Flights from Edmonton, Alberta

[chimo2u]

FINALLY! after months of waiting, our dates have fully opened up to view schedules on the dates we need flights for : Departure Friday, October 28, 2012 and Return on Sunday, October 7, 2012.....
Prices are still sky high....I have very specific schedule I want , and I want to keep my flights with West Jet....best schedule, as well as free checked bags still (the difference between WJ and AC pricing is none as of right now..both pricing the same).....

My question.....right now they are pricing at $369 per leg EACH.....for the total 3 flights I need, the grand total was $2,800.00 if I buy today!!!
Do you think the prices will lower as the year goes on??? Perhaps I will have better pricing after January??? What do you think the odds are that prices will drop, should I hold out a while longer??? I am sure hoping the prices come down some!!! eeeks.....close to $3k for airfare is more than a budget buster, it's a killer!!

 

[SmilingGrump]

WOW!

Pricing should drop. Those travel dates are not in massive demand so I'd keep an eye out. Sign up for Kayak's price alert, but also check WJ and AC websites daily. I know daily checks are a pain, but I have seen prices drop $300 one day only to go up $400 the next.

I sure wish Great Falls was a major US travel hub. The 9 hour drive there would be worth it to save the hundreds of extra dollars it costs we Edmontonians ... or it would at least lower the Calgary flight pricing which would have a ripple effect.

 

[dis_guy]

Yeah, it probably is a bit early. For our upcoming trip I booked at 6 months out. It went up steadily since then so I'm glad I booked in May. Right now the airlines are just showing their standard fare for all choices that far out.

You explained your preferences but United (connecting in Denver or Houston, NOT Chicago, ever, ever) is showing:

Adult1 699.00 CAD 101.41 CAD 800.41 CAD
Adult2 699.00 CAD 101.41 CAD 800.41 CAD
Adult3 699.00 CAD 101.41 CAD 800.41 CAD
Please review the fare rules for this itinerary.
Fare total: 2,401.23 CAD

Regardless of who you book with, now is the time to check regularly, even a few times a day, to catch those momentary lower fares. If you catch yourself saying "that's not too bad" grab it! It WILL NOT last!

Happy hunting.

 

[SmilingGrump]

I should also mention that I frequently check for flight deals to Las Vegas, Phoenix, Denver, and Houston. If you don't mind changing airlines, seat sales to those destinations can save you lots since there's lots of connectors from them to Orlando. I've picked up seat sales to Vegas before then hopped on Southwest to Phoenix and saved $400/person over a direct flight from Edmonton to Phoenix. The same happens with flights to Orlando. I've also seen great seat sales to LAX, but I don't like the added travel time that involves.

 

[chimo2u]

Yeah, it probably is a bit early. For our upcoming trip I booked at 6 months out. It went up steadily since then so I'm glad I booked in May. Right now the airlines are just showing their standard fare for all choices that far out.

You explained your preferences but United (connecting in Denver or Houston, NOT Chicago, ever, ever) is showing:

Adult1 699.00 CAD 101.41 CAD 800.41 CAD
Adult2 699.00 CAD 101.41 CAD 800.41 CAD
Adult3 699.00 CAD 101.41 CAD 800.41 CAD
Please review the fare rules for this itinerary.
Fare total: 2,401.23 CAD

Regardless of who you book with, now is the time to check regularly, even a few times a day, to catch those momentary lower fares. If you catch yourself saying "that's not too bad" grab it! It WILL NOT last!

Happy hunting.

Hi Dis Guy ....yes, I am going to be looking EVERY day! Are those schedules ( above) any good? Or are they late night arrival/ early morning departure? Plus....those prices above probably need baggage fees added too? An extra $150'ish for the three of us....I will be keeping my eyes peeled for West Jet to come down ...hopefully under $1,800

 

[dis_guy]

Hi Dis Guy ....yes, I am going to be looking EVERY day! Are those schedules ( above) any good? Or are they late night arrival/ early morning departure? Plus....those prices above probably need baggage fees added too? An extra $150'ish for the three of us....I will be keeping my eyes peeled for West Jet to come down ...hopefully under $1,800

Actually all flights throughout the day are that price for late Sept and early Oct. Our favourite times are a very early departure from YEG (6:30 or 6:45 AM) arriving at MCO in the late afternoon (4:00-5:00 PM) with a return leaving mid afternoon (2:00-3:00 PM) getting into YEG around 9:30 or 10:00 PM.

In my experience the Denver connections can be very tight and a long run down a very long terminal. However we've never missed a connection there either.

This Jan. we're trying the Houston connection with 1.5 h or so to connect. Should be less tense, though we arrive in Florida a little later.

Yes there is that baggage fee. I believe we paid $23 CAD/bag when we did online check in last time. The four of us can get away with only 2 checked bags as we are frugal packers and we also take the max allowed carry on as well.

Of course the WJ non-stops are very attractive but I don't do well with red-eye flights and I believe you need to clear customs in Orlando due to the early AM departure from Edmonton.

Happy hunting!

 

[chimo2u]

Actually all flights throughout the day are that price for late Sept and early Oct. Our favourite times are a very early departure from YEG (6:30 or 6:45 AM) arriving at MCO in the late afternoon (4:00-5:00 PM) with a return leaving mid afternoon (2:00-3:00 PM) getting into YEG around 9:30 or 10:00 PM.

In my experience the Denver connections can be very tight and a long run down a very long terminal. However we've never missed a connection there either.

This Jan. we're trying the Houston connection with 1.5 h or so to connect. Should be less tense, though we arrive in Florida a little later.

Yes there is that baggage fee. I believe we paid $23 CAD/bag when we did online check in last time. The four of us can get away with only 2 checked bags as we are frugal packers and we also take the max allowed carry on as well.

Of course the WJ non-stops are very attractive but I don't do well with red-eye flights and I believe you need to clear customs in Orlando due to the early AM departure from Edmonton.

Happy hunting!

Thanks...good to know The flights I am actually looking at this yr. (as there are no direct flights for my time period .....) are depart Edmonton Friday evening on the 28th of Sept, stay over night at the Gateway Sheraton in the Toronto Airport....(already booked, good price), then be bright eyed and bushy-tailed for a 10:00 am departure from Toronto on Sat. Sept 29....getting us to ORlando by 1:09 pm

Coming home would be a 2 pm departure on October 7, arriving home at 8:30 pm with a connection in Toronto.....

Any way I look at it, prices are outrageous right now!! I may end up paying more for flights than I do for our tickets/hotels/food!!!

PS.....looking frequently, still have time, so I hope to pay under $2,000 but if I see them dipping close to $2,000 or less, I may grab them because I have a sneaky suspicion that they will not be anywhere under 1.5 grand this yr.....I have to say is that extra "hopeful" 500$ savings worth the risk??? .....PRobably not....I better grab them as close to 2k as I can!