Cheap flight tickets - book in advance or last minute?

I am looking at booking two return tickets from Manchester to Sydney nect March, and the cheapest I have found is 锟?460 including taxes.

Would it be worthwhile waiting for a while in case the price goes down or is this not likely to happen? Do prices generally go down or up?

The trip will only be from 6th March to 10th March. It is not a holiday.

Cheap flight tickets - book in advance or last minute?home theater

These days it is best to book early for the best deals as it has all reversed from the days when last minute bookings were cheap. I would think you have left it pretty late now for Sydney flights so get booking.

Cheap flight tickets - book in advance or last minute?comedy club opera theater

Generally, the earlier you book, the cheaper you can get. This is because they have so many seats available at one price, then so many at another, slightly more expensive, price and then the rest at full price. If you book last minute, even on the regular cheapo airlines you find yourself paying OTT extortionate prices.
I'd think that your best chance of getting a good deal is to book as early as possible.

Just try turning up at Luton to get an easyJet flight to Edinburgh at the last minute. They've got you over a barrel and you'll be shocked at the price.
Often the fare does go down when the seats are not selling well. Also, the airlines don't decide to do special fares for a certain season until they know the numbers. For an expensive ticket like this, I think the best thing for you to do is just pick up the phone and call a few travel agents. It doesn't cost you anything. You can ask them to quote you fares, and they will tell you if it is considered high or if it's a good deal. They can even hold it for you.
6 months b4, then 1 month before then same day. prices will jump around alot between those times
There is typically a defined number of seats available for a particular route (the number being defined by the number of planes flying that route and the number of seats on each plane). As the routes and planes are usually established several months ahead, the supply is already defined.

The cost of airfares is, consequently, heavily determined by demand. For most family holidays, it is almost always in your interest to book in advance.

With scheduled flights that are booked for non family holidays, you can't always tell. If the airline can't fill up the seats, there will be reductions. However, if the airline can fill up seats, all the cheap seats will have obviously gone first and there will be no discount on the expensive tickets.

If you are prepared to show some flexibility on route and dates, I think you will get cheaper flights (with luck about 锟?100 inc taxes for two returns). However, if you can't then stick with this fare because prices for two returns to Oz can go as high as 锟?000.
The more in advance you book, the better price you will usually get. Prices dramatically increase the closer you get to the flight day. This site lists great cheap travel websites: http://www.travelbargainsites.com One site compares all the airlines at once to find the best price for a flight.
your best waiting 21 days before you fly then booking cos you will get last minute flights at last minute prices I have done it and it has worked