Here is what is stopping me from visiting more often --- airfare

[rutgers1]

Are there any tricks of the trade in getting cheaper air?

We could go every year, perhaps multiple times in some year, if airfare wasn't such a factor. I just can't pay for my DVC, park tickets, food, and then $1250 for my family to fly down.

[DISNEYFOS]

Are there any tricks of the trade in getting cheaper air?

We could go every year, perhaps multiple times in some year, if airfare wasn't such a factor. I just can't pay for my DVC, park tickets, food, and then $1250 for my family to fly down.

No tricks here...other than trying to fly midweek. The best way to stretch your points is a Sun - Fri stay and that is the most expensive dates to fly.

[Esmerelda]

I can't say as I have any great advice to offer. You might sign up on Travelocity airfare watch or check out Bestfares.com. I have been a member of BF for over 6 years now..I've gotten some great deals thru there in years past. Try for a DING from SW.

We are on the outskirts of Dayton, Ohio and have flown to Disney for the last 5 years. This year we are driving. Being as there are 4 of us...the cheapest airfare we could find would put us at spending $1,000 for the fare alone! We are driving and have calculated at $4.00 per gallon (est high) and it should cost us about $170 each way. That sure beats $1,000. Plus not to mention we are tired of the airport issues...the security...the parking...the delayed flights...the extra bag charges...etc. I'm looking forward to jumping in my van and just going. We timed it last year from the time we left our house and actually got to Orlando...it was right at 8 hours. For about 6 more hours...we have all of the stuff we wanted to bring (not to mention what we return with..lol)...plus we have our own vehicle so no rental. I'm quite looking forward to it (and believe me, I have flown a great deal and enjoy it)

How far away from the world are you in driving time? (we are about 14-15 hours)

[rutgers1]

We are right outside of NYC. I think it is about 18 hours. We took a motor home a few years ago and I swore that it would be a long time before I drove again. It seems like I can find fares around $250/person, but that is enough to dissuade me from going as often as I'd like.

I was thinking about getting a credit card with miles. Not sure how that works or how good that is.

[CarolA]

I have started using Farecompare.com

I find thier message service MUCH more reliable then any others (travelocity, expedia, best fares etc.) I have tried.

They don't do airlines like SW that don't play on the major reservation systems so you would have to watch those on your own. (Not that SW flies out of my airport)

[GGOOFY1]

I have also used Kayak.com to compare fares.

[JodyTG]

We used to fly, but the last 3 trips we've driven. We were THINKING about flying down this December, but when I checked the airfare it was absolutely ridiculous! Almost $3,000 for 4 people and that was for the cheaper fares.

We'll be driving again...

[jmatias]

For all our past trips airfare to MCO from Honolulu hasn't been too bad with prices for summer in the $500 range.

But now that several airlines in our Hawaii market are bankrupt and the merger of Delta/Northwest, flights to MCO are looking ugly :scared1:

I hoping that things will stabilize soon because I'm planning our next trip to our home at AKV for next summer.

Jen

[dnoyes]

We are right outside of NYC. I think it is about 18 hours. We took a motor home a few years ago and I swore that it would be a long time before I drove again. It seems like I can find fares around $250/person, but that is enough to dissuade me from going as often as I'd like.

I was thinking about getting a credit card with miles. Not sure how that works or how good that is.

If I could get a flight for $250 it would be like winning a lottery:yay: For us $550 is a good deal.

[bigsmooth]

This does not necessarily work for everyone, but I am a big believer in the airline mileage card. We've managed to find a card that is for an airline that also flys direct to Orlando from where we live (Seattle), each year we get a $50 companion fare coupon as part of the card (it does have a annual fee), and we use the card to fun all purchases and pay it off each month. We've been able to use it on three trips now where we get two tickets completely for free, buy one ticket full fare and one ticket for $50 using the companion fare rate. That is 4 tickets for the price of one (plus $50).

It does help if you travel for work purposes, allowing miles to build up faster.

[DVC Jen]

drive? we always do. DFW is nightmare expensive to fly out of - it is cheaper for my family of 4 to drive - even with todays gas prices

[LIFERBABE]

We used to fly, but the last 3 trips we've driven. We were THINKING about flying down this December, but when I checked the airfare it was absolutely ridiculous! Almost $3,000 for 4 people and that was for the cheaper fares.

We'll be driving again...

Hi Jody! We drive from FTW every Christmas. We stay 2 weeks over the holiday to make the long drive worth it. It's really not that bad and with enough time in between to be well rested. Our drive is about 18-20 hours. So far we have always done it straight thru, with Dh and I switching off. The later it gets the more we switch. We take a long break between 3-5 am (that makes it 20 hrs) and we normally get to WDW before noon the next day.
We have our favorite exits and gas stations marked. I also like to drive because we always end up staying an extra day. Cant do that when u fly.

Yesterday I bought our plane tickets for F&WF on Airtran.com They had a $25 off coupon each way for Mother's Day and I was able to score our Oct flights for $135 each nonstop out of DFW!!:cool1:

I love Airtran. They have free XM radio and earphones. And I dont even mind when they change the flight times, because if they change you can cancel without penalty.

Another good deal is if you travel in May or June, do the cheap rental car drive aways from Florida. If you can find a cheap 1 way fare to MCO, you can pick up a car for your length of stay, and drive it home for little of nothing. Last year we had a car for 21/2 weeks (Hertz Toyata Avalon) and dropped it off at DFW for $200 (plus gas) We flew in 1 way on Airtran for $80 each.

This year (June) we have a mini van for $87 for the week. Again flying in on Airtran, mini van all week and drive it home to DFW. We estimated gas at $4 a gallon too.

Even with gas prices, when you combine your rental car and trip home, it is still economical.

We are driving to HHI in 2 weeks!:cool1:

[limace]

Gah...we're on the West Coast, so no decision here. We fly, or we don't go. I have an Alaska Airlines credit card-Alaska's mileage plan is one of the best in the business. Miles don't expire, and only 20K for a free trip. There are often incentives, so they accumulate fast, even without the credit card.

Check out http://flyertalk.com/ Great website re making the most of frequent flier programs.

[HayGan]

We have flown the past several trips but the days of $39 Ding fares are long gone :sad1: In August we are driving, it really is cost effective now for the 4 of us to drive. I have to think that most trips now will be driven except for the rare trip via my frequent flier miles.

[Wedgeh]

I'd love to drive, but have the minor inconvenience of the Atlantic Ocean in the way. So it's every 3 (or if I can persuade DW 2) years for us.

[ADP]

We've been pretty lucky here in Indy. Our airfare can range $100 to $200 per person. We have Airtran and Southwest who fly direct to Orlando. Both are low cost air carriers.

I would suggest to the Op to try these tips:
1. Try and fly on Tuesday or Wednesday. These are low travel days and are typically the cheapest days to fly.
2. Buy early, Buy early, Buy early, Buy early. Each plane has discounted seats when a flight opens up for sale; however, there are very few. If you are one of the first to purchase seats on a flight you will typically get the best price per person.
3. Continually visit your air carriers website to keep an eye out for specials and promotions which can significantly save you money. Even after you purchase your flights you can get an adjustment or credit on your airfare if the price drops. Sometimes you can get your money back other times you can get a credit for future travel. Either way is good.

[drakethib]

We used to fly, but the last 3 trips we've driven. We were THINKING about flying down this December, but when I checked the airfare it was absolutely ridiculous! Almost $3,000 for 4 people and that was for the cheaper fares.

We'll be driving again...

Good night what airline are you checking?

We use both continental and southwest and have never paid more then $250. RT per person out of Houston.

[Brian Noble]

Just a note that prior years may mean little when checking for airfare given today's market. I fly down the same February week every year and, so far, 2009's flights were published about 20% higher or (much) more, depending on airline and time. So far, they have only gone up.

[RumpleMom]

We fly Wednesday to Wednesday for cheaper fares. DH likes having a short work week on both ends of vacation.

Sign up for email alerts from the airlines. Airtran and Southwest have been a wonderful addition to PIT.

Join the frequent flyer club for several airlines.

Check fares very early, then be ready to purchase when you see a deal.

[PhilUK]

Our Flights run to around $3400 for 2 Adults & 1 Child. Not much chance of driving from here but we've just hit $10 / Gallon here :( :(

Phil

[snowwhitemom]

Not sure if someone already suggested this.....but try Sidestep.

You download it and it compares all airlines saving you time and $$$$,

I also have DING from Southwest.....good luck.

We are sooooo lucky I can fly anywhere form 29 to 59 from Va to Florida. So for our family the rent a car cost more than the airfare. We fly allegiant air and southwest.

[mikesmom]

We have Southwest credit cards and use them for EVERYTHING - groceries, business expenses, gasoline, whatever. Even used them for DS tuition payments when he was in college. It helps that DH and I each have a business - those points pile up when you are charging computers, phone bills, etc. We also pay in full each month (or there would be no savings). Points have piled up fast enough that we haven't paid for airfare in over 5 years. Includes flying the kids in to join us from Seatlle and Dallas, respectively.

[tomandrobin]

We figured the kids don't have at shot in college, so have been tapping their college funds!

[Dean]

We figured the kids don't have at shot in college, so have been tapping their college funds!Been there, done that. $20K so my youngest could hang out and not go to class for a year. So we invited him to come home, get a job and go to the local CC. He's doing much better and just graduated from the CC and moving on to FSU (as much as that pains me).

[murcor]

We have Southwest credit cards and use them for EVERYTHING - groceries, business expenses, gasoline, whatever. .


Same here but it is not SW ( we are in Canada )

The points add up fast, we can generally get 3-4 tkts per year.

If we had to purchase tkts we would be looking at $3000 for a family of 4.

Either way, instead of multiple short vacations we do one 10 -14 day Disney vacation.

With the price of airfare, that is the only way we can do it :)

[CaliforniaDreaming]

I remember 'back in the day' paying $275 to Orlando was a good deal. Then I got used to paying $90-$100, which was great. Now it seems that it is hard to find flights under $200, which makes the short trips more expensive than they were just a couple years ago.

[flexsmom]

Just picked up a r/t on Southwest from DC to MCO for $129 the week following Memorial Day weekend. Then also got $170 pp r/t for our 4-night DCL in August. I caught myself for a moment getting upset that it was $40 more than the deal I got for later this month, then realized what a steal they both were!

[BWV Dreamin]

I remember 'back in the day' paying $275 to Orlando was a good deal. Then I got used to paying $90-$100, which was great. Now it seems that it is hard to find flights under $200, which makes the short trips more expensive than they were just a couple years ago.

Love your sig!!!:goodvibes

[Disneholic]

Have you thought about the auto train out of Lorton VA? I posted on the transportation section how we just got round trip, mini van, 2 adults, 3 kids in August for $689. :banana: :banana: They are running a special where kids ride free. Sure beats the price of gas possibly going up to $4.50/$5.00/gal. by then. We are locked into the price, dont have to worry about luggage restrictions because everything stays in your vehicle (no-you have to take the kids with you!). Plus you have transportation while at DW. We've drove many times and have done the auto train before. Planes--in my opinion, it's gravitationally not possible for them to be up in the sky!

[Josh125]

One thing I didn't see mentioned that saved us a almost $300 this past X-Mas was to fly in to Tampa (TPA). The one way rental car was only 50 dollars each way so we netted a savings of $200 and were only out 1 hour of time.

[Laxmom]

I can't say as I have any great advice to offer. You might sign up on Travelocity airfare watch or check out Bestfares.com. I have been a member of BF for over 6 years now..I've gotten some great deals thru there in years past. Try for a DING from SW.

We are on the outskirts of Dayton, Ohio and have flown to Disney for the last 5 years. This year we are driving. Being as there are 4 of us...the cheapest airfare we could find would put us at spending $1,000 for the fare alone! We are driving and have calculated at $4.00 per gallon (est high) and it should cost us about $170 each way. That sure beats $1,000. Plus not to mention we are tired of the airport issues...the security...the parking...the delayed flights...the extra bag charges...etc. I'm looking forward to jumping in my van and just going. We timed it last year from the time we left our house and actually got to Orlando...it was right at 8 hours. For about 6 more hours...we have all of the stuff we wanted to bring (not to mention what we return with..lol)...plus we have our own vehicle so no rental. I'm quite looking forward to it (and believe me, I have flown a great deal and enjoy it)

How far away from the world are you in driving time? (we are about 14-15 hours)

Hi Neighbor!! Kings Island area here! We are driving for the first time in July. This is a last minute trip on a shoe string.

One thing I didn't see mentioned that saved us a almost $300 this past X-Mas was to fly in to Tampa (TPA). The one way rental car was only 50 dollars each way so we netted a savings of $200 and were only out 1 hour of time.

I agree with that!! We can save a lot when we fly into Tampa. We are also really lucky that we have 5 major airports within 2 hours of here. We can save $100 or better per person by flying out of someplace other than Cincinnati! On our flight for our cruise we are going out of Indy and saved $75 per person for 6 of us. That to me is worth the 2 hour drive.

[rutgers1]

I was thinking of flying from another aiport but then dropped that when I realized that I would have to drive to that airport and pay to have my car sit there for a couple weeks. What is the fee that most airports charge per day for that service?

[Laxmom]

It varies. For us, Columbus is cheaper at $5 to $7 per day. Cincy is higher but we can usually get a coupon that reduces it to $8 or so. When we fly out of Indy, we go over and spend the night on hotel points and they let us park our car for the week for free. We take their shuttle to and from the airport.

[mickeymyfavorite]

We fly Wednesday to Wednesday for cheaper fares. DH likes having a short work week on both ends of vacation.

Sign up for email alerts from the airlines. Airtran and Southwest have been a wonderful addition to PIT.

Join the frequent flyer club for several airlines.

Check fares very early, then be ready to purchase when you see a deal.

We do the exact same thing :thumbsup2 right now SW has te airfare Wed to Wed for $89 each way. Just bought the tickets today we are going in July:banana:

[Dawn414]

As others have said, if you can be flexible with your travels, that is the best. I was playing around on SWs site yesterday and found R/T rate of between $139-$149 p/p. Then I did the "shortcut" area so I could play around and look at the whole month knowing that it might be tough to get the rooms I wanted only 1-2 months out. Now, granted we are flying out of Philly at 9pm at night, but it means I won't have to take a vacation day that day and the kids will sleep on the plane on the way down. So, I'm willing to fly at crazy times (non-stop) in order to get the cheaper rate. I also agree that if you have the extra day or two where you can drive, that's great too. We're staying off property next April for Easter and are planning on driving down. And then there's the frequent flyer programs. With AMEX's points, you can transfer them to SW and get certificates for free airfare. We have four certificates I'm (HOPING) to use for around Thanksgiving (because the airfare is REALLY high for that time. If we don't get it, we'll be driving...but hopefully we get it. :rotfl: Happy hunting!

Dawn McG

[50 years Too!]

This does not necessarily work for everyone, but I am a big believer in the airline mileage card. We've managed to find a card that is for an airline that also flys direct to Orlando from where we live (Seattle), each year we get a $50 companion fare coupon as part of the card (it does have a annual fee), and we use the card to fun all purchases and pay it off each month. We've been able to use it on three trips now where we get two tickets completely for free, buy one ticket full fare and one ticket for $50 using the companion fare rate. That is 4 tickets for the price of one (plus $50).

It does help if you travel for work purposes, allowing miles to build up faster.

Don't you love Alaska's mileage plan and credit card? (I assume this is the one you are talking about). I think it beats all the others hands
down!

Deb

[50 years Too!]

Oh, and by the way Bigsmouth, you can get a card in your name and your sig other or spouse's name and have two companion fares a year! Also, the sign up mileage. That's what my DH and I did. Also check out the dining promotion going on right now.

Deb

[bfrosty]

We timed it last year from the time we left our house and actually got to Orlando...it was right at 8 hours. For about 6 more hours...we have all of the stuff we wanted to bring (not to mention what we return with..lol)...plus we have our own vehicle so no rental.

Are you talking 8hrs to fly there? Because if you were driving...you would have to average 118MPH.

We take the red eye out on Sunday and fly back on Fridays on SWA and last October I got $175RT....$750 for a family of 4.

My friends drive it in their Honda Odessey and they make pretty good time...the roads all down through Atlanta are actually much better than years ago.

When we take the red eye at 6:30 or 7:30...we get to our hotel about 1pm....so about 6hrs. To drive it would take 15hrs @ 1000mi. Plus, a couple of hours for stops and meals (17hrs)...an extra 11hrs.

I prefer waking up early and having my toes in the sand after lunch and not 2-days later.

=)) To each their own.
Bfrosty

[50 years Too!]

Well leave it to the knowledgeable dissers to break the news about my beloved PDX-MCO direct flight being tanked! :sad2:

It was a great year of no transferring to get to DW. I had to change my October and December flights to go through Seattle. 3 hours added to my trip.

Oh well, the mouse is worth it.

Deb

[bigsmooth]

Don't you love Alaska's mileage plan and credit card? (I assume this is the one you are talking about). I think it beats all the others hands
down!

Deb


Yep, there is a good reason why Alaska wins the best mileage plan every year. Definitely the most flexible.

[bigsmooth]

Oh, and by the way Bigsmouth, you can get a card in your name and your sig other or spouse's name and have two companion fares a year! Also, the sign up mileage. That's what my DH and I did. Also check out the dining promotion going on right now.

Deb

Excellent suggestion, however guess what card my wife carries? The Disney card. She uses it for all work expenses, that way we can get some freebies during or Disney trip as well.

[Esmerelda]

bfrosty...yes I was referring to by the time we leave our house...get to the airport (the 2 hour suggestion by them)....check in...go thru security...board...then change planes....board again....we have spent 8 hours. My hubby and I did this last June to Orlando. We left our home at 4am and didn't actually land in Orlando until noon. By the time we got our bags and then p/u our rental (Emerald Aisle)...it was nearly 9 hours. We can drive there from where we live in around 14 hrs so for 5 more hours...we could have brought all that we would have liked too...and had our own vehicle. (I pack lightly when I fly) We will make minimal stops so it will be a quick trip driving. I feel blessed that we have this option because if we live out west (or across the pond)...it would definitely be an airline trip.

hope that help clear my statement up somewhat better...

PS...I just checked SW out of curiousity....its been 2 months since I last checked...airfare for the 4 of us to fly out of Columbus, OH....$1318.00 I know I will not spend even 1/3 of that driving...thank god...wheww:)

[rutgers1]

I am not familiar with how the air miles on credit cards work. If I were to get the Alaska card, how much money would I have to spend in a year in order to get tickets....and how many would I get? If I understood the Jet Blue card, I had to spend like $20,000 to get a single ticket. That didn't seem like a great deal.

[limace]

I am not familiar with how the air miles on credit cards work. If I were to get the Alaska card, how much money would I have to spend in a year in order to get tickets....and how many would I get? If I understood the Jet Blue card, I had to spend like $20,000 to get a single ticket. That didn't seem like a great deal.

Well, I use a combination of things. First, I have a frequent flier account with Alaska, so that accumulates miles. Check out their website (alaskaairlines.com); there are always promotions going. You get miles flown, sometimes double miles for certain destinations, miles on their partner airlines, miles for other places like car rentals.

Second, with an Alaska credit card, you get one $50 companion ticket every year-basically, buy one ticket, get the second for $50. That's a great deal-saves several hundred dollars, and it's very easy to redeem. Right now, in addition, the bonus for getting the card is ...20,000 miles, so there's your first ticket.

Third, this is my only credit card. You'll get a mile per dollar; two miles for every dollar spent on Alaska or Horizon tickets.If you're really good about paying off your card every month, do what we do: put as many regular bills onto your card, then have an automatic payment from your checking account in the same amount every month. I know folks who've paid mortgages and college tuition. Even if you just pay, say, utilities, cel phone, phone, groceries, you could easily accumulate 10,000 more miles a year and not have paid any interest.

I'd just add that I'd fly Alaska and Horizon whenever possible without being a member of their mileage plan. Their customer service is almost always head and shoulders above other airlines. And on Horizon, you even get a free glass of wine or microbrew!

[50 years Too!]

Limace,

Thanks for reminding me, even though the direct flight from Portland to Orlando is being cancelled, I'll get my glass of vino on the commuter to Seattle!:thumbsup2
It's all good when you are flying to WDW.

Deb

[50 years Too!]

I know we PNW's sound like we all work for Alaska--but another good idea for those of you who have your children fly a couple times of year.

Make sure they have a frequent flyer #. It only takes 7,500 miles to get a one way ticket reduced $125. Alaska allows tickets to be purchased one way without paying a penalty charge. It is really easy to accumulate these within a family. Alaska also gives a minimum of 500 miles for commuter trips. So for us a flight to Seattle and then a change of plane to Orlando racks up approx 3250 miles. One roundtrip from Portland with web checkin and you have 7500 miles.

The first web check in is an automatic 1000 miles! I've also been known to order flowers for up to 25 miles per dollar for Mother's Day, etc. and use their flyer number for the points.

Deb

[rutgers1]

I was just reading the Alaskan site. They say 1 mile for each dollar spent. That sounded too good to be true, and then I found out that it was. My co-worker said that a mile isn't really a mile in the air. So, if that is not the case, how many "miles" do you need to get a free ticket?

[bigsmooth]

I was just reading the Alaskan site. They say 1 mile for each dollar spent. That sounded too good to be true, and then I found out that it was. My co-worker said that a mile isn't really a mile in the air. So, if that is not the case, how many "miles" do you need to get a free ticket?

Depends, as with most airline programs. Reason why Alaska is so highly rated is the flexibility they offer.

20,000 miles is 1 RT ticket. However, these awards are based on seats that are released to be available for frequent flyer redemption. During busy seasons, there may not be many. Key is to book early.

40,000 miles is 1 RT ticket- essentially same as cash. Meaning if none of the above awards is available, then you pay this amount. We regulary have been able to get the 20K awards, only time we have not was over the NY holiday period last year.

15,000 miles allows you to get 50% off the published fare for a RT ticket. This is nice because you still can earn miles on the trip. So from Seattle, the RT ticket flight earns over 5K miles, so the true cost of this award is then under 10K miles.

Then as others have discussed, if you have the credit card then each year you get a $50 companion fare coupon. You end up paying an annual fee, which is I believe $60 or $75, can't remember. So for our trips to Florida, we purchase 1 ticket full fare, one ticket for $50, and then use miles for the remaining two tickets. We spend everything on the card each year, paying the balance off in full each month.

I've been a member of the United and NW airline programs (travel a lot for work) unimpressed with the lack of flexibility with both. If you live in the Northwest, then Alaska offers a really good program with loads of flexibility.

[allison k]

We're flying first class this year!

Well, it's not because we can really afford it! It's because coach is soooo expensive.

We were hoping to use our 100K+ miles on AA for 4 tix, but no availability at the 25K level. DH was thinking of using the AAnytime for 50K each ticket and then buying 2 tix. Then we checked airfare. Ouch! :eek: From John Wayne, we were looking at a cheapest airfare of $500 and only slight improvement out of LAX. And these weren't great flights either. For a direct flight out of LAX, we were looking at 600+ each ticket. AA also has a 45K level for Business with restrictions. I realized that it cost about $100-200 over the cost of the coach seats if we buy the extra miles to get us to the level needed for 4 business class tickets. The only part that's not perfect is that I'll be going out 5 days early on my own with our 6 yo DD and 17 mo DS. I'm actually not too worried about it, DH is. I'm excited because I just extended my vacation by 5 days and will have some extra time to get the kids acclimated to the time change and weather by the time DH gets there.

I'm just happy I convinced the DH that we could actually do first class for once. I was able to fly business to Japan when I was 14 and always wanted to do it again!

[jenelope]

I get e-mail alerts from all the budget airlines, and I've gotten very flexible with my flights. For instance, on this trip, I'm flying down to Orlando and my parents are picking me up in their motorhome. I was going to fly down on a Thursday morning, but found out that I could save $40 by taking an evening flight the day before. Now my parents are picking me up at 12:30 AM and we're boondocking the first night before moving to Ft. Wilderness. I'm flying on Airtran for the first time on my brother's recommendation. Including taxes and fees, my RT fare is $169.50 from Detroit. It's not the most convenient time, but it works for me.

[rigsby25]

Excellent suggestion, however guess what card my wife carries? The Disney card. She uses it for all work expenses, that way we can get some freebies during or Disney trip as well.

Correct this right away. With the disney card you get dollar for dollar value. With the mileage card you get a ticket.

[50 years Too!]

I have both Alaska and Disney Card.

Actually, I usually get more value with Alaska. For instance, a trip home from Bellingham for my son would have been $168 one way. I was able to use 7,500 miles to bring it down to $43. I spent $7,500 to earn that. On Disney card $7,500 would net me $75. Alaska miles were worth $50 more in value.

I used 20,000 miles for my trip to Orlando in October. The fare was listed for over $400. Again, was worth $2 for every $100 put on the card. Disney would only be worth $1.

And yes, I probably could have found an inconvenient flight that transferred planes in the middle of the country on what I consider a less friendly in the skies airline for around $300, but the convenience of a coast to coast direct flight will always be worth it to me. I've been stuck in Texas and Minnesota more than once because of weather, and have missed my connection. Let's not even talk about Chicago connections!

Believe me, I've worked these numbers numerous times and it always comes out ahead. Especially with the $50 companion fare.

Deb

[50 years Too!]

Rigsby, I see you live in Illinois. An Alaska card wouldn't be worth it for you.
You have the luxury of living near a hub, where you have lots of choices of inexpensive airfare. We Pacific Northwesterners love our Alaska!

Allison enjoy your first class. I love it when I get to fly first class!