Delta down from $237 to $172 and back again

[Aisling]

I've been checking Delta LGA to MCO everyday. It has been $237 nonstop...too much.
But I when I checked 10 minutes ago, the price for the exact flights were down to $172!!! I almost fell out of my chair, and I called DH at work to ask if we should get the tickets because this was a great price. He said I should use my best judgement, and so when I went back the the site not 3 or 4 minutes later, the price was back up to $237! What's with that?
Why would prices change like that? That's a $65 price difference.
I wanted to slap myself for not jumping when I had the chance, but I tell myself if I stay on the Delta site for all day and night, I'll catch the next price drop!
Darn that Delta!!

 

[peg2001]

Sorry you missed it. You DEFINITELY need to be ready to jump when the price dips. It usually doesn't last long.

Better luck next time.
Peggy

 

[cindala]

Don't give up and keep checking. We booked our flights out of LGA to MCO back in October at $182. I have seen the flight go to a high of $237, and back down to $192 last week. I keep checking in case it goes lower than what I purchased the tickets at so I can get a voucher.

Keep watching, and you may still get lucky. Just tell DH ahead of time that when you see it, you are buying it.

 

[TreeOfLife]

Now you have permission to jump in next time...

But don't dismay. If it had been a page error it would have brought up the right price at checkout. Normally prices don't change by the hour like that, but they do by the day!

 

[Tess]

Delta prices seem to be all over the place these days. I watched rates for June beginning in August. We like to fly out of Toledo because it's quick and easy--a small airport versus the huge Metro in Detroit.

Rates began at $211 in October and held steady until after the first of the year. (We've never paid over $200 out of Toledo or Detroit before on Delta.) I kept checking Detroit, too and found they were $249 or higher. After January 1, the rates began to change with higher prices on the weekend and by Wednesday back down to $211. They didn't drop at any point lower than $211 so a couple weeks ago I bought. Two days later the flight prices jumped and I mean big! They are now $299 for the very same flights priced at $211 when I purchased. They've gone higher than $299 BUT not lower. . .I'm glad now that I bit the bullet and purchased.

 

[Kimickey]

Call Delta @ 1-800-221-1212 and see if the price is lower via telephone. Sometimes their prices differ from what you see on the internet. Don't give up their price very well may dip again. Keep your eyes open and be ready to make that purchase.

 

[dvc guy]

All the airlines use a very complex yield management system, that check seats sold with lots of data they keep on file.

If someone buys 1 ticket it can change the pricing.

Bottom line when you see if you need to get it ASAP.

 

[BuzzMe]

I'm constantly checking the fares on Delta's website and am amazed at how often the fares change! It feels like I'm playing the stockmarket- they're up, they're down, should I buy or wait?
I'd been holding off on buying tkts and the price had been holding steady at 161. The other day I checked and it jumped up to 237, but about an hour later it was back to 161-I bought them) Delta usually has web sales on Wednesdays. At Christmas
time our ticket price dropped 5 times over the course of a few weeks and I was able to get the difference in vouchers(can't do this if tickets are bought online.) I've sometimes gotten lower fares over the phone than online. What a game!

 

[cindy_k]

I check often too. I have also seen dramatic price drops, but what I noticed is that the time of the flights I got are different.

Usually the return flight has an undesirable time on it, something like 6am. Just becareful when booking and read the dates and times carefully.

Cindy in NY