Air fare advice

[Muskegon78]

We are 2-3 weeks away from being able to book our airfare for out cruise on the major airlines. Southwest only books about 7 months in advance so we need to decide if we want to book in 2-3 weeks or wait for Southwest. There are 4 of us traveling so bag fees are substantial with the other airlines. Does anyone have experience with this and has waiting for Southwest ever resulted in a greater expense?

 

[ThistleMae]

I've been checking airlines since last summer. For me....here in New England...Southwest is always the cheapest. Also...there prices seem to be the best about 3 months out. But....and here is the good part....if you see a cheaper fare on Southwest after you book, you can get a credit difference for the lower price to apply to your next flight. It has to be used within a year. I got a $ 60.00 credit on my flight for a Virginia trip because I check at least two times a week and found one of my flight times had gone down to $ 82.00! So, if Southwest flies to where you want to go...I'd wait.

 

[Muskegon78]

I've been checking airlines since last summer. For me....here in New England...Southwest is always the cheapest. Also...there prices seem to be the best about 3 months out. But....and here is the good part....if you see a cheaper fare on Southwest after you book, you can get a credit difference for the lower price to apply to your next flight. It has to be used within a year. I got a $ 60.00 credit on my flight for a Virginia trip because I check at least two times a week and found one of my flight times had gone down to $ 82.00! So, if Southwest flies to where you want to go...I'd wait.

Any issue with the way they board you since there will be 4 of us traveling? I assume if we are there early enough it isn't an issue to sit together. So you think 3 month out fares will be better then when they open up booking? The way I am I doubt I'll be able to wait on it

 

[mumto2]

For a family of four that needs to sit together, spring for the early bird checkin. It is an additional $12.50 per person each way. I happen to like the way they do boarding - it just seems calmer than the way every one rushes the gate on the other airlines. But, I always get the early bird check in, whether I am alone for work or on a family trip.

If you really don't want to pay the extra $100 for a family of four, know that they board families with young children (so not a 12 year old) after group A has boarded. At that point, there will still be plenty of pairs of seats together, and maybe even an aisle seat or two. But I wouldn't count on four toghether (as in two aisle seats next to/ behind one another with the neighboring middle seats making the fourths). With early bird check in, you are still not guaranteed four seats together, but I have never seen that not be the case, even when my boarding numbers was one of the highest early bird numbers.

 

[ThistleMae]

Any issue with the way they board you since there will be 4 of us traveling? I assume if we are there early enough it isn't an issue to sit together. So you think 3 month out fares will be better then when they open up booking? The way I am I doubt I'll be able to wait on it

Like I said, I've checked the flights all during the summer last year. Three mos. out I saw the best prices....however, you never know when there is a special, like the one I found for $ 82.00 looking a month out. But being the early bird that you are....you can book early and then watch prices and get a credit if the price of that particular flight and time drops. It seems like a win/win to me....unless you will not be using Southwest within that same year. For me....it was perfect.

 

[tweis]

I don't know where you are flying from but for us from the ATL, we always fly SW. The prices aren't always that much cheaper but the fact that I have no baggage fees or change fees, seals the deal for us. When the 4 of us flew to MCO last year, we booked through SW but it was actually an Airtran flight and we WERE able to pick our own seats before hand by paying a little more. If it is not an Airtran flight, we just pay the extra for early bird check in and so far we've not had any problems with sitting together.

I agree with the PP that said flights were less expensive about 3 months out. We had planned to go to Vegas in June which I had booked probably in January, but due to some scheduling conflicts we had to change our trip to May (Memorial week). We booked mid February and the May flights were actually cheaper than the June flights. I was worried with it being a holiday week and booking on such short notice (for me) but it worked out great. Good luck.

 

[cashe]

I don't know where you are flying from but for us from the ATL, we always fly SW. The prices aren't always that much cheaper but the fact that I have no baggage fees or change fees, seals the deal for us. When the 4 of us flew to MCO last year, we booked through SW but it was actually an Airtran flight and we WERE able to pick our own seats before hand by paying a little more. If it is not an Airtran flight, we just pay the extra for early bird check in and so far we've not had any problems with sitting together.

I agree with the PP that said flights were less expensive about 3 months out. We had planned to go to Vegas in June which I had booked probably in January, but due to some scheduling conflicts we had to change our trip to May (Memorial week). We booked mid February and the May flights were actually cheaper than the June flights. I was worried with it being a holiday week and booking on such short notice (for me) but it worked out great. Good luck.

Totally off topic, but I've been to vegas a bajillion times and a lot over memorial weekend. You will love it! Great weather and typically a slow time. Odd, because I , like you, assumed it would be packed! Same goes for 4th of July. I usually go Father's Day weekend now. I WILL NOT go back the first weekend/week of June EVER again! It's a mad house full of college kids who, I guess, just got out of school and are celebrating.

 

[xlxo]

Also compare Tuesdays and Wednesdays to your preferred travel dates. You might find savings.

 

[tweis]

Totally off topic, but I've been to vegas a bajillion times and a lot over memorial weekend. You will love it! Great weather and typically a slow time. Odd, because I , like you, assumed it would be packed! Same goes for 4th of July. I usually go Father's Day weekend now. I WILL NOT go back the first weekend/week of June EVER again! It's a mad house full of college kids who, I guess, just got out of school and are celebrating.

We actually were in Vegas the same time last year but I booked our airfare earlier (and paid more) so I was surprised to actually pay less this year especially with me booking it later. I'm really glad that we had to change our schedule because I was not looking forward to the heat in June. Of course, now we have the Florida heat/humidity to look forward to in June. Oh well, I can't complain since it is vacation.

 

[cashe]

We actually were in Vegas the same time last year but I booked our airfare earlier (and paid more) so I was surprised to actually pay less this year especially with me booking it later. I'm really glad that we had to change our schedule because I was not looking forward to the heat in June. Of course, now we have the Florida heat/humidity to look forward to in June. Oh well, I can't complain since it is vacation.

I live in texas, we go to vegas in the summers to escape the heat! Ha!

 

[tweis]

I live in GA and it probably is cooler in Vegas than it is here during the summer. It was hot while we were there but not the kind of "hot" that we experience here. lol Two completely different kinds of heat!