Gone are the cheap airfare days of Airtran and SW.....

[edk35]

We are driving from MD this July to Disney and Vero..... it has been many years since we last drove. Swore we would never do it again. However our kids really want to drive..GO FIGURE. Anyway..for giggles and grins I looked at flights on Airtran and SW and it would cost anywhere from 1287 to 1642 on SW from BWI to MCO for 5 people. On Airtran it is in the 1137 to higher than SW. We used to get 69 in the summers and 49 in Jan. GONE GONE GONE. Oh well....looks like a roadtrip is going to be much cheaper. Plus for this trip if we flew..we would need to rent a van to go to Vero. BIG BUCKS again. I will miss our wonder car service but looks like we won't be using them anytime soon either.

 

[Vickis3js]

Thats the reason we drive from South Jersey. I just can not justify the cost of airfare. Especially since I earn gas cards through some shopping sites which almost covers the cost of gas round trip. But even if I did pay for the gas it would still be hundreds less then driving. Now thankfully my kids are really good in teh care because if not I think the price of airfare would be justified LOL

 

[edk35]

I agree with you. I am sure we will spend a third of what we spend for flying if that. Do you drive straight through???

 

[Vickis3js]

No we stop around Savannah which I get the room for less then $100. I just looked at what airfare would be for the 5 of us and right now its around $3000through either USair and Spirit. We are going in Dec around Christmas so the dates aren't open yet for SW.

 

[ancestry]

While I have never gotten $49 or $69 fares from where I live, I have to say that in the past 6 months I have been able to get some of the cheapest fares ever. Up hear AirTran has been cheaper than ever recently especially during some of their sale periods.

 

[goofy4tink]

The airlines just could not be profitable when charging those fares. That's how they got into trouble. And yes, we, the traveling public, loved those fares. And we came to expect them, year after year. It used to be that if I paid less than $300, from Boston to MCO, I was happy. Then, cheaper fares came along....under $250?? I was thrilled. Then, they went to under $200. THey were almost paying me to fly to WDW for crying out loud. Then, when I got fares in the $150 range, well....words can not describe my feelings.
But now....I'm back to the $250 range. But, I'm lucky because I make one trip a year on my own. My other WDW trip is usually with either just my dd or with my dd and my dh. So, I can see how those fares would add up for a family of 5.

 

[a1tinkfans]

We are driving from MD this July to Disney and Vero..... it has been many years since we last drove. Swore we would never do it again. However our kids really want to drive..GO FIGURE. Anyway..for giggles and grins I looked at flights on Airtran and SW and it would cost anywhere from 1287 to 1642 on SW from BWI to MCO for 5 people. On Airtran it is in the 1137 to higher than SW. We used to get 69 in the summers and 49 in Jan. GONE GONE GONE. Oh well....looks like a roadtrip is going to be much cheaper. Plus for this trip if we flew..we would need to rent a van to go to Vero. BIG BUCKS again. I will miss our wonder car service but looks like we won't be using them anytime soon either.

I have been getting DINGS for SW 60-70 range for June, so for July will be upcoming, be sure you have DING to get those rates though..........

 

[loveysbydesign]

You can get under $70 pp each way flying AT out of Allentown, PA..not sure how far that is for you!

 

[edk35]

The airlines just could not be profitable when charging those fares. That's how they got into trouble. And yes, we, the traveling public, loved those fares. And we came to expect them, year after year. It used to be that if I paid less than $300, from Boston to MCO, I was happy. Then, cheaper fares came along....under $250?? I was thrilled. Then, they went to under $200. THey were almost paying me to fly to WDW for crying out loud. Then, when I got fares in the $150 range, well....words can not describe my feelings.
But now....I'm back to the $250 range. But, I'm lucky because I make one trip a year on my own. My other WDW trip is usually with either just my dd or with my dd and my dh. So, I can see how those fares would add up for a family of 5.

I can remember getting a 39 dollar on Airtran once....for Jan. OMG like you said ......they are almost paying us to go to the happiest place on earth. LOL

 

[edk35]

No we stop around Savannah which I get the room for less then $100. I just looked at what airfare would be for the 5 of us and right now its around $3000through either USair and Spirit. We are going in Dec around Christmas so the dates aren't open yet for SW.

Since you are a family of 5 do you get 2 rooms? We are going to try and drive straight through...leaving around 5 a.m. I know we won't get in until probably 8 or 9 maybe. We are planning on staying at Buena Vista Suites the first night anyway to save money and points. We check into SSR the next day.

 

[Tara]

I'm sitting on $216 to MCO on a Friday and $157 back to Albany on Wednesday - it is not terribly pleasant, that's for sure! I could have flown for a lower fare on another carrier, but not over $50 less each, and that price difference isn't worth it considering I'd have to connect on any other carrier besides SW. (this is late August, BTW)

 

[PoohsFan1]

For our September trip we were able to snag $79 tickets each way on Air Tran. They were having a sale which all flights were $79, luckily I saw it because it was the last day of the sale. We always book flights out of Chicago for less than $100 each way, will not go over that. When in July are you going? If you are going during 4th July week, then of course the flights will be more expensive than say in September.

 

[Missytara]

I have watched my airfare for AT for November 27th and returning December 4th the last few days. It has dropped from 152.00 to 112.00 to 104.00 today.

I almost have a feeling that I may just jump on it now. Anything around 100.00 to me is great!

Last year, I paid 89.00 going down (T-giving weekend) and 59.00 coming back; I don't expect to see that again either!

 

[FireCaptMac]

I started checking fares in February for a trip the last week in June. Air Tran was around $150 each way out of Wichita. Only 40 miles from my house. Next I checked SW out of Kansas City and found a rate of $67 each way. So I bought the SW flights! Paid less then $160 round trip. I have to drive 2.5 hours to KC and spend extra on gas but wont come close to what I am saving by flying SW. This is the cheapest I have ever flown!

 

[Vickis3js]

Since you are a family of 5 do you get 2 rooms? We are going to try and drive straight through...leaving around 5 a.m. I know we won't get in until probably 8 or 9 maybe. We are planning on staying at Buena Vista Suites the first night anyway to save money and points. We check into SSR the next day.

Nope we get one room. We have been lucky to find a bunch of places that allow 5 in a room. There are 2 hotels at exit 94 in GA that have 2 queens or 2 kings and a sofa bed. So my girls share a bed and my DS gets the sofa bed. Everyone is happy.

 

[Promomx2]

Ww got $69 going down on June 30 and $79 coming back on July 9, home is richmond on at

 

[tam626]

I got our Airtran tickets as soon as they came out for Sept. We fly out of BWI & I got them for $69 one way.

 

[Thumper_Man]

I wouldn't say they're totally gone. Just have to catch them at the right time. DW and I just recently came back from Las Vegas. We caught a deal on SW on the right day. $39 each way. Less than $100 per person round-trip. Before this deal, flights were averaging $99 each way or over $200 per person. So they're still out there. With a little patience and a little luck, you just might land one.

 

[dacky041208]

I got our Airtran tickets as soon as they came out for Sept. We fly out of BWI & I got them for $69 one way.

I was going to suggest to the OP they should keep watching. We will fly out of BWI this July for $67 on SW. Haven't booked the return flight yet, but the prices have been going up and down the last few weeks.

 

[Jill Schwartz]

Nope we get one room. We have been lucky to find a bunch of places that allow 5 in a room. There are 2 hotels at exit 94 in GA that have 2 queens or 2 kings and a sofa bed. So my girls share a bed and my DS gets the sofa bed. Everyone is happy.

Do you happen to recall the names of the hotels near Savannah that have the two beds plus pullout sofa? We also have two girls and a boy so need to sleep five and Savannah seems like a good pit stop driving down from DC area.

Thanks!