A long flight and costly air fares don’t need to keep you from booking your dream vacation. When people think of traveling to New Zealand the thoughts that typically come to mind are the air fares and long flight. Both of these subjects need to be revisited to give you a brighter outlook for your travel.
Today there are many different web sites that scan air fares to find the cheapest flights out there. Expedia, kayak, cheapoair, are a few just to mention. Using these sites seem straight foreword, but there are ways to optimize the bang for your buck when using these sites.
Be Flexible:
Be flexible to the dates you are searching for and also be flexible to the Airport you are flying out of. A day or two in advance or a neighboring airport could be the difference of a few hundred dollars.
Book Early:
If you know that you are planning on traveling overseas, it is best to book your flight 2-8 months in advance. If traveling in the most expensive travel times (Christmas, New Years, Mid-June through Mid-August) make sure to give yourself the 6-8 months in advance.
Travel During the week:
The most expensive days to travel are typically Friday and Sunday. So, if you can try and book a flight on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Saturday, they are generally the cheapest days to travel.
(Other sites to consider scottscheapflights.com. Although this site has an annual cost, the savings are unbeatable. I have seen flights from the US round trip to New Zealand for under $700)
The long flight.
First off you are coming to New Zealand! You should feel like a young lad on Christmas eve! But for you folks that dread long travel time, here are a few things to consider:
Embrace the Journey.
The sooner your accept the fact you will be on the plane for 14 hours the quicker it will go. Put your mind on auto pilot and be excited about where you’re going.
Bring something to do and cancel out the exterior noise.
Books, Magazines, journaling are a few to start with. Maybe you haven’t gotten to catch up on a book you’ve wanted to read, or some writing you’ve wanted to do, this is a great time to be productive. That being said it’s hard to focus when a snoring person or crying baby is all you can hear, so bring your own head phones. Find a good pair of head phones that knock out the exterior noise and a pair that are comfortable to your ears. Being productive and having your own peace and quiet will make the flight fly by!
Get a good seat:
If you have the extra bucks or airline points to upgrade to first class, do it. The first class chairs recline almost all the way back and the leg room you get is well worth it. But, if upgrading isn’t an option don’t worry, the ride in coach is more than tolerable. Most flights you give plenty of complimentary wine and a warm meal anywhere you sit.
Most international flights schedule their flights to depart in the evening so you will be flying through the night. I flew coach with Air New Zealand, and I was blown away on how easy, and pleasant the flight experience was. The airline present’s you with a blanket, pillow, and headphones before you depart, and you have your own monitor in front of your chair that comes with long list of new movies. There is a hot meal served with plenty of wine to wash it down, and a hot meal again for breakfast. All complimentary of the flight. By the time you’ve picked out a movie, ate dinner, and drank a few glasses of wine your flight is a third of the way over. Then you close your eyes for a few hours, eat breakfast, watch another movie and you’ve arrived, it’s that easy.
Don’t make excuses on booking a flight. Your adventure awaits, take these steps and come on!