Airfare...wait...or buy?

When do you guys usually buy airfaire to the US? Is there a better time for summer sales? Right now flights from Glasgow to Phoenix are around $721.00 return in August...sounds cheap but with the exchange rate that makes it nearly £499! Two years ago when my friend and I went in the summer it cost us £398 to go, but that was over $800 back then...so I'm wondering if the exchange rate is worth waiting on? BA is having a decent sale til 27 Jan but flights are £339 until like April...did they have a summer sale last year? Arrg so confused...wait...or buy? What would you do for holiday 2009?

If you want to get into this you could wait until Tuesday evening each week when the cheap fares are listed. I am vague on this but I read it somewhere. I think it was Tuesday evening in the US.
I have been looking at fares and now it is so confusing with all the taxes and other fees. I think I'll wait until things settle down. Besides we all may be better off buying food for the hard times that are coming. (Its being so happy that keeps me goin')

Is it a US flag carrier? If so, with most of them (United and Delta especially) you can call them up and ask for them to refund some you the difference between the price when you purchased and the price they list later when on sale.

aw I was looking at BA with their direct flight to Phoenix frm London...thats great advice so far, I might just wait...

Is it a US flag carrier? If so, with most of them (United and Delta especially) you can call them up and ask for them to refund some you the difference between the price when you purchased and the price they list later when on sale.

Can you do that, have you done that?  I have never heard of anyone doing that?  If you can, that is wonderful to know! 

Is it a US flag carrier? If so, with most of them (United and Delta especially) you can call them up and ask for them to refund some you the difference between the price when you purchased and the price they list later when on sale.

As a former travel agent I have NEVER heard of that being done.

That's like seeing a dress you like and buying it and then it going on sale the next week. They won't refund the difference. You take that chance.

United will do it minus a $100 fee.  So its only useful if the flight drops more than $100.  There is a website called www.yapta.com that claims to help you with these refunds and it lists the fees (if any) charged by each airline.
IMO, $700 for summer travel sounds like an awesome deal!

It must be something that only happens in the USA cause that would never happen over here...the only way they will refund anything is if they cancel the flight like Continental did on us.

I think that is essentially what you do here in the States or at least what Mirrajay seems to be describing. You cancel the flight for a fee usually around $100-200 that is taken out of the cost of the flight... so if your flight was $700, they take out a fee of, let's say, $200 (Northwest and Delta's fee for international cancellations) and then you have a $500 credit to use towards a different flight. 

$700 for a flight from Glasgow to Phoenix in August seems rather good, especially with Phoenix being a smaller airport) on our end of the pond no idea if it will get better on your end.