Airfare Around Thanksgiving

[cg1200]

We recently booked a trip to WDW for the Tues before Thanksgiving to the Sunday after. Normally we avoid these peak times of the year but with my oldest in the 7th grade this year we didn't want to pull him from school. Normally we fly jetBlue out of White Plains, NY and pay around $200-$250/ticket. JB has not posted their fares yet for Nov 2010. Does anyone have a guesstimate as to how bad it's going to be or what fares were like in 2009?

Other airlines have fares posted for Thanksgiving and they aren't awful (like $324/ticket). We're not far from Hartford so Southwest is also an option but maybe it's just me, Southwest always seems very expensive. I'm also not crazy about the whole open seating deal. I've never flown Southwest but with 3 kids I don't like the idea of being separated.

We booked a trip once a few years ago for President's Week. When JB finally posted their fares they were $525/ticket from White Plains. We wound up rescheduling the trip for another time. I'm having visions of history repeating itself.

 

[dioxide45]

The Wednesday before and the Monday after are two of the busiest days of the year. Fares really drop off by Tuesday after. Sunday is still quite high. Only time will tell how much they really are. We booked a cruise for Thanksgiving week and will be flying down on Saturday and returning on Sunday, not looking forward to the airfares. Looking to fly AirTran which also hasn't released fares for that time yet.

 

[Missytara]

I have flown down to the World on both the Saturday and the Sunday after Thanksgiving, which is my traditional week.

I paid $89.00 going down on Saturday this past year and $59.00 coming back the following Saturday.

Last year, I paid $99.00 going down on Sunday and $79.00 coming back the following Sunday, both non-stop flights.

It has been pretty much that way the last few years..... from BWI to MCO on Airtran. And I always fly non-stop, both ways.

 

[Waseller77]

This past Thanksgiving we flew JetBlue on Thanksgiving Day and returned the following Friday (8 days). From Maine, we spent $84 each way non-stop. Thanksgiving Day is not a busy travel day and could be an option...

 

[cg1200]

I have flown down to the World on both the Saturday and the Sunday after Thanksgiving, which is my traditional week.

I paid $89.00 going down on Saturday this past year and $59.00 coming back the following Saturday.

Last year, I paid $99.00 going down on Sunday and $79.00 coming back the following Sunday, both non-stop flights.

It has been pretty much that way the last few years..... from BWI to MCO on Airtran. And I always fly non-stop, both ways.

Airtran flies out of HPN and SWF (both not far for me) but I've had issues with them changing flight times and worse, changing a flight from non-stop to 1 stop. Usually they post their flights very far in advance but still nothing from them either. I guess I'd take another shot with them if I had no other choice. But your story is encouraging.

If you go every year around thanksgiving, how do you manage the crowds? I've never been and heard they are quite daunting.

 

[Missytara]

Airtran flies out of HPN and SWF (both not far for me) but I've had issues with them changing flight times and worse, changing a flight from non-stop to 1 stop. Usually they post their flights very far in advance but still nothing from them either. I guess I'd take another shot with them if I had no other choice. But your story is encouraging.

If you go every year around thanksgiving, how do you manage the crowds? I've never been and heard they are quite daunting.

I have flown Airtran every time, with the exception of once when I flew SW to accommodate a friend, and they have never changed my flight. However, BWI is a fairly major airport in the mid-atlantic; I am not sure if that it why.

I only find the Saturday after Thanksgiving to be a bit daunting - I recently changed from Sunday to Saturday, in order to have the extra day at home. I did not realize most people actually checked out on Saturday, with families, for the same reason. Sunday is pretty busy at MK, because the locals that have families visiting or have off naturally gravitate to that park. I do AK that day and it is heavenly.

Monday through Thursday is fabulous and only MK ramps up at the end of the week, when the parade taping starts, but there are ways around that.

The week after Thanksgiving is quite wonderful, until (gasp) the Travel Channel let the rest of the world know it is the best bang for your buck all year, a few years ago. It is considered value season, so prices are lower, and all the Christmas activities are in full swing.

For the taping of the parade - the Th/Fri/Sat (the day I leave), I take the train to Frontierland and avoid the whole entire Main Street and Castle taping until about 2:00 pm. Then the crowds spill onto the rest of the park, but I have made my exit from Toontown via the train and well on my way to another park.

It is a great week to go, despite the fact that the best kept secret is beginning to get out.....give it a try. Just don't tell all your friends!

 

[theterms]

We always go to Fort Lauderdale for Thanksgiving, but due to Turkey day high school football, we did Universal. We left on Thanksgiving day and returned Tuesday night - flew Southwest for the 1st time. Boarding was easy - got 4 seats in about row 7 or 8 and it had to be the best flight we've ever been on. Very smooth from boarding to landing in FL! I wish they flew out of Newark or Allentown, though. Philly is a bit far... but we felt it was worth it!! 2 free checked bags per person is awesome too! And since it was Thanksgiving day, we got a free cocktail on the flight!! Our flight attendant was hysterical... he kept the entire plane laughing the whole time!

The trick is, when you're checking in online, be ready at your reservation a few minutes before the 24 hour mark and hit that button fast!

 

[cg1200]

The trick is, when you're checking in online, be ready at your reservation a few minutes before the 24 hour mark and hit that button fast!

So on SW you can choose your seat at the 24 hour prior to departure online check in?

 

[dioxide45]

So on SW you can choose your seat at the 24 hour prior to departure online check in?

No. People just check in at 24 hours to get a low boarding number so they can board first.

 

[cg1200]

No. People just check in at 24 hours to get a low boarding number so they can board first.

Ahhh. I get it...