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

[eliza61]

I booked January 31st for my May 25th trip on the day I decided to go to the World. I do this every single trip and have yet to see an airline top the price I paid five or more months out. Playing flight roulette seems silly to me.

Man, do I totally agree. I've never understood the "trying to play the market" game with airfare.

Pretty much, I research the average cost of a flight say Philly to Orlando. I wait for SW to publish their fights then I go with whom ever is cheaper. That's it, done. I'm not going back week after week to check.

pretty much, once I find a flight schedule that fits. book

If flight goes down, hey that's good. if not I'm still set.

 

[LeslieG]

Man, do I totally agree. I've never understood the "trying to play the market" game with airfare.

Pretty much, I research the average cost of a flight say Philly to Orlando. I wait for SW to publish their fights then I go with whom ever is cheaper. That's it, done. I'm not going back week after week to check.

pretty much, once I find a flight schedule that fits. book

If flight goes down, hey that's good. if not I'm still set.

It's funny how we all have a different experience. I always find SW's fares to be really high when they're first released. Then 2-3 months prior to the departure date, they come down. I think it may have to do with the particular airport and what kind of competition is there.

 

[goofy4tink]

I tend to fly with SW and JB for the most part. I tried flying Delta but they have only two direct, non-stop flights from Boston to MCO each day. And they make multiple changes to flight times when you book early enough to catch a good fare. So, it's SW and JB pretty much all the time now. I know what I want to pay..so as soon as I see that price, I book it. With JB, if the price goes down, I can get a credit for future use. Same thing with SW. I find that when fares go down, about 3 months out, they are usually trying to fill up the emptier planes....I never find a huge reduction on the flight times I want. But, then again, I usually find pretty close to what I need when I book as soon as the window opens.

 

[juliebean]

I agree - if you are flexible and look for good prices - they will be found. That being said - I don't wait if I find something that works. We are going Philadelphia to Orlando for $150 RT w/fees & taxes - nonstop and great times. That was booked several months ago... But, I also bought tickets to Portland, OR for August ten days ago for $185 RT w/taxes and fees. Honestly, we fly cross country every August and I've never seen tickets that low - so you just never know...

Now, the price of gas and heating oil are what really scare me. - that's everyday and not too much you can do about it!

 

[bumbershoot]

So, who else wants to join me in not totally panicking? Partial panicking will, however, be allowed!

We booked our September airfare the other day, because almost all of it was with air miles (yay for hubby's work!) and I didn't want to watch the miles needed go up and up and up.

One ticket, one way, was paid out of pocket.

And that price just went down today. Already! (and it's with Alaska so I did the handy little form to get that money put in the "wallet" for future use)

AND the price we paid even before it went down was less than the per person each way prices we paid last June for travel last December.

 

[Neelloc]

It's funny how we all have a different experience. I always find SW's fares to be really high when they're first released. Then 2-3 months prior to the departure date, they come down. I think it may have to do with the particular airport and what kind of competition is there.

That is Buffalo too for SW. And AT and JB. What incentive do the airlines have to discount flights 6 months out? They don't. As it gets closer to travel time, that's when I find the fares go down for my market.

 

[Neelloc]

I was planning on flying out of BUF but the fares are way too high, the cheapest I could find is $325 but I have to times that by 4 and my sister is coming with me. Makes more sence to drive even with a few camping days added to make the drive easier( start early sat, arrive on mon and it's a 20 hour drive ). Looked at an up to date gas/mileage calculator and gas wise we are looking at about $350 for gas total.

We drove to Orlando in April 2009. With gas and motels on the trip down and trip back, it was about $500. We also found that once you left New York State, the gas was way cheaper!

 

[ANJnMDS]

We drove to Orlando in April 2009. With gas and motels on the trip down and trip back, it was about $500. We also found that once you left New York State, the gas was way cheaper!

That's NYS taxes for you!

I've got a tight budget for our flight from BUF to MCO for November so I've been keeping an eye on pricing....waiting for our dates to be released has been a lesson in patience for me. LOL

 

[3pletprincesses]

If I pay $289 per ticket, it'll cost my family almost $1200 to fly. I can drive for half the cost. I'll wait and see where fares for my dates go. I guess it's a matter if these gas prices are going to be sustained, if the hysteria remains, and how it affects things in the future.

I remember we drove to Boston during June 2008 when gas prices were at their highest levels during the last fuel increase panic. I remember paying $4.10 a gallon. By November, I was snapping up $80 RT (total including taxes and fees) fares from Buffalo to Chicago. Just because things are crazy now doesn't mean this is going to remain.

I'm with you. I would love to fly but will be just as happy to drive. for one thing, jet blue released their tickets for Spetember and at 1am, 1 hour ofter release, all the flights were $144 each way for SYR to MCO. It's seems odd that they will go form $69/way last year to $144 this year and have no seat sale. My guess, theywill try to sell as many tickets at $144 and then lower the prices but I could be wrong and end up driving

 

[mkoerner]

I just bought 3 RT direct tickets on Airtran from Allentown to Orlando for less than $600 for all 3. That was for travel in mid August. I bought the tickets last Tuesday and on Friday the price had gone up $100 already. I definitely got a good deal. It does seem that airfare may be going up like gas prices have.

 

[Disneyland_Mama]

I just purchased our airfare for our Christmas trip yesterday. I paid exactly what I paid last summer $278 R/T from Orange County, CA to Orlando. I figured it was a great price last year and I doubt it will get lower. It could very well go up, but now I don't have to worry about it.

 

[keishashadow]

I'm not saying it's flight roulette....I'm offering another perspective, that yes, in the middle of rising gas prices, there are still deals to be had on flights. It seems that so many people are panicked about prices and I wanted to offer evidence to the contrary. To each his or her own.

naturally, you'll find better deals on non-premium flights...mid week, off-season (May, mid-August, Sept, etc.). If i could be flexible i'd be there with you.

The problem is the dates ive been monitoring are the same as last year, and the year before, etc. When I saw SWA double their fares over the course of 2 weeks as I have recently, I freely admit to

and buying high. FYI, I've watched the fares increase to the point since then that i've convinced myself I have a bargin afterall.

I do hope that December's schedule isn't released until the end of May - what i hope will be an eventual drop in price approx 2 months before my flight to allow a nice credit.

 

[eliza61]

I find that they will go down on remaining flights, problem is that rarely are the remaining flights ones that I would choose. for example, the flights out of philly that have 2 connections always seem to go down but no way do I want to take a 2 1/2 hour plane flight and turn it into 6 hours with connections. so in those instances convenience trumps any savings.

 

[mickey2000]

I find that they will go down on remaining flights, problem is that rarely are the remaining flights ones that I would choose. for example, the flights out of philly that have 2 connections always seem to go down but no way do I want to take a 2 1/2 hour plane flight and turn it into 6 hours with connections. so in those instances convenience trumps any savings.

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!

 

[john398]

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

 

[lllGurulll]

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!

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.

 

[mickey2000]

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

 

[lllGurulll]

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 !

OK. It didn't really come across that way to me when I read it.

The way you feel about AT is the way I feel about Midwest. They kept messing up our flight times back in 2008 as well as taking away our nonstop and trying to put us on a connecting flight. They eventually got us back on a nonstop but the fiasco left a bad taste for me. I don't even look at them anymore.

 

[eliza61]

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.

My airtran flight was $400 bucks cheaper than Southwest AFTER I added on bags, fee for seat assignment and it included insurance.

Don't those "apples to apples" statements makes us sound like we have no idea what so ever on how to buy a plane ticket.

Mickey2000, when are you flying out of Philly.
I have an airtran flight leaving PHL on 8/25 8:00 am. My cost breakdown

$580.00 fare price for 4 adults
129.12 Taxes and fees
120.00 seat fees (round trip)
35.00 checked bag fee (1 checked bag each way, one at 15 bucks, one at 20)

Total price $864.60 for 4 adults versus 1273.60 on southwest with no baggage fees. So even with all my fees added in, it's still 400 bucks cheaper.

I compare comparable non stop, earliest time going down and non stop, latest time coming home.

 

[mommyoftwinz]

My airtran flight was $400 bucks cheaper than Southwest AFTER I added on bags, fee for seat assignment and it included insurance.

Don't those "apples to apples" statements makes us sound like we have no idea what so ever on how to buy a plane ticket.

Mickey2000, when are you flying out of Philly.
I have an airtran flight leaving PHL on 8/25 8:00 am. My cost breakdown

$580.00 fare price for 4 adults
129.12 Taxes and fees
120.00 seat fees (round trip)
35.00 checked bag fee (1 checked bag each way, one at 15 bucks, one at 20)

Total price $864.60 for 4 adults versus 1273.60 on southwest with no baggage fees. So even with all my fees added in, it's still 400 bucks cheaper.

I compare comparable non stop, earliest time going down and non stop, latest time coming home.

I'm also flying out of Philly in June and I've been watching airfares, they have come down quite a bit in the past week so I'm gonna book very soon. How did you get baggage fees for $15, I thought when I check their website it says first bag at $25? Just curious, any money I can save means more souvenirs at WDW. Thanks.