Canadians - Orlando Dec flights?

[pxlbarrel]

We're heading to the House of Mouse in December (the week before Christmas) - Toronto to Orlando. When do you usually book your flights? Last time we booked it at the end of October. This year, I'm not sure what to do.

Since Jets Go died, I'm worried the quantity of seats will be so much lower that the prices will really go nuts. (They did when we went to Vegas a few weeks ago!!!)

We flew Skyservice last time...we really liked it. But we'll have to wait till the fall to find out how much they'll cost. I'm too impatient!!!

Thoughts? Calming thoughts? Somebody wanna come and sit on me so I don't book the first flight I see?

 

[Hockeychic]

Although the rates aren't avail yet have you considered SW out of Buffalo. My family of 4 flew them last year for $580.80 US return.

I don't fly that often so I have no advise on when to book for Dec but I don't think you can beat the prices out of the States.

JMO

 

[mom_rules]

Already have our AC seats for December-Price has gone up $200 each since I booked a couple of weeks ago.

 

[lawgs]

cheapest fares using SW for september are now at 122$ each way.....

a far cry from the fares others usually post here of 49$ each way.....maybe the oil crunch has finally caught up and we will not be seeing good fares out of buffalo on SW any more....

 

[riu girl]

lawgs:
Thanks for saying what I've been thinking about for weeks re: BUF-MCO. I can't imagine I will get a $49 SWA fare. We also will be flying the week before Christmas (Sat Dec 17/05- Sat Dec 31/05) and I assume I will have to pay $122US each way plus tax (BUF-MCO) or $127US each way plus tax (BUF-TPA, my preferred route) unless I happen to get a DING. I can't count to much on getting a ding FARE though since my fare dates won't be released until late July (historically). I can't see myself tied to the computer all summer when that will be the LAST place I will want to be once the good weather comes. I'm not complaining about the SWA fares of $122 or $127 each way. We love the BUF airport and it is still a great price compared to flying out of Toronto.

I wonder if SWA will offer a 99US internet only fare rate that I could possibly purchase. The last time they were announced for BUF-MCO it didn't include Saturdays. My dates are not flexible. I think when we travel next year (12/06) I will plan my travel dates for a Tuesday. That might give me more freedom when choosing flights/prices etc.

Any suggestions anyone for my Dec/05 trip flight/fare wise? I think I really want to stick with SWA though in case I have to cancel last minute (due to terminal illness in my family). Their cancelling/rebooking policies are extremely fair.

Have a great day everyone.
Suzy V.

 

[pxlbarrel]

How much is parking at Buffalo's airport? Or do you get to the airport by shuttle? There are four of us going and I can pretty much bet that if we leave from Buffalo, I'll be the one driving (nobody else will want to drive so I'll be conscripted.) I'm not to interested in that scenario...especially on the return trip home.

 

[lawgs]

riu

keep checking, supply and demand will also work into this.....if they are not getting the fares at the higher rates they will probably have some sales....

your time frame is a bit "in demand" but you never know for sure...

have also noticed that they seem to blank out the good fares on NON stops on saturdays lately .....that is why we are flying out tomorrow night on the evening non stop and coming home on the evening non stop a week saturday.... ( must say though that we did get a better one way on the return by watching fares, but we could not just book the same flight which was originally the morning NS back from orlando, we had to make the change to the evening NS to get the better fare )

 

[riu girl]

lawgs,
sorry to sound like an idiot, but can you please explain to me what exactly SWA is doing with the Saturday a.m. NS's (blank out)? You mean when a DING fare is posted the Saturday a.m. NS's are showing not available, even during the first few seconds of the DING fare sale? If so, this would explain a lot. I have been watching Saturday ding fares BUF-MCO (my dates aren't available yet I'm just watching busy Saturdays) and it seems like the first am NS flight is never available (even at the beginning of a DING sale.

Please advise.
Thanks
Suzy V.

 

[lawgs]

riu

exactly....they seem to be able to fill the NS on saturday morning, thus they appear as unavailable when sales are listed.....this is exactly what happened to us this time so we booked the friday night NS ....to get around it.....luckily we are flexible


we have upcoming trips in september november and december and will be waiting to see what happens with them....re NS on saturdays in the am

 

[riu girl]

Wow, so many upcoming trips..great for you.
One more question.

I think I will buy fun fares shortly after they are released (late July) for Dec. BUF-MCO. This is a little less expensive then BUF-TPA (my preferred destination) plus my rental car in MCO is about $150 less then TPA. Would you do this for a Dec 17/31 fare or something else (ex. wait for possible internet sale fare or a DING)?

If I do book a fun fare shortly after they are posted, should I book one way segments vs. round trip. Then if I get a DING fare for my one of my flight segments it would be easier to re-book a one way, wouldn't it???

Any advise would be greatly appreciated.
The airfare is the last component I have to plan for this holiday. Everything else I feel I am getting for a good price (condo rental, car rental, attraction tickets) It is also the most expensive component for us so I want to make sure I don't make a huge error.

Thanks,
Suzy V.

 

[lawgs]

riu

booking at first chance will depend on whether you want to have have a ticketless credit which must be used within a year if the price goes down and you can rebook

the nice part about southwest is they do not penalize you for changes

if you plan on going again within that time span it will work out...you will have credits to use but it depends how much you want to tie your money up....you also have to look at opportunity cost....will you completely miss out on fares if you wait too long ( they usually go down somewhere between when they are first posted and actual travel dates )

they do or can extend ticketless credits for you by 6 months ( we were able to do that for mother in law last year )

some have said they have been able to get credit back to the CC ( we have never had to try that )

that being all said, it is nice to know at least you have the airfare booked and can only hope for "lower" fares

with us, we travel so much with SW it does not matter if we have some ticketless credits in the "bank"

we know we will use them....

 

[riu girl]

We are planning on going again to Fl. 12/06 so if I had ticketless travel funds (with a 6 month extension) that would be fine.

If I did book this summer/early fall (for 12/05) and a less expensive fare does come out, I could simply rebook and then have some ticketless travel funds, woudn't I?

Thanks for all your help with this,
Suzy V.