Can someone explain the 331 day rule?

[McKelly]

I have read that people get cheaper seats by booking out at 331 days from their travel dates. Is this for every airline? Is it just your departure date or does the whole trip have to be within those days, meaning you have to wait until your return flight falls within 331 days? Any help or advice is greatly appreciated. We are going next October and I would like to purchase the tickets sooner rather than later if I can get a deal. Otherwise I will have to play the waiting game. Thanks!

 

[dudspizza]

I have read that people get cheaper seats by booking out at 331 days from their travel dates. Is this for every airline? Is it just your departure date or does the whole trip have to be within those days, meaning you have to wait until your return flight falls within 331 days? Any help or advice is greatly appreciated. We are going next October and I would like to purchase the tickets sooner rather than later if I can get a deal. Otherwise I will have to play the waiting game. Thanks!

Most major airlines release their flights 331 days before the depart. Some people have found that booking then saves them money, though I have found that being diligent and watching fares has paid off for me every time. Some folks just like to have the airfare taken care of almost a year ahead of time, I guess.......

Other airlines don't release their flights that far in advance, Southwest is one that comes to mind. One major problem with booking so far in advance is that your flight times, seats, etc... can change... while with SW, once they release a schedule, it stays put.....

Just some thoughts...

Duds

 

[adrock1976]

True...airline schedules are usually made available for purchase 330 days in advance. HOWEVER, most of the time, these will be full fare seats. There is usually no reason for the airline to sell many if any discounted seats at such a far time in the future. Per other posts, you would probably do better to keep checking every few weeks for fares to drop or adjust several months before your departure. Airlines adjust their price inventory through the day based on how specific flights have sold in previous years. If seats are not selling at a respectable ratio to sell as many seats at the highest price before departure, that is when they will discount fares. Hope this helps. Just keep looking, it will pay off.

 

[Jillpie]

I respectfully disagree with the above. The reason I book every single trip 331 days in advance is to get the LOWEST fare available. I already booked our June trip last May and got the T fare, which is the lowest it'll ever get. And these fares are one ways when you book them 331 days in advance. And yes, you wait for the return trip to be 331 days in advance as well. If it is a super busy time of year, I'll get on the phone at midnight to book it. Delta Song airlines is a good example of who does this. It has worked perfectly every time.

 

[adrock1976]

I respectfully disagree with the above. The reason I book every single trip 331 days in advance is to get the LOWEST fare available. I already booked our June trip last May and got the T fare, which is the lowest it'll ever get. And these fares are one ways when you book them 331 days in advance. And yes, you wait for the return trip to be 331 days in advance as well. If it is a super busy time of year, I'll get on the phone at midnight to book it. Delta Song airlines is a good example of who does this. It has worked perfectly every time.

I see your point, and yes this can work very often, but I guarantee in most situations, the price will DROP from what it is at the 330 day mark. Even within fare classes, there is not one set price. You will find several prices within T or any other fare category for that matter over the life of that flight until it departs. These historical rules also do not follow as well with discount carriers like Song, JetBlue or Southwest...they simply are offering lower fares that the legacy carriers are trying to match with fluctuating prices, but cannot always do. Just because you book the first seats on a plane does not mean you get the lowest fare, but if it works for you, more power!

 

[bicker]

The 330 day mark stems from the fact that airline reservations systems (System One, SABRE, etc.) were originally designed without a field for the year, and flight manifests were kept in the system for a period of time (up to 30 days) after a flight. That left about 330 days for advance reservations.

It is important to remember that 330 days out, you're booking against a projected schedule, not an actual schedule. The (entire) schedule will change, at least three times before the flight, and may change more than that (though any one individual flight may or may not change).

The 330 day mark is most important when it comes to reward seats. In most cases, reward seats are allocated at that point, and no new reward seats are added. Once those seats are taken, they're taken.

Discounts -- well that's not very predictable. The reality is that the least likely scenario is that the lowest fares will be available at flight-time. So, the best time to buy airline tickets is some time between 330 days prior and 1 day prior. While it is true that often the lowest prices aren't at either of those extremes, it is impossible to know when, within that range, the lowest price will be, and many folks figure that the fare available at 330 days prior is close enough to the lowest that will be offered, that it is worth purchasing then, for the peace-of-mind.

 

[maine_jennifer]

I think earlier is better, but I don't think it's necessary to book at 330 and over all I think it varies. Just keep an eye out for deals and if you see the prices start to go up, book it.

When I took my parents down to FL, I got these lowest prices from my home airport that I have ever been able to get - a little after the 330 day mark.

When I took my nephew, we booked a couple months before our trip and had to go from Boston - 1.5 to 2 hours away because there was nothing remotely cheap enough from our home airport.

When I'm willing to go to Manchester, NH, Southwest flies from there and I can usually get a good deal from them, but again, it all varies. If I can get a flight from my home airport for $250 or from Boston or MHT for $200, I'll fly from home just because saving $50 is not worth the hassle of getting to and from there.

Good Luck!

 

[seashoreCM]

The primary reason to book airfare at initial public offering is to lock in the price.

Often airlines have at least a few seats at IPO at their everyday lowest price (at least Delta and Song have). For really popular flights such as sunday evening after Thanksgiving, even if a fare war should occur later, neither the fare war price (Delta's T class) nor the everyday lowest price (Delta's U class) reappear for those flights. But Delta has been known to offer another allotment of cheap seats following a schedule change.

I have observed Delta having IPO late PM on the 332'nd day in advance, this is unpredictable.

Except for really popular dates and flights, it is better to wait for a fare war rather than buy at the everyday low price.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[tkldisney]

I agree with booking at the 330 day mark. The return flight must be within 330 days, so you need to wait until then.
I've had cost go down on flights, (not very often) and I just call and they give me voucher for the difference to use within one year. This was your guaranteed a seat and at a price you want to pay. Your flights will most likely change a few times before you travel, but I know that up front and expect it.

 

[dvc guy]

A lot depends on the carrier. If you talking about a legacy carrier, the best prices are early on , maybe not 330 days but within a month or so of the sale date.
We travel to Florida MCO/PBI/FLL/MIA over peak holidays periods, Christmas/Presidents week and I have been able to get great prices very early on.
Example 12/23 JFK/MCO 59
01/02 FLL/JFK 69
All flights on SONG. Seats now are a low of 199+ and JETBLUE is 299 for all flights