Flight $ from New York to Orlando?

[Asc341]

Hello everyone, I'm interested in planning a trip to the world in September (after labor day,) but flights to MCO from any NYC airport is $235pp, and in the past I have seen lower fares. My instinct is to wait until fares go down, but I know that as time passes, the opposite may happen. Any frequent flyers have any recommendations for what to do?

Along the same vein, I could also use advice regarding the hotel price. We usual stay at a moderate, but are really looking to cut our costs, so plan to do a value resort, now priced at $100 a night. In the past, last-minute trips to a moderate resort haven't been a problem, but I've heard Pete say on the podcast that value resorts usually fill up. I'm wondering that if I wait another month to book, the price will increase.

Any and all thoughts would be so helpful!

 

[marsh0013]

Which airports are you looking at? JFK, LGA, EWR? Not sure where you are located but HPN and SWF may be options. We really like Jetblue out of HPN. When is the last time you flew this route? Your price seems pretty good. I think the lowest I've seen is $109 lately each way. Doesn't get much lower than that these days. And EWR usually seems to be higher.

Although, I'm not checking airlines that charge baggage fees for the most part since I've had the best luck on JetBlue. Although we do plan to drive out to ISP in October to use southwest points from the 50,000 pt credit card promo.

 

[Asc341]

$109 seems great! We're in Manhattan so maybe we'll have to live with the higher flight prices, for the convenience of flying to an airport close to us (LGA. JFK, EWG.)

 

[marsh0013]

$109 seems great! We're in Manhattan so maybe we'll have to live with the higher flight prices, for the convenience of flying to an airport close to us (LGA. JFK, EWG.)

Is the $235 price round trip or one way? If round trip, that's only $17 more than the $109 one way. But if that's one way for $235then yes that it outrageous.

What airlines are you looking at? And what dates? If you book with JetBlue you get 1 free checked bag and if the price goes down, they will give you a credit. Credit though must be used to book another JetBlue flight. I have found that my flights usually go down closer to the date. JFK and LGA tend to be lower than EWR.

 

[dawnhaze]

I usually fly JetBlue JFK-MCO, and my fares are usually $119-ish each way if I buy them fairly early. So, $235 round trip doesn't sound much different from my usual totals.

I used to pay roughly similar amounts to fly JetBlue DCA-MCO when I lived in the mid-Atlantic region.

 

[workin4vacation]

I'd be thrilled w/$235!
We booked our air last night - for November - on Jet Blue. I've been waiting for them to release Fall dates and they now are selling seats thru January 5.

We'll be flying Syracuse to JFK and then onto Orlando. Honestly, the cost of airfare kills me!! It would've been $900. RT, for two, and that doesn't count the checked luggage fees on USAir. United was even higher. I chose flights on Jet Blue that came in just under $640. RT for the two of us. This will be our first time flying JB.

 

[Greysword]

This trip would be about five months out, so the low-cost airlines have released their fares and the legacy airlines have lowered theirs to match, already. As such, it is a fairly safe bet to purchase now, as six-months out is the main wicket to hit.

The rule of thumb for airline tickets is to wait for a price you are comfortable with and purchase at that time. Don't look back and wish you would have waited if the price does drop a bit, as the opposite could easily happen (and is the current trend).

On the ITA Matrix, the $234 pricing seems to be for JetBlue (B6) and Delta (DL). B6 is likely to climb, as their pricing strategy tends to release the lowest price and increase as flights get filled. Delta is likely to follow suit.

That said, it also depends on what benefits you have with an airline. If your family has frequent flier benefits that can help with bag fees, priority boarding, priority security, or other benefits, then it may be worth paying a little more to fly with that airline (such as the additional $20 American Airlines (AA) is charging).

Good luck!

 

[Greysword]

Honestly, the cost of airfare kills me!!

Good thing this isn't the 1980s, then..

Annual Round-Trip Fares and Fees: Domestic

- In 1979, for example, domestic passengers flew an average of 1,947 miles per round trip and paid a fare of $186.22 or 9.56 cents per mile flown, plus a reservation change fee of 6 cents and a bag fee of 44 cents for a total of $186.72.

- In 2012, domestic passengers flew an average of 2,356 miles per round trip and paid a fare of $355.75 or 15.10 cents per mile flown, plus a reservation change fee of $9.62 and a bag fee of $13.24 for a total of $378.62

...

- From 1979 to 2012, the U.S. CPI rose from 72.6 to 229.594 or 216 percent

- That means that in constant Year 2000 dollars (in "real" terms), the average round-trip domestic fare fell from $441.69 in 1979 to $266.82 in 2012

- Including reservation change fees and bag fees, the average round-trip domestic journey price fell from $442.88 in 1979 to $283.97 in 2012

Imagine if prices did not drop due to Southwest Airlines' (WN) run for market share in the 2000's and the birth of other low-cost domestic airlines. Your tickets from SYR might be about $800 per person round trip, and this would be a bargain.

Oh, I forgot to point out that service was much better "back in the day" with more amenities (free wings for the kids, more legroom, and a meal of some sort).

 

[workin4vacation]

Oh, I remember the airfare prices in the 80s....and the 70s!
Back in 1983, I took the train from Syracuse to Orlando because it was too darn expensive to fly!
I realize we've been spoiled by those $199. RT rates...but boy, were they nice!

 

[Greysword]

...but boy, were they nice!

Yes they were. Back to reality now that WN is having big boy airline issues...

The U.S.’s biggest “low fare” airline appears to be experiencing an identity crisis.

However, they did leave their mark and reset the airfare market.

 

[Siriusblack]

Don't forget to check out how much it would be for two one ways as opposed to a round trip. You can mix airlines and sometimes it's actually less.

 

[Asc341]

The rule of thumb for airline tickets is to wait for a price you are comfortable with and purchase at that time. Don't look back and wish you would have waited if the price does drop a bit, as the opposite could easily happen (and is the current trend).

Great advice for purchasing airfare!

 

[Disneytam]

I just checked today and prices for Sept. and October for one way out of Albany is $109, except for the day I want to fly down which is $220 and a Tuesday which I always thought was cheaper. Should I book the return flight now and hope for the other flight to drop or just bite the bullet (or add two more days to my trip)

 

[TinkTink78]

I was researching airfare out of NEWARK for 5/2-5/6 over the weekend and the lowest one way I saw was $134. Between the times that I needed and the extra baggage fees, I ended up with Southwest out of Philadelphia. Atlantic City (spirit) is no longer an option in our household.

With the Times I wanted and free baggage ended up being $270 round trip. Compared for jet blue $358 and united $308, but not the times I needed.

I miss the days of flying $100 round trip to Orlando

Good luck!