Never mind the cruise price, anybody trying to buy airfare?!

[luvndizny]

We are trying the train this time to Orlando. Gas prices plus the drive (about 11 hours for us, but still a LONG drive) and the fact that our vehicle has 186K miles on it...well, we're hoping this works!

When I was checking out airline fares, I found flying in on a Thursday was cheaper....(but the train was cheapest!)

 

[nursebeth03]

OUCH! From my expierence, the best time to book airfare is 3-4 months prior to travel. And, rates tend to be lower Tuesday-Thursday...GOOD LUCK!

 

[CADisneyMom]

I'm flying from SFO and I was looking at Virgin America when they announced that they were going to MCO nonstop starting last October and their flights have always been at $500 each way. That is certainly more then what I wanted to pay since that's what Southwest's fully refundable fare was and Virgin wasn't even refundable. I fly standby but being that it's part of Spring Break I was definitely looking into purchasing tickets but not that way so I have to go from SFO to LAX and change planes, then to New Orleans and change planes to MCO. It's going to be take me almost a full day to get there if the flights don't fill up that is. Good think we're going out 2 days in advance to the cruise.

 

[stitch34]

Airfare is crazy anymore! We wanted so bad to go April 14-21 for kids spring break. Back in september, saw SW had $67 each way. We were leaving for disney actually, and was like too busy now, will book when I get home. Oct 4th get home - they are now $139 - and ever since have just gone up and up and up.
Now need for our Thanksgiving trip and keep checking and checking. What really bugs me is it seems you really do have to book SO far in advance now and makes it tough for me to narrow down my trip dates so far in advance.

We LOVE SW - but haven't flown on them for a while (out of Philly). Can't seem to get a good price anymore, and seems a lot less nonstop flights. I'm somone who is known to change my dates, or add a day on to the beginning or end of trip, so SW works great for me to be able to change flights w/o being penalized. Hate otherwise booking so early on other airlines (USair really my only other option) and being committed to those dates and $$.

 

[Fort Fanatics]

I was feeling the same price shock as most of you when trying to find just one way airfare from Barcelona to either Orlando, Miami or West Palm beach this May. Most airfare was approx $700-1200 per person! I was excited to find that Air Berlin had a one way from Barcelona to Miami for just $473 per person and with just one stop in Germany!!!! I booked it right away. Not sure how good of an airline they are, but I thought that it was well worth the price that we were saving! Also, for anyone else out there considering AirBerlin, you may want to contact them to book your actual seat assignment. It did cost an additional $64 for 2, but worth knowing that our seats are assigned and together. Otherwise would have to wait until check in at the airport!

 

[taaren]

Guess I got lucky since I just booked my flight into SeaTac for $230pp w tax which is fantastic for flying out of Hawaii. We're going through HNL, but apparently some ppl book a Seattle fare going through LAX and just get off the plane in LAX wich they wanted to be their end destination but was too pricey. (Its a risky strategy for a few reasons but it works for some ppl). Or maybe they want more people to fly int less popular airports since it seems like many on my cruise meet thread is training into Vancouver from elsewhere on the West Coast. Probably why its so high into MCO if everybody wants to go there ...

 

[cyberdeb]

I booked mine last week for 4 rt from Philadelphia to Orlando at end of August for $860. That morning it was $1100. Today it was over $1400 for the same flights. Glad I got them when i did.

 

[DenverVal]

Does anybody know for sure how Southwest works, I know they will credit you if the prices drop, but do they issue credit for a future flight, or is it actually money back?

Something I read on another travel site is that you might want to book two one-ways rather than one round-trip. My understanding is if you book a round-trip and the cost of the inbound leg (for example) drops, you still have to redo both directions. If the opposite direction stays the same price you're fine, if it's higher you have to weigh whether the reduction in one direction offsets the increase in the other. If you book two one way fares, then you can change one without affecting the other.

 

[Anal Annie]

I have been a perpetual and obsessive airfare watcher for a LONG time now. Last year for spring break in March we booked it the previous October on SW's opening day going DOWN. It only went UP UP UP from there. (We booked the return flight on Air Tran.) We'll fly whichever airline is the cheapest as long as it's direct. Anyway, I watched the airfare to Europe for a whole year & for the most part it was hovering between $900-$1,000. UNTIL August. Everything went UP and STAYED there!! It's been ridiculous ever since. After it stayed well above $1,200 for several months I told myself if it dipped below $1,200 I had to snag it. I know they say Tues. is the best day but one Saturday morning in January the flights I had been watching dropped to $1,173 and I nearly fell out of my chair! I booked 'em on the spot and sure enough they shot right back up after about 2 days.

FWIW if I was going from CT to FL and the airfare was $800 I'd be driving my little old self down good old I-95!! If I could DRIVE myself to Europe to save airfare I would at these prices. At least you don't have an ocean in your way and you have that as an option!!

 

[tmcleanrn]

Leaving on the Dream 05/15 !! We (family of 8) will be flying out of Fresno, CA (1/2 way between Los Angeles and San Francisco) to Orlando. When I booked our airfare last June, I got them for $340/each, including taxes/fees. My entire family thought I was CRAZY for booking soooo early and what was I thinking.

So I just checked - same exact flights are now $554/EACH - an additional $1680 for our family. My husband's comment, "gosh I LOVE my travel agent" -which would be me Your welcome, honey!!!

~~Tracey

 

[goofysgirl]

So I was just tinkering around and found that the flights on SW seem a little cheaper than the Jet Blue flights you guys have from Hartford. Not sure of your travel dates but I am looking at the few days before April 16th and after the 22nd. But I see that Jet Blue cancellation fees will just eat away at any savings you may incur now. I would just keep watching the Jet Blue site as they tend to drop their prices to fill the aircraft and then will jack them up at the most peculiar times. I too could never justify $800 we would be loading up the jeep with coffee, bagels and kids

I really hope that you find a window in Jet Blue where they drop the price, at least you can get some credit for your next flight.

 

[Disney1fan2002]

We're driving from MA for our 4/17 cruise. There is just no way we are spnding that much money to fly, when we can drive down for less than $600.

My van broke down over the weekend, so in a panic, I went to price out some flights. What boggled my mind was that EVERY SINGLE southwest flight leaving Boston that day was sold out. I know the prices have been sky high since they were released, I can't believe how many people are paying those prices!!!

 

[bibbidibobbidibecky]

You know, something else to try (I read this a couple of years ago and always found it to be true for me) is clearing your cookies. Travel sites keep track of you and what I read said they will slightly increase the cost so you'll buy thinking the prices are going up.

Now I've never had it shave off more than maybe $100 when I've done this but often the price does change.

Just FYI for those looking for the best deal!

 

[KSDisneyDad]

You know, something else to try (I read this a couple of years ago and always found it to be true for me) is clearing your cookies. Travel sites keep track of you and what I read said they will slightly increase the cost so you'll buy thinking the prices are going up.

Now I've never had it shave off more than maybe $100 when I've done this but often the price does change.

Just FYI for those looking for the best deal!

That seems quite deceptive, but I believe it. I was looking into buying something off of amazon.com for Christmas. I put it in my cart and when I returned the next day, the price had gone up $20. I removed it from my cart and searched on my work computer and the price was back to where it was before. Coincidence???

 

[RedSox68]

You know, something else to try (I read this a couple of years ago and always found it to be true for me) is clearing your cookies. Travel sites keep track of you and what I read said they will slightly increase the cost so you'll buy thinking the prices are going up.

This is so true -- even our computer techs tell us this. Whatever searches you have done will keep looping through and you won't actually get true current fares unless you clear the cookies from previous searches!

 

[Jacksnsteve19]

The cost of the flight for my family is also crazy! We are going on the 10/27 cruise and I began searching about 2 weeks ago. The Price still seems to be increasing - even signed up for the KAYAK.COM site (which will let you know once a week how the prices are) and the email stated that prices have gone up $40 since last week. YUCK

We are flying out of Buffalo and on our last trip to Florida in Sept/Oct 2009 we only paid about $169 RT - so this is really tough seeing the $350 RT prices. Hubby is beginning to reconsider the cruise...and I can't let that happen!

 

[bigedwin]

Hello.

We Live in St louis.
South west has a good precence here since AA left most of their routes from here.
One of the mayor benefits of booking with Southwest.

-NO change fee
-Lots of direct flight options
-NO LUGAGE CHARGE!!!! This is a HUGE one for us. going on a cruise we usually have 1 -2 suitcases or bags each( shoes formalware etc) The savings in Lugage charges do add up fast on a family of 4.
- Easy change of flights and reductions if price goes down.

For our Disney cruise in June we had booked the flights tru Southwest.
At the time the Inbound flight to Orlando was very cheap, But the return was almost double. We ended up booking roundtrip because we wanted to be home on the Sunday we get back and wanted to fly Nonstop. I Purchased the return flight in full fare coach(refundable). One week later the return flight open up Wanna GEt away fare About half the cost.
I just called Southwest in 5 minutes they rebooked us in the cheaper fare they issued a full refund of the difference ( it was a fully refundable fare).
If we had purchased a non refundable fare they would have given me a Travel voucher good for 1 year form time of original booking with them.

I tought this was amazing that Southwest still is able to do bussiness like all airlines used to do before they got Greedy and started nickel and diming us.

SO overall for us here it is worth it booking Southwest. If price falls we know we will be protected.

Good Luck

Ed

 

[ccgirl]

The airfare is criminal.

We got hosed with ours for the upcoming April cruise which falls on the kids school vacation ... $800 per ticket!!! while the week before and after were in less than 300 ... this is from Hartford to Orlando for crying out loud!

Are you serious?? We were thinking about going during April vacation next year but thinking I may need to reconsider. That is just NUTS!

 

[ccgirl]

We're driving from MA for our 4/17 cruise. There is just no way we are spnding that much money to fly, when we can drive down for less than $600.

My van broke down over the weekend, so in a panic, I went to price out some flights. What boggled my mind was that EVERY SINGLE southwest flight leaving Boston that day was sold out. I know the prices have been sky high since they were released, I can't believe how many people are paying those prices!!!

Yup...that's Spring Break time so they have likely been sold out for quite a while.

 

[ccgirl]

Well my trusty Southwest released some more fall dates yesterday and I got online to check the price and was going to book yesterday for an October cruise, but about fell out of my chair! Price was over $300 more than our trip 6 months ago - for 2 people, and the flights sucked more.... (One I usually leave town on is now at 6 am rather than 7:15)

I got on Orbitz, travelocity and others and Southwest still beat them by somewhere between $200-$500 before you add in any baggage fees. Are they nuts, gas is not $50 a gallon yet!!!

Actually wife said last night that Southwest is the only way we are getting there, because American and Delta have cancelled at least a portion of the last 2 trips she has flown, so they are not even an option, especially since they are more expensive.

I need to find a few trips between here and there to get some more frequent flyer miles to get one of them paid for, but this is rediculous. We are about 16-18 hours away and I really don't want to drive to start the relaxing, but it may become an option.

Does anybody know for sure how Southwest works, I know they will credit youif the prices drop, but do they issue credit for a future flight, or is it actually money back?

Anybody holding out for prices to drop, or should I take what i can get now and hope it goes down? I know the cruise mentality is book now (which I firmly believe in) but can't decide on the airfare....

I'm showing $134 each way. That is the same price I paid just this am to/from PVD. I booked both of my flights as one-way that way if just one leg of the flight goes down I can get the credit. The credit is good 12 months from the purchase date. It is not credited to your credit card. It is ticketless travel funds.

What are your exact dates you are looking for?