When to book flights? First timer....

[LdyApxr]

This is our first trip and generally when we have traveled, I have always booked our flights but our travel has either been SoCal(we are NorCal) to DLR or unplanned trips to MI that were booked and flown within days(sometimes we got a week notice woohoo LOL). Since the players may change(if something happens and my husband cannot get the time off due to refinery issues or my niece opts out) I do not want to book any non-refundable fares but I also do not want to miss out on any specials that may come up between now and the trip(April/May of 2016). Is this something better left to the TA or should I do it myself and just watch(I have fare alerts) and if a great deal shows up book it and tempt fate? LOL We are flying from Sacramento(unless something amazing comes up from OAK/SFO) so I am looking at at least $425-550 per person as it is. No Spirit, No JetBlue but we do have Southwest(which we usually fly unless to MI). Thanks in advance! I am just going to be full of questions! Hope you all don't get tired of me!! LOL

 

[catmom46]

Southwest doesn't charge change fees, so that may be your best bet.

 

[LdyApxr]

Southwest doesn't charge change fees, so that may be your best bet.

But they are non-refundable. It would go from a 4 person trip to three(oldest would go but he is re-enlisting and we cannot guarantee that he would be home at that time) because there is no one else who can go with us and if the refinery cancels vacations(due to major refurb/upset etc) then Bill still wants me and the kids to go(he is a take it or leave it Disney person).

 

[Plowboy]

We're also from No. Cal. I've found that flying Southwest out of SMF recently has gotten quite a bit more expensive than out of OAK or SFO. I think it has to do with airport fees associated with the new terminal. Someone has to pay for that big red rabbit.

For our fall trip we booked right after the flights became available and got the best deal to date. I keep watching the Southwest site weekly to see if we can do better and if something does materialize I can make changes without rebooking fees.

 

[catmom46]

But they are non-refundable. It would go from a 4 person trip to three(oldest would go but he is re-enlisting and we cannot guarantee that he would be home at that time) because there is no one else who can go with us and if the refinery cancels vacations(due to major refurb/upset etc) then Bill still wants me and the kids to go(he is a take it or leave it Disney person).

Hmmm…then you would either have to buy refundable or like you said, buy non-refundable at a great price and tempt fate. I don't see how utilizing a TA would be any more helpful. If you do buy non-refundable with Southwest, at least if you're able to change your travel dates for another time, then you wouldn't have to worry about those change fees.

 

[LdyApxr]

We're also from No. Cal. I've found that flying Southwest out of SMF recently has gotten quite a bit more expensive than out of OAK or SFO. I think it has to do with airport fees associated with the new terminal. Someone has to pay for that big red rabbit.

For our fall trip we booked right after the flights became available and got the best deal to date. I keep watching the Southwest site weekly to see if we can do better and if something does materialize I can make changes without rebooking fees.

Thanks! We are about 45min from SMF but we are also equal distance to pretty much all three since we have a house in Marysville but also an apartment for him in Fairfield since he works in Benicia(housing prices much cheaper in Marysville LOL) so we can be flexible in the airport, but preference is SMF. I'll be keeping an eye out!

 

[Weather_Lady]

Hmmm…then you would either have to buy refundable or like you said, buy non-refundable at a great price and tempt fate. I don't see how utilizing a TA would be any more helpful. If you do buy non-refundable with Southwest, at least if you're able to change your travel dates for another time, then you wouldn't have to worry about those change fees.

Another option would be to purchase travel insurance for the non-refundable portions of your trip. We typically use TravelGuard to protect nonrefundable airfare costs when there's any chance we'll have to cancel our trip, and the cost of the insurance is a fraction of what it would cost to upgrade to refundable tickets. (Tip: If you use Travelguard and if you buy the insurance within a few days -- I think it's 15 days -- of the payment [or initial deposit on the payment] for which you're getting coverage, you're eligible for "cancel for any reason" coverage, which means you're covered regardless of the reason you don't take the trip.)