Airfares are out of control!!!

[lsyorke]

The icing on the cake is one search for a flight from the northeast goes from Laguardia(NY)-Houston-Orlando, 8 hours 42 minutes for $532.00!!!! Are they CRAZY!!!!! And forget Newark its even worse with virtually NO non stop flights.(this is for august). Looks like we'll be trying Jet Blue since they're the only ones who fly nonstop for about $232.00 r/t. Anyone have any opinions on whats going on???

 

[CarolA]

Gas prices are up, travel is up, actual capacity on a lot of airlines is down. The end result, prices go up.

That said there are still some deals but they seem to be few and far between.

 

[Goof]

We booked our flights in late 2003 and since then the fares have only continued to go up. For example, we paid $138 in 2003 for our flights in july 2004 and today the fare is $317.

Booking far in advance has always worked better for us and has always worked out to be cheaper even though our flight times have changed a few times, which has been to our advantage. With this said, I will continue to book well in advance.

 

[Disney Ron]

If so try Southwest out of Hartford. Depending on your dates in August you probably could get a flight for $175-$190 per person roundtrip!

Plus when the date of your flight gets closer Southwest could drop the prices further so you could call them to get credit for your flight.

Go to their website and price your flight, if you like it book it immediately.

Here you go:

http://www.southwest.com/cgi-bin/buildItinerary2?hps=nb

Let me know how you made out.

Disney Ron

 

[n2mm]

Airfares are high, and finding a good price is tough, especially out of my airport, Dulles. I'm hoping that after the Spring break/Easter time, some summer fares will appear. I have accepted the fact that the low fares of yesteryear are long gone, so now my goal is under $200 rt. I check for my July trip at least 3 times a day.

 

[ValerieK]

I can't believe the prices too. From Washington-Dulles to MCO we had to pay $256 round trip. We could get a very cheap flight, but had to leave MCO at 6:30am.

I have been looking at airfares to visit family in Panama City Beach FL. and it is almost $300 and if I want to have a 5 day layover in Orlando to go to WDW (have AP's, might as well use them) it will be about $405.

 

[n2mm]

ValerieK I feel your pain. Especially since SONG/Delta pulled out after only 6 months of starting service. Makes me glad I don't buy my tickets more than 2 months in advance. I managed to grab a $176 rt on United (the 6:30 PM out of MCO on the way home) for our trip the end of this month. I have yet to see that price again for the early out and late home flights. With only United (TED--starting 4/7) it doesn't leave us any options or competition for fares. I keep hoping Delta will bring their non-stops back after SONG leaves on May 1.

 

[zulaya]

I agree, it sucks. But the reason leisure travelers could get such cheap airfares in the past was because the business travelers were subsiding them because their companies would pay hundreds and maybe thousands more.

There was an article here locally a few weeks back about how the companies sending people on business travel are being as lean looking for cheap fares as the leisure traveler. One company even has it's own software for looking for cheap fares.

Bottom line is now the leisure and the business traveler are paying closer to same amount, which means vacationers are having to pay more as well.

I so feel everyone's pain. I have a conference to attend in July in Chicago. Right now the price of airfare - from MSP - is higher than what I paid for my tickets to MCO when I bought them a month or so ago. It's insane.

 

[lsyorke]

No Disney Ron, Hartford is too far. But it looks like I'll be bailing out on Newark(15 minutes from my house) and going to JFK or Laguardia which I've resisted for years. Jet Blue is looking like the only option for a reasonably decent fare and a livable schedule.

 

[denman007]

I see non-stop flights from Newark in Aug between $300-400. Try Orbitz. They'll check all airlines at once.

 

[gctong]

Try sidestep.com. They compare a bunch of flights like Expedia/Travelocity. Problem is that they don't check discount airlines like jetblue.

 

[mep319]

I just $116 out of Philly for late August...is that too far? What about Song out of AC?

 

[momof2OH]

I've been checking our flights to see if they will come down. Purchased back in Feb. Flying out of Cleveland to MCO on Contiental for June. I paid $221 RT per person. I just checked today and that exact same flight is now...get this...$743.70 per person. I freaked!! That is insane. I'm happy to have paid what I did.

 

[lsyorke]

"What about Song out of AC?"

Do you mean Spirit?? I've just started looking into that. Its quite a drive to AC for us but it may be worth it. Jet Blue is still looking pretty good too out of JFK.

 

[mep319]

Opps...I did mean Spirit....

 

[HeatherC]

You may want to also check Southeast Airlines. They fly out of Newburgh NY....very quiet airport and would probably be easier than JFK or LaGuardia. I think their web address is FLYSEAL.com
Heather

 

[Aquagirl]

Southwest and Song have really cheap rates right now. I have been watching flight prices for a month and they have been really high. I just booked a flight from Hartford to MCO on SW for $49 and a flight home on Song for $57!!!

 

[RamseyTrio]

I just wanted to correct what gctong said about sidestep.com...

Sidestep.com does check the discount airlines (jetBlue, Song, Spirit, etc...). I use them all the time to check flights and put in JFK as my main airport.

I too am searching for a good deal - primarly on jetBlue. We fly them frequently so at least if I book soon and their prices drop we can get a credit that we'll use again. Currently I'm kicking myself for not buying when their prices were low in December. I waited for a better rate and lost what would have been a good deal based on the cost I'm seeing now!

Very frustrating considering out tickets in May 2003 cost us $120 per person including tax and fot this Oct. it's over a $100 more per person

Hopefully we'll all get lucky!

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by Aquagirl
Southwest and Song have really cheap rates right now. I have been watching flight prices for a month and they have been really high. I just booked a flight from Hartford to MCO on SW for $49 and a flight home on Song for $57!!!

when are your dates?
I just booked from Providence to Orlando on SWA for 49.00 each way (before all those fees) for Sept.

 

[ValerieK]

$49 each way, you guys are killing me.

When are we going to get discount airlines out of IAD.

(If there was a crying smilie I would use that one.)