Best time to buy flights?

[emilyindisney]

I know flights are generally an unavoidable expense so I was wondering how my fellow DISers get good deals. Is there an opportune widow to buy during? Or is it more of an 'early bird gets the worm' type of deal?

Any tips you've got would be awesome!

 

[TheRustyScupper]

1) Best Time to Buy Airline Tickets – Tuesday 3pm Eastern
. . . airlines re-adjust their capacities
. . . then they adjust their prices/specials
2) The cheapest time to fly is typically
. . . the first flight out in the morning
. . . next best times are flights during/after lunch
. . . and flights at the dinner hour

 

[emilyindisney]

1) Best Time to Buy Airline Tickets – Tuesday 3pm Eastern
. . . airlines re-adjust their capacities
. . . then they adjust their prices/specials
2) The cheapest time to fly is typically
. . . the first flight out in the morning
. . . next best times are flights during/after lunch
. . . and flights at the dinner hour

Thanks for the info! Would you suggest waiting it out, or buying tickets as soon as the schedule is up?

 

[ssawka]

For Jet Blue, I find the best time to buy tickets is as soon as they are released.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

The best time to buy is when you find a price you can live with. All of the advice about buying on a certain day at a certain time is nonsense. In general, the closer your travel date, the more the ticket costs.

 

[Malakaiii]

I like the new website hipmunk.com

It's pretty self-explanatory but it sorts the flights by time, cost and other factors! It makes a nice chart. I'm a visual person so it works for me!

 

[puertorican00676]

Work with an airline, the best time is as soon as possible! Once you know you do it at once! Prices tend to only go up, never down! If it happens for any reason you can call to get fare adjusted!

 

[emilyindisney]

All very helpful- thank you!

Sometimes I worry that I tend to jump the gun and miss deals by booking right away but that doesn't sound like the case!

 

[ironpig70]

I book when I see a price and time I can live with. I made the mistake to look at flights 1 day and then booked a couple day later and flight was more money.





My brother did fly once cheaper last minute cheaper than his friends who book months before on a last minute flight. The plane was flying with or with out him so his ticket was just more money. This would work if you didnt have set plans. To me if you are doing Disney this idea doesnt work to well.

 

[emilyindisney]

I book when I see a price and time I can live with. I made the mistake to look at flights 1 day and then booked a couple day later and flight was more money.





My brother did fly once cheaper last minute cheaper than his friends who book months before on a last minute flight. The plane was flying with or with out him so his ticket was just more money. This would work if you didnt have set plans. To me if you are doing Disney this idea doesnt work to well.

Yeah- that's the catch. I know you can get great deals with flexibility but its hard to be flexible with flights when you're going to WDW!

 

[ironpig70]

Yeah- that's the catch. I know you can get great deals with flexibility but its hard to be flexible with flights when you're going to WDW!

Thats the catch. Orlando is a theme park airport so in/out at the best time will be more as they know thats what folks want.


I would look at your home airport for carriers who are stationed there and then consider if a lay over helps or if red eye helps/fits?


When I was checking on flights an all day saturday flight leaving Portland mid day and getting into Orlando bed time was the same price as a friday night flight landing at breakfast in orlando.

So I could fly all day saturday and kill a vacation day or I could fly friday after work and get 90% of saturday in the parks for the same dollar amount. The real question is how much fun will it be? How will the family take it? Will we sleep? So its still a a gamble.

 

[blossombrd]

I had heard that the best prices are about 3 - 3 1/2 months out. I tracked flights for 6 weeks on various days at various times, starting about 5 months ahead. I kept checking both kayak dot com and Southwest. We have not flown for 5 years so did not know what to expect. I was shocked at how high prices are. There was no rhyme or reason, but prices went up and down for the 6 week period. About 3 months ahead, on a Tuesday around 5 pm I checked and could not believe my eyes! I saved about $133 round trip per person from two days before. I ended up with flying Delta. I just knew I had to book right then. I paid less than I did 5 years ago, and I know that I got a good price back then! I haven't seen fares that low since I booked. If I had to do it over again, I would track it again and really pay attention about 3 - 3 1/2 months ahead and on a Tuesday afternoon. Good luck to you!

 

[ShiPooOwner]

I'm a firm believer in the Tuesday afternoon price drops and generally find the best deals 2-3 months from departure date. However, I do have to mention that I fly into Fort Myers and not Orlando. If we visit the parks which we often do when we're in FL, we drive up from the Sarasota area for a few days.

 

[TheShea's]

We booked our WDW vacation in January, booking everything but flights directlythrough Disney. I booked flights, in January for an August '13 trip, directly with Jetblue. There is a website called Yapta that will track your flights and what you paid and will alert you if there is a price drop.

We paid $335/pp non-stop round trip from Boston to MCO. Since January the same flight has steadily risen to $389/pp.

 

[Team Bunch]

I googled this same thing the other day. Studies show 7 wks before is best time, studies also showed weekends are the best time to shop. Although everywhere else you look say tue afternoon or middle of night. I agree with the tracking yourself. I have seen a differance of $700 for 5 of us, so just familiarize yourself with your prices and jump on it if you see a big drop. I may try the 7 week thing.

 

[bigmamimia]

The best time to buy is when you find a price you can live with.

Exactly what I would say.

 

[emilyindisney]

Thats the catch. Orlando is a theme park airport so in/out at the best time will be more as they know thats what folks want.


I would look at your home airport for carriers who are stationed there and then consider if a lay over helps or if red eye helps/fits?


When I was checking on flights an all day saturday flight leaving Portland mid day and getting into Orlando bed time was the same price as a friday night flight landing at breakfast in orlando.

So I could fly all day saturday and kill a vacation day or I could fly friday after work and get 90% of saturday in the parks for the same dollar amount. The real question is how much fun will it be? How will the family take it? Will we sleep? So its still a a gamble.

Unfortunately my home airport is part of the price problem. We fly out of BDL which is a very small airport and generally the flights are more than JFK or Boston would be. However, by the time we drive to one of the big cities the price ends up being pretty much the same Figures, right?

I had heard that the best prices are about 3 - 3 1/2 months out. I tracked flights for 6 weeks on various days at various times, starting about 5 months ahead. I kept checking both kayak dot com and Southwest. We have not flown for 5 years so did not know what to expect. I was shocked at how high prices are. There was no rhyme or reason, but prices went up and down for the 6 week period. About 3 months ahead, on a Tuesday around 5 pm I checked and could not believe my eyes! I saved about $133 round trip per person from two days before. I ended up with flying Delta. I just knew I had to book right then. I paid less than I did 5 years ago, and I know that I got a good price back then! I haven't seen fares that low since I booked. If I had to do it over again, I would track it again and really pay attention about 3 - 3 1/2 months ahead and on a Tuesday afternoon. Good luck to you!

Very good to know!

I'm a firm believer in the Tuesday afternoon price drops and generally find the best deals 2-3 months from departure date. However, I do have to mention that I fly into Fort Myers and not Orlando. If we visit the parks which we often do when we're in FL, we drive up from the Sarasota area for a few days.

I've heard that sometimes you can get a better deal going into another Florida airport, especially if you're planning on renting a car anyways!

We booked our WDW vacation in January, booking everything but flights directlythrough Disney. I booked flights, in January for an August '13 trip, directly with Jetblue. There is a website called Yapta that will track your flights and what you paid and will alert you if there is a price drop.

We paid $335/pp non-stop round trip from Boston to MCO. Since January the same flight has steadily risen to $389/pp.

If the flight goes down after I buy can I get a price adjustment?

Also, does anyone find they get a better deal by splitting airlines? I definitely want to book at least one of the flights with JetBlue as I'm a frequent flier with them and I've got a credit from our last flights. However, I saw it suggested somewhere to look into other airlines to get the lowest cost for the return. Thoughts?

 

[TheShea's]

Unfortunately my home airport is part of the price problem. We fly out of BDL which is a very small airport and generally the flights are more than JFK or Boston would be. However, by the time we drive to one of the big cities the price ends up being pretty much the same Figures, right?



Very good to know!



I've heard that sometimes you can get a better deal going into another Florida airport, especially if you're planning on renting a car anyways!



If the flight goes down after I buy can I get a price adjustment?

Also, does anyone find they get a better deal by splitting airlines? I definitely want to book at least one of the flights with JetBlue as I'm a frequent flier with them and I've got a credit from our last flights. However, I saw it suggested somewhere to look into other airlines to get the lowest cost for the return. Thoughts?

If the carrier you've booked through offers the difference back, then yes. JetBlue does so we'll see a refund if the fare drops. I'm not anticipating a fare drop though. I find it more interesting at this point to see how the price has steadily risen since we booked in January. We'll see.

 

[Disneylover99]

We fly out of Buffalo on AirTran/SouthWest. I tracked my flights daily last year. Prices started low and just kept going up. This year I booked my flights the day they were released. Same thing so far this year. Flight prices started low and have continued to go up.

My advice?
Buy sooner, rather than later!