Booking airfare for next February

[jmcross]

I have us booked on our first Disney Dream cruise for next February during the school vacation week. I am a teacher so I don't have another option for a different week.

Airfare from Boston to Orlando is over $400 and that's with off peak times and stops in both directions. I have tried various search engines, different airports, etc. with no luck getting anything lower with decent times.

Should I wait and try Jetblue or Southwest when their fares are released or should I just book now? I'm nervous that the fares will just continue to rise as time passes if I wait. Usually booking this far ahead gets me great results so I'm frustrated.

Anyone have any experience with this or advice to give?

Thanks!

 

[Bob P]

Hi,

Checking airfare prices is like investing in the stock market! Sometimes you look really smart by waiting, and sometimes, well...not so smart. Sometimes the price will go up, and sometimes it will go down. Are you a gambler?

My opinion is: if you are comfortable with the price now you should book it.

 

[kksmom92]

If it makes you feel any better I already booked my flight for January. I too was worried about what prices were going to do thanks to the gas prices and thought I would rather be safe than sorry.

I'm not sure what prices normally are from your airport, if that's around normal and you like the times... then I probably would go for it. They always say prices sometimes drop on Tues (or is it Wed) so maybe wait a day or two and see what happens?!?

Either way... good luck with your decision!

 

[jmcross]

Thanks for both of your responses.

Booking airfare to Orlando this far out is usually around $250 round trip not over $400. I have been checking faithfully and have not seen any kind of drop on any day. I am not much of a gambler so I am leaning toward just booking and not waiting.

I just wish I had a crystal ball to see future fares and the release of Jetblue and Southwest fares.

 

[clanmcculloch]

Based on the airfares I've been seeing from MHT, BOS and PVD with SWA when they first open up their booking windows, I'd say wait for SWA. The absolute highest I've seen them open up at is $179 ow though that was only once; every other time has been $149 ow. That's $300 RT rather than $400. If you're willing to drive to PVD or MHT then you can also get nonstops.

Obviously this is still a gamble since fuel prices are continuing to skyrocket so there's really no way to predict what'll happen, but as somebody who does NOT like to gamble I'd still wait for SWA since I'm personally not expecting their prices from New England to go up that much higher than they already are.

If you decide to go for SWA, be prepared to book the MOMENT they open. Those weekend flights during February vacation book FAST.

 

[DebbieB]

You are still 10 months out, I would wait for SW.

 

[Ambassador]

We are in the same boat, figuratively speaking. Since JetBlue and AirTran have not released their schedules for Feb 2012, we are going to wait. Sometime this summer, probably August, we are anticipating airfares and WDW room/ package discounts. How's that for gambling?

 

[ToyStory]

We are in the same boat, figuratively speaking. Since JetBlue and AirTran have not released their schedules for Feb 2012, we are going to wait. Sometime this summer, probably August, we are anticipating airfares and WDW room/ package discounts. How's that for gambling?

I agree with Jet Blue and AirTran not releasing their schedules I would wait. I booked my airfare last November when the schedules came out for our upcoming June trip with Jet Blue. At least with Jet Blue if the rates do drop you can get a credit. We had credit from our last trip in November 2009 that we had to use by November 2010.

 

[jeff968]

You can do better. We travel for President's week every year. Typically we pay around $200 for non-stops. My wife also is a teacher. We usually leave on Friday and come back the following weekend. We travel out of NYC so the prices are pretty good IF you shop EARLY. I got non-stops for Feb 2011 in July of 2010 for $179 with all fees!!!

 

[jmcross]

I'd rather go out of PVD than BOS any day. It is so much easier to get in and out of that airport. Maybe I should wait for Southwest.

Does anyone know of a Website that shows when Southwest has historically released fares? I am going to be in WDW from 8/20-8/26 and I would hate for them to release those February fares while I am away.

Thanks again for all of the replies. You have all been very helpful.

 

[dougsmom98]

We are also teachers and traveling President's Week. We booked our fares out of Boston at 331 days out. We are flying Continental. We paid $302 which includes all taxes and fees. If you are going on a cruise, my guess is that you have very little flexibility with days because you have to catch the boat. Once you find something you can live with, book it. I know I am in the minority here, but I have NEVER seen Jet Blue or Southwest fares to be less than $200 each way (and then you have to add taxes and fees) during a school vacation week. If you drive to New York, you might be able to get a cheaper fair, but with the chance for poor weather, who wants to do that. Good luck.

 

[Keacc]

My wife and I go to Orlando every year the last week of October. Last year our fares on SW were higher than previous years at $215 each. I booked this years trip on the day that they opened up our dates (Oct 22-29) for $319 each. Those rates have gone up to $385 over the last few weeks. Real deals on SW appear to be few and far between.

 

[clanmcculloch]

We are also teachers and traveling President's Week. We booked our fares out of Boston at 331 days out. We are flying Continental. We paid $302 which includes all taxes and fees. If you are going on a cruise, my guess is that you have very little flexibility with days because you have to catch the boat. Once you find something you can live with, book it. I know I am in the minority here, but I have NEVER seen Jet Blue or Southwest fares to be less than $200 each way (and then you have to add taxes and fees) during a school vacation week. If you drive to New York, you might be able to get a cheaper fair, but with the chance for poor weather, who wants to do that. Good luck.

February 2011 I started off at $149 ow from MHT for nonstop flights. I then got credits as the fares dropped and used those credits towards my upcoming trip. I missed the date when fares opened up because I was at WDW at the time. By the time I got home, fares for the Saturday had jumped to over $200 ow but Thursday were still low and ended up going even lower.

February 2009 I booked quite a while after the booking window opened. I paid more than I had ever paid for a flight. I paid I think it was $179 ow. That seemed painfully high at the time. Boy, if I knew then what I know now, I would have been thrilled with that price. That was back when flights were regularly $79 ow.

I managed to get Christmas 2009 flights for $129 right when fares opened up. I was ready for that one. You can definitely do the same for February or April vacations.

If you're on the ball and ready to book when SWA opens up their itineraries, you can get decent (by today's standards) fares out of MHT and PVD for nonstop flights.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

I would wait for either JetBlue or SW and book IMMEDIATELY. Experience is that you aren't the only person trying to escape to warmer climates and there are not many "sales" on this route during this week.

 

[Brian Noble]

We travel for President's week every year.

Unfortunately, the airfare situation over the past year or so has really changed---past years are really offering little guidance now. You can *sometimes* find a comparable price, but usually only for a very short time vs. years past when those good fares were more commonly available.

I think $400 might be a little high. But, probably not a lot high. My wife and kids are in the same situation, on the 7-day during P-Week. With so little flexibility on when they can arrive or depart without missing a ton of school, our "book it" price is higher than it might normally be.

 

[jmcross]

I don't even mind paying the $400 if they were both non-stop flights that left at decent times. The flights available now have me arriving in Orlando at 7:15 p.m. and we still have to drive to the Port from there. Coming back our flight is also late. It's not arriving home until 8:30 p.m. I have to go to work the next day as I can't use a personal day to extend a school vacation week.

Like I said, I don't mind the $400 but I don't want to be worn out in the process. I would prefer to pay the money and get direct flights.

I think I'm going to gamble and wait for Jetblue and SW.