And this is why I am not freaking out about airfare prices

[eliza61]

I'm hoping I'm not reading it wrong.

First Checked Bag
For coach class travel through August 31, 2010, and for all coach class reservations made prior to August 17, 2010, the charge for a first checked bag is $15 with size and weight limitations.

New! Effective September 1, 2010, for all coach class reservations made after August 16, 2010, the charge for a first checked bag is $20 with size and weight limitations (see baggage allowance details below).

So, I'm calculating that since I'm flying 8/25 and I made my reservations prior to 8/17 my one check bag should be $15 bucks going down. I wasn't sure about coming home since it will be 9/1 so I assumed 20 bucks for that one.

here's the link. http://www.airtran.com/policies/carry-on_checked.aspx#summary

 

[mommyoftwinz]

Okay well it looks like I didn't quite have it right, the first bag is $20. The dates you are looking at are 2010. So I'm assuming you booked after 2010 which would mean you'd pay $20 for first bag, or did you buy them last year? It drives me nuts that these airlines have so many extra fees and all these rules. Argh. I just want to go to WDW!!!

Oh and by the way, I see you have booked for 4 people. That means you can check four pieces of luggage under the 1st baggage rate. Does that make sense? Just put one bag under each name, it'll save you a few dollars over having to pay the 2nd baggage rate, unless of course you are checking more than 4 pieces of baggage.

 

[eliza61]

Okay well it looks like I didn't quite have it right, the first bag is $20. The dates you are looking at are 2010. So I'm assuming you booked after 2010 which would mean you'd pay $20 for first bag, or did you buy them last year? It drives me nuts that these airlines have so many extra fees and all these rules. Argh. I just want to go to WDW!!!

Oh and by the way, I see you have booked for 4 people. That means you can check four pieces of luggage under the 1st baggage rate. Does that make sense? Just put one bag under each name, it'll save you a few dollars over having to pay the 2nd baggage rate, unless of course you are checking more than 4 pieces of baggage.

LOL.

I guess this is why they say reading is fundemental. Also helps if I knew what year I'm operating in!! Thanks Mom. Nope, you are right, I brought them last month so I should be at the $20 fee rate.

I too, am assuming that for each person I can check 1 bag at the $20 dollar rate. I'm staying in a 1 bedroom villas so I'm only planning on 1 checked bag for my entire family.

 

[ccgirl]

Your exactly right! Compare apples to apples! My August flights out of PHL for an early AM NS and a late return (Fri-Sun) are currently at $448 each!
Thus I switched to fly out of BWI for $221 each.
Then there are the AT people talking about thier grerat fare ? How about adding on bags then give us the Real fare.
Things arent always what they appear to be. Kayak says PHL MCO is $251.
If I look sure it is but stinky times or connecting flights + bags!

FOr those flying Airtran, atleast they have been purchased by Southwest so eventually maybe they will have bags fly free too, guess they just have to work out all the details since it has only beeen about 4 months

What is with this statement? Us "AT people" do consider the entire cost before we book you know. I can check four pieces of luggage and still be the most affordable fare for my area.

Trying to point out as I said. What is the TRUE price? with bags, time, day of week etc.... Apples to Apples which is hard to do.
AT was just an example. I use to fly AT till they changed my flight times one too many times. Its crazy but I would rather fly UsAir because of that JMO !
Today in my area PHL AT wanted $341 + bags for times that weren't very good....
Some other towns might be better. As i posted thats why I chaged to BWI

I was a faithful SW flier until last year. I got flights on AirTran much cheaper even with paying $25 a bag (2 bags total) and the $6 seat assignment. They were still $200 cheaper total for the 4 of us. I had an actual seat (didn't just pay for a chance at a better seat). And, actually, my fare went down from when I booked it and they gave me a credit. I used that credit to pay for our bag fees on the way home.

I am actually sad SW bought them as they were competitive and now there is less competition to keep the fares down. I was so scared with their horror stories. They did change my flight (by 5 minutes) but their customer service was great!

 

[john398]

I guess what I was saying is Airtran will become Southwest sometime in the future

 

[pooch]

in Sept Hartford - Orlando 2006-2010. My experience has been waiting (and yes, it kills me!) until 6/30 - 7/1 to book my flights. I don't know why but SW and Delta have always posted a significant sale on one of these two days. Every year I say I can't wait but the savings by doing so have been in the $100 - $150 range.

Right now I am watching Htfd-Tampa for 5/21-5/25 and Tampa to Htfd for 7/12-7/17 and they bounce all over the place each day. I've gotten the SW VISA with 2 free RT tickets recently and will wait for those prior to purchase.

Every market is different which is why you have to watch like a hawk! In Hartford, buying when they first come out does not usually net the best fares.

 

[focusondisney]

Wish I had the nerves to wait. I don't, I bought our tickets on Jetblue when they opened on Mon. I took the $289 round trip from Buffalo. We like the early AM down/ late afternoon back nonstops. The nonstop & flight times are my priority. There are only 2 of us & luckily we could afford that rate. I do hope there will be a sale, I'd love a credit.

We paid $219 for the same flights last year. Booked those several weeks after they came out as prices started to rise in Feb. ( didn't have definate vacation dates when they were first released). One way flight eventually came down a little (in July) & we got a $30 credit. Other way only continued to rise.

Southwest nonstop flights for our dates right now are at $420. No way was I paying that. Driving is not an option, we only have a week & I won't spend that much of it driving. So I caved & bought.

 

[lmf]

I am also flying out of Buffalo. We have driven to Florida before but unfortunately don't have the time for that this trip. I didn't rush to book flights as soon as I booked my trip but then watched flight prices climb for AirtTran over the next few weeks until it they were higher than direct flights through Jetblue. I wound up booking through Orbitz so if those flight prices drop I can receive a refund. Another choie if you're flying from Buff is Spirit Air out of Niagara Falls. They have limited flight options but flights are extremely cheap. Good Luck to all on the search for your perfect flight!

 

[juliebean]

I was a faithful SW flier until last year. I got flights on AirTran much cheaper even with paying $25 a bag (2 bags total) and the $6 seat assignment. They were still $200 cheaper total for the 4 of us. I had an actual seat (didn't just pay for a chance at a better seat). And, actually, my fare went down from when I booked it and they gave me a credit. I used that credit to pay for our bag fees on the way home.

I am actually sad SW bought them as they were competitive and now there is less competition to keep the fares down. I was so scared with their horror stories. They did change my flight (by 5 minutes) but their customer service was great!

I too don't expect to fly on Airtran or SW as much anymore - they were each others main competition on the routes we fly often... The merge wasn't good news for us. Bummer, we've gotten some good deals on both over the years.

And, even with paying $100 for bags our Airtran nonstops from PHL to MCO for $150 - leaving mid morning and returning in the evening - including taxes are a steal! Way better than anything I could find on SW or any other airline for mid april.

 

[nkereina]

I haven't had a chance to read through this whole thread, but I just booked on Monday JetBlue from Buffalo to Orlando for 9/24-10/1. We got direct flights, earliest flight out and latest flight back and paid $289 pp. We normally fly Southwest but the same direct flights and times on SW were almost $200 more pp. I had been keeping an eye on SW and have found that their fares have been steadily increasing over the weeks since they have released which is why I jumped on the JetBlue flights when they released them, so they didn't increase too.

AirTran is ok but I found their times suck or you have to have a layover to get a better time. You also have to pay either $15 or $25 for your bag and $6each way to get a reserved seat. So considering those things, their price isn't always better to me.

 

[LeslieG]

The flight I booked on Monday for June just went down $35 pp, so Airtran credited to my A+ account $105.

 

[ahmo]

Thank you for posting about it being ok to partial panic during this time when gas is hitting $4/gallon! I have 2 trips planned but not yet booked. I'm following other posters suit waiting for fares to drop as it gets closer to my travel dates.

 

[Castillo Mom]

I partially panicked. We went ahead and purchased airfare at $317 per person from SNA to MCO. We usually fly direct out of LAX but the fare this year for the same flight was significantly higher than we've ever paid. I just didn't want to take a chance on waiting for it to drop so we bit the bullet and booked a connecting flight. Oh well, at least I can have peace of mind that our flight is taken care of.

 

[Neelloc]

OP here!

Just so you know, when I was posting about the fare sale prices, comparing the June dates to the August dates, I was comparing apples to apples. EXACT same flights, exact same times, wed to wed itinerary.

I've flown to Florida in September several times, and I have found that about 3 months out, the flight prices go down. Yes, I'd prefer non-stops, and yes, I'd prefer SW or JB. I'll consider AT but it's not my first choice. I just don't think that the airlines have any incentive to discount airfares 6 months out. Now I know the days of my $60 one way ding fare are over, but a girl can hope for a $200 RT, can't she?

 

[Neelloc]

Thank you for posting about it being ok to partial panic during this time when gas is hitting $4/gallon! I have 2 trips planned but not yet booked. I'm following other posters suit waiting for fares to drop as it gets closer to my travel dates.

I'll wait right along with ya!

 

[keishashadow]

im not sure if i should put this in my personal win or loss travel columnbut since i've been kvetching re airfare, i'll toss this out there...

even though i paid a good 30-40%+ more to book same summer flights than last year (and had to settle for late afternoon NS down to MCO no less vs the 1st flight out I prefer) yesterday the slightly better mid-afternoon NS dropped in price over $100 pp from when i originally started to monitor the prices.

I wound up paying yet another $20 to snag it, WOW what a bargin but arriving several hours earlier to have a less-rushed park day before my cruise is priceless to me.

Good luck to those who are willing to sit pat.

 

[mickey2000]

 

[brenda1966]

It really depends a lot on when you are trying to fly. If it's during spring break, then waiting can be problematic! I waited a bit, watching fares go up. Finally booked, and then watched them steadily increase. They haven't gone down since and many of the flights are full or nearly full. We have set dates for a cruise, so can't be flexible.

I'm hoping for some good fares when SW opens on Monday. I'm not one who likes to wait!