Travel Question of the Day: Simon Calder on a good price for non-stop flights to Hong Kong

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Hong Kong: Fares fluctuate according to the proportion of seats that have been sold

Every day, our travel correspondent Simon Calder tackles readers' questions. Just email yours to s@hols.tv or tweet @simoncalder

Q I am watching non-stop flights to Hong Kong for the end of May. Over the past 10 days they have increased from £450 to £590. Will they decrease at all from now until May? Do prices go up and down or just steadily increase?

Joseph Shailes

A Joseph, if only you had contacted me 10 days earlier and asked: “Is £450 return a good deal for a non-stop to Hong Kong?”

I would have urged you to book at that fare, because that is nearly as low as prices go for a 12,000-mile round trip to the Far East. The £600 mark is more usual for a ticket for the off-peak month of May.

Fares fluctuate according to the proportion of seats that have been sold. If a flight is selling nicely “on trend,” i.e. at the expected rate, then the usual trajectory is relentlessly upwards. The highest fares are saved for those who book at the last minute, on the basis that they are very keen to travel and will pay “distress” prices.

Having said that, London-Hong Kong is a very competitive market, with British Airways, Cathay Pacific and Virgin Atlantic offering non-stop services up against Gulf-based and Asian carriers. If you are prepared to change planes en route, then you might find a ticket for under £400 return, even on the day of travel.