Delta Flight Price - looking for opinions

[Brer Brett]

We are looking to fly from South Bend on Feb. 21 (return Mar. 1). We've done Allegiant nonstop from South Bend before but we're staying onsite this time (so no rental car and I don't want to fork over $200+ for transportation from Sanford to WDW).

Just booked our Disney plans last week so I've only been looking at flights for about a week.

Have to buy 4 tickets.

On Oct. 11, Delta had tickets at $463/each.

Today (Oct. 15) Delta has those tickets at $413/each.

I've looked at January flights and months after February and the cheapest Delta flight I've seen is $363/each. A few months have the $363; some have $463; and some have $413. There is a crazy one for $700 in March.

Given that we are only about 4 months out, and just based on the above, would you lock in at the $413 or keep checking to see if they go down to $363? I'm not used to playing the airfare games....thanks.

 

[nancy4289]

Hi -- I would wait to see if fares go down. I plan conferences and I have found that the best airline fares are usually about 30-60 days out from the travel date. Also, you should check fares during the middle of the week - from Tuesday at noon until about Thursday at noon -- that is when fares will be at their lowest. Best, Nancy

 

[akaler2010]

Our travel agent we use for work always told us the best rates are at 6 weeks out. However, I am too much of a planner to wait that long. I usually wait until I am satisfied (close to $400), then buy them and stop looking. That's the key. Maybe I would have gotten a better deal waiting, but I feel much more secure having the tickets. So, 6 weeks if you can do it!

 

[Brer Brett]

Thanks for your thoughts! I'm going to try to wait a little while longer and see what happens (try being the key word there).

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Our travel agent we use for work always told us the best rates are at 6 weeks out.

This just isn't true anymore, especially for international flights.

 

[Brer Brett]

@ lost in cyberspace:

so do you think I should book now or hold off? thanks!

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

@ lost in cyberspace:

so do you think I should book now or hold off? thanks!

Bing says to wait:

http://www.bing.com/travel/flights/...e=MCO&d1=02/21/2014&r1=03/01/2014&p=1&b=COACH

Your cheapest flights appear to currently be on United, not Delta. I would hold off for a little longer and check daily, but would not wait past mid-November, especially if prices seem to be heading up.

This may also be useful:

http://www.kayak.com/news/the-best-time-to-book-your-travel-is.bd.html

 

[karly05]

FWIW, I'm planning to fly Delta out of my mid-sized mid-section of the US airport in February - Watching their prices, they've been up and down. Mid-week last week they were actually under $300, and I should have pounced, but didn't. Then they went back up to 430-something, now today they're down to 401 - EXCEPT the flight I want is all the way up to 487!! (American was pulling this stinky, too, charging way more for the flight that gets in at the best time.)

Right now, I'm trying to be patient and hold out for better pricing.

 

[HHSTigerFan]

$322 from Midway

 

[Brer Brett]

Thanks for your thoughts, everyone. If nothing else, they caused me to pause and wait till today. Using some Delta miles and a certificate I just received from Delta, I was able to score our four tickets for $560 total! I am pumped. I for sure thought I was going to be shelling out over a grand for us to fly! Gonna be going out of Detroit but its nonstop, so our 2.5 hour drive to the airport is totally worth it!

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Thanks for your thoughts, everyone. If nothing else, they caused me to pause and wait till today. Using some Delta miles and a certificate I just received from Delta, I was able to score our four tickets for $560 total! I am pumped. I for sure thought I was going to be shelling out over a grand for us to fly! Gonna be going out of Detroit but its nonstop, so our 2.5 hour drive to the airport is totally worth it!

Good deal! It's tough when you don't live near a major airport. Luckily, I live within an hour's drive of DCA, IAD and BWI, and airline tickets are still expensive.

 

[hops&dreams]

Thanks for your thoughts, everyone. If nothing else, they caused me to pause and wait till today. Using some Delta miles and a certificate I just received from Delta, I was able to score our four tickets for $560 total! I am pumped. I for sure thought I was going to be shelling out over a grand for us to fly! Gonna be going out of Detroit but its nonstop, so our 2.5 hour drive to the airport is totally worth it!

I was going to suggest you look at other airports to fly out of. Don't forget to figure in the cost of parking at Detroit international.

I was wondering if you looked at flying out of Indy as well. Yes, it's a drive, but the parking is cheap, and the airport is extremely hassle-free. We went from flying out of Chicago's Midway and O'Hare to Indy when we moved. Now, flying is a breeze for us - love this airport, and we've been able to score some decent fares as well - $99 each way is pretty average for a sale, but I've even scored $65 each way! On Southwest too, so 2 free bags on top of that!!! Right now, the best I can find for our dates is $154 each way, which isn't that great of a deal, so I'm waiting to book both our flights and our trip.

 

[karly05]

UGH! The Delta flight I want from ATL to MCO is filling up with cheerleaders (well, it's filling up in chunks and I'm guessing there are cheerleaders involved given event dates and my experience this year), and the fares are way too high right now, and the cheaper flight (which is still not cheap) doesn't land until 2:23.

If I go back to looking at AA, I can get a better arrival time (matching the lower Delta fares), but I'm going to have to set a bunch of alarms to catch ME at 5:15 am on departure day.

I've still got time, I need to just be patient, but...

 

[jmasgat]

I was going to suggest you look at other airports to fly out of. Don't forget to figure in the cost of parking at Detroit international.

There are numerous park/fly places at Metro--it's just a matter of which a person prefers, e.g. some companies use vans vs shuttles. We do US Park on Middlebelt Rd and you can get a coupon on their web site for $8/day or $50/wk. This coupon expires Dec 2013,so check back early next year for new one. Even the airport has long term parking for $8/day.