flights over New Years advice

[Happy99]

we are traveling for the first time over New Years, specifically leaving Dec 26, 2013 and returning Jan 1, 2014. EWR is our preferred airport

checking online last night after midnight I saw flights for $312 or $361 round trip pp. Website kept giving me problems and couldn't book them. I went on at 6am this morning and the least expensive flight is now $512pp. No seats have been reserved, planes are still empty for the times we are looking for

Can anyone give me any advice on booking flights during this time. Do they normally go down or are we stuck with paying $500. Also checked to go into Tampa and that was more, normally it is less.

United is the only airline currently showing flights available to book for these dates. Other airlines do not have their information available for that time

Please help!!!

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

You're a little too early for flights for Jan 2014. Wait a few weeks for the airlines to release their schedules.

 

[Happy99]

Thanks for the reply but United opened their flights today for return January 1, 2014 and the reason for my post above

 

[Greysword]

I agree that it is way early to book, but if you see a good rate, go for it!

As for the fare, it will come down again. However if you ever do have problems, just write down the flight information and call the reservations center. Tell them the website is acting up, and you'd like to book a series of flights. They'll usually waive any booking fees.

I just looked on the ITA Matrix. The outbound flights (to WDW) on United are all tracking at $330+; however, there are no return flights on United yet loaded. The return flights are all on US Airways with 1 stop (vice one way with UA). This is why the price appears to jump.

Wait until UA loads their January pricing, then it will be around $300's.

 

[Happy99]

Thanks - today the January 1st for return did load. I will keep watching it daily and hopefully we can grab that $312 rate again

 

[Greysword]

I looked at United's aite a couple of hours ago, and it showed only B and Q class seats available for the return leg, with the full discounted spectrum on the trip to FL. It is likely they will have discount economy fares soon.

Good luck!

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Thanks for the reply but United opened their flights today for return January 1, 2014 and the reason for my post above

Yes, I am aware of that, but other legacy airlines have not. Kind of hard to compare airfares if you have nothing to compare UA's fare to.

 

[dis_guy]

I'm surprised that you saw such a good fare that soon after the date was released. Watch it for a few days and see. For our UA flights from Canada we see a huge drop in prices 3-4 days after the date first shows up on the schedule. Good luck!

 

[NJRRK]

If when Jet Blue releases their schedule the fares are lower than UA, UA will also lower their prices. I have never seen prices from EWR to TPA lower than EWR to MCO. But that doesn't mean they aren't, I've just never seen it.

I don't know where you live but check Frontier from Trenton once they open their schedule. For our August trip it came out worth the extra hour drive.

 

[Happy99]

I had checked the flights at 12:05am on the day that January 1, 2014 return became available and that is when I saw the lower fare but had computer issues and figured I would take care of it in the morning. I checked at 6am and the price was $512 and today it went up to $580 and still no seats have been booked.

I will keep watching

I would say about half the time we have checked Tampa the flights have been lower than Orlando. For our stay in Augsut tampa was $75 less per person. We rent a car anyway and it didn't matter where we come in as long as it isn't too far

Frontier only operates on specific days and based on what they are offering for this summer the dates we are traveling will not be an option, thanks for the suggestion. I don't think that Jet Blue releases their schedule for a few more months and we always find them to be more than United, Not sure why but that is how it has been. am just concerned because of the holiday and we never travel on a major holiday

 

[Happy99]

booked my flights today. Prices came back down. Since the other day it steadily went up but today came back down. Higher than we normally pay for Florida flights but under $350 with taxes over a holiday seemed good to me