Dec. airfare...what do you think?

[hsmamato2]

..my sis would like to go to MCO on Dec.20(or19)....so far for a round trip,the best we can find is approx. 300-325 pp......I usually buy tix really early,but am reading that sometimes 8 weeks ahead is a good time for specials....I know,she's flying at holiday time so I figured i'd check around to see if I could help her out!
Anyone else buy tix closer to dates,and get lucky?

 

[nefritz]

I'm waiting also, makes me nervous! Fights for me are 220 right now, but bing says they're 80% confident they'll drop 50$ or more. Ugh! I'm flying the week before you, so about 11 weeks out right now.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

..my sis would like to go to MCO on Dec.20(or19)....so far for a round trip,the best we can find is approx. 300-325 pp......I usually buy tix really early,but am reading that sometimes 8 weeks ahead is a good time for specials....I know,she's flying at holiday time so I figured i'd check around to see if I could help her out!
Anyone else buy tix closer to dates,and get lucky?

Our dates are December 23 to December 30, so I feel your airfare pain.

Our return flights were $360 pp ($150 there via Airtran, and $210 home via Jetblue). Both flights are direct and prices include tax.

Our Airtran flight has increased from $150 to $331 since we booked back in July. Keep in mind that's just ONE WAY. And that's come down a tad from the highest we've seen it.....at one point, it was over $400. Jetblue has increased from $210 to $240 and remained steady for many weeks.

If you find a fare you are comfortable with, then book it. You have just as much chance of paying a higher rate than getting a lower one. Also....maybe consider booking with one of the airlines that will give you a credit on a future flight should your purchased fare price go lower (Southwest, Airtran and Jetblue all will.....not sure if there are any others). At least, then, you don't "lose" anything.....and you have a great excuse to plan another getaway .

 

[ccgirl]

..my sis would like to go to MCO on Dec.20(or19)....so far for a round trip,the best we can find is approx. 300-325 pp......I usually buy tix really early,but am reading that sometimes 8 weeks ahead is a good time for specials....I know,she's flying at holiday time so I figured i'd check around to see if I could help her out!
Anyone else buy tix closer to dates,and get lucky?

In general, I am finding prices much higher. I paid $340 for my next flight to FL. That is approx. $80 more than I paid last year. I would rather pay more for non stop flights at more convenient times though. Plus, I always book on either SW or Jet Blue so can get the credit if the flight price decreases. I can tell you that my same flight for $340 is not close to $500 though.

 

[savannahcat]

Our dates are January 1-12. We booked RT airfare on Southwest back in July at about $260 per person. Prices have only gone up since then and the same RT flights are now selling for $449 per person. So glad I booked early!

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

I'm traveling over the holidays and bought my airline tickets in July. Prices have not dropped.

 

[NC State Tigger]

I just bought our tickets for Dec 14-22 for the 7 of us.

Bought SW into Tampa going down and out of MCO for the return. Total
pp was $254. Even factoring in transportation from Tampa to WDW, it was much less than flying into MCO on 12/14.

I'll keep watching to see if a better deal turns up and hope for a credit to use on our next trip. Oh, how I miss those $69 & $79 flights

 

[clanmcculloch]

I had to reread your post. That's round trip? Boy am I jealous. That's what I'm looking at paying EACH WAY. Heck, I rarely see that price for round trip even during the slowest times of year these days. I'd be jumping on that kind of price without having to think about it and then I'd be doing a little dance of joy.