Finding Cheap Flights???

[caselaw3]

I don't know how close you all are from the Concord, NC regional airport or if you could possibly connect there but right now you can fly to Orlando, FL for $39 each way! You can book on Dec. 20 and must fly by Feb. 2014. The airline is Allegiant (don't know if i spelled that right) Also, it's not to MCO but it is in Orlando. The Orlando-Sanford Airport.

WOW!!! That is AWESOME! I am going to check it our right now!

 

[caselaw3]

She's 1 1/2 NORTH of Albany, which would be about 5 hours outside of New York City, so really driving all the way down here isn't going to help the cause too much. Same for North Carolina.

BTW, OP, is that 24 hours each way for a total of 48 hours RT? Even if was only 24 hours, you should factor in how much your time is worth. Assuming you're stopping, you'd be losing 2 days from you vacation just driving.

My quick research tells me it's cheaper to fly to MCO out of Burlington, VT than Albany, NY. Check and see if it works for you (I looked on Orbitz.)

BTW, SUNY Albany is my alma mater (!!)

Thanks! I will check that out today!

SUNY Albany is an awesome school!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Check prices on Southwest using "1" ticket instead of more. Sometimes tickets are cheaper that way, and you can book one at a time if you have to. It might be that you get one or two fares lower that way, but you pay more for the rest. (They might have a certain number of seats at a certain price.) You can always watch flights and if they go down, get a credit (go to Travel Tools, Change Reservation; you'll have one year from booking to use, same person you originally booked for). Try it the same way if fares drop. It can get somewhat confusing, but it can save you a lot, too. In certain airports, many of their (SWA) flights are non-stop, and 2 bags are free. Factor that into your pricing, too. (Time is money.) Good luck. PS I think your estimates for driving from VT are very low.

 

[Happyjen27]

Check prices on Southwest using "1" ticket instead of more. Sometimes tickets are cheaper that way, and you can book one at a time if you have to. It might be that you get one or two fares lower that way, but you pay more for the rest. (They might have a certain number of seats at a certain price.) You can always watch flights and if they go down, get a credit (go to Travel Tools, Change Reservation; you'll have one year from booking to use, same person you originally booked for). Try it the same way if fares drop. It can get somewhat confusing, but it can save you a lot, too. In certain airports, many of their (SWA) flights are non-stop, and 2 bags are free. Factor that into your pricing, too. (Time is money.) Good luck. PS I think your estimates for driving from VT are very low.

Solid advice. I'm doing this from now on!!

 

[caselaw3]

Check prices on Southwest using "1" ticket instead of more. Sometimes tickets are cheaper that way, and you can book one at a time if you have to. It might be that you get one or two fares lower that way, but you pay more for the rest. (They might have a certain number of seats at a certain price.) You can always watch flights and if they go down (go to Travel Tools, Change Reservation), get a credit (which you'll have one year from booking to use, same person you originally booked for). Try it the same way if fares drop. It can get somewhat confusing, but it can save you a lot, too. In certain airports, many of their (SWA) flights are non-stop, and 2 bags are free. Factor that into your pricing, too. (Time is money.) Good luck. PS I think your estimates for driving from VT are very low.

Thanks - I will try it that way too!

I actually used mapquest to estimate the gas roundtrip and then added $200 to that for tolls and misc.the only expense we will have is the room in savannah which is $45 and one meal which I estimated at $50.....

but if that is way off and someone has a better estimate - I would be greatful for it - i don't want to short change us!!!

THANKS

 

[marthachick]

Southwest has a sale on now! Check it out. Saved me $250 on 3 tickets.

 

[caselaw3]

Southwest has a sale on now! Check it out. Saved me $250 on 3 tickets.

Sweet - I just checked and it is about $1500 for

so it is still more than half price for us to drive

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Thanks - I will try it that way too!

I actually used mapquest to estimate the gas roundtrip and then added $200 to that for tolls and misc.the only expense we will have is the room in savannah which is $45 and one meal which I estimated at $50.....

but if that is way off and someone has a better estimate - I would be greatful for it - i don't want to short change us!!!

THANKS

We have four people, too. One variable would be the type of car you'll be driving, and the type of gas mileage it gets. For every trip we've ever taken, we've estimated costs of driving vs. flying, and even from MA we've figured 10+ tanks of gas, and depending on gas prices and the type of vehicle, this can get quite pricey. And that's only taking account for mileage down and back, not off the beaten path or around WDW. Your drive is probably at least three hours longer than mine, too.

Our family would also spend a lot more than $50 on minimum two days worth of food each day (two meals plus snacks - sandwiches get old after a while), probably more like 3 days; and a hotel room for us, we estimated at around $120+ for somewhere like a Days Inn in a safe location near the highway for one night (on the way home, to break it up). Then add in tolls and such, and our estimates are up around $1200+. Not to mention feeling exhausted when you arrive and for a day or two afterward, my being a horrible back seat driver and tired driving on unfamiliar roads. I'd rather pay airline prices, but search for the best deal available. I guess everyone's costs are different that way.

 

[marthachick]

Oh man! That's a lot. Just keep checking. Fingers crossed for you!

 

[caselaw3]

We have four people, too. One variable would be the type of car you'll be driving, and the type of gas mileage it gets. For every trip we've ever taken, we've estimated costs of driving vs. flying, and even from MA we've figured 10+ tanks of gas, and depending on gas prices and the type of vehicle, this can get quite pricey. And that's only taking account for mileage down and back, not off the beaten path or around WDW. Your drive is probably at least three hours longer than mine, too.

Our family would also spend a lot more than $50 on minimum two days worth of food each day (two meals plus snacks - sandwiches get old after a while), probably more like 3 days; and a hotel room for us, we estimated at around $120+ for somewhere like a Days Inn in a safe location near the highway for one night (on the way home, to break it up). Then add in tolls and such, and our estimates are up around $1200+. Not to mention feeling exhausted when you arrive and for a day or two afterward, my being a horrible back seat driver and tired driving on unfamiliar roads. I'd rather pay airline prices, but search for the best deal available. I guess everyone's costs are different that way.

Well I figured out that a full tank of gas gets me 350 miles and
it is 1321 miles one way so that is just under 4 tanks of gas -
it costs me about $60 per tank
so that is about $240 in gas one way
our hotel room in savannah is $45
i figure $200 for tolls and whatever
and 1 sit down dinner at $50

so that gets me $775 roundtrip - it is almost double to fly plus if I have to drive my car to the airport and park it for 8 days that is SUPER expensive!!!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Well I figured out that a full tank of gas gets me 350 miles and
it is 1321 miles one way so that is just under 4 tanks of gas -
it costs me about $60 per tank
so that is about $240 in gas one way
our hotel room in savannah is $45
i figure $200 for tolls and whatever
and 1 sit down dinner at $50

so that gets me $775 roundtrip - it is almost double to fly plus if I have to drive my car to the airport and park it for 8 days that is SUPER expensive!!!

Fully loaded with people and luggage, your gas costs may be higher than usual. You also have to think of things like getting lost and backtracking, idling in traffic, and possible repair and other auto costs, too. Not to mention wear and tear on the car. (Just other things to consider.) Shudder to think of needing a major repair in unfamiliar territory that could take more than a day or so.

I agree airport parking can be expensive, but some places off site offer coupons, or you could always consider asking someone to drive you there.

 

[caselaw3]

Fully loaded with people and luggage, your gas costs may be higher than usual. You also have to think of things like getting lost and backtracking, idling in traffic, and possible repair and other auto costs, too. Not to mention wear and tear on the car. (Just other things to consider.) Shudder to think of needing a major repair in unfamiliar territory that could take more than a day or so.

I agree airport parking can be expensive, but some places off site offer coupons, or you could always consider asking someone to drive you there.

I have thought about all those things - and how unfun driving could be - but it is just soooo expensive - that's why I need to find CHEAP flights!

 

[orlandonewstarts]

We were going to drive. Then our local airport just started offered direct flights into Orlando. From IL - Orlando 2 tickets plus checked baggage and taxes paid $230 total. I could not drive 1 way for that plus its direct so no connecting layovers.

Keep checking there are deals out there. I just got another offer today same airport in December price would have been about $270 for 2 round trip. I didn't think that was bad for the busy season.

 

[caselaw3]

We were going to drive. Then our local airport just started offered direct flights into Orlando. From IL - Orlando 2 tickets plus checked baggage and taxes paid $230 total. I could not drive 1 way for that plus its direct so no connecting layovers.

Keep checking there are deals out there. I just got another offer today same airport in December price would have been about $270 for 2 round trip. I didn't think that was bad for the busy season.

That's great! I would be more than happy to fly for that rate!

 

[KalamityJane]

I use the OnTheFly app, it really helps find cheap flights!

 

[caselaw3]

I use the OnTheFly app, it really helps find cheap flights!

how does it work?

 

[bethlumino]

What airport? That's cheap! We are in Illinois too!

 

[Jen_in_NH]

I don't see your exact dates, but have you looked at prices for Burlington VT, Manchester NH, Worcester MA, or Hartford CT? Jetblue and southwest fly out of some of those.

If it's not too far, Allegiant air is flying out of Portsmouth NH pretty cheap. I don't know how far a drive from Albany that might be though.

I don't quite know how it would work with customs, but what about flying out of Montreal?

 

[orlandonewstarts]

What airport? That's cheap! We are in Illinois too!

Springfield IL. Sign up for their email updates I just got 1 today and within 3 hours of email seats were sold out. But at that price can't expect them to last a long time.

They have run promo 3 times now so might run another soon.

 

[KalamityJane]

how does it work?

It searches most airlines (not Southwest iirc) and you can give it a range of dates and how long you will be gone for (7 nights, for instance) and it will show you when the best dates to fly are and which airlines would be the cheapest in and out.