airline reservations?

[youngatheart21]

I am planning an Orlando vacation (5 nights at Universal and 10 nights at WDW) for June 2004. I checked the airlines and found a roundtrip ticket from Los Angeles to Orlando for $272.00. This is a pretty good price since I paid $440.00 for my last trip. Am I going overboard in reserving this ticket so far in advance? Has anyone ever done this before? My husband says that I am crazy what do you think?

Thanks.

 

[djmatthews]

If are definatly going - why not get them now, then you start making plans and begin the countdown! x

 

[FormerCM]

Does the airline offer a cancelation policy?? I do them that far in advance also, it's worth it the chance that something ids going to happen that you can't go is probably a slim chance you would know better about your own circumstances!!

 

[enough]

that is a great price, but as another member pointed out are you 100% sure on the dates? Also, be aware that airlines reserve the right to alter routes and departure/arrival times so you may be stuck if they change it on you, and this far out the likelihood of it changing is greater than if you booked closer to your departure date.


still, that price is hard to pass up

 

[MinnieFan]

We usually book our flights really early too. Once I find a good price, we book it. With a price like that, it would be hard to pass it up.

 

[s25843]

For our trips in Feb I ususally Book the airfare in Sept.

For our odd trips I book last minute. For example last year I had to go on a 1 day trip to FL for the sea trial of our new boat, I booked 4 days in advance and got (an AMAZING) rate of $132 round trip on Delta.

For my Disney trip last weekend I booked about a month in advance and paid $237 RT on Song.

So wait a few months, you will be able to find a deal later on

 

[Melora]

I just booked 9 tickets on Delta (Song) for $259 each from L A to Orlando.... We are going in Dec and I had been watching the prices and they were around $235 and one day they went up and I decided to grab them since I have watched tickets go up and up as the dates got closer... If I had booked the day before I would have saved over $200... but I figure if I waited they would have gone up even more.... grab a deal if you find one...

I sent my older kids to see their dad in Seattle this week and his wife bought them tickets for $213 ea. My son decided at the last minute he wanted to go so I paid for his ticket and I got the last seat on the flight (what luck!) but had to pay $389 for it..and it was still 1 month before the flight!! GRRRRRRrrrrrrr

 

[Scooter]

Unless there is a special "Deal" advertised, we book as early as possible.

Tickerts are sold in blocks...example: There might be 10 seats going for $99 one way...the next 10 seats go for $129..the next 10 for $150..the next 10 $180..and so on and so fourth.

The airlines does this so that they can legally advertise that flights are only $99 one way.

What most people don't realize is that there are only 10 of these seats available.

If you happen to be one of the lucky people who call early enough, you might just GET the cheap seats.

Bottom line...the closer you wait until your departure time to buy them....the more costly the tickets.

Now....Having said that, I have to add that sometimes when business is really slow, the airlines might have a "SALE" in order to fill up a plane, and although you ordered your tickets early, you could possibly have paid more for your tickets than the people who waited until the "SALE"

It's a gamble of sorts.

I can tell you this....from Chicago's Ohare Airport..the flights to Orlando are almost ALWAYS full so they don't have sales very often. That's why I buy MY tickets early.:animwink:

 

[youngatheart21]

Thank You!!

Thanks for your advice!!! I went ahead and purchased the tickets. It was hard to pass up such a great deal. On my last trip I purchased my airline tickets 6 months in advance so I figured why wait and let the prices go up. The dates in June are definite since my son and I are both on vacation during that time. Even if the airline decides to change or reschedule my flight, I am pretty flexible. Also the return flight is almost filled so I took my chances and bought them. Thanks for your suggestions.