Best airfare, booking, and timing strategies

[sjcampbl]

Ok, we are in the system and have switched our January reservation for Wilderness Lodge over to DVC. We are now ready to plan another trip in July. We will be planning the dates for this trip immediately due to the nature of DVC reservations, 11 month, 7 month, etc.

For the trip in January, I researched airfares about a month ago and squeezed the trip into days that seemed to work for better fares. A few days later those fares were gone I was glad I book when I did. Then a few days after that even better fares were available, then gone again, and now available again. What's up with this?

So, are there any airfare strategy and tactics resources out there? I need more than just going to orbitz or travelocity or hotwire. When booking for next July, should I reserve in February, March, April, or May? Should I make my reservation with DVC for Wed. to Wed. or Sat. to Sat.? What do you folks do?

 

[Happy2BGrumpy]

Where are you flying from? I generally get the best fares 4 months
prior to departure and that's out of Hartford on Song. I know there
are some hostorical theories on flying out on different days of the week, but I don't think that holds true anymore. Airlines change
fares when they want based on an assortment of factors!!

 

[MrsG]

Last year we got our best price in March for our July DVC, booked it, and it never went down.

You might want to consider Wed. to Wed. Fares are usually cheaper during the week. And from a points perspective, weekends are more and with Wed to Wed you would only have one weekend.

 

[Sammy]

Over the pat 4 years of booking flights for our WDW vacations, I've learned one thing: Nothing is predictable as far as discount fares go. I've had luck getting good fares/flight times as far as 6 months out....and also as late as 3 weeks in advance when JetBlue decided to lower its fares for one day this past January. I just can't make heads or tails out of it!

The only advice I can give you is to check, check, check those airfares.......every day if you have to. When you find a fare you can live with, BOOK IT! Don't wait thinking something better might come along....because it may not! I like booking with SWA or JetBlue because they will issue you a credit if your flight price goes down after you book. Always makes for a good excuse to go on vacation again!

Good luck! Right now I'm trying to get some good fares/flight times for our 2/26 to 3/6/05 cruise, and I'm having a hard time.

Sammy

 

[pumpkinboy]

Originally posted by Sammy
...The only advice I can give you is to check, check, check those airfares.......every day if you have to. When you find a fare you can live with, BOOK IT! Don't wait thinking something better might come along....because it may not! ...

Sammy is right on this! When you see an airfare you can live with for dates you like, grab it right then and there. And if it gets better, see if you can't get a credit. For us, we book the lodgin first, then find a flight to fit it. That way, we minimize more expensive (DVC points-wise) weekend nights - if we are so inclined (as MrsG notes). And if you get a much better deal on different dates, change the DVC ressie. Especially if you've reserved at 11 months, changing a ressie around the edges should be easier than changing flight times etc.