Airfares From the West Coast

[Rantybaby]

Dear West Coast Dis Crew,

What is the common fare coming from the West? And how fare in advance should you book?

 

[lordog]

Since we are going during Spring break '07, I booked 7-8 months in advance. I paid $411/person (Oakland, CA to Orlando) with American Airlines. Sounds like a lot but others were charging near $1,000/person because it's a busy time. Some flights already sold out!

Another tip: If you decide to fly with American Airlines, the Entertainment book has a 5% discount coupon in it.

 

[Castillo Mom]

Well, I'm booking our flight tomorrow night which will be exactly 330 days out. If the current rate holds one more day, I'll be paying $367 per person including taxes/fees on AA from LAX to MCO departing 8/21/07 returning 9/8/07 not including the Entertainment discount. I could get Delta for about $40 less per ticket but AA has the times I prefer plus I'll be getting 5% off anyway.

How far out to book is a personal decision. It really depends on whether you want to fly on one the major carriers or whether you don't mind playing the waiting game and holding out for a discount on Southwest, Jet Blue, etc. who don't release their fares until 6-8 months out. I believe the aforementioned carriers may not have direct flights but I'm not certain.

Personally, I've been tracking fares for several months now and the rate we're getting is very decent.

 

[mom2kandj]

Just this week, I booked OAK - MCO 1/26/07 returning 2/3/07 on AA for $950 for my family of four. That breaks down to $99 pp each way plus taxes and fees. Only one stop each way for us.

I'm also helping a friend book those same dates LAX - MCO on Delta for $868 for her family of four. That is also $99 pp each way plus taxes and fees. Even better for her because her flights are non stop! Red eye going in and a late afternoon flight on the return.

I used Kayak to do my rate shopping. (Southwest is not included on Kayak, but for that time period, SW wanted $159 pp each way! Yikes!) Most of the year, west coast to MCO is going to run $400 pp. I figured that I can't really get much better than the $99 each way pp and still get decent flight times, connections, and the ability to book direct from the airline.

FWIW, I did start my flight shopping in August and I did check airfare daily.

Now, if only we could get to January...

HTH!

Rose

 

[pppiglet]

I booked mine already for May 07. We paid $397 roundtrip ea. LAX - MCO. Delta/AA
both non-stops at the times I wanted.

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

Our flights out of PDX have always run approx. $200 r/t. And, after living here five years, it still really bugs me that it's usually cheaper to fly all the way to WDW in FL, than to go to DL in CA!

 

[Yookeroo]

Last week I booked a flight out of LAX for early December for $230 (after taxes) r/t. I've been watching fairly closely for about 6 months and the best fares out of SoCal usually were around the $280 mark. I wouldn't pay more that that unless you're leaving at a busy time or can't be flexible.

 

[jencav5]

I book airfare about 2-3 months in advance. For our current trip, I booked on 8/6/06 for 10/28/06. I like to fly United out of SF, so we can go non-stop. I paid $327.11pp including all taxes this year. Last year, I booked 8/15/05 for 10/29/05, United, non-stop out of SF for $316.90pp including all taxes. Prior to August, I periodically check rates for all airlines to see where I'm at.

 

[ACDSNY]

My flights for the end of this month were $220 RT from Sacramento to Orlando. I'm waiting until after X-mas to look for our May 2007 tickets, they are way too high right now.

Normally our fares are between $220 - $320 RT.

 

[Rantybaby]

Thanks folks,

I was wondering if $275-330 r/t from LAX was too much? My trip is planned for August 2007. So, now I know these price are typical.

 

[BelleBoo&AmisMum]

We just paid $243 r/t on SW from SEA to MCO. We're rather happy with that fare since Alaska was running $575 for the same February - March time period!

 

[adrock1976]

Thanks folks,

I was wondering if $275-330 r/t from LAX was too much? My trip is planned for August 2007. So, now I know these price are typical.

That is a good price. We usually go the week after Thanksgiving. We got $327 per person this year. Our flights from Honolulu to the mainland are usually cheaper than LAX to MCO. Only Delta and United have nonstops from LAX to MCO...so if that is important to you, like it is for us, keep that in mind with your fare. Other people quoting low prices from the west coast...ask them how many times they have to stop...I am sure it is at least once if not twice, depending on the carrier. Enjoy.

 

[Rantybaby]

That is a good price. We usually go the week after Thanksgiving. We got $327 per person this year. Our flights from Honolulu to the mainland are usually cheaper than LAX to MCO. Only Delta and United have nonstops from LAX to MCO...so if that is important to you, like it is for us, keep that in mind with your fare. Other people quoting low prices from the west coast...ask them how many times they have to stop...I am sure it is at least once if not twice, depending on the carrier. Enjoy.

American has a direct flight. I'm willing to pay up to $350 w/tax for either a non stop or 1-stop with NO PLANE CHANGE!! I hate going up & down. My brother always uses priceline.com. I can't stand them.

 

[ACDSNY]

Unless I find a really good deal I don't buy tickets until 3-5 months prior to our trip. That way if you have to cancel you still have time left to rebook a trip. Our flights from Sac to Orlando this month are on United with 1 stop in DEN. They were purchased during a sale on Expedia $220 RT. The major airlines usually don't start dropping their prices until SWA schedule is released.

 

[Castillo Mom]

American has a direct flight. I'm willing to pay up to $350 w/tax for either a non stop or 1-stop with NO PLANE CHANGE!! I hate going up & down. My brother always uses priceline.com. I can't stand them.

I booked my flight Friday night with AA and final cost with the 5% Entertainment discount came to $349.70 per person including taxes/fees. Not too shabby for a direct flight and now I can cross one more things off my "to do" list.

 

[mom2kandj]

bump...

 

[Bird-Mom]

Our flights from SEA-MCO for our February trip are $257pp on the nonstop on Alaska. This was definitely a sale. I have been watching and watching flights for months, and the usual SEA-MCO is $365pp with a plane change or $450ish for the Alaska nonstop.

In August we flew PDX-TPA for $230pp because we couldn't do better than $365pp out of SEA. It was worth the drive on both ends, and we usually rent a car, so no extra expense there.

We always travel off season, so I won't book unless I find something around $250 unless we are within 4 weeks of travel. Sometimes that is very nerve wracking!

 

[mum of two pirates]

I booked at 325 days out and we paid $300 from spokane wa to mco. It was $25 cheeper the weekend before but I didnt get them. I booked with delta becouse SW wasnt doing flights from spokane to mco without doing seperrate flight tickets and it was way over priced. Then last month they brought them back for $300. I was so mad becouse we cant change our tickets at all. If I would have booked southwest we could have changed it to a day or two sooner at anytime. I like there flexability and no pen. I would love to add a day or two more that it is paid for. We have like 36 more days to go and I cant wait. Our flights have been sold out for months now. Maybe I'll get bumped and we can go again next year.

 

[BeccaG]

Subscribing!!

 

[mum of two pirates]

They canceled our conecting flight, so thye can put us leaving mco at 7:30 in the morning, ecept our ship doesnt get in that early, or we can have a layover in salt lake that night at our espence. Huh what bout the 1hour and a half rule. Well we can get you on a flight the next day at 7:30am. I told her I'd get back to her. I see on there sight they have some open sunday night. I am going to ask for that. Then we can stay at disney two more whole days and relax and hang in the pool and maybe visit the AK resort. Why couldn't this happen on our way down, so we could have come an extra day before. Oh well maybe itll work out for the best. But it is going to cost us an extra $200 at least for room and food oh ya and the sleigh ride I just booked for saterday night. Mum