Frustrated with JetBlue prices for late Feb.

[Star Wars mom]

I've been anxiously awaiting the day JetBlue would extend out their booking schedule through the dates we'll be taking our Disney vacation next year. They extended the schedule at noon today and I am so disappointed. I'm looking for Wednesday flights (which should be reasonable) and they cost more than the big name carriers for the same dates. I love the service of JetBlue and the TVs at every seat, but with a family of four, I just can't afford to pay that much extra per ticket for the convenience factor. That adds up to a day's worth of park tickets for my family. Guess I'll have to wait for AirTran to extend their schedule out and hope for better. Unfortunately, Southwest doesn't fly from my city.

I just needed to vent about this. Thanks.

 

[wtpfan]

I was a bit disappointed too. Do you know when Airtran is releasing?

 

[snowy76]

We've found the same is true of JB out of Syracuse, too. We're actually driving to ROC to fly out on AirTran next month.

Have you considered SW out of Buffalo?

 

[cluvsdisney]

A lot of the times I find JetBlue prices higher then other carriers but when I factor in the baggage fees I'd have to pay to Delta or American I usually come out a little ahead on Jetblue (plus I find their planes more comfortable and I like the TV )

 

[Mkebound]

I have never (I truly mean NEVER) found it less expensive to fly Southwest, Airtran of JetBlue vs United or Delta.

 

[alice99]

Jet Blue has become more expensive in the past 2 years or so. I've been finding it more and more difficult to find reasonably priced airfares.

Check the prices early in the morning (or just after midnight seems to work best) on the weekdays. My sister gets the best rates with this method.

 

[n2mm]

When JB released their August fares, they were $150 each way out of Dulles, and just recently I purchased when they were at $79. There are sales often, you just have to watch for them. My January rates are $84 ec way and I'm happy with that.

 

[JennSaint]

Wow guess I just got lucky! We needed one way MCO-BDL and when they released their fares today at noon I was able to book nonstop for $99.00pp. This was for Saturday February 25 which is the end of President's week. Such a steel!
Maybe there will be a fare sale at some point for your airports/dates. Good luck!

 

[momtwoboys]

I'm with you on the sadness! I checked the Feb fares from BDL too thinking hmmm maybe we could go Feb instead of APril, but the flight leaving BDL is crazy high too...only the return flight is $99....I will see what happens during the week with those fares I can't believe that last year they were less

 

[Tinknalli]

Firstly, I love Jet Blue but in this economy we go with what makes the most sense fiancially and we are flexible. One thing I have noticed with Jet Blue is when they started flying out of Burlington VT they beat everyone's price by a lot. We usually paid $74-$99 each way. This lasted for a couple of years and fares started to creap up. Today the same flights are $159 each way if booked on day one. However this is still competative with other airlines serving this airport. Jet Blue started flying out of Bradley late last year and they have very competative rates right now. We got $124 this morning. However I wonder how long it will be before they no longer need to entice new customers with super low fares and the $99 fares start to creap up there too. Jet Blue seams to have a plan. Come to a new airport with low fares. Reel them in. Create a loyal base and then the prices start to creap. We still prefer Jet Blue and will pay a little more for them, but there is a limit.

 

[momtwoboys]

I am looking out of BDL and I think the prices are nuts! We flew BDL last April when they first came there and the prices for week before Easter/and it was school vacation were not too bad. I am crossing my fingers that they come down some.

 

[ancestry]

A lot of schools have winter break near the end of February. Air fare prices are always higher out of our airport during or near school break times.

 

[JennSaint]

I'm with you on the sadness! I checked the Feb fares from BDL too thinking hmmm maybe we could go Feb instead of APril, but the flight leaving BDL is crazy high too...only the return flight is $99....I will see what happens during the week with those fares I can't believe that last year they were less

We always pull our boys from school for a couple of days before President's week. This is how we get better airfare.
This year we are flying down late afternoon on Wednesday February 15. Kids will get most of their day in at school. Then miss Thurs & Fri. We've done this for about the past 10 years. Very hard to get reasonable airfare when looking to go during a school vaca week and only fly Sat/Sun-Sat/Sun. That $99 fare on February 25 is almost unheard of.

 

[momtwoboys]

Agree with you JennSaint! That's what we do too! Last year we left on a Thursday morning, so they missed 2 days of school before the vacation. I am looking into leaving the Friday before vaca this year. I will keep my eyes open for a Thursday flight too, but thinking most people that go during Easter week itself might be checking out on the Sat April 14th. The following week looks very good crowd wise. I am hoping that during the week the fares drop. I am so happy that you got that awesome $99.00 flight.

 

[Star Wars mom]

In some strange way it makes me feel better to know I'm not alone in my frustration here. lol. I wish I knew how to find out when Airtran will be releasing their fares, but I don't. Any suggestions? My husband suggested Southwest out of Buffalo, but I'm not sure I want to count on the roads between our cities being good for driving during February. Chances are it would be fine, but its still kind of a gamble. I just don't know. I'll keep an eye out for JetBlue sales. That is a great, and encouraging, idea

 

[jl]

I think Southwest bought out Airtran 6 months ago or something; so Airtran will be changing over to Southwest in Rochester....just don't know when. I heard on the DIS boards it might be a full 2 years before all of Airtran is changed over.

 

[mmmbop]

Hi neighbors!

We are disappointed too! DBF and I went to FL in May, and we were considering going to Rochester for better rates (his sis lives in Roc) But Buffalo had even better rates... except we didn't have anyone there, and assume parking fees would be astronomical. We ended up getting the cheapest flights both ways (US & Delta, I believe).
When I travel with certain members of my family, they only travel JB, and for the past few years, it hasn't been less than about $350 RT/person. Yikes. I feel your pain

 

[jakenjess]

We're having the same issue for April vacation. The prices are ridiculously high. We always took the kids out of school and enjoyed low fares on JB, but now that they're in high school we don't want to take them out for more than a day. We went to WDW this past February break and ended up driving, and we may do the same next April, or maybe not go at all, unfortunately.

 

[ML_LovesDisney]

I was shocked at the prices too. They are just as expensive as USAIr is for my dates, and I even changed from wed-tues and it was still over $400

 

[Ress76]

Another Rochestarian here. My mom had me look up the JB fares for my niece's Spring Break the other day, and my response to her was "Your Disney Dreaming better include driving to Disney." I have decent, but not as cheap as I had hoped, airfare with JB in December for a short getaway.

I agree, I wouldn't have to depend on getting to Buffalo (and back!) in February. Just for a day trip is one thing, but you don't want to be driving down the Thruway with kids in a white out just to save $100 by flying out of Buffalo, KWIM?

Ress