Do airlines discount flights over holiday weekends?

[Jenn Lynn]

We are planning a trip from October 2-9. Right now I can get $183 RT from MSP to MCO through the 6th of October. Do you think they will extend these deals for the holiday weekend? Or will there be blackout dates?

$183 is a good price from MSP. I could move my trip up 1 week, but really prefer October.

Thanks!

 

[CarolMN]

Originally posted by Jenn Lynn
We are planning a trip from October 2-9. Right now I can get $183 RT from MSP to MCO through the 6th of October. Do you think they will extend these deals for the holiday weekend? Or will there be blackout dates?

$183 is a good price from MSP. I could move my trip up 1 week, but really prefer October.

Thanks!

Assume you are talking about Columbus Day. That's not a big day for traveling and most businesses/governments/schools arounf here don't even have it off anymore. I think you can wait to see if the discount is extended. There will probably be some fall sales coming soon.

I think $183 RT is a GREAT price for MSP to MCO, especially if it is for non-stop service, but it's probably not, right?

 

[Jenn Lynn]

Carol-yes it is nonstop. The flight, from MSP to MCO, is at 3:15 in the afternoon, which is not that great for me! LOL! I prefer early morning flights with DD, but if I can save $$$ then I will take what I can get!

I am glad to hear that it is not a big travel weekend. I think I will wait a little while longer for my dates.

 

[hercamore]

Hi,

Have you tried the "other options" on the NW website to search for the flight times you DO want and see what the price is.

I do it all the time and many times the price is the same as the odd flight times the computer kicks out.

That is a very good price.

herc.

 

[Jenn Lynn]

Do you mean the "more search options" button? I clicked that and then it took me to the page where you select your passenger #'s etc. Then I clicked on search by flight times instead of by fares. I picked the time I wanted and it gave me $300.

Is that what you mean or am I missing a button?

 

[zulaya]

$183 is a great price non-stop...I wish I had gotten that for my Dec trip.

You want Oct 2-9? And what are your preferred times?

Price can really vary by flight time, especially when certain flights get full. For example, we wanted to take the 4:45pm flight home in December, but it raised our total flight price by nearly $40 per person. If we took the 1:15pm flight, the price was much lower. It also was even lower at 7:25am, but not low enough to make me want to get there that early!

That's probably why when you plugged in your specific flight times that you got a higher price. Although I did check all flights on your return day and everything seems to be $300.

 

[zulaya]

Do all you days have to be in Oct? Are you wanting to be there for F&W Fest? MNSSHP?

Do you have to travel Sat-Sat?

Just wondering what flexibility you might have and if you need all your days to be in October?

If you have some flexibility and are wondering about prices, maybe move some of your days around to see what can happen?

 

[Jenn Lynn]

zulaya-We don't HAVE to go the first week of October, but it would be nice since our anniversary is the 7th. I know that if I moved my dates to the previous week Sept. 25th-Oct.2nd I get the $183 price. BUT it says the only flight available is 3:15pm. I prefer morning-anything in the morning 11 or earlier. It is better with DD since she refuses to sleep on a plane and that is her nap time.

On the return flight I prefer something around 11 am.

Right now it is showing the early flight time to be more $$$. I really hate the thought of not getting to Florida until 7pm and then having to do a grocery stop etc. I would probably pay more $$$ for the earlier time.

The cheaper fares are only through the 6th of October, nothing for the rest of October yet, so I am hoping they get extended.

 

[zulaya]

Ahhh...well you may have to wait till closer to the time then. The airlines seem to go in these quarterly spurts with sales so you may have to wait into summer. Who knows? It's like playing the stock market.

Good luck in finding something good!