Airfare/flight experts!

[lamb616]

Not sure if this is the best board for this topic, but I don't think there's an airfare board so............

Our trip is in 3.5 months. I'm on the email list for several airlines and am always getting emails about $29 fares $59, $89, etc. So when I look up flights for our trip and see $400, I am less than thrilled, lol. Is there generally a good time I can expect to see decent rates -- i.e., 3 months before, 2 months before, 1 month before?? We travel from a major airport so we have a good amount of flights to choose from - there's 3 airlines that fly non-stop: Jet Blue, Delta & Air Tran.

It's nervewracking trying to figure out when to book (when you're on a budget like I am). I don't want to get so excited if it goes down to $350 and I book, only to have it go down to $100 a few weeks later.... or vice versa, hold out for the lower rates and if they don't come, get stuck paying way more than we planned.

FTR, my expected/target rate has always been $200 so I would be happy to pay $200/pp.

 

[sb127]

This will probably be moved to the Transportation Board. If you give dates someone might help you out. I see you are in MA so you can fly out of Logan, Providence or Manchester. You also have a choice of non stop SW flights if you go out of Manchester or Providence. We always fly out of Providence easy in and out for us. I think that you should be happy with staying in the $250 to $300 range. The really cheap flights are late afternoon going to Orlando and very early morning leaving Orlando. Flying on a Tuesday or Wednesday is also cheapest. Good luck with your search!

 

[lamb616]

This will probably be moved to the Transportation Board. If you give dates someone might help you out. I see you are in MA so you can fly out of Logan, Providence or Manchester. You also have a choice of non stop SW flights if you go out of Manchester or Providence. We always fly out of Providence easy in and out for us. I think that you should be happy with staying in the $250 to $300 range. The really cheap flights are late afternoon going to Orlando and very early morning leaving Orlando. Flying on a Tuesday or Wednesday is also cheapest. Good luck with your search!

oh, I had no idea there was a transportation board, thanks! I will check it out.
We are planning on Logan, as it is most convenient. I wouldn't want to drive over an hour to other airports just to save a couple bucks, it would have to be a huge savings, kwim? Unfortunately we're going Thurs. - Sat. and we wan't to arrive in Orlando earlier in the day and leave later in the day. I did notice weds. flights were cheaper so it might be worth it to go a day early, even if we have to pay another night's hotel. thanks.

 

[cmurray234]

I've read from several reputable websites that the best time to look for airfare is somewhere between 3 months and 6 weeks out, the reasoning is that before 3 months, they can afford not to give discounts, and much closer than 6 weeks, people are desperate and will pay higher rates.

 

[SPBendersky]

If you are still checking this thread. We fly in from NEW YORK and almost always need a car so Tampa is our first choice for airport. It is only an hour or so from Disney, and we have never hit any trafffic. The savings usually pays for the car or we drop it of at the Disney site car rental I think Alamo, and pick one up the day before we go back to airport if we want to maximize our savings.

 

[lindsroc]

We are flying out of Logan too. I got 2 tickets for $400 on Southwest. There were also nonstops available on Airtran & Jetblue for the same price. I got 2 tickets free though from my work so we're flying connections. Generally, the longer you wait- the more expensive it is. Each flight has say 130 seats (just throwing out a number), there may be 10 different fares ranging anywhere from $49 to $400... so there are only a limited amount of seats at every fare. Once those seats sell...that fare is gone and it goes up to the next fare. SOMETIMES if travel is slow- the airlines will release more low fares closer to departure- to sell the seats. But nowadays, flights are so full they dont usually need to do that. Im a travel agent (corporate- not leisure) and so I hope this info helps some. Look into Airtran & Jetblue though, they had some really good deals for nonstops.

Also wanted to add- some airlines will refund the difference if a fare goes down, so if you buy a ticket for $300 and next month its $200...they will either give you a refund of the difference or a travel credit.

 

[Lynne M]

I'll move this over to the Transportation board...

 

[lamb616]

We are flying out of Logan too. I got 2 tickets for $400 on Southwest. There were also nonstops available on Airtran & Jetblue for the same price. I got 2 tickets free though from my work so we're flying connections. Generally, the longer you wait- the more expensive it is. Each flight has say 130 seats (just throwing out a number), there may be 10 different fares ranging anywhere from $49 to $400... so there are only a limited amount of seats at every fare. Once those seats sell...that fare is gone and it goes up to the next fare. SOMETIMES if travel is slow- the airlines will release more low fares closer to departure- to sell the seats. But nowadays, flights are so full they dont usually need to do that. Im a travel agent (corporate- not leisure) and so I hope this info helps some. Look into Airtran & Jetblue though, they had some really good deals for nonstops.

yes, AT, JB and Delta are the only non-stops. Delta doesn't have much though so it's between JB and AT. There is one JB flight that I REAAAAAALLLY want --- leaves Boston at 9:45 a.m. so not too early that we have to be at the airport at the buttcrack of dawn, but not so late that we miss almost a whole day of our vacation, kwim? You don't see to too many flights at that time. It would be perfect to arrive in Orlando by 1:00 p.m., we'd still have a whole half day ahead of us, kwim? But it's like $400/pp last I checked and that is just way more than I want to spend.

 

[lindsroc]

The premium times are always going to be most expensive. Are you going on a weekday? I cant remember if you wrote what day you were leaving. We're doing Tues to Tues. We definitely have to be up at the buttcrack of dawn, our flights leave at 620am. Ew! But... we get in before noon so it will be worth it. I hope! Im going to surprise hubby and the kids with a limo pick up. Try to soften the blow of waking up at 4am. lol.

 

[lindsroc]

Just wanted to add, I dont know if you already have checked buy kayak.com is a great site for finding low fares.

 

[lamb616]

we're going Thurs - Sat. so probably not the greatest days for low fares.

We'll probably end up with a 7 a.m. flight. Do we still have to be at the airport 2 hours beforehand for a domestic flight? *yawn*

I've never used kayak, I will check it out. thanks

 

[WDWisTheBest]

we're going Thurs - Sat. so probably not the greatest days for low fares.

We'll probably end up with a 7 a.m. flight. Do we still have to be at the airport 2 hours beforehand for a domestic flight? *yawn*

I've never used kayak, I will check it out. thanks

As others have said, Thursday flights maybe will have lower fares than Friday or Saturday. And, you probably will wind up with an early morning flight for the lowest fares.

I haven't found that kayak has much lower fares than the others.

 

[linzbear]

Amusingly, we live roughly 20min away from Logan (right off of the Pike inside the 128 corridor), but now always drive to Providence because it is a significant price break between airfare & parking (parking is close to 2x more at Logan!). Much easier to get in and out of the airport, too.

That said, we used to fly JetBlue and loved it. They got a bit more expensive though, and the Southwest rewards are far easier to stack up to a free flight.

We have always booked our flights as far in advance as possible, too.

 

[lindsroc]

Kayak doesnt have lower fares but it gives you all the options as far as price and schedule. I like that you can compare all the airlines on one site.
We live across the water from Logan, looking at it now. lol. Its just too easy for us to get to Logan... I cant imagine driving all the way to Providence.
Oh and if you're checking bags... you should be there 2 hours early. I dont know when you're going- but if its during a school vacay/holiday etc... the airport is usually packed in the morning.