buy airfare now, or wait?

[williamson_ja]

I have a trip coming up in December which is quite a ways off. I am afraid of gas prices continuing to skyrocket.... So, I am not sure if I should bite the bullet and try to get my airline tickets now, or if I should wait for a while. Last time, I was afraid of the airfare going up, I hurried and bought my tickets, then a month later they were $100 p/person cheaper. uggh. What should I do? If they go up much more, we won't be able to afford going at all. We are flying 6 of us to Orlando. When the prices go up and down hundreds of dollars, it really affects you when there are 6 tickets to buy!

 

[juliebean]

I voted no - that's a long time! Really, if you are taking money out of savings, or using a credit card - the ultimate cost of any tickets you buy now are plus that additional amount of lost savings or cc interest...and that's a lot when you are looking at 6 months or more.

The caveat to that for me is if you find tickets that are ridiculously cheap, then I buy far in advance... I bought tickets from Philadelphia to Portland for August for $185 w/taxes and fees on Sunday - I've never seen cross country tickets that low, so I think the lost of interest on our savings is worthwhile.

 

[Pakey]

There are 8 of us going to WDW in October. I purchased the tickets already; we've flown enough times to MCO that I know if I can get airfare at $500 or below per person, I buy.

However, I have not purchased the tickets for Costa Rica for November. I'm still hoping for better rates than what I'm seeing right now. Since they are twice the price of tickets to Orlando, I'm willing to risk it at this point.

 

[deslynnpatterson]

I say wait it out! We are waiting it out for our sept trip. try using yapta.com it will notify you if the flights that you are watching will go down in price! check it out

 

[wvjules]

We just bought tickets for a December trip for us (not to Orlando though). I don't want to take the chance that they will increase significantly. Right now our tickets are a price we are comfortable purchasing. If the price drops signifcantly I will regret our decision but if they increase I will be glad I bought them already. If they only decrease by $100 or so I'm fine with that. It is worth peace of mind.

 

[ssawka]

I'm waiting it out for our October trip. None of the discount airlines (SW, JB, AT) have released there schedules yet and the oil prices are going crazy because of Libya. In a month or 2 everyone will come down and the prices should return to normal. I remember last summer, there were great deals in the fall. Will it happen again, who knows, but I would not buy when everyone is panicking. Panic causes inflation!

 

[sydneysmom]

I'm waiting it out for our October trip. None of the discount airlines (SW, JB, AT) have released there schedules yet and the oil prices are going crazy because of Libya. In a month or 2 everyone will come down and the prices should return to normal. I remember last summer, there were great deals in the fall. Will it happen again, who knows, but I would not buy when everyone is panicking. Panic causes inflation!

this is SUCH a true statement. After Katrina, we found that gas was practically non existent because the news was saying how "they're not sure when they can resume drilling in Louisiana". Well, people fled to the gas stations w/ gas cans, all their cars, anything they could put gas in. Our gas went over $3.00 / gal in a matter of DAYS. (at that time, $3.00 wasn't the norm.... ) But the more people panicked the less gas we had. The lines to get gas were horrific and you really had to time it right to get to a station as they were getting a fuel truck.

Personally, I'd wait until you find a fare you're comfortable with. I read alot of articles today about pricing of airfare, and most say that buying on the weekend is more expensive. Is it ? I don't know. Our trip in June, the airfare was pretty high today. I'm going to check tuesday and wednesday and see if there's a difference.

Last year, we flew to Boston for Christmas and I bought our tickets in August. they didn't go down after that, so we got lucky. But now might be a little early...there's no competition for lowere airfare yet for that time.

 

[klacey1]

If you find a price your can live with-- buy and then stop checking other websites. Then, register your flight with yapta.com. If the price goes down, they'll notify you. Many airlines will credit you for any difference, and some if the difference in $75 less.
OR-- go to yapta.com before you buy, and search your dates. It'll tell you whether prices are predicted to go up or down.

 

[ChiCat]

If you find a price your can live with-- buy and then stop checking other websites. Then, register your flight with yapta.com. If the price goes down, they'll notify you. Many airlines will credit you for any difference, and some if the difference in $75 less.
OR-- go to yapta.com before you buy, and search your dates. It'll tell you whether prices are predicted to go up or down.

Ooo thanks for this info, I've never heard of it but I just joined!

 

[MomRN]

I'm thinking like you, but our trip is in October.

Sigh... I went ahead and went for it. They were the prices I could live with and expected... ($119/person each way)... the times were perfect (early on the departing, late on the returning)... non-stop.... but, this was on AT and I really wanted to see what SW had to offer because of the free baggage. However, if SW keeps the same schedule they had when we went last November then the only non-stop returning leaves early...

So, I can live with what I paid, and don't see prices going down that much more. I hope. If so, lesson learned.

 

[*Seanaci*]

I voted wait.

However, I do have to say I see why you would want to go head and get them now as well.

My best advice would be to keep checking prices...and if per chance there is a deal that you simply can't pass up, purchase your plane tickets. I'm going to guess and say that even if you wait for Southwest to post December dates, you may not end up with as good of a deal as you wanted and may get in the next few months before Southwest posts their December dates.

Good luck!! And enjoy your trip.

 

[huey duey & luey]

sam dilemma here except for Nov. Saw decent airfare last month on Continental, but didn't love the times, and prefer Jetblue. It has gone up alot.

JetBlue is KILLING me

 

[FanofWalt&Mouse]

I voted wait. I'm waiting on a decent priced airfare for our September Disney trip. I'll purchase if I like the price & flight details. So far the prices seem way too high for me. I'm going to wait it out & gamble on prices coming down over the summer.

 

[Br'erBriere]

Better purchase now. Read the reports, gas is not coming down soon and neither is airfare. Book now and IF it does come down in price, you get a credit. I waited 3 weeks thinking mine would drop and it got raised by $50 each ticket (that price is up $100 today)