Cheap Tickets

Your questions and comment on travel to Tobago
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Derryck Larsson
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Cheap Tickets

Post by Derryck Larsson »

Hi guys!

It's my first post in this forum and I've never been to Tobago - but I always dreamt of lying on one of these paradise beaches. However, flying from Europe to the Caribbean isn't that cheap, is it? Do you have a good website, that you can recommend, to get cheap air tickets? Where have you booked your trips? Any recommendations for me?

Best,
Derryck
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Steve Wooler
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Re: Cheap Tickets

Post by Steve Wooler »

Hello Derryck

Welcome aboard!

That's a dream you shouldn't miss, but I agree that flying from Europe to the Caribbean is not a cheap option. Condor is the only service direct from German (Frankfurt). Thomas Cook operate a cheap service from Manchester in the UK. Other than that, you just have the main (high cost) carriers of Virgin and BA.

In answer to your question, however, I have no personal knowledge of any website or service that is a good reliable source of cheap flight tickets to Tobago. Hopefully someone else may know of one, but with the limited number of services, I think you will struggle to find any material savings. Having said that, I know that some of the large tour operators can sometimes offer really good deals on flights+hotel accommodation. It's worth looking at Rex Resorts - I once met someone who claimed to be on holiday in Tobago having booked an inclusive holiday at the (Rex) Turtle Beach hotel, even though he was staying in a guest house elsewhere on the island. He reckoned it was cheaper than buying the tickets direct! I've no idea how true this was though.
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PaulMakin
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Re: Cheap Tickets

Post by PaulMakin »

i've never had any luck with (UK) ticket agencies discounting flights to TnT.

BA and Virgin (ex Gatwick so additional flights from continental europe required) are currently doing the schools vacation price merry go round but after the 3rd week in august are dropping back down to the low to mid 500GBPs. Both carriers have now introduced a tiered economy so if you're OK with random seat allocation, no checked baggage etc then you can shave a little from the price but the savings hardly seem worthwhile and i continue to go with a checked bag just in case i'm carrying stuff back up to the UK.

The manchester TC flight shares with Condor and is seasonal, ie not currently operating. If you fly condor make sure that you book the "correct" return leg; in high season one week it's tobago/manchester/frankfurt and the following week is tobago/frankfurt/manchester etc. Unless you really want to see the other airport then your holiday duration needs to be a multiple of 2 weeks. All TC/Condor return flights were stopping in barbados, not sure if that will still be the case.

having said all this, the BA/Virgin prices are broadly in line with what i've been paying for years, so ignoring the loss of the true "low cost" operators, i'd have to say that ticket prices have been static (give or take). I've always found it much more cost effective to book direct with the airline than through an agent (others may have more info on this, i gave up on it years ago).

I'd also recommend not flying via Trinidad. There are many routes to take into Piarco but they all take ages with connections/changes and there is a real risk currently of failed/delayed onward travel to tobago - sea and air bridges are somewhat "broken".

paul
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Paul Tallet
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Re: Cheap Tickets

Post by Paul Tallet »

I am doing my 4th consecutive trip with Thomson (Condor).

This flight operator allows you to book 15 months in advance so when I first learned of this it felt quite surreal to be paying for my tickets for the next year before I had visited the previous year :shock: .

But one thing I have learned over 20+ years is you cannot second guess the flight prices so I just buy the tickets as soon as they become available in October ... so, this year I will be buying flights in October 2018 for my next visit in December 2019. You have to wait until your return flight is within the 15 month timeline ... I normally return mid January.

I always book premium economy (PE) and I fly from Manshester. Even if you book one way PE you get extra baggage allowance both ways. The price is reasonable, about £700 return (probably £400 - £500 in economy) and you can have as many gin and tonics as you like while the ... erm ... others :lol: in economy have to pay for their drinks ... it's about as good as Virgin or BA economy but with bigger seats and more baggage.

Last year, my seat was worth about £2,000 return about 2 weeks before the flight ... we are talking about the 17/18th December and I was on a 4 week return ... after that it was completely sold out.

The point about stop offs ... the flights are direct to Tobago on the way out from Manchester but the return flight is indirect with a stop off in Barbados. Unless things have changed since January 2018 you are required to leave the aircraft and wait in the airport until the plane has been cleaned, dusted and spruced up ... not sure if they do the windows though :-k

Yes ... this does require you to take your hand baggage with you and to go through the normal security checks so my tip is not to buy any water in the Tobago departure lounge otherwise it will be confiscated in Barbados because they think it could contain explosives ... ha ha, I caught them out last time because I drank all my water and they didn't detect it ... and, just to prove my point, I didn't explode either 8-[ although the security staff didn't seem to get my point during the highly charged process.

Hope this helps.

Regards
Paul Tallet
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Derryck Larsson
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Re: Cheap Tickets

Post by Derryck Larsson »

Hi guys!

Thank you so much for your fast and detailed replies!!!

I will definitely check out the website of Condor (I have a friend in Frankfurt, so flying from there would be a good option) and take a look at the offerings of the Rex Resorts. The Premium Economy option sounds fantastic, but, yeah, I think I might be better off saving 200-300 pounds and refrain from drinking anything. :)

Actually, I can pass on a lot of things (comfort, free drinks, bigger seats, extra luggage etc.) as long as I can travel as cheap as possible. It's not that I see the benefits of these services, but ... well... my financial situation taught me how to make compromises. Until now, I have only traveled outside of Europe with Ryanair flying to Morocco. And I guess we all know how "comfy" but cheap Ryanair is.
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Re: Cheap Tickets

Post by Baviyt »

Hi guys...I want to visit Tobago...Can you recommend any companies to fly from New Jersey? And if you know tell me please about cheap tickets.
Thanks.
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Steve Wooler
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Re: Cheap Tickets

Post by Steve Wooler »

Hi Baviyt

Welcome aboard!

You will find general information on flights from North America in our "Getting There" section at www.mytobago.info/gettingthere.php. Not a lot of choice, I'm afraid, and I don't think you'll find any sources of cheap tickets with so few flights.
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Hugh S
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Re: Cheap Tickets

Post by Hugh S »

Available fights from the New Jersey area are through DC, JFK, Miami or Ft. Lauderdale. There is only one flight directly to Tobago (avoids POS in Trinidad) on Caribbean Air on Sundays. Not sure what is available from Newark but it looks like all flights are at least one stop.

Good luck with cheap!

Hugh 8)
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Kurt.Halfyard
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Re: Cheap Tickets

Post by Kurt.Halfyard »

Sunwing in Toronto has cheap flights direct to Tobago, but you are 2nd in line after the Sunwing all-inclusive crowd which is why they charter the plane in the first place.

Just got back from Tobago Today, 10 fine days of pure liquid sunshine. Was by the Tropikist Hotel in Courland, and it looked busier than normal, perhaps with the Sun Wing Vacationers.
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Paul Tallet
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Re: Cheap Tickets

Post by Paul Tallet »

THOMAS COOK AIRLINES

Firstly I am always in the habit of calling Thomas Cook 'Thomsons' so I hope my earlier contribution was not misleading.

I am not sure if anyone has noticed but 3 or 4 weeks ago Thomas Cook announced a restructuring of it's business of which their Holiday package business is more profitable than it's Flights business.

I was not sure if this mean't they will sell the business or cancel some of their least profitable flight operations but I was curious when they began offering flights to Tobago 18 months before departure date. So I bought my tickets for December 2019 in August 2018 once I had cottoned on … this indicates cashflow problems or it can indicate some savvy on the part of Thomas Cook to profit from lower aviation fuel or some other aspect of it's operations at the time.

However I have noticed that they appear to have joined forces with Lufthansa who offer business class in addition to the economy and premium classes.

I see this as a more positive sign but Tobago's tourism situation needs to improve in order to sustain the commitments of flight operators.

Regards
Paul Tallet
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