Best time to purchase airfare tickets, will be flying from Indy to Orlando june 1st..

[mom2my3kids]

We have flown once years ago, we usually drive but the family wants me to check into flying for next years vacation..when is the best and cheapest time to book flights?

 

[neatokimmo]

I stalked flights from the Northeast to Europe for about six months. For us, it was the day they popped in the system, 303 days in advance. Flying Wed-Wed was the cheapest option. We got Lufthansa for less than Norwegian.

 

[neatokimmo]

BTW, you can use skyscanner and it will help you stalk prices.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

That's tricky - it's not cut and dried anymore - used to be 3 months out on a tuesday was the cheapest time to buy flights but that hasn't been true for many, many years.

The first thing to do is find out which airlines fly out of your airport and if you want non-stop which one is non-stop. Once I have that info then I just start stalking their website to get a feel for their prices. Once I see one I can live with, I book my flight. I've been using Southwest alot more than Delta lately - cheaper flights and not having to pay for luggage fees is great.

I've never heard of skyscanner - I am going to check into that. I'm all for ways to make the flight hunt easier!

 

[MichiganKris]

I usually fly from Indy to Orlando. I highly recommend Southwest for those flights. For this fall I booked them the day they came out (May for a November flight), then the price dropped about $50 a month later so I have credits to use for a future flight in the next 12 months. My lowest price came out to $180 a ticket, but we are leaving on the earliest flight and returning on the latest flight. If you go in the middle of the day they will be more.

 

[neatokimmo]

That's tricky - it's not cut and dried anymore - used to be 3 months out on a tuesday was the cheapest time to buy flights but that hasn't been true for many, many years.

The first thing to do is find out which airlines fly out of your airport and if you want non-stop which one is non-stop. Once I have that info then I just start stalking their website to get a feel for their prices. Once I see one I can live with, I book my flight. I've been using Southwest alot more than Delta lately - cheaper flights and not having to pay for luggage fees is great.

I've never heard of skyscanner - I am going to check into that. I'm all for ways to make the flight hunt easier!

Skyscanner is addictive, especially the US to anywhere feature. You will see flights to vacation options you had never considered before. Our airport is small and limited on carriers, so I do the anywhere search from DC, NYC, Newark, and Boston because they on our Amtrak line.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

It depends on the overall travel climate. 2016 flights are "low" due to depressed fuel costs and low demand.

Booked my last flights 25 days out (last week) and it was as cheap as an offseason flight on the first day...

Frequent checking is the way to go...and if you book on southwest...they will "refund" the difference in travel credit that can be used in the future should the prices fall after booking. Just a tip.

 

[wendybeth75]

If you google when does southwest open their schedule for (the date you are flying) it will bring up the date that SW opens that schedule. I try to always buy on that first day. They do a tiered pricing and the more they sell the higher the tickets are so you are better off buying early.

Frequent checking is the way to go...and if you book on southwest...they will "refund" the difference in travel credit that can be used in the future should the prices fall after booking. Just a tip.

I agree with this. I have often times got money back (a credit) from changing flights around. Also check some of the smaller airports and price out Allegiant which flies into Sanford. The con's to this are no magical express to Disney so you have to rent a car, and you pay to pick your seat, luggage, and snacks. The airfare itself can be quite affordable though.

 

[SandyinMonterey]

Know you're budget, what you're comfortable paying and when you see it, pull the trigger.

 

[ncsubuddy]

I usually fly from Indy to Orlando. I highly recommend Southwest for those flights. For this fall I booked them the day they came out (May for a November flight), then the price dropped about $50 a month later so I have credits to use for a future flight in the next 12 months. My lowest price came out to $180 a ticket, but we are leaving on the earliest flight and returning on the latest flight. If you go in the middle of the day they will be more.

Do they automatically refund credits if price drops, or did you have to call them out on the price difference and received the credit? We love Southwest and just got a steal deal for $99 to MCO, but I've never seen them offer credits if already booked and prices drop.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Do they automatically refund credits if price drops, or did you have to call them out on the price difference and received the credit? We love Southwest and just got a steal deal for $99 to MCO, but I've never seen them offer credits if already booked and prices drop.

You must request a credit.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

Do they automatically refund credits if price drops, or did you have to call them out on the price difference and received the credit? We love Southwest and just got a steal deal for $99 to MCO, but I've never seen them offer credits if already booked and prices drop.

To get a credit on a flight I have already booked, I look at the flights daily to see if they price has gone down. If it has gone down I simply rebook the ticket online using the "change flight option" on the SWA webpage. Just reselect the same flights to get the lower price. If you originally booked the flight using a credit card, you will get a credit in the form of travel funds that can be used for future flights, ( the credit has to be used within one year of the original ticket purchase date). SWA does not issued a refund back to your credit card unless you have booked the "anytime fare or the business fare" If you have booked using your SWA Rapid Rewards points, the points will be redeposit into your RR acct. So it is wise to stall those flight prices daily as they change by the minute.