Best time to book airfare?

[ferrytale]

DH & I are looking to take a long weekend trip to WDW in October. It's been a while since we flew - when does anyone suggest booking air fare?

 

[RMAMom]

Airfare has been a little high lately. I would start looking now and when you find a price you can live with book it.

 

[Nik's Mom]

Airfare prices have been really high! I like to check websites like Kayak to keep track of airfares. Also be sure to sign up for Southwest mailing list to be updated on their sales. I agree that if you see a fare you are willing to pay, go ahead and buy it.

 

[Kat&Dom]

I would search every day. I booked my flights in November this morning. I got an awesome deal but I have been watching prices this past month and finally caught a deal.


Good luck! I hope you get a great deal.

 

[caybean]

I JUST read an article that said Tuesday afternoons are the best time to buy plane tickets - theory being that most airlines do sales on Monday night...and the competing airlines all drop theirs Tuesday morning so they can be at a competitive rate. It also said to normally not buy more than 90 days out, and less than 30 days from your travel date.

That's just what I read! Good luck

 

[Snappy in OK]

I am looking for airfare for Oct as well. I just keep checking to see what the fares are for my dates. If you find a fare that you feel is good, I would book it. And I would keep waiting until you find a good fare. It is far enough out that I would not rush to get your airfare booked.

For our last trip, I booked about 2 months before we left. I found a great fee & booked the 4 tickets we needed.

Good luck!

 

[tinkmom2]

I am going on DCL and to WDW in October. I signed up with Southwest and Airtran to get their low rates emailed to me. I also signed up with Kayak.com. I booked about 6 months out in 2009 and they then had a big airfare sale during the summer. If I would have waited I could have saved over $500.00. Some of the airlines only have fares out until August and early September right now anyway..We are also leaving on a Wednesday which is cheaper.

 

[cassandrap83]

I have always had the best luck booking 2-4wks out. I've gotten the absolute best deals at either the 2wk or 4wk mark.

I like flying Southwest because if the price goes down, they'll give you a credit. (for a future flight)

 

[edk35]

I JUST read an article that said Tuesday afternoons are the best time to buy plane tickets - theory being that most airlines do sales on Monday night...and the competing airlines all drop theirs Tuesday morning so they can be at a competitive rate. It also said to normally not buy more than 90 days out, and less than 30 days from your travel date.

That's just what I read! Good luck

I was about to say the same thing. I usually book our air travel on a Tuesday or Wed. I also like to travel T, W, Th to T, W , TH to get the best rates. Of course that is not always possible but I try.

 

[lizabu]

I was watching Rachel Ray ans she had some travel expert on who said 3-3 1/2 months before you travel is the cheapest time to buy a ticket. He also said mid week (Tues, Wed, Thurs) are going to be the cheapest times. He said by then the airline knows how many seats are empty and are looking to get them filled etc.

 

[disneychic2]

I was watching Rachel Ray ans she had some travel expert on who said 3-3 1/2 months before you travel is the cheapest time to buy a ticket. He also said mid week (Tues, Wed, Thurs) are going to be the cheapest times. He said by then the airline knows how many seats are empty and are looking to get them filled etc.

This is what I was going to say. He said there is a "sweet" spot when you get the best rate. I would be scared to death to wait 2 weeks out, but if it worked for pp, maybe that's good thing too. I'll be chicken and book earlier than that though. Good thread!

 

[ferrytale]

Thanks! I must have seen the same thing everyone else did about booking travel/airfare on Tuesday or Wednesday...Lol. I know I have some time yet, I just wanted to make sure to give myself enough. I would like to fly southwest, so I'm going to go sign up for their emails.

 

[SGMCO]

We always fly SW and we live in Denver so I always book as soon as they open the fares because it has turns out that the one's that SW opens with are the lowest (from Denver) and they will start going higher within weeks after they are released.

I booked with SW for end of May soon as they were released to go to New Orleans (non-stop) got $84 one way $168 RT now these same ticket have tripled in price and they don't look like they are going down anytime soon.


We always have high airfare from Denver.

 

[britfish]

We booked tickets to Tampa for March travel back in December. I have checked them pretty much every day since then. They have dipped down a little here and there but never more than $10 less than what we booked for. After Jan. (about 3 mos. out) they pretty much stayed higher than we booked them until about two weeks ago and they dipped back down to just a tad over what we paid for them in December. Right now they are still only about $40 more than we paid for them and we are about 3 weeks out.
So...I would say book early, book at about 3 mos. out or book at about 3 weeks out!

 

[dougsmom98]

Also be aware that if you book around Columbus day weekend, you might have to pay more for your trip because lots of people try to sneak away for a long weekend. If that is the case, I would do as others have suggested and look for deals early.

 

[Darcy03231]

I booked last month for my end of May/beginning of June trip and got $84/each way. With gas priced rising I decided I didn't want to wait. Best I've ever done is $79/each way. I do have to go out of an airport that's a bit further away (45 min drive vs 20 min), but the closer airport has been high all along and still hasn't come down.

 

[Carol23]

I have always had the best luck booking 2-4wks out. I've gotten the absolute best deals at either the 2wk or 4wk mark.

I like flying Southwest because if the price goes down, they'll give you a credit. (for a future flight)

Okay. Could you please explain this credit for me. If I book my flight today, and the price goes down after I book the flight, they will give me a credit? Seriously? At this moment, they are cheaper than jet blue. I'm moving my dates a tiny bit, leaving a day later and coming back a day later, but thats all! And when I check jetblue with the SAME dates as SW, jet blue is STILL more expensive!!! If those costs go down, and I can get a credit! I'm booking ASAP!

 

[Nik's Mom]

Okay. Could you please explain this credit for me. If I book my flight today, and the price goes down after I book the flight, they will give me a credit? Seriously? At this moment, they are cheaper than jet blue. I'm moving my dates a tiny bit, leaving a day later and coming back a day later, but thats all! And when I check jetblue with the SAME dates as SW, jet blue is STILL more expensive!!! If those costs go down, and I can get a credit! I'm booking ASAP!

It's really easy to do. You just need to go back to the Southwest website and look up your current reservations. The website talks you through the steps to get the credit. I love Southwest! No baggage fees and no penalty for changing flights, plus you get credit if the price drops!