Airfare Question-Might need to book tonight!!

[DisGirl81]

Hello,

I am going to be flying into MCO later in the afternoon/evening on 11/30 from Austin,TX (AUS) departing on 12/5.

I was looking at airfare last night, there was a Jet Blue direct flight R/T total of $279. I went back to book it today and it is up to $325.

There a few Continental options that are around $280.

Southwest hasn't released those dates yet and I am not a huge Southwest fan...

My question is...do I just buy the airfare tonight because it is still less than $300 on Continental, suck it up and pay the extra $$ on JetBlue to get the direct flight...or chance it, wait for Southwest to release the dates and hope that theirs is comparable.

My Mom said maybe I should wait and the fares will go back down...has anyone seen this happen? The only thing I have seen them do is go down.

Thanks in advance!!

 

[uva185]

What are your dates of travel?

 

[Tara]

If it were me, I'd wait a bit. Southwest releases fares next week, right? When they do, JB might bump their own fares down temporarily.

 

[DisGirl81]

What are your dates of travel?

I guess that would be helpful 11/30 - 12/5.

 

[DisGirl81]

If it were me, I'd wait a bit. Southwest releases fares next week, right? When they do, JB might bump their own fares down temporarily.

I believe they are releasing them on 6/15. I am just worried I will end up having to pay over $300 for the ticket.

I feel like airfare is out of control lately!

 

[kaytieeldr]

Wait. I 'know' - instinctively, with absolutely NO inside source or any other support, aka 'I sense' fares will drop. Be patient.

If they don't, I apologize in advance. I'm ready to pay almost $400 to go to Las Vegas.

 

[DisGirl81]

I'm ready to pay almost $400 to go to Las Vegas.

I have to laugh at this because I did the same thing this month. My DH and I waaaaay overpaid to go to Las Vegas because I waited too long...normally from here it should be somewhere around $250. We had a great time though!

 

[uva185]

I guess that would be helpful 11/30 - 12/5.

You definitely have time to hold out. That is not a holiday period and quite frankly between Thanksgiving and Christmas is a low travel period.

I might even wait late August or September to purchase as the "sweet spot" for low fares is typically 2-3 months out.

 

[Missytara]

I can say that I have noted that the fares go lower during the week - Tuesday through Thursday. I book mine at 6:00 am, just as I am getting into work.

By lunchtime, they would go back up again slightly. They seemed to be the highest Friday through Monday, because my theory is that this is when most families are home during the weekend and finalize their plans.

I booked my flight November 27th through December 5th already. I booked Airtran and got $99.00 going down (from BWI to MCO) and $59.00 going back. I booked mine on a Wednesday morning, around 6:15 am.

I am thrilled because I have been checking periodically and they have never gone down lower.