dis_guy
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 26, 2008
- Messages
- 2,266
There's lower risk in booking early. Usually fares go up, not down, as the cheaper seats sell out then they go to higher options. That's the general rule as any business traveler can tell you... the outrageous fares are in the last few days before the departure . Sometimes fares will go down due to sales or simple market fluctuation, but rest assured booking early on planes tix is the better way to go.
We usually fly United as they have the best times and connections for us. I have noticed that when fares are first released they are a little high. After a week or two or three they come down to what must be their "base" price for the route. At this time all times and routes are this same price for, usually, several weeks. This is when we usually book as we often have to travel at peak times like Christmas. After these first weeks they start going up, sometimes down, then up... You get the idea. This is the cycle that makes people crazy. If you're going at non-peak times, yes you can play the game and maybe (even probably) get better prices a month or two out. For peak times, I've never seen a lower price than what we pay in those first few weeks of availability. YMMV!
