Airlines...Tickets, What would you do?

[cmusschoot]

We are planning a week long trip in July, Friday to Friday. I got a great deal on a 2 bdrm suite and couldn't pass it up!

I have been looking for airfare. I am a loyal Southwest flier, living near Chicago. SOuthwest flies out of Midway, I am closer to O'Hare, but for the prices...you cannot beat Southwest.

I cannot (yet) find a great deal.

Southweat will cost us 1500.00.
US Airway (through Expedia) will cost us 1000.00 ( + bagage fees)

Wait would you do? Wait and watch Southwest hoping the fare will come down. Risking that it might not...

or - book US Airway now?
Thanks

 

[Aliceacc]

I'll defer to the experts.

But I take brand loyalty only to the point where it's the best thing for my family.

With the current political situation in the Mideast, airfares are unlikely to drop. Soutwest is costing you 50% more than US Airway.

I would book soon with the cheaper fare, and not look again.

 

[mrsklamc]

Part of the problem is probably the Friday flights. Is there any way you can do Sat. to Sat. instead?

 

[Marionnette]

We are planning a week long trip in July, Friday to Friday. I got a great deal on a 2 bdrm suite and couldn't pass it up!

I have been looking for airfare. I am a loyal Southwest flier, living near Chicago. SOuthwest flies out of Midway, I am closer to O'Hare, but for the prices...you cannot beat Southwest.

I cannot (yet) find a great deal.

Southweat will cost us 1500.00.
US Airway (through Expedia) will cost us 1000.00 ( + bagage fees)

Wait would you do? Wait and watch Southwest hoping the fare will come down. Risking that it might not...

or - book US Airway now?
Thanks

I wouldn't count on airfares coming down with the cost of oil climbing every day. Certainly not a 33% reduction in price. How much would USAir's baggage fees hit you up? $40, $50 RT? And how many bags might you check? Probably not enough to exceed the SWA prices.

OTOH, SWA will allow you to re-book at a lower fare and issue a ticketless travel credit for the difference. Expedia and USAir won't.

Tough call. But with the way things are going in the Middle East and Northern Africa, I don't think that we will see summer fares go down. Too much uncertainty in countries that supply the world with oil.

 

[mdsoccermom]

I am a travel agent. Airfares change 4 times a day or more, depending on availability, fare class, etc. and it's highly unlikely you are going to see any significant drops any time soon. If you see an airfare now you can stomach, book it.

 

[lmillercrew]

Go with the cheaper flights. I agree that airfare costs are probably not going to go down. I find it cheaper to fly Tues to Tues.

 

[Psychodisney]

Did you check that little airline that flies out of Rockford? (Allegiant, I think) Don't know much about it but maybe an option if the price is significantly less.

 

[cmusschoot]

Thank you so much for the advice!!

I chacked Rockford they only fly on Thursday and Saturdays...and only into Sanford (sp) Airport where there is no magical experss...

I was looking at changing dates, but it would cost ma night hotel as the Dasney dates are pretty much set...

You don't think it is too early to book now?

I should book ASAP???

 

[Octoberbabiesrus]

What is the cost per person? I was going to do a search to see what I could find for you, but I have no idea of your dates and what you were seeing for the flights.

 

[Gr8t Fan]

Have you tried Airtran? Lately their flights out of MDW have been lower than Southwest. Airtran also flies out of Bloomington and I've been able to get some great deals from BMI to MCO too.

 

[ccgirl]

We are planning a week long trip in July, Friday to Friday. I got a great deal on a 2 bdrm suite and couldn't pass it up!

I have been looking for airfare. I am a loyal Southwest flier, living near Chicago. SOuthwest flies out of Midway, I am closer to O'Hare, but for the prices...you cannot beat Southwest.

I cannot (yet) find a great deal.

Southweat will cost us 1500.00.
US Airway (through Expedia) will cost us 1000.00 ( + bagage fees)

Wait would you do? Wait and watch Southwest hoping the fare will come down. Risking that it might not...

or - book US Airway now?
Thanks

I had something similar last year. Was a loyal SW flyer out of PVD. Kept watching their fares and they were so much higher than AirTran out of BOS, even with seat and baggage fees so I went with AirTran. So glad I did because I loved them and have flown them again since.

They will give you a credit if the airfare goes down as well.

What have you paid in the past? Good luck with your decision.

 

[Maddle]

Did you account for baggage fees for the USAir flight?

Unless you have a lot of points on Southwest that will translate into a free flight or FF privileges in the near future, I wouldn't worry about being loyal. I would just book the lesser fare. I don't think fares will be going down anytime soon.

Maddle

 

[cmusschoot]

I think I might have to just go with the US Airways flights..

We are a famiy of 4 (and an infnat)...flying July 22-29 (crazy summer heat...right??!!)

I just checked AirTran, and they are at 200 each way...grrr...
I have gotten SW as low as 87.00 each way... (59.00 each way 5 years ago...I don't think I will ever again be that lucky )


Thanks for your help and insight I know I can always look to the DIS board!

 

[cmusschoot]

Did you account for baggage fees for the USAir flight?

Unless you have a lot of points on Southwest that will translate into a free flight or FF privileges in the near future, I wouldn't worry about being loyal. I would just book the lesser fare. I don't think fares will be going down anytime soon.

Maddle

Baggage is 25.00 per bag, and I can have my husband ship our bags (for free, through work) on the way down...so about 100.00...
I am not sure about a gate check of a stroller...anyone know how much that costs, or does it count as a carry-on?

 

[nilseks]

We are planning a few trips this year so I've been keeping a close eye on fares, and for some reason SW seems to be WAY higher for all of them.

I live in Kenosha so I'm 40 minutes from Milwaukee and about 50 from O'Hare. I prefer O'Hare simply because I'm from Chicago and it's what I'm familiar with, I know my way around, etc. But it might be worth it for you to check out Milwaukee. Bit of a hike but AirTran out of Milwaukee can come up with some pretty good rates, and it's much cheaper to park there instead of O'Hare (if that's a factor for you). Worth a try.

 

[ccgirl]

Baggage is 25.00 per bag, and I can have my husband ship our bags (for free, through work) on the way down...so about 100.00...
I am not sure about a gate check of a stroller...anyone know how much that costs, or does it count as a carry-on?

Gate check of a stroller has been free for any airline I have been on.

 

[Kathi OD]

We are planning a few trips this year so I've been keeping a close eye on fares, and for some reason SW seems to be WAY higher for all of them.

I live in Kenosha so I'm 40 minutes from Milwaukee and about 50 from O'Hare. I prefer O'Hare simply because I'm from Chicago and it's what I'm familiar with, I know my way around, etc. But it might be worth it for you to check out Milwaukee. Bit of a hike but AirTran out of Milwaukee can come up with some pretty good rates, and it's much cheaper to park there instead of O'Hare (if that's a factor for you). Worth a try.

Everyone is always talking about the great SW fares. We usually fly out of Philadelphia and I have never, ever found them to be cheaper than the other airlines for the trips we want to take.

When we booked our airfare for WDW next month, SW was over $700pp. USAir was $230. That's a huge difference.

 

[happiestever]

Speaking as someone who waited to buy, don't do it. Southwest is great, but $500 in your pocket is even better.

 

[ktlm]

Don't just check Southwest and Expedia. Go to all the major airlines' specific websites and check there too. We used to use Southwest for almost every trip if it was somewhere they flew because they were almost always the cheapest. We have found that for about the last year and a half to two years, they have not been cheaper than the other airlines and sometimes are significantly more expensive. We have flown other airlines for our last several trips because they had better flight times and cheaper rates. You will have to factor in that with Southwest, you don't have the baggage fees that you do with some of the other airlines when comparing the price of the tickets.

 

[Marionnette]

Everyone is always talking about the great SW fares. We usually fly out of Philadelphia and I have never, ever found them to be cheaper than the other airlines for the trips we want to take.

When we booked our airfare for WDW next month, SW was over $700pp. USAir was $230. That's a huge difference.

USair, Airtran and Continental all seem to drop their fares to MCO when SWA comes out with theirs. Then they pretty much stay competitive. The big difference is being able to pick your seat at the other 3 and the ability to pay USair to lose your bags (their Phila. baggage handling is notorious for that).