Purchasing flights from overseas

[John Reggars]

Hi All,

I have been a avid "watcher" of the FF discussions for some time but this is my first post. I noticed sometime ago on one discussion about the website ITA which lists fares from different destinations. On checking the fare, for example from KL to London return, the Business Class fares were very attractive. My plan is to fly to Europe or the US next year, Business Class, and I was wondering whether buying a return ticket from Australia to one of the South East Asia ports and then buying the fare for the rest of the journey there, is cheaper that just purchasing the whole fare in AustraliaI? Is there a previous discussion on buying fares from another port and/or what are pitfalls and problems with this method of buying airfares?

Thanks
JR

 

[Danger]

Welcome, John Reggars.

The ITA matrix is very handy in comparing fares.

This thread may help.

I have purchased a SIN-LHR-SIN QF flight before without issue, with PER-SIN-PER on JQ. And it was cheaper. The exchange rate to the Singapore dollar at the moment makes this particularly attractive.

 

[tuapekastar]

Welcome from me also John Reggars!

I think mostly it is not an issue but I think the occasional port (BKK may be one?) likes to sight the credit card used to purchase the ticket within a couple of days of the purchase, which is difficult to do if you're here in Oz! Anyway, something to be aware of.

 

[greenfish]

If you're planning to stopover where ever you've bought the onwards ticket, this works fine.

If you're going to travel straight through, you may have issues with:
- Delays causing you to miss your second flight - will the onward airline rebook you?
- Checking luggage straight through
- Lost time due to having to check in again at the stopover point.

I've used a similar tactic when flying to the USA- taking a JQ discount fare to HNL then picking up a cheap YUPP or KUPP on AA from HNL. I always leave plenty of time in HNL though (>5 hours), and always fly with hand luggage.

 

[JohnK]

Purchasing flights from overseas to return to Australia are generally much cheaper than purchasing the same airfares from Australia.

I have also tried what you are thinking of doing and while it may work for business class airfares thanks to some clever discounting overseas it does not work for economy class airfares to the same destinations.

I think mostly it is not an issue but I think the occasional port (BKK may be one?) likes to sight the credit card used to purchase the ticket within a couple of days of the purchase, which is difficult to do if you're here in Oz! Anyway, something to be aware of.

I have purchased airfares ex-BKK on CX, SQ, TG, BA and the only one that asks to see credit card within 2 days is QF. The others simply mention that one needs to present the credit card that was used for payment at check-in.

 

[John Reggars]

Thanks to all who have responded. Your information has been most helpful.

Cheers
JR

 

[Happy Trails]

I have purchased airfares ex-BKK on CX, SQ, TG, BA and the only one that asks to see credit card within 2 days is QF. The others simply mention that one needs to present the credit card that was used for payment at check-in.

If you call the QF office in BKK they can be quite flexible about this. They have held bookings open for up to four weeks for me.
Don't know if status has any bearing on it.