Cheap flights but way early

[nervous1sttimer]

Hi all - we're planning a visit for February 2014 around the Princess Half Marathon. We went in November 2012 and flew Delta for $330/pp. I watched the prices religiously from the time we booked until the day we left, and the "bottom" price was $277/pp. I was irritated that I ended up paying more than I needed, but it wasn't a major price difference for 4 people.

I've been watching again and Delta prices for our anticipated dates are currently around $360/pp - but Spirit is only $225/pp. I know we have to pay for seat assignments and carry-ons, but this still seems like a super-sweet deal and too good to pass up now.

Should I bite the bullet? Or hope that other prices go lower as we get closer to our dates? And Southwest hasn't even released flight schedules for this period yet...

 

[JimboCh]

If you are happy with the price...........book it and don't look again.

 

[nervous1sttimer]

Thanks for the response. Of course I love the price! But I would much rather fly Delta or SWA, if possible. I just don't know if waiting to see what happens is the smart move here.

 

[MEK]

Doesn't Spirit fly to Sanford? Was a rental car in your budget?

I would calculate out the total price with all the extras Spirit tags on then make your decision. If it's a considerable savings then go for it.

 

[DebbieB]

Doesn't Spirit fly to Sanford? Was a rental car in your budget?

I would calculate out the total price with all the extras Spirit tags on then make your decision. If it's a considerable savings then go for it.

Spirit flies to MCO. Allegiant flies to Sanford.

 

[magicaldisney]

I'm curious if you have flown Spirit before? I was considering them because they are the cheapest for our upcoming trip, but I haven't read anything good about them. If you have flown them, what are your thoughts?

 

[nervous1sttimer]

I'm curious if you have flown Spirit before? I was considering them because they are the cheapest for our upcoming trip, but I haven't read anything good about them. If you have flown them, what are your thoughts?

Sorry - can't help you since I've never flown Spirit before either! I've also only heard negative reviews, but how can you argue with half-price?? I'm hoping SWA will release February flights soon and then I can compare and decide whether to go for the cheap upfront option or wait and see how things look closer to travel time.

 

[seashoreCM]

Sorry - can't help you since I've never flown Spirit before either! I've also only heard negative reviews, but how can you argue with half-price?? I'm hoping SWA will release February flights soon and then I can compare and decide whether to go for the cheap upfront option or wait and see how things look closer to travel time.

All those negative reviews reflect that there is a somewhat greater chance of not arriving within 6 hours of what your originally booked itinerary called for and not being able to do anything about it due to inability to get a refund and book something else.

If you are very flexible in terms of schedule, this low fare may work out quite well.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Cheapest isn't always best. Spirit will charge you for checked luggage, carry-on luggage, more for your carry-on if you process it at check-in, even more if you process it at the gate, any beverage, any snack, seat selection, reserving with a person... Delta will charge you for checked luggage, alcohol, and meal-type food.

Think of the value, not the price.

 

[epsmith921]

Yes make sure to calculate in all the fees spirit charges. Did it last year and it put it exactly the same as a delta flight we wound up taking. Check out the fee schedule they have on their site. And others are right, a can of coke on the plane is going to cost you as well. All that said, my parents love spirit and specifically bought carryon bags that fit under the seat so they don't pay any baggage fees at all. They are also in the $9 flight club so you may have to factor that in to your cost.

 

[Greysword]

...but how can you argue with half-price??

Easy. You get what you pay for .

The key to buying airline tickets is to determine what your comfort zone is, and when the price on your desired airline drops to that, then book it. Just because the price dropped on your last flight doesn't mean you paid more than you had to. On the contrary, the incremental price drop was due to a number of factors that could easily shifted the price higher, instead. In essence, you can not count on it.

As for Spirit, there is a reason they get poor ratings. If the price difference determines whether you go to Disney or not, then Spirit is worth the risk. If you can afford to fly a better airline, then I recommend you do. It seems when things work as planned, Spirit is neutral in satisfaction. However when something goes wrong, it becomes quite bad for all involved. Factor in the possibility of an additional overnight stay (both in time and dollars) for the return trip, just in case the aircraft goes mechanical and there are no other flights.

As a recommendation, I suggest patience. You have not yet reached the six-month mark yet, which is the real sweet spot for pricing. Legacy airlines will have a better idea as to what their capacity will likely be, and they react by placing seats on sale. In addition, the domestic airlines (Southwest (WN), JetBlue (B6), etc) will have their schedules out as well, so you can make an educated decision with all available information.

Take a look at the ITA Matrix or Hipmunk . get their apps and save a few desired itineraries to keep an eye on price. Check prices mid-week instead of weekends. and set an acceptable threshold. Once you find a ticket in that bandwidth on an airline you are comfortable flying, book it and don't worry about the price going forward.

Good luck!

 

[heidihoho50]

Thanks for the helpful information. I too was considering Spirit. I am a nervous wreck about flying so I decided the extra aggravation wasn't worth the money saved! LOL

I am going in November. How long should I wait for a good price to come out?? I have never booked a flight before, all help is appreciated!!

Thanks!!

Easy. You get what you pay for .

The key to buying airline tickets is to determine what your comfort zone is, and when the price on your desired airline drops to that, then book it. Just because the price dropped on your last flight doesn't mean you paid more than you had to. On the contrary, the incremental price drop was due to a number of factors that could easily shifted the price higher, instead. In essence, you can not count on it.

As for Spirit, there is a reason they get poor ratings. If the price difference determines whether you go to Disney or not, then Spirit is worth the risk. If you can afford to fly a better airline, then I recommend you do. It seems when things work as planned, Spirit is neutral in satisfaction. However when something goes wrong, it becomes quite bad for all involved. Factor in the possibility of an additional overnight stay (both in time and dollars) for the return trip, just in case the aircraft goes mechanical and there are no other flights.

As a recommendation, I suggest patience. You have not yet reached the six-month mark yet, which is the real sweet spot for pricing. Legacy airlines will have a better idea as to what their capacity will likely be, and they react by placing seats on sale. In addition, the domestic airlines (Southwest (WN), JetBlue (B6), etc) will have their schedules out as well, so you can make an educated decision with all available information.

Take a look at the ITA Matrix or Hipmunk . get their apps and save a few desired itineraries to keep an eye on price. Check prices mid-week instead of weekends. and set an acceptable threshold. Once you find a ticket in that bandwidth on an airline you are comfortable flying, book it and don't worry about the price going forward.

Good luck!

 

[SEA333]

I have flown Spirit several times before from Detroit and Chicago, and have never had a problem. I am not picky, don't really want peanuts and a soda anyway, checked a very large rolling suitcase for $40 round-trip. The staff has always been extremely friendly and accomodating. Each member of my family is allowed to bring one "personal" bag. I brought my laptop case last time I flew, from Chicago to Minneapolis, and had plenty of leftover room under my seat. Many people, my 8 year old daughter included, had much bigger bags. She was also allowed to hold her American Girl Doll in her arms upon boarding so we didn't have to stuff it in the bag. Your own food is also allowed to be brought on board. I just booked November flights from Chicago O'Hare to Orlando this morning for the five of us (Me, DH, DS1, DD, and DS2) for the out the door price of $628.20, round trip, with one checked bag. For that price, I can sit in a small(er) seat for two hours and eat my own snack!

 

[rt2dz]

I have not flown Spirit. It was much less than United, or any other airline, even after the nickle and diming, but only fractional by that point. Seriously? A charge for carry-ons? I decided against it though because of all the negative reviews EVERYWHERE. I heard a lot about last minute cancelled flights. It just wasn't a chance I was willing to take. So, I decided to spend more, but only a bit more.

I wanted to wait to purchase as prices are still pretty high (traveling January 2014). But thanks to airfarewatchdog.com and Yapta.com--both that help you find and track cheap flights, I found out there were only a handful of seats in economy left for both the flights I wanted. I decided to go ahead and purchase based on that info. Yapta tracks my flight for possible refunds. This is what I recommend