airfares more expensive this year???

[jama]

This year roundtrip airfare is $400 a person. Last year same time was $200 a person. Any one else see increase in their price?

jama

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

yes.

 

[Bill From PA]

How far ahead are you looking? I've been watching USAir and other carrier rates out of a local airport for 4 years and have a good sense of rate history. It seems that what's happening is that for dates more than 2 months out, the rates are double or more over past history. Once you get down the the 6 - 8 week range, they come down, excepting of course holiday and other high traffic periods. The thing to do is to check your days, as in Sat. through the next Sat. for the week 6 weeks from right now. I think you'll find that the rate is lower than the same days of travel three months down the road. I've usually gotten the lowest rates offered as much as 3 to 4 months in advance. This time I'll hold out until mid January for a March 5 flight unless I see a rate equal to or less than what I paid last year, and I have seen rates for Fri. through Sat. travel for $5 less than last year.

Bill From PA

 

[castlegazer]

I am getting significantly lower fares this year - but I may not be apples to apples - I am more flexible this year so I just searched for the lowest cost days to fly on and booked those days. I am flying out on a Friday afternoon and coming home on a Thursday and I searched for the lowest price week, although, it is basically the same week I traveled down last year. I am not hampered by school vacations either but I am traveling in the Spring time.

Oh, and one more thing that may not be helpful is that we just had more competition move in to BOS for low fares and it seems to be drawing everyone else downwards. I also have a range of four airports to fly out of. OK - bottom line. I guess I am not one to have answered this - it just probably isn't the same as your experience.

 

[helenk]

This past year I paid 164.50 for airfare from Phila to Orlando. So far the cost for next June has been $206.50. I am hoping it will come down once Southwest annouces their rates from Phila.
My plan is to book the end of January or the beginning of Feb for the end of June, unless some great internet price is announced.
You really have to watch the fares each day, sometimes more than once a day.
If you do a search using price rather than dates you can generally get a lower fare. Also the time you fly can effect the rate, if you are willing to fly really early in the am or later in the evening the costs are lower. You just have to play around with the times and dates.

 

[NotUrsula]

The Washington Post's travel staff seems to think so, and those folks watch airfares constantly for the Post's Coming and Going column. Here are two postings from last week's live chat:

Springfield, Va.: Hi- love the show, of course! Looking for a cheap holiday ticket between Bakersfield, CA and either Dulles or Reagan (don't want BWI, since my brother will travel on Christmas Day). I have looked through all the usual suspects for online booking, but the best I see is around $400. Does this seem high to you? Would this be a possibility for a consolidator? Thanks

The Flight Crew: That is what fares are going for these days, or rather this holiday season. All I can suggest is wait and see if any of the carriers offer fare sales. You can try an agency like Cheapfares.com, or even go on Priceline, if you have flexible times/dates. --andrea "

or this one:

"DC to Portland, ME or Portland to DC:
The cheapest nonstop I'm finding near T-giving and Christmas is $288 RT (and this is with restricted dates). Please look into your crystal ball and tell me this isn't the best fare we're gonna see. Seems ridiculously higher than past years!;!;

The Flight Crew: Fares are high, people. Holdays are always expensive, and even more so this year, due to more travelers, fewer seats. So, when I look into my crystal ball I see you taking a bus, or plunking down the $288.--andrea the "seer" "

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A6439-2003Oct23.html

(BTW, that particular day's chat contains some REALLY funny travel disaster stories. The Post was giving out prizes for the best one. IMO, the Post's travel section is required reading for the nonprofessional who wants to keep a finger on the pulse of what is happening with leisure travel trends and pricing.)

 

[seashoreCM]

If I could only choose "Yes" or "No" I will answer the title question with "No."

At least for Boston to Orlando.

There may have been fewer of the cheapest seats available this year makijng the average fare higher, but I have seen everyday low fares and broadly advertised sale fares as low as in the past few years. Don't know about flash in the pan sale fares which may have been available only on days I didn't check the internet.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

Purchased $220. RT BOS-MCO in January for travel November '03, saw $160. some time later but not for my dates.

 

[Starz723]

This is all dependent upon where you are flying from.

I have never paid more than $79 each way. I just got back and that was my price. Last December I got it for $64 each way. I travel Sat to Sat, or Sun to Sun. If you fly in the middle of the week, its the cheapest.

I fly ONLY Jet Blue..(My airline of choice and its the cheapest) from JFK (NYC) to MCO (Orlando)

 

[DisFam95]

No..way cheaper!!!!

We have always paid ~$250 from Dallas traveling in the fall. We are going in Jan and bought ours for $150!!!!

 

[ducklite]

I usually fly either US or CO out of EWR or PHL, and haven't noticed any differences in airfare on an over all basis. I just booked on US for a January trip for $184 per person, which is actually about $30 less per person than what I paid for the same time frame last year.

Anne

 

[CarolA]

I loved the Post's comment about the Crystal Ball.

I always want to respond that way since I figure that what any of us tell anyone about airfare is just a guess. None of us REALLY know (unless one of you is a rate setter for the airline and has not confessed!)

 

[Starz723]

Ive noticed also, that alot has to do with the times you want to fly. ( days of the week, hours of the day) You can get real super savers if you fly the times the airlines would like you to fly.

I like arriving in MCO in the morning and take the 8AM flight. I also like to return by 4 or 5 in the afternoon..Those are preferable flying times and they fill up fast.

I constantly have a watch on airlines fares.. You can do this with travelocity, etc. Like stated before, when you are alerted to cheap fares, its always when the airlines want you to fly. They need to fill up their vacant seats at wierd times.

I will pay a few bucks more to fly at the times I want. Luckily, it has been affordable anywhere where from $128/RT to $150/RT. I fly out of NYC.