Last year I remember Q to Denver via DFW was $3100 shoulder as a 'sale' price to celebrate, cough-cough, opening that route. That was in August or something like that, and it ended up in later sales being about $2100, lower than UA (whose price didnt change at all).

Yes $1380 was 'sale' and it dropped further a few weeks later, whaddaya gunna do.

$1,380 is still a great fare no matter how you look at it ;-)

If you look at Qantas' season graphs, there is a huge variability between prices for different times of the year and the lowest is from sometime during January through to end of March from memory. Of course, if you buy now for next winter they will SMASH you, they're not worried about filling planes that far out.

I'm going to the states next year (yay, first time) and I won't be booking flights until the end of this year. If Qantas don't come through with the sale fares (highly unlikely IMO) then I'll just go Korean or Virgin or Air NZ.

I just paid deposits on two Epic Locals season passes for 2012/13: $49 each with the balance in mid September - probably rules out going to Japan with the local ski store guy.

Bit the bullet LT. It seems to be the same kind of deal as Perisher's Freedom season pass - pay deposit at the end of the season just finishing and then the balance in the autumn.

I renewed my Squaw/Alpine pass and I also paid the $49 down on the Heavenly+Nstar+ Kirkwood pass. My current thinking is to take a month in mid March to mid April 2013. If more work means an earlier extra trip is needed, I've got offers to stay in palaces gratis in Bel Air and near Truckee. That's right cheaper than B2S can get. Woohoo! I'm now a fair dinkum Free Skier. How Bonzer is that!

I was going to wait to see how next Nth winter shaped up but with MrsH already needing to nominate dates I jumped in with the early Monday afternoon (Oz time) the deadline for the Epic 'Freedom' pass looming.

Yes Fastman just did the same.

Look at it this way - next season cannot possibly be as bad as this season!

^^^
I can't believe how lucky we were, it must be the 888 number plate we have.

Sholuld be double checked but I think what the cutoff of 15th April 2012, the 100th year to the day since the Tiranic went down, is the number of day 'buddy' discounts which attach to the pass. After the 15th that will be less. That will still be of benefit to us.

MrsH is keen, she is already booking her seat for January, at least for the outbound flights, mainly because her sister, the WWW, is going with her and coordinating the Perth-SYD connection with the SYD-DFW sector is already becoming an issue.

Don't throw water on her sister then

She booked a Jan 17th departure as that is the first day in 'shoulder', and that does tend to book out earlier. I think I may overlap with the WWW but have to ensure MissH doesn't, as long as they are apart the WWW is OK. We have to wait and see how MissH's university entrance hopes for next year clarify before I or both of us make our reservations.

Ok so we will see you in late January? and hopefully Miss H as well

Yep, and I hope so LT

Im backing up for another US trip , probably january at this stage & Tahoe on radar, weather permitting. Shall book just to LA again & see what unfolds. Gotta get better conditions / options next season surely.

Just a note, if I were you, I would do Disneyland at the end of the trip for the kiddos. It will likely be their favourite portion of the trip (not that skiing/snowboarding isn't great, but Disneyland is MADE for children!). Better to save that to last when they will be feeling down on going home; in the beginning they'll be excited already just going to America! Alternatively, since you're flying in and out LA (right?) you could always split your time in Disneyland up; maybe a little at the start, a little at the end. Just a note though, Disneyland is very far away from LAX. It is located in Anaheim, and that is a town/city outside of LA (though there are busses that go directly there).

Cheers haka,
We've just done Universal at the end of last trip , as thats what the kids wanted . The are boys 11 & 13. I asked about Disney & they were'nt fussed, maybe a few years ago yes.
And they luv staying on snow & skiing as much as other attractions, which is great for us, so we are lucky there.

Been a while since I posted in my own thread!

Southwest fly from Orange County (John Wayne Airport) to Denver, which is great for Disneyland.

We still haven't decided between Steamboat (in many ways our preference) and Breckenridge. Given that about 60% of our time there is either peak holiday period or weekends, from all reports Steamboat is less crowded. Much lower risk of altitude sickness too (which the +1 has little appetite for!), although obviously this is not the determining factor. This is not the sort of trip where we will be zipping off to the neighbouring resorts on a regular basis either, so that 'plus' of Breckenridge is somewhat negated. Both have lots to do and I'm sure would be great. We have friends who will be in Steamboat for a week or so too, so that is a factor.

Decisions, decisions...

Steamboat this time, Breckenridge next time absentskier. MrsH did her flights for next Jan today so as to be sure she is on the same flight as the WWW, the 1st day of shoulder (Thu 17th), returning home the Sat a bit over two weeks later. Myself I'm waiting for the ski club to post its western trip schedule for next winter, which they normally do in May, to see if I can work that in to pick dates, and am watching for Business specials.

We were considereing Steamboat too if Tahoe has a late start like this year . My youngest struggled with altitude sickness for days @ Snowbird , puts a downer on a trip when someones crook, & we all drank plenty water etc etc, he was sweet eventually when he took some pills. So if we do Colorado , we'll pass on Aspen & Breck until he can deal with it better.

Thought I would say something seeing how the US has recieved a bit of a bad wrap on here lately. Despite being in Tahoe for almost a month between jan and feb where we had very little snowfall I would love to go back there again next year. I had more fun on my US trip in 2012 than I did on my Japan trips in 2010 and 2011 (though we are likely headed back to Japan in 2013). So much fun to be had over in the states.

I dont know if its a bad wrap mj. Ya gunna get a poor season from time to time. Im backing up & from the sounds of it skidown, snorks & co may do the same.
Japan will always be there & I agree with you. So much to do there besides ski. Good times

Fingers crossed for a decent winter next season. Just booked a 2BR condo in Breckenridge for 16 nights from Jan17th to cover the time MrsH is there.

I'm crossing everything

Anyone have any good airfares. My plan is into new York late dec and leave telluride late feb and am gobsmacked by my potential cattle class fare

Have also looked at flying into NY at about Christmas.
Have come up with a few "reasonable" options.
JAL Syd-Tokyo, Tokyo-JFK is probably looking like one of the best at the moment.
Might even stop for a few days on the way home...

Every so often I compare'm: Qantas v United. From SYD-DEN return on the dates I will probably do Qantas is $2792 with one stop (DFW) whereas same dates on United with one stop (LAX, which is ok for them - same terminal) is $3068. I have a 20% discount voucher to compensate for last Feb's debacle which brings it down to $2623 but add on the 2nd bag check-in fee of $70 eac way takes it up to $2763, just $29 short of Qantas and that is with the 20% discount!!!! The Continental merger must mean they are upping their prices. No contest between the two: Qantas.

On the other hand in Business it switches: Qntas is $10387 (via DFW) whereas UA via LAX is $8800 or $7208 with the discount, and Qantas in PE is $5361. UA Business isn't bad but their seats are 2-4-2 on the 747(downstairs), same as PE on Qantas. So if I feel like a splurge it will probably be PE on Qantas rather than Business on UA.