Flights for cruise $$$ just needed to vent...

[KashasMom]

We have our cruise booked for spring break 2019 (ours is not over easter) and have been waiting for Southwest to release our dates. Well they just did and the prices for flights are ridiculous. I mean we knew they'd be expensive, but they are $750 per person round trip! We were thinking they'd be closer to $500.
I checked American and United and without the bag fees their prices are $1000 a person, what????

I know it's a long shot that the prices will drop, especially since the lowest category is almost sold out.

Not sure what to do. I guess we might end up having to drive, which it would be 2 days to do.

I don't remember the prices being this outrageous for our last spring break cruise.

This was happening to us with President's Day Week cruises which is why we cruise in November instead. Flights in Feb. from NYC to FL were in the $700+ range you mention ($2,200 for 3 people!). I even tried various combinations of flying into/out of different airports. Still insane prices or crazy times - and still hours of driving involved! It seems SW is similar to Jet Blue in that Jet Blue doesn't open bookings until 6 months out. By that time ALL the other less expensive fares on other air lines are gone! I also noticed that Jet Blue is no longer the great deal it used to be. What I do now is book as soon as flights become available - usually 11 months out. I get the best price and the seats and flights I want. Sorry that's not helpful to you. Keep checking and something may turn up. Set a price in mind and jump on it if it becomes available. Having the option to drive as a backup is good...even though it's a long way. Good luck!

 

[basketlacey]

I had a similar reaction to SW flights for our SB trip next year. They were nearly $600 from home to FLL (we’re cruising from Miami). We ended up getting $213 round trip, direct from Nashville. It will be about a 2 hour drive but for that kind of savings, it’s worth it. Can you check flying out of INDY?

 

[aggiedog]

I could have written your post. Dd is marching in her band at WDW for Spring Break and my mom and I are going to go. Prices were $300 from Austin, but dates hadn't been released beyond March 6. Once the dates beyond that were released, everything is $500+, and the early morning flight I wanted no longer exists. Ugh.

 

[DCL_Wonder]

We have our cruise booked for spring break 2019 (ours is not over easter) and have been waiting for Southwest to release our dates. Well they just did and the prices for flights are ridiculous. I mean we knew they'd be expensive, but they are $750 per person round trip! We were thinking they'd be closer to $500.
I checked American and United and without the bag fees their prices are $1000 a person, what????

I know it's a long shot that the prices will drop, especially since the lowest category is almost sold out.

Not sure what to do. I guess we might end up having to drive, which it would be 2 days to do.

I don't remember the prices being this outrageous for our last spring break cruise.

You have a lot of options between Chicago and Orlando. I'm surprised, almost to the point of not quite believing you, that the prices are as high as you say they are.

 

[DisneyGirlMI]

Try flying out of South Bend. Often they are cheaper than other areas around there.

 

[DISfam2401]

Yep, was just looking at flights for our April cruise out of Miami. We live outside of Boston and all of Massachusetts has school vacation the same week. Flights the week before and after are $200-$400 cheaper. We're looking into flying out a couple days early and just spending a few days in Miami because even after hotels, it would still be cheaper (although we have to take our son out of school and my husband will miss work.)

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I would recommend Milwaukee before any of the Indiana airports, FWIW, unless you are South of the city.

 

[buzzrelly]

I'm not sure when you're going, but maybe you can go a day or two sooner?

We are going on the Fantasy April 6, 2019 and we just booked our flight down-BDL to MCO was $111/per person, but we are going down on Wednesday April 3rd. I was super happy with the SW prices when they opened this year. Time will tell how I'll feel about our flights home, but they don't open until the end of the month. I always book on opening day.

 

[CamColt]

I've seen times when 3 hour flights were more than a 5 night cruise. That's when we drive. It's crazy. Good luck!

 

[Numtini]

That's what we paid last year for April vacation. Yes, it was a shock.

 

[disneyeek]

Thanks all for all the suggestions and commiseration

Part of the problem is we like to fly direct since it's only a 2.5 hour flight, and changing plans seems like a lot of work. We may have to look into connecting flights to see if we can get them down to the $500 range which is kind of what we were budgeting.

I did originally try flying in two days early, so Thursday instead of Friday (cruise is on the Fantasy so Saturday to Saturday) but that did not change the prices much.

I will look for connecting and other airports to see.

Thanks again

 

[buzzrelly]

Thanks all for all the suggestions and commiseration

Part of the problem is we like to fly direct since it's only a 2.5 hour flight, and changing plans seems like a lot of work. We may have to look into connecting flights to see if we can get them down to the $500 range which is kind of what we were budgeting.

I did originally try flying in two days early, so Thursday instead of Friday (cruise is on the Fantasy so Saturday to Saturday) but that did not change the prices much.

I will look for connecting and other airports to see.

Thanks again

Which week are you going? Maybe we're on the same cruise...

 

[DCL_Wonder]

I recommend talking with a travel agent. Many airlines offer cruise fares that can be cheaper than what you can book directly through an airline. We saved a bundle on flights to Rome next spring in connection with our DCL Med cruise. I don't know your exact dates, but I too am surprised/skeptical of the $700 RT price you mentioned between Chicago and Orlando.

 

[DCL_Wonder]

Thanks all for all the suggestions and commiseration

Part of the problem is we like to fly direct since it's only a 2.5 hour flight, and changing plans seems like a lot of work. We may have to look into connecting flights to see if we can get them down to the $500 range which is kind of what we were budgeting.

I did originally try flying in two days early, so Thursday instead of Friday (cruise is on the Fantasy so Saturday to Saturday) but that did not change the prices much.

I will look for connecting and other airports to see.

Thanks again

Oh, I see you only are looking at direct flights. OK, that could make it more expensive.

 

[ScooterScott44]

We have our cruise booked for spring break 2019 (ours is not over easter) and have been waiting for Southwest to release our dates. Well they just did and the prices for flights are ridiculous. I mean we knew they'd be expensive, but they are $750 per person round trip! We were thinking they'd be closer to $500.
I checked American and United and without the bag fees their prices are $1000 a person, what????

I know it's a long shot that the prices will drop, especially since the lowest category is almost sold out.

Not sure what to do. I guess we might end up having to drive, which it would be 2 days to do.

I don't remember the prices being this outrageous for our last spring break cruise.

Quick background info here - I only glanced at the first couple replies. I average a little over 100 flight per year for work so here are a couple observations.

- keep trying, prices this far out are always the highest
- expect the lowest prices between 2-6 weeks out from your flight
- try checking fares on different days, typically mid-week (Tuesday - Thursday) tend to have lower rates than the weekend
- check at different times, less than different days but it can change prices ( this far out you have time to spare... ... see what I did there)
- change airports and connections, if other starting and end points are possible (reasonable options for MCO are Sanford, Daytona, Tampa, St. Pete, JAX, or others are possible jus not as viable)

Expect Spring Break prices will not drop much and Southwest doesn’t seem to fluctuate as much as others so best of luck.

 

[oufpat]

I feel your pain, there are 10 of us going from Newark to Miami for April 19th cruise, I know it's over Easter and expect high fares, but what I see so far is super expensive. I am going to wait a bit and pray that prices drop!!

 

[xQuizx]

I check Southwest daily, if not twice a day to see if prices change.

We are going on a Merrytime Cruise this year after Thanksgiving and prices are double then what I booked last year for the same time frame. Plus last year I booked 2 months out, whereas this year I booked on opening day.

I'm hoping like what other posters have said that prices will drop as we get closer to the cruise. Then I will be able to rebook and save the difference.

The best way to book through southwest is to use points, since there are no expiration on points used. But then again not many folks have thousands of points banked.

 

[disneyeek]

Which week are you going? Maybe we're on the same cruise...

We are on the March 23 sailing of the Fantasy. If it's the same we should plan to meet

 

[buzzrelly]

We are on the March 23 sailing of the Fantasy. If it's the same we should plan to meet

We go two weeks later…I can't wait!

 

[Carrie in AZ]

You have a lot of options between Chicago and Orlando. I'm surprised, almost to the point of not quite believing you, that the prices are as high as you say they are.

What???? Yikes. The OP is looking for support, not distrust.