Airfare bust

[disneygirl76]

Hi all!

So of course i've been stalking the air fare since we booked our trip. And I was trying to avoid putting the air fare on a cc. So I was going to book it tomorrow. But it went up! Like by $100! UGH! Why did I wait? :brick: I had a fare for under $200 round trip per person which isn't amazing but its pretty good. Now i'm trying to decide, do I wait for it to go down or just book it anyway?

 

[journ116]

Hi all!

So of course i've been stalking the air fare since we booked our trip. And I was trying to avoid putting the air fare on a cc. So I was going to book it tomorrow. But it went up! Like by $100! UGH! Why did I wait? :brick: I had a fare for under $200 round trip per person which isn't amazing but its pretty good. Now i'm trying to decide, do I wait for it to go down or just book it anyway?

I was just wondering what airline you were looking at and flying out of where?

Here's what I've learned (FYI: I typically fly AirTran):

1. Check for flights on Tues. & Wed. mornings.

2. Call the airline directly to see if they offer refunds or "credits" if a price for a flight goes down (but not changing dates). AirTran offers credits to be used within a year of issue and are good for bags, seat assignments and future travel. (I'm not sure how things will work out with SW acquiring AT.) Last year, I booked my flights for our Oct. 2011 trip in April 2011, but come August, prices went way down and I saved $63/ticket! The airline industry is unpredictable (and greedy).

3. Watch or sign up for "specials and alerts" from the airline(s) you want to travel with. Sometimes, when an airline offers a special, they'll extend it to other dates as well (not just the "travel by..." dates). For example, AT was running a special a couple of weeks ago, which lowered prices across the board (Oct. dates went from $146 to $110, even though the special was, "book by May...and travel by July...").

4. It wouldn't hurt to book now if you find a "decent" price, that way you're not driving yourself nuts. But if you're anything like me, one of the first things I do in the morning is: check flights. I randomly look throughout the day, but find after 11 a.m., prices tend to go back up.

Good luck with your booking!

 

[Weather_Lady]

I used to work in the airline industry for 2+ years and the closer to the date of travel, the more it will rise. Tickets are sold in tiers. Example: $100 tier, $200 tier, $250 tier, etc... So you may see a $200 ticket one day, then it sells out so the next day it's up to $300 and then will fluctuate in price around $300 until that's sold out. Once that tier is gone, you have to book the next tier. Sometimes you may get lucky and someone who has a "hold" on a lower price tier will release it or someone may cancel and you may be able to snatch it up.

Just some fun airline facts for you on this Friday! lol We booked our airfare in April for our September trip for $242 a person. From Portland, Maine, that's pretty decent.

I know JetBlue does this, so I was stalking their website to see when fares would be released for our travel dates. I booked us roundtrip for $244/pp (closer to $290/pp by the time taxes and fees were added), and was grateful that I did. Within days, the cost had gone up by $50/pp, and has continued to increase in the weeks since.

That being said, I understand the OP's reluctance to put it on a credit card, and her desire to wait until she had the cash to pay for it. That's generally a good, sound way to do business. At this point, just find the best deal you can, book it, and as a previous poster said, don't look back!

 

[ShookieJones]

I used to work in the airline industry for 2+ years and the closer to the date of travel, the more it will rise. Tickets are sold in tiers. Example: $100 tier, $200 tier, $250 tier, etc... So you may see a $200 ticket one day, then it sells out so the next day it's up to $300 and then will fluctuate in price around $300 until that's sold out. Once that tier is gone, you have to book the next tier. Sometimes you may get lucky and someone who has a "hold" on a lower price tier will release it or someone may cancel and you may be able to snatch it up.

Just some fun airline facts for you on this Friday! lol We booked our airfare in April for our September trip for $242 a person. From Portland, Maine, that's pretty decent.

Actually I'm quite grateful for these 'fun airline facts'! Thank you!

My buddy who sits in the next cube is always telling me he waits until the last minute to get his flights at good prices and I'm always arguing telling him he's just getting lucky.

Everytime I book early, by the time the trip comes along the ticket prices have tripled! He uses Jet Blue exclusively and is some kind of card carrying member.. and I think they always have these crazy last minute weekend deals and that's what he's talking about.

For me the rule is:
Airline: as far out as I can book it I do.
Car: Last possible minute

 

[disneygirl76]

Thanks for the fun facts! They are helpful. I don't know if I want to wait until Tuesday or Wednesday of next week - i'm ready to pull the trigger. Now I need to decide - do I book the flight I originally wanted on Air Tran which is $125 higher now or do I book another flight which is lower but is not nonstoop. UGH! I am still kicking myself I didn't do this sooner. What was I thinking. :hammer:

I'm discussing as we speak with the DH on our next maneuver.

 

[Weather_Lady]

Thanks for the fun facts! They are helpful. I don't know if I want to wait until Tuesday or Wednesday of next week - i'm ready to pull the trigger. Now I need to decide - do I book the flight I originally wanted on Air Tran which is $125 higher now or do I book another flight which is lower but is not nonstoop. UGH! I am still kicking myself I didn't do this sooner. What was I thinking. :hammer:

I'm discussing as we speak with the DH on our next maneuver.

Can you call AirTran and ask if they have a "refund and reticket" policy if your airfare goes down soon after you buy it? I know some airlines do, but the time period (24 hours, 1 week, etc.) for which it applies varies... it might be worth checking out.

Here's a chart, although I don't know if it's totally up-to-date: http://www.airfarewatchdog.com/blog/8468624/chart-airline-fare-drop-refund-policies/

 

[disneygirl76]

Can you call AirTran and ask if they have a "refund and reticket" policy if your airfare goes down soon after you buy it? I know some airlines do, but the time period (24 hours, 1 week, etc.) for which it applies varies... it might be worth checking out.

Here's a chart, although I don't know if it's totally up-to-date: http://www.airfarewatchdog.com/blog/8468624/chart-airline-fare-drop-refund-policies/

Thanks, I'm calling them now.

 

[I_heart_Tigger]

I always book my airfare first but for me airfare is sometimes over half of my entire stay. I can spend more on my plane ticket than on my Disney resort, park hoppers and meal plan combined so it is the biggest part of my budgeting.

I agree as someone else said when you book don't go back and keep checking prices. Yes it may go down but don't bother checking, it will just make you upset that you didn't wait.

My theory is, I would rather have a ticket than keep checking for deals. I know what amount I generally spend and as long as I am within about $200-$300 of my goal amount, I am fine.

Good luck!

 

[sgtmgd]

Good Cost anaylsis can determin if driving is an option...of course Ive never lived more than 10 hours from Disney..minus my time deployed to Iraq/Afghan
I still look at air fares from here in NC to Orlando to see if Id venture down that path..but it always makes more sense to drive...going to take 7-10 hours to fly from here anyway with everthing that goes into an Airtrip

 

[disneygirl76]

So I pulled the trigger and booked the flight on Air Tran even though it went up. Per the advice here, I did confirm that if the flight amount goes down, I can get the difference as a credit with them for either another future flight or baggage or I can upgrade the existing flight. There is no fee for this change. The credit is just issued to your account. So once I heard this, I pulled the trigger. :sohappy:

I still got the ticket for about $250 per person from DCA (Regan National Airport in DC) and it is non stop at the times I wanted. So i'm happy about that. We can Metro so there is no fee getting to and from the airport and there is no cost for parking the car. I weighed those options too - price if we parked at a further away airport.

We did consider driving. But we used to live 4 hours away from WDW so we did for many years. Now we are about 14 1/2 hours away and the price of gas and the car we have (big SUV) it would be about $600 to drive so totally worth driving. So still worth the time and money to fly.

Fingers crossed they go down - but if not, not a terrible amount to pay! :brick:

 

[Sharkreef11]

So I pulled the trigger and booked the flight on Air Tran even though it went up. Per the advice here, I did confirm that if the flight amount goes down, I can get the difference as a credit with them for either another future flight or baggage or I can upgrade the existing flight. There is no fee for this change. The credit is just issued to your account. So once I heard this, I pulled the trigger. :sohappy:

I still got the ticket for about $250 per person from DCA (Regan National Airport in DC) and it is non stop at the times I wanted. So i'm happy about that. We can Metro so there is no fee getting to and from the airport and there is no cost for parking the car. I weighed those options too - price if we parked at a further away airport.

We did consider driving. But we used to live 4 hours away from WDW so we did for many years. Now we are about 14 1/2 hours away and the price of gas and the car we have (big SUV) it would be about $600 to drive so totally worth driving. So still worth the time and money to fly.

Fingers crossed they go down - but if not, not a terrible amount to pay! :brick:

Congrats on pulling the trigger. At least it's done now and you can put your focus on other things like YOU'RE GOING TO DISNEY WORLD!!! :sohappy:

 

[disneygirl76]

Congrats on pulling the trigger. At least it's done now and you can put your focus on other things like YOU'RE GOING TO DISNEY WORLD!!! :sohappy:

Exactly! :sohappy: So excited! :sohappy:

 

[coachwnh]

if you book SWA, book it and if it does go down, you get that amount credited for a future flight (expires 1 yr from original booking date). you need to check this though. if it goes down, you need to call them. we did that for our DL trip to Cali this summer. booked from Newark and went down $187 for the 4 of us (RT) we used toward our summer trip to WDW. ended up paying just over $700 (RT after credit) for the 4 of us!

 

[journ116]

Check AirTran's site now...I was "looking" to see if they released past Nov. 2nd (they haven't), but found that the flight I need down (out of BWI) went from $133 this a.m. to $94!

Just remember, when you call for the price adjustment, they must have available seats at that price and have your calculator handy. Once, I was refunded too much and found out that the AT lady took away our seats! So, when I called back to explain this dilemma, another AT lady offered to book us in the very front row, but I'd be separated from my hubby and alone with our two young daughters. Anywhosen, if the numbers don't add up, speak up. And make sure you have your assigned seats if you booked them.

Happy travels!

 

[fauzha7]

We booked two seats on Delta for early Dec about 3 weeks ago for $526 RT which was up from the first time I looked at the same flight 2 weeks earlier for $475 RT. Today my daughter decided to go with us and her ticket on the same flights are up to $336 (or $672 for two). Buy now. I usually fly Airtran but they are dragging their feet on late year reservations and I was afraid of how high it will go up by the time they open Dec up. BTW, we fly out of Pittsburgh and these are 1 stop flights. Airtran always had non stop early in the day for arriving and a non stop late in the evening for a return flight which gave us extra time in the parks.

 

[coachwnh]

according to the SWA website (who now owns Air Tran) the dates through January 2 will not be released until June 2. his date has shifted to a later date almost bi weekly the past 2 months. Im not sure if air tran will release the same day, but its possible. Air tran is leaving several airports this summer as they merge with SWA. I wonder if this merger is part of the delay in releasing the late year schedules.

 

[lisacat]

I'm anxiously waiting for Southwest to release the next chunk of dates and hoping my trip falls in there......

 

[lisacat]

according to the SWA website (who now owns Air Tran) the dates through January 2 will not be released until June 2. his date has shifted to a later date almost bi weekly the past 2 months. Im not sure if air tran will release the same day, but its possible. Air tran is leaving several airports this summer as they merge with SWA. I wonder if this merger is part of the delay in releasing the late year schedules.

Southwest told me June 4. Three different agents. LOL

 

[luv]

I once waited one day for a friend to cement her plans.

It went up nearly $300 that night and never went down.

Just a word to the wise there!

 

[skimbob]

I was looking for flights in January from California and originally the price was almost $1,000 tax included. I went in the other day and the cost was $542 including tax and insurance. I usually only pay around $400 in February/March. Does anyone know if it is typically more expensive in January during the Marathon weekend. I might have paid more than I needed to but with fuel prices being higher I thought that could be the reason.

 

[jenluvswdw]

Hi all! Reading all these posts I am really starting to think I should plan my next trip after I find and book the most reasonable airline ticket. I will be stalking airline site now too. This is backwards, I know, but airfare can potentially cost as much as our stay at WDW. Is this crazy??