Airtran - would you book?

[Blessed_wth_Triplets]

So I keep debating whether or not to book my Aug/Sept airfare with Airtran yet? Right now it's at $99 each way...coming to I think $1067 for the five of us not included baggage and buying seats of course. I think a month or so ago is was at $88 each way. Should I book now or wait? Getting the credit if it goes down won't get used since we won't be traveling next year. THANKS!

 

[ancestry]

I would book now as long as you aren't too attached to the flight times and schedules. Air Tran is notorious for schedule and flight changes when you book this far out. I'm willing to bet that there is an 85% chance that you will experience a time or flight schedule change before you travel.

However, that is a good price and most likely won't come down too much at this point. If price is of a concern I would book now as prices will most likely go up.

 

[jamounger]

If you go to kayak.com and search for your flight. When the airtran flight you want comes up click on it and it will take you to the airtran site. When you book and come to the part about buying seats it does not charge you for them. At least it didn't last time i booked this way. every little bit of saving helps, doesn't it?

 

[Blessed_wth_Triplets]

really? you think they could go up? I've never seen them much higher than $99 each way?

 

[ancestry]

really? you think they could go up? I've never seen them much higher than $99 each way?

Where are you flying from? In my opinion any round trip airfare under $200 is a steal.

 

[Blessed_wth_Triplets]

Flint or Detroit MI

 

[jamounger]

It is usually cheaper to fly from Detroit on airtran. That is where we fly from.

 

[PSUGuy]

From PHL to MCO I'd jump on it, I think we paid $94 for that flight last year. As for changes, I always check my itinerary weekly if not daily once I book and I've caught my changes almost as soon as they've happened, from whatever carrier I'm usin. Often the change is to my benefit, putting us on a flight that cost more when the original booking took place and I've always been able to get rid of changes to connecting flights when they moved us off a direct.

Bill From PA

 

[2DisPrincesses]

Our last two trips from Detroit, we have not paid more than $64 each way to fly on Airtran.

 

[aubriee]

If you go to kayak.com and search for your flight. When the airtran flight you want comes up click on it and it will take you to the airtran site. When you book and come to the part about buying seats it does not charge you for them. At least it didn't last time i booked this way. every little bit of saving helps, doesn't it?

That loophole was discovered and finally fixed a few months ago. Now even going through Kayak you have to pay to choose your seats.

 

[TaraPA]

Tough question. I think for 5 seats $99 one-way is a good rate on AT. Have you been watching them for awhile? If they've been much lower, say $59 or $69 then personally I'd play the waiting game a bit longer. If they've never gone lower than $89 - $99 - book now.

You now have to pay the seat assignment fees through Kayak, the glitch has been fixed!

AT gets a bad rap for schedle changes, but of the 3 AT flights I've had, we haven't had a change even by 1 minute. We've had no problems & the staff was great. I have a ressie on AT for October, been booked for 6 weeks now, and so far no schedule changes on that one either. It might depend on the airport you're leaving from - seems the same airports get the worst complaints on changes with AT.

 

[PoohsFan1]

We are using AirTran for our September trip and I was lucky enough to get our tickets out of Chicago Midway for $79 each way....they were having a sale on all flights for $79 dollars and when we booked it (about a month ago) was the last day of the sale. Since then the price has been around $99 dollars for non-stop flights. The only change thus far is that on our return flight they changed our direct flight to a connecting flight, which they said that we could switch to a direct flight for no charge, but we wanted to leave late on our last day, so we kept it. I am hoping they don't change anything else from now until we leave....but I know that is wishful thinking.

 

[Dotsie]

I just booked our flights today for our trip in 2 weeks ( I know, I know my DH wasn't sure he wanted to fly with the kids). Granted I was able to get a corporate discount but for 4 of us it was $392. I was able to choose my seats and I didn't get charged. I don't know if that's because I went through my company or not. I've never flown AT so I don't know. We're flying PHL to MCO.

 

[Blessed_wth_Triplets]

thanks everyone. Yeah..I'm thinking of booking it when DH gets home....it's now at $93 each way...and hasn't been any lower. How much is the seat fee?

 

[Dotsie]

before you do, do a search for little debbie and AT. You can get one $10 voucher per email address. I did this today and was able to get $10 off my fares.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

We're flying Airtran for the first time in June. When I bought our tickets, it still worked to go through the Kayak site and not be charged for seat selection. Our flight to MCO is now departing 10 minutes earlier, which is FINE! The sooner we leave, the better!

The flight coming home moved from like 8 AM to 1 PM. Again, that worked in our favor.

The price was $97 each way. I watched after I bought our tickets to see what the price would do. One leg went down by a few dollars, but the other leg went up the same day so I just left it alone. After that the price just went higher and higher, and now the only seats left on our flights are business class for about $400 each way.

 

[disneyfanfamily]

I just booked from Detroit for early August. It was $670 or so for all 4 of us to fly. $68 each way per ticket, then add in seat assignments, tax, etc.

I went back a couple days later to check on prices, and they went up to $104 each way. So I am SOOO glad that I booked when I did. So, if I were you, I would book it. I know they change times, etc., but the price was worth it to me. Hoping if they change it to a ridiculous time, or with a layover, they will switch me to a more accomodating flight. I have flown with them 1 other time (I don't fly very often though) and we had no problem with time changes.

Last year I flew for under $500 for all 4 of us. But I am assuming that is not a price that will happen too often anymore...

Good luck!

 

[AmongMadPeople]

I'm experiencing a similar dilemma. For our last trip I was able to snag a nonstop flight from IND for $54. Now, flights for our next trip are at $99, and I just want to wait it out because the sales they are running now don't cover our dates. I'm holding out for something in the 70's, for at least one way.

My hubby thinks that with Airtran's recent accolades, that they won't be lowering prices as much. I can't imagine it will get much worse, since Southwest flies nonstop out of IND for $94-99. I'd hate to bite too early and see prices lowered, but I'd also hate to be burned if they raise prices...