When is it advisable to purchase airline tickets to fly from Prague to Paris (CDG) in September 2019? I’m not too concerned on the cheapest price but just with securing a flight late afternoon to stay at CDG airport for a flight the next day home. Should we book now, wait a month or so or just get them a week or two before the date? Train time is too long, so we want to fly back to Paris. Thanks in advance for advice.
Posted by
Washington DC
27063 posts
The fares on intra-European flights never seem to go down. When tickets are initially released, they are typically priced very low. If the flight is popular, the fare may climb quite high as the departure date approaches. If you are absolutely sure of your timing--because the tickets will likely be non-refundable and non-changeable, it's probably smart to buy now if you see what looks like a good deal. Don't forget to check on fees for checked bags, seat selection, etc.
Posted by
Paris
9550 posts
I agree with acraven. The sooner you know your actual dates and can buy the tickets, the cheaper they will be. September is high season in Paris so i imagine that tickets purchased just a week or two before would be on the expensive side.
Posted by
Central Connecticut, USA
1103 posts
I advise buying the tickets now as long as your plans are firm.
Posted by
Chicago
7811 posts
I'd buy them if I knew I was going. The price goes up. The less you spend the lower the risk.
Posted by
Windsor, Ontario, Canada
4037 posts
Europe's short-hop airlines have altered the nature of travel on the continent in good ways. The one risk of buying far in advance is that the airline might change its schedule. Adjustments are not uncommon and can crunch the ticket-holder's distant plans. I would be comfortable purchasing in spring. I have used www.skyscanner.com which covers European one-way budget flights.
Posted by
victoria, Canada
11507 posts
I bought all my tickets for our inter-europeon flights ( London to Prague, Prague to Athens, Athens to Paris ) for our trip this coming May and June , before Christmas.. about 6 weeks ago.. waiting till closer to trip gets you no benefit except higher prices. And buying any airline ticket a week before is a horrendus idea.. prices will be at their zenith then ..
Posted by
1 posts
I know you say the price isn't a concern, but international flights can be really expensive when you book close to the departure date.
So, it's best to save where you can and avoid extra charges. If you book now you can get, considerably, cheap flights to your destination, provided you are plans are concrete.
At least, 1.5 - 2 months in advance is sure to get you a reasonable rate for your flight home. Here are some more tips to get cheap flights you can consider for international or domestic flights.