AHH! airfare

[mistysue]

I've been watching the flights I want for our August/September trip.

It has been aprox. $100/each per way. This morning I got a Kayak notice that it went up to $300/each per way! It is airtran... that is a $1600 difference!

Is this a normal thing to happen? Does it usually go back?

If it doesn't go back, this may end our ability to even go. It's not worth cutting our trip in half to spend the same because we wouldn't even find it worth going.

 

[taitai]

If you are going August/September then that is probably Labor Day weekend which is a popular travel time and so fares will be high. It is hard to know this far out if they will go down. Maybe. Maybe not. Remember, all airlines have cut capacity so there are far fewer flights and seats. They might have sold out of all the seats they priced at the bargain rate of $100.

The secret to airfare is once you see a price you can live with, buy it. I am not sure how much lower you thought a fare was going to go from $100.

 

[bettymae1121]

I agree, if it's a holiday weekend the usual "rules" for what fares will do go out the window. Likely, given that this is still 7 to 8 months out, you'll see the fares drop again, though they may not go as low as the $100 each way you saw previously.

If you aren't traveling over the holiday, then I'd say it's a 99% chance of them going back down.

I"m a travel agent, btw. My usual advice to people watching airfare is once you see a price you can live with for the dates/times that you want, grab it. If you wait for that amazing deal, you may find that the fares go up instead, or the flights that you want sell out all together.

 

[mistysue]

$100/per way is the rate my parents get every year for Florida, just not usually Orlando. Last year I booked at $96 and then it went down to $64. They still had spots open into July for the lower rates on our flights last year. It is ALWAYS one non-stop per day here and I've never not been able to get the lowest fare on their site (the one that tops out at about $100) Some places $100 is good, but for here it is normal. Delta will take us for $98/each, but the trip there is late in the day and the trip back is early- that is totally backwards for us.

When the flights first came out (early Jan I saw them) they didn't have any of the value fares listed, then they added them and I figured I would watch it for a little bit.

I hope they aren't starting a new trend of charging more and not offering those cheap fares. I really don't want to switch planes with the two little ones. It is such a perfect flight. We get to our resort before noon and don't leave until evening on the last day.

BTW- we aren't on the holiday, we are leaving the 1st.

 

[bavaria]

Anything under $300 round trip is a bargain. I think that expectations on this website are so unrealistic when it comes to airfare, and that a lot of people don't seem to understand that the American airlines are and have been bleeding billions of dollars.

A lot of flyers here only fly to MCO for the most part, and only read this as their main travel site, so may not understand what is a decent fare. They see people booking $64 fares and think that is somehow the norm. Those fares don't even cover costs and are simply not viable.

In 2008 and 2009 capacity was severely cut, in particular on leisure routes like to MCO. The airlines can no longer afford to fly a certain type of customer, so they reduced the number of seats at the lower fares.

Again, $300 is still a bargain on most routes.

I really don't want to switch planes with the two little ones. It is such a perfect flight. We get to our resort before noon and don't leave until evening on the last day.

You want the most popular route and the most popular time, but you aren't even willing to pay what it costs the airline to transport you. Can you see why that isn't logical or rational?

It isn't anything personal, it is simply that the airlines are TRYING to survive. If even one goes under, the job loss would be devastating, but the remaining carriers would raise their fares even more.

 

[mistysue]

If they were willing to set a price and say you go X miles, you pay X" and everybody paid that, it wouldn't bother me.

If I book today and pay $340/each, I will be mad that half the people on my flight paid $94 for the same flight.
Then if two weeks from now they go back to $94, how is that right? They would then charge me $75 per ticket to reduce my rate to what other people are paying.

If everybody paid $200, that would be fine with me but I am not going to pay the $340 to subsidize everybody else's flights.

By the time I book all of our flights at the high rate, it would cost me 1/4 the price to drive there. Even at the $100/each, it costs more than driving for us but we want the convenience.

Because the flight is there and the normal rate is a bit under $100, yes I do want the best flight for the best price.

I'm compulsive, I've been obsessive about my travel for a few years, I check fares regularly and have never seen them take away the value prices like this before.

 

[taitai]

First of all, last year does not count. Last year, all airlines and all consumers were shell shocked by the worst recession in decades and very few people were traveling. Airlines were giving away flights and hotels were giving away rooms.

This year is different. The economy is rebounding and travel is up again. Also, the airlines slashed capacity during the worst of last year and it does not appear that it will be coming back any time soon.

Unless you pay a fully refundable, full fare, you are not subsidizing anything for anyone. The business travelers are subsidizing the flight for you.

I suggest you wait as you think you can get a better deal. Just recognize that you might not. $200 to fly anywhere in this country round trip is a massive bargain.

 

[cmrules]

 

[frannn]

We are going mid Sept for 89+tax each way. The fares are still that low today.

 

[a1tinkfans]

I agree, seems expectations are "off" for MCO flights, more so during peak travel times. Its not always an option, but SW is amazing, again I am flying for FREE and my family paid 114 each one way, I mean that is less than several years ago, just crazy...and who knows, we may even get a DING to reduce it further.
I would not travel Airtran if they gave it to me for free Just my opinion,. but based on So many issues to family and friends, it is not worth it (by that I mean, no notification that a flight was discontinued, a flight that had changed from morning to late day, a flight that now went from non stop to stopping after they changed it without notice, damaged luggage forcing my dad to buy new luggage while on his trip (they eventually gave him a free ticket because they did nothing while he was on the vacation and then took months to resolve the issue, literally breaking it beyond repair, what a nightmare for a vacationing family! No car, having to go buy luggage, what a waste of time) To me those scenarios are not worth the hassle Some like it and have had luck and good rates, I say it is a gamble not worth taking...again just IMHO

 

[mjkacmom]

First of all, last year does not count. Last year, all airlines and all consumers were shell shocked by the worst recession in decades and very few people were traveling. Airlines were giving away flights and hotels were giving away rooms.

This year is different. The economy is rebounding and travel is up again. Also, the airlines slashed capacity during the worst of last year and it does not appear that it will be coming back any time soon.

Unless you pay a fully refundable, full fare, you are not subsidizing anything for anyone. The business travelers are subsidizing the flight for you.

I suggest you wait as you think you can get a better deal. Just recognize that you might not. $200 to fly anywhere in this country round trip is a massive bargain.

We got roundtrip fares from NJ - MCO for $214 in July, and were thrilled!

 

[PiperPizzaz]

I have found about 3 months out to the sweet spot on pricing. JMO

 

[DVCBELLE]

Airtran now offers credits if they drop the price of a flight after you book. I would think Airtran will drop again - I would not book that high...

 

[Tinkerbell58]

I have found airfare is less expensive when flying on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or a Thursday.

 

[a1tinkfans]

I have found airfare is less expensive when flying on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or a Thursday.

SW just had DINGS for all of March for 80 each way, NS!

 

[maggiew]

I don't think the OP was complaining about the cost of airfare nowadays. What she was complaining about was that it WAS $100 (since she has been monitoring it) and now it JUMPED up to $300. She wanted to know if that was normal or if it might go back down.

I would say, chances are it will drop back down. Keep monitoring it and look at the Kayak flight history graph. If it drops back down to $100 or whatever you are comfortable with, book it.

Maggie