airline tickets - how far in advance

[kdibattista]

How far in advance to airline tickets come out? We are booked for next December and I don't recall. Is it around 200 days out?

 

[ckj]

I just booked american for 9/20/03-10/2/03, their flights came out for that time frame about a week ago.

 

[DebbieB]

It depends on the airline. USAir is 330 days (about 11 months). Southwest is only available until April right now.

 

[Jillpie]

And I don't know if you know of this tip, but when the flights do become available (and I think it is the 330 days in advance), get on the phone with the airline at midnight of the exact day they become available and you should be able to get their lowest fare. I did this with Delta last May for our upcoming April trip and the lowest fares were sold out in 20 minutes after midnight! I was one of the lucky ones.

 

[lodgelady]

Jillpie- does that mean midnight 330 days before the trip DOWN or 330 days before the return trip? Thanks for the good fare tip!

 

[Jillpie]

Thats a great question and I'm glad you asked. It means both. You need to get on the phone 330 days before the day you want to go and the day you want to return. But before you quote me on the exact 330 days, check with the airline. I know with Delta that is the case. But before you go to a calendar and take all that time to count that many days, you can just call the airline, give your desired dates and they will give you the date to call. It is WELL worth the effort. Our flights one way are only 104.00 from Boston to Orlando. I looked online the other day, this same flight is now 294.00 one way!! Same with the return flight. Anyway, good luck with this, it really works.

 

[ncligs]

Originally posted by Jillpie
And I don't know if you know of this tip, but when the flights do become available (and I think it is the 330 days in advance), get on the phone with the airline at midnight of the exact day they become available and you should be able to get their lowest fare. I did this with Delta last May for our upcoming April trip and the lowest fares were sold out in 20 minutes after midnight! I was one of the lucky ones.

That will not work for holiday travel(x-mas,Easter,Thanksgiving.etc)

 

[lodgelady]

Here is another question for you Jillpie, If I buy one way tix 330 days before travel down, then buy one way tix 330 days before travel back, do I then have the advantage of round trip fares, which are usually lower per flight than one way? Thanks again Jillpie!!

 

[Jillpie]

I think it all depends. If you are going at a time when it is quiet, then I would probably go with the roundtrip fares. I went this way because it is Easter week that we are going. I knew, with the entire New England area (if not the whole country) is off that week from school, that everyone would be grabbing the flights. I couldn't take the chance. It turned out that the combined flights, equal out to 224.00, so thats not too shabby for Easter week.
Just reread your question...when you purchase one way tickets, at least this was the case for me and I'm not sure if its because it was the lowest fare, but they are nonrefundable. If I cancel, I have the option to book another flight in the next 12 months, but it was not refundable. So I don't believe you could transfer these tickets into roundtrip if you found a better fare.

 

[lodgelady]

Thanks for all the info Jillpie!