Dec. Airfare/Car Rental Price Increses?

[carlbarry]

I don't know if this is the correct forum, but I figure DVC members are savvy, so here goes . . . I'm planning on OKW this Dec. for my first trip home to WDW. I was originally planning Dec. 10-17, when it occurred to me that maybe the airfare/car rental prices go up then. I could just as easily go Dec. 3-10 (I've been previously Dec. 4-8 and 5-12). Does anyone know if my theory is correct? No use spending hundreds more when I could go a week earlier. Thanks.

 

[Copperline]

I haven't seen the fluctuations in rental car prices at the times of the year you're mentioning, other than during the obvious times like school vacation times. I have noticed that when I've shopped around for quotes on a rental car more than 90 days in advance, they're always much higher than if I wait until a few weeks before. Example- I shopped for quotes in September for our upcoming trip in 2 weeks. For a minivan for 7 days, it was over $600. The agent actually told me to wait until the week after Thanksgiving to call back, that the rates would be lower by then. Sure enough, I called the Monday after and got rates of around $500. I still wasn't paying that ridiculous rate though, so last week I got onto Priceline and bid for a rate of $28/day. It was accepted almost immediately, so now I'm paying a mere $326! Maybe consider using Priceline?

 

[carlbarry]

Priceline doesn't have the booking information 11 months out.

 

[Copperline]

I realize that, maybe I should have been more clear...I was suggesting waiting until closer to the time you vacation to book the car.

 

[Donna M]

The car rentals go sky high for Christmas and I'm not sure what date the increase starts. so check it out since you''re flexible.

 

[Disneypirate85]

We purchased our return from Orlando to Indy in July 09 for our Dec trip, for $57.00 and had to wait till Nov for our fight down! And yes the price's Fluctuated ALOT! Sometimes went as high as $120.00 more, just depended on the oil markets. You'll love the World at Christmas!

 

[carlbarry]

Since my 11 month window for my home resort opens tomorrow, it's a bit early to check actual prices. I know the prices fluctuate, and as I wrote, I've been to the The World twice before in early December, and both times have gotten good deal on airfare and car rental (last time, under $12 per day for the car). I was just wondering if anybody had an idea when the prices definitely go up for the holiday travel.

 

[Sandisw]

Since my 11 month window for my home resort opens tomorrow, it's a bit early to check actual prices. I know the prices fluctuate, and as I wrote, I've been to the The World twice before in early December, and both times have gotten good deal on airfare and car rental (last time, under $12 per day for the car). I was just wondering if anybody had an idea when the prices definitely go up for the holiday travel.

We don't have a lot of choice or great prices from Syracuse and usually fly Jet Blue (since they offer direct).

We find that the rates are actually better a few months out, then closer to travel.

Once it gets to be September, our rates are really high. I have gone twice in December (once the 14th - 17th and once the 5th - 7th) and the rates stayed low, both times, until then.

There were days during October and November, where the rates were down a bit, but for the most part, within a few months of travel, the rates were double.

Hope this helps a bit. For car rental, I have found, no matter when I go, that checking the rates within a week of going always gets me a lower rate. I book through National and check constantly. I must cancel and rebook at least a dozen times until I actually leave. For this last December trip, the rate went down 4 different times between November 14th and December 1st!!! I just booked at the new rate and cancelled the old reservation--all online and very easy to do!

Good luck!

 

[carlbarry]

Thanks Sandi!
Hotwire has a graph for airtravel cost, and it shows the price zooming up last year a little before the middle of December, but you can't tell the date.
As for car rentals, I'm like you, I keep checking the prices. Oddly, I've found that the price starts to go up about 6 weeks out from the trip. Although, right now I'm looking at Los Angeles on Jan. 24-28 (first trip with a DVC stay!) and the prices are going slightly lowly almost every day.
I think I'll play it safe and book Dec. 3-10, and then watch the prices this year to plan for next year! I'm kind of kicking myself that I didn't look last month to track the dates, although last year might have been--I hope!--not typical.

 

[Hunclemarco]

We don't have a lot of choice or great prices from Syracuse and usually fly Jet Blue (since they offer direct).

We find that the rates are actually better a few months out, then closer to travel.

Once it gets to be September, our rates are really high. I have gone twice in December (once the 14th - 17th and once the 5th - 7th) and the rates stayed low, both times, until then.

There were days during October and November, where the rates were down a bit, but for the most part, within a few months of travel, the rates were double.

Hope this helps a bit. For car rental, I have found, no matter when I go, that checking the rates within a week of going always gets me a lower rate. I book through National and check constantly. I must cancel and rebook at least a dozen times until I actually leave. For this last December trip, the rate went down 4 different times between November 14th and December 1st!!! I just booked at the new rate and cancelled the old reservation--all online and very easy to do!

Good luck!

Couldn't agree with Sandi more....Also from the Syracuse area... Fulton here, but grew up in the Syr/Liverpool area. JetBlue is our favorite airline, was always inexpensive, but their prices have increased quite a bit in the past year or so. We've sought out airfare in rochester with airtran. Generally juggling our decision between airfare prices/baggage vs simplification. Still prefer JetBlue when we can though.
I've made dozens of car rentals, then check online daily for new rates, and have gotten them down to 8-9 dollars per day.
I've noticed (and had confirmed by alamo) that from around the Dec 15-Jan 6, the auto rates are sky high. Early December has been fine for us.

Sandi...what part of Syr are you from?

 

[Deb & Bill]

I didn't go to Orlando in Dec, but I flew elsewhere. I made my flight reservations in August and they went up about $1000 total for the three of us by early December. My dates were blacked out for the December discounts that they began offering in later October and November.

Only problem with your dates are that the earlier dates get booked very early. So if you aren't booking your home resort, you may have a problem getting what you want at 7 months out.