Flights--What would you do??

[loveswdw]

We are flying to WDW on Dec. 2nd. I STILL haven't bought plane tix yet! I've been waiting and waiting for a SW sale and there's been nothing for months. Still sitting at $135 each OW. Since we are down to 2 months before the trip I've gotta get something booked.

Here's our options: 3 flying (me, DH, DS2.5)

Option 1
Louisville to MCO on Delta $791 total rt
GREAT flight times (10 AM there, 6 PM home)

Option 2
Louisville to MCO on SW $863 total rt
not as great flight times but may be able to get a credit if they have a sale (11:35 there, 2:50 home)

Option 3 (I couldn't believe this one! Cincy's always more expensive )
Cincinnati to MCO on Delta $561.60 total rt
great flight times but an hour away from us. (7:45 there, 6 PM home)
plus have to pay parking for the week (about $50-$60)

Given these 3 options what would you do? Thanks in advance!

 

[dudspizza]

We are flying to WDW on Dec. 2nd. I STILL haven't bought plane tix yet! I've been waiting and waiting for a SW sale and there's been nothing for months. Still sitting at $135 each OW. Since we are down to 2 months before the trip I've gotta get something booked.

Here's our options: 3 flying (me, DH, DS2.5)

Option 1
Louisville to MCO on Delta $791 total rt
GREAT flight times (10 AM there, 6 PM home)

Option 2
Louisville to MCO on SW $863 total rt
not as great flight times but may be able to get a credit if they have a sale (11:35 there, 2:50 home)

Option 3 (I couldn't believe this one! Cincy's always more expensive )
Cincinnati to MCO on Delta $561.60 total rt
great flight times but an hour away from us. (7:45 there, 6 PM home)
plus have to pay parking for the week (about $50-$60)

Given these 3 options what would you do? Thanks in advance!

I take the Delta out of Cincy and find a cheap park n fly or hotel that will keep your car....

Duds

 

[tmt martins]

I would have to say 3 as well.

Even though SW might get you a Ding that doesn't mean they will be avail for the flights you need.

Even if you add the parking that still only $200 each for RT and thats my Go cost . Anything else is a bonus.

 

[Rpsemont]

What days of the week are you flying and how much flexibility do you have in your days. I'm in much the same boat. I'm waiting for a sale or ding for BDL-MCO for November. I used RR tickets to get DH and I to MCO, because we wanted to leave Sat morning and get in early and the cheap tickets were gone by the time I went to book. However, DD and BIL are going Tuesday night (11/7!) and I haven't booked their tickets yet. All the flights on that Tues are wide open. and while my preference is to have DD stay in school all day and have them take the last flight of the day, if that were to become unavailable, I would just have her miss school. I also haven't booked any of us home yet, waiting for a sale. If you book SWA and wait for a sale, how much do you think you'll save? Assuming that a sale at SWA would bring less desirable flight times in line with the same price out of cinn, I might be tempted to do the Cinn - Better flight times and it's settled. Waiting, as I'm doing, is incredibly nervewracking and SWA seems to be increasingly waiting until closer to travel dates to offer sales or DINGS.

 

[MousekaMaddi]

Id do the first one because it lets u sleep longer but still gets u there for a full day of vacation, with a child if u get up super early it may be meltdown city, not a great start to the week

 

[PrincessJasmine08]

I cannot believe Cincinnati was the cheapest option, I had to read that one twice!! I would always go with the cheapest option, why spend more on air when you can spend it on meals, hotel, souveneirs, etc.

 

[momrek06]

This is just very random...

Have you checked flights to TAMPA? They can be allot more reasonable!

Then pick up your car there and when you arrive at WDW drop it off at the WDW CAR CARE CENTER. No need for a car while at WDW.

Then reserve a car for the return from the WDW CAR CARE CENTER. They will deliver it to you hotel if you are staying at the Parks.

I do this ALLLLL OF THE TIMMMMEEE!!! Fly JetBlue Logan/Tpa. Pick up my car/National and drop it off at WDW CCC and then get it again on the return. Yes, you can park for FREE at the Resorts just that if you do not NEED it for the week WHY pay for it.

Go on National and reserve your car for the pick up and drop off. If you do not have their Emerald card you can order that right away and use that # to get a better deal.

Good Luck!

 

[loveswdw]

What days of the week are you flying and how much flexibility do you have in your days.

No flexibility as we already have our villa reserved. Flying in Saturday and flying home on Friday.

I agree with you on the nerve wrecking! I hate all this checking everyday to see if anything's changed. And, the last couple of DINGs I've seen for Louisville to MCO haven't been too great. There was one today for travel Nov. 1-15 and it was $109 each way. For a DING that didn't seem too cheap to me? The last time we flew SW was in June and I lucked into an Internet Special for $69 each way. That was at least 3 months prior to our flight then. SW hasn't had any sales for that route since then (we've had this trip planned for a long time--since January).

My DH says just book the Cincy deal. I just know that whatever I book, the next day there will be a better deal closer to home or something. That's just my luck!!

 

[loveswdw]

Id do the first one because it lets u sleep longer but still gets u there for a full day of vacation, with a child if u get up super early it may be meltdown city, not a great start to the week

Yep, definitely considering that too. Wondering about the savings if DS isn't too happy.

 

[loveswdw]

I cannot believe Cincinnati was the cheapest option, I had to read that one twice!! I would always go with the cheapest option, why spend more on air when you can spend it on meals, hotel, souveneirs, etc.

I couldn't either! I about fell out of my chair. Cincy is NEVER cheaper! And its a huge plane too. The Louisville planes are those 50 seat jets. Few seats left out of Louisville and LOTS from Cincy.

 

[loveswdw]

Have you checked flights to TAMPA?

Yep, tried that. Same price from Louisville. Go figure.

It's so frustrating!!

 

[jctwizzer]

Given these 3 options what would you do? Thanks in advance!

Given that SW hasn't posted December on any of it's sales yet, incl. DING,
I'd wait until they get to that time period...In fact I'm doing just that for a return trip on 12/1.....I hardly ever book SW more than 5 or 6 weeks prior to flight time....and haven't had a problem for many years. Probably some luck involved there. JMHO

 

[Rpsemont]

No flexibility as we already have our villa reserved. Flying in Saturday and flying home on Friday.

In on Saturday can be tough. That will sell out of cheap seats and a DING is likely to be unavailable (unless you're willing to take the last flight of the day, making your trip shorter. Out on Friday won't be as much of a problem waiting to book. The only advantage of waiting for a SWA sale is that sometimes the other carrier drop their prices to match. I would be tempted to book the CINN and do the drive, but DH would say book the SWA and wait for a sale. That's not much help, is it?

 

[loveswdw]

Thanks for all the input guys! I bit the bullet and bought the Cinci tix. They were $187.10 each rt total. Not horrible, could've been a lot worse!!