'm pretty sure most airlines have a similar policy but just make sure you make the booking over the phone. If you book it online and then try to claim a free change later you probably won't have much luck.

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    first in line on 22/01/2014 - 17:16

    any idea how much the prices would be for tickets in May 15? Similar in price or more expensive?

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      donga100 on 22/01/2014 - 17:19

      The price of a return ticket is mostly determined by the departure date so the price should be the same or similar once May '15 flights become available.