For those flying during Spring Break-how much did you pay for airfare?

[zilp]

This is the first year we have planned a Florida vacation during school break. I have always avoided Feb-April but this year we bit the bullet and decided to give it a try. I found good deals on the accommodations and car rental. On the other hand, the airfare was insanely $$$. Unfortunately, due to our jobs and school schedules we are locked into the week we chose. So the choice was, pay the $$$ for airfare or don't go at all. After much deliberation, we decided we are going.

Our airfare is roughly $825 pp (easily 2-3x more expensive than average) flying from NE in April. ALL of the airlines were in the same price range for our dates, so no real hope of a better price. I have been stalking airfare prices every day since they came out and at this point have resigned myself to paying those prices. And I have also resolved to avoid spring break vacations (that include airfare) at all costs in the future!

 

[monorailsilver]

We leave 4/15 and return 4/25. Hartford to Ft. Myers direct on Jet Blue for $236 pp RT.

I bought tickets the day JB released them but the website was having issues and when I finally got on prices were insane, like $600 RT. I told my dh we were going. To drive since there are 5 of us. But then I did the Google flights like someone suggested on here and got that rate.

When we went in 2013, my sister had just moved there in September so looking for flights in September for April we found them to be too much money. So we drove but believe me I was looking at flights a week before we left out of Hartford, providence, white planes, jfk, lga and they were all still expensive.

 

[richmo]

I actually got pretty lucky and snagged PHL-MCO roundtrip for $124 for a Wednesday to Tuesday in the second week of March. I think this the cheapest I've gone in a few years. It's on American, so I'll have to add in a checked bag fee, but still...not bad.

 

[bumbershoot]

There is no one spring break. When is your trip?

We are flying 3/19 then 3/29, mainly using miles, and the fares weren't pretty. Finally booked the outgoing flight last week when I felt they were as decent as they were going to get. The 29th was cheaper.

 

[zilp]

There is no one spring break. When is your trip?

I'm talking of the general Spring Break season, February-March-April. I know this varies regionally. In my OP I mentioned I am going in April.

 

[Minnesota!]

3/21 - 3/27. RT for $200/person. $96 there, $104 back. Love me some SW.

 

[CookieandOatmeal]

4/18-4/22 PVD-MCO $1246 RT for 2 adults. We bought our tixs the moment they were released on SW.

 

[DebbieB]

If you go during a school break week for your area, you are going to get hit hard.

 

[zilp]

If you go during a school break week for your area, you are going to get hit hard.

I knew going in we were going to pay more, but paying 3-4x more than normal? yikes. Curious to see what the trends are in other areas of the country during peak times.

 

[CaFeeney]

We paid $336 per person, BOS-MCO April 18-25th, we are flying on American with one stop on each flight - I used the ITA Matrix to find the cheapest flights: http://matrix.itasoftware.com/
My first choice would have been to fly direct on SW out of Manchester and not have to return on a Monday (my daughter will miss one day of school) but we saved big by being flexible. I just bought my tickets about 3 weeks ago.

 

[alliecat523]

I'm still holding off hoping the fares go down. A decent flight for us is running about $414/person right now.

 

[happymommy]

We booked weeks ago, and usually fly out of BWI. This year we're flying out of DCA, since the fares out of BWI (Southwest even) were running about twice what we normally pay!

We always go over spring break, and it usually has run anywhere from $250 to $350 round trip per person. This year it was more like $500 and up!

We got a much better price on American Airlines out of Reagan National - me and DD about $250 round trip, a little more for DH since he's joining us a couple days later (we're going on a Thursday and he's coming on Saturday, then we're all flying back the following Saturday).

Our trip is March 24 to April 2.

I have checked lately, and the airfares are not coming down. They have since actually gone up further. I'm glad I booked when I did (and I'm a million miler with AA so we're on the upgrade list and don't pay baggage fees).

 

[no one]

I had started a thread a few months back about the crazy airfares from NE for Spring Vacation. We are flying from PVD 4/16 to 4/23, WGA fares never got released for desirable flights. They were very expensive and did not come down, I booked the instant they were released. BOS and Bradley were no better, and the fares did not change until you got to Wednesday, so Thursday and Friday were the same price. An important thing to remember is that a lot of people here do not post what type of flight they booked, they just tell you the price. It does make a difference if you are talking about a morning non-stop flight that gives you a day in Disney as opposed to flying later, have one stop and get in at night. Just my opinion but that does make a difference as to enjoying your trip.

 

[Mynamewastaken]

Flying out of MHT next Sat. We are teachers and bound to school vacation week and ours were 550.00 pp to tampa

 

[susanrose73]

I booked my spring break going to MCO only at $236 one way on SouthWest, including EBCI.

I was holding out on the return trip for cheaper prices. But, I'm not seeing any drops, so I went ahead and booked the return on American Airlines, non-stop last night. I paid $246.

Ugh.I've never paid this much for 1 person!

 

[Minnesota!]

I had started a thread a few months back about the crazy airfares from NE for Spring Vacation. We are flying from PVD 4/16 to 4/23, WGA fares never got released for desirable flights. They were very expensive and did not come down, I booked the instant they were released. BOS and Bradley were no better, and the fares did not change until you got to Wednesday, so Thursday and Friday were the same price. An important thing to remember is that a lot of people here do not post what type of flight they booked, they just tell you the price. It does make a difference if you are talking about a morning non-stop flight that gives you a day in Disney as opposed to flying later, have one stop and get in at night. Just my opinion but that does make a difference as to enjoying your trip.

There aren't any non stops over Spring Break out of MSP. But, we booked an early afternoon flight. It was the same price as the early morning flight, but I have to work 1/2 day the day we leave, so I couldn't snatch it up.

We always try and leave late at night or early in the AM...I find early in the AM to be the cheapest for my route. Love those 530 am flights...for real!! <3

 

[Erin D]

We booked this wee BDL->MCO direct both ways 4/13-4/19 for approx $364 RT. To do this though we are taking the last flights out both ways and we had to book SW down and JB back so two separate tickets. We originally looked at going down the 14th or 15th but it was going to be close to $600 RT. We are staying at a friends house in Celebration so we lucked out that going early doesn't incur us any additional hotel costs. Also I wouldn't wait to book - I had to call SW and in talking with them learned I got the last couple tickets at the rate I paid ($212 one way) and they had gone up to $252. This happened in under an hour.

 

[kellyh57]

Mine were $372 round trip from MCI March 19-26 on Southwest. We could've gone a little cheaper, but I wanted non-stop and not too early flights. Sounds like we got a pretty good deal compared to some of these rates.

 

[Nebraska_Disney]

Are you flying from NE (New England) or NE (Nebraska) ?

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

$97 each way for late March out of PIT

Make that $89 each way the price on SWA went down!!!