Best airfare booking window?

Mom B

DIS Veteran
Joined
Mar 17, 2001
Messages
1,009
All you seasoned flyers, please help me out here! Any suggestions for the best time to book airfare for October (from MSP to MCO)? I'm seeing fares right now from $340 to $447 to $556 (the high one is through the travel agency) and with 19 of us travelling, I'm hoping to get under $300...of course, $230 or $250 would be even better. I'm thinking if I wait until June or July things might be more favorable, but a little nervous about waiting that long. What are your thoughts? Any experience with the trends that might help me out? Thanks so much! ;)
 
I can tell you what I've experience lately. We're going to WDW in April, Easter break. I knew with the holiday to expect prices to be higher. When I started looking at 11 months out, prices were in the mid $400's. From California to MCO with one stop. I thought since I was looking so early, at some point prices would go down. They never did. Another problem I had were the times and connections. They all changed! I went from one stop to minimum of two and most cases three stops. Stopped looking at that airline all together (United). Finally got airfare in December. Paid more, in the low $600's but the times are great and so are the connections. I don't know when you're flying in October, but I think for the most part kids are in school. It sounds like many fly Southwest, I don't know if that's an option for you. I never had but it sounds like their prices are good and if fares go down they give you the difference towards your next SW flight. I really think the days of a bargain are behind us. It's harder and harder to score that great deal. That's just my opinion. I think instead of finding the best time to buy, buy when you're most confortable with the price and of course what you can afford.
 
You might want to contact your airline about group fares. If you need 19 seats on one flight, you should grab a good fare as soon as you see it. It's possible you won't find 19 of the lowest fares on one flight.
 
When are you going? If it is over MEA it is highly unlikely to find something under $300. That is an extremely popular time to travel.
 

All good points, thanks! Only 15 are flying from MSP, we have a few in Oklahoma and 1 in Oregon so they will be coming separately. Leaving Oct 9 returning the 19th so it will be over MEA weekend but maybe we'll be lucky that we're going down quite a few days before it starts, I don't know. The group rates on Sun Country were $447 and $474 or something like that. I'm content to wait it out for a while anyway...I won't get too nervous yet! ;)
 












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