Good price for flight?

[sweetcanadian]

When i first started looking into flights it was going to be just over 2000 us $$$ for 3 of us. We have to fly out of wpg which is one of the more expensive airports to fly out of compared to the east or west coast. We could drive to ND or MN but with hotel, charge for car at airport etc, cost of gas it is not cheaper.

Right now flights are $1533 for the 3 of us in canadian funds with delta. Either way we look at it we have to use delta or united as that is all that is available here.

People recommended buying when it was 2k but it has come down over 400 since then. With the oil prices dropping this summer should i wait to see if it comes down more or just buy now? We have 5 weeks to go, i get a daily update so the minute it started going up i would buy if i waited but i am hoping to get under 1500, is that a pipe dream? Or can it be reality?

 

[dis_guy]

I would certainly grab that fare. But that's me.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Book whenever you find a price you are comfortable with.

DH and I were looking to book a family trip for Christmas, flying out December 23 and returning December 30. With prices steadily on the rise this year, we knew flight costs would be more than this past Christmas season (where we flew for $1000 return) and certainly more than our August trip ($868 return). We set a cap of $1200 (family of 3) and said when it got to that point or lower, we would purchase.

Ended up paying $1125, with tickets purchased this past weekend.

Those prices may go up. They may go down. But we are okay with what we paid and won't fret either way. If prices decrease, both airlines (Airtran and Jetblue) will issue us a credit which we can apply towards baggage (Airtran) or the purchase of our next flight (Jetblue).

 

[sweetcanadian]

Book whenever you find a price you are comfortable with.

DH and I were looking to book a family trip for Christmas, flying out December 23 and returning December 30. With prices steadily on the rise this year, we knew flight costs would be more than this past Christmas season (where we flew for $1000 return) and certainly more than our August trip ($868 return). We set a cap of $1200 (family of 3) and said when it got to that point or lower, we would purchase.

Ended up paying $1125, with tickets purchased this past weekend.

Those prices may go up. They may go down. But we are okay with what we paid and won't fret either way. If prices decrease, both airlines (Airtran and Jetblue) will issue us a credit which we can apply towards baggage (Airtran) or the purchase of our next flight (Jetblue).

That's the thing, i would love it to be under $1500, just unsure of trends, especially with the oil dipping lower this summer, not sure how fast that affects flights.

 

[dis_guy]

That's the thing, i would love it to be under $1500, just unsure of trends, especially with the oil dipping lower this summer, not sure how fast that affects flights.

It won't. Airlines have contracts for their fuel needs years in advance. That's how Southwest was so cheap for a long time after the other airlines increased their fares. They locked their fuel costs in for a couple of years longer than the others did. Now that they're paying what everybody else does, their fares are also more now.

 

[Spoonful_Of_Sugar]

I would not wait, but that is just me. I have to have my plans all set.
Airfare is a gamble these days it's like playing the stock market.

 

[nadira36]

buy it now - I waited an am now wishing we'd purchased 2 weeks ago when prices dropped - I don't think they're coming down again.

 

[sweetcanadian]

i bit the bullet finally but it had went up 10$pp by then

 

[dontthrowsand]

I'd say you did well. We paid about $600pp about 22 months ago and we are going around the same time. We're flying from YEG

 

[sweetcanadian]

I'd say you did well. We paid about $600pp about 22 months ago and we are going around the same time. We're flying from YEG

where are you staying?

Seems inland (prairies) is so expensive compared to the coasts.

It went up another 33pp so i am glad i finally said yes. It is a lot of money for a flight so i had a hard time with it but really $1500pp all inclusive with the dining plan in coronado springs for 11 days 10 nights is not that bad. We do lose the day we get there & the day we fly home though but i expected that.

 

[dontthrowsand]

where are you staying?

Seems inland (prairies) is so expensive compared to the coasts.

It went up another 33pp so i am glad i finally said yes. It is a lot of money for a flight so i had a hard time with it but really $1500pp all inclusive with the dining plan in coronado springs for 11 days 10 nights is not that bad. We do lose the day we get there & the day we fly home though but i expected that.

We are staying at Art of Animation in a Nemo suite.

For me I am looking at about 1400pp before food which I have budgeted for about $600 (which will probably be more than I need).

 

[the_bUg]

When i first started looking into flights it was going to be just over 2000 us $$$ for 3 of us. We have to fly out of wpg which is one of the more expensive airports to fly out of compared to the east or west coast. We could drive to ND or MN but with hotel, charge for car at airport etc, cost of gas it is not cheaper.

Right now flights are $1533 for the 3 of us in Canadian funds with delta. Either way we look at it we have to use delta or united as that is all that is available here.

People recommended buying when it was 2k but it has come down over 400 since then. With the oil prices dropping this summer should i wait to see if it comes down more or just buy now? We have 5 weeks to go, i get a daily update so the minute it started going up i would buy if i waited but i am hoping to get under 1500, is that a pipe dream? Or can it be reality?

Don't forget about West-Jet / Air Canada. My wife and I have booked westjet and it is the ONLY airline that I have seen flying out of Winnipeg that occasionally offers direct flights to MCO.

As a curiosity I've been playing with our dates on different airlines websites to see what the best prices are that I can find. For our dates, the lowest airfare that I could locate was with Delta, which was showing as 1072$ for myself and my wife (including taxes and airport fee's), however this flight would include 1 stop in St Paul, MN on the way down and 2 stops on the way back...

When I price out a flight w/ Delta w/ only 1 stop each way (ie: no multistop flights) the price for the 2 of us (all incl) comes to 1349$ and change.

Considering we booked w/ Westjet, Direct Flight both ways for 1392$ (all incl) I'd say we got the best deal, even though it was a little more money. Granted, Westjet does not offer direct flights every day and we kind of planned our return based on a day we can get a direct flight so a little flexibility may be required.

I'm pretty sure the price will drop at some point, but wasn't willing to chance it... I'm not a gambler.

 

[dis_guy]

where are you staying?

Seems inland (prairies) is so expensive compared to the coasts.

It went up another 33pp so i am glad i finally said yes. It is a lot of money for a flight so i had a hard time with it but really $1500pp all inclusive with the dining plan in coronado springs for 11 days 10 nights is not that bad. We do lose the day we get there & the day we fly home though but i expected that.

I hear you and I agree that it seems we do pay more.

So the question is, is it worth the approx. $600 per person to have me and my stuff delivered to Orlando and back home in 7 or 8 hours of traveling time? The alternative is to not go or drive for over 40 hours.

So far I think it is worth it. Would it be nice to pay less? Sure, but when I look around and see some of what others do with their money (smokes, alcohol, gambling, expensive "toys", huge homes, etc.) I think it still represents a reasonable investment in time spent with my family.

When will it become "unreasonable"? I don't know, but I guess I'll know when I get there.

 

[nadira36]

I hear you and I agree that it seems we do pay more.

So the question is, is it worth the approx. $600 per person to have me and my stuff delivered to Orlando and back home in 7 or 8 hours of traveling time? The alternative is to not go or drive for over 40 hours.

So far I think it is worth it. Would it be nice to pay less? Sure, but when I look around and see some of what others do with their money (smokes, alcohol, gambling, expensive "toys", huge homes, etc.) I think it still represents a reasonable investment in time spent with my family.

When will it become "unreasonable"? I don't know, but I guess I'll know when I get there.

Depending on the size of vehicle you have, kids, number of hotels etc it might still be cheaper to fly, or the difference might be small enough to not be worthwhile.

For us, with 3 small kiddos (needing to stop in a hotel each night, and a larger vehicle) we'd only save $200 by driving - which means we fly out of YEG - it's a sanity saver. Once the kids are bigger, then the drive is actually very nice (driven it at least a dozen times and loved it each time).

We're looking at $626pp for flights from YEG for Spet - and that is just too m=pricey for my liking. I've been holding off paying for our trip b/c I'm not sure how I feel about it - though when I was younger and only paying for myself, I readily paid $700pp so I know there isn't that big of a difference over the longterm - it's only between the last few years and the specific sales available - our dates are set which means we can't adjust to less expensive days.

 

[prairiesarah]

Seems inland (prairies) is so expensive compared to the coasts.

I couldn't agree more with this - and that in addition we have really poor routes out of some prairie cities. We will be flying out of Regina and right now the flights for November are at $900 a person for one stop each way, or $700 if we fly Regina to Toronto to New York to Orlando! I am watching for sales and hoping that by early to mid September that Westjet might have some fall deals. Watching Delta and United as well.

 

[dis_guy]

Depending on the size of vehicle you have, kids, number of hotels etc it might still be cheaper to fly, or the difference might be small enough to not be worthwhile.

For us, with 3 small kiddos (needing to stop in a hotel each night, and a larger vehicle) we'd only save $200 by driving - which means we fly out of YEG - it's a sanity saver. Once the kids are bigger, then the drive is actually very nice (driven it at least a dozen times and loved it each time).

We're looking at $626pp for flights from YEG for Spet - and that is just too m=pricey for my liking. I've been holding off paying for our trip b/c I'm not sure how I feel about it - though when I was younger and only paying for myself, I readily paid $700pp so I know there isn't that big of a difference over the longterm - it's only between the last few years and the specific sales available - our dates are set which means we can't adjust to less expensive days.

How long do you need to do the drive to WDW? In spite of my comments, I really would like to drive down one day when we have the time to do so. When my in-laws were snowbirding it to FL they took 5 days each way (from Edmonton), going at a fairly leisurely pace.

I hear ya about the price jumps over the last few years. In 2008 you could get United flights through Denver for $300-ish. Now the best I see is $579 on UAL for very last minute travel. If you need to plan ahead, the best I've seen is $620 or so, all from YEG.

 

[sweetcanadian]

Don't forget about West-Jet / Air Canada. My wife and I have booked westjet and it is the ONLY airline that I have seen flying out of Winnipeg that occasionally offers direct flights to MCO.

As a curiosity I've been playing with our dates on different airlines websites to see what the best prices are that I can find. For our dates, the lowest airfare that I could locate was with Delta, which was showing as 1072$ for myself and my wife (including taxes and airport fee's), however this flight would include 1 stop in St Paul, MN on the way down and 2 stops on the way back...

When I price out a flight w/ Delta w/ only 1 stop each way (ie: no multistop flights) the price for the 2 of us (all incl) comes to 1349$ and change.

Considering we booked w/ Westjet, Direct Flight both ways for 1392$ (all incl) I'd say we got the best deal, even though it was a little more money. Granted, Westjet does not offer direct flights every day and we kind of planned our return based on a day we can get a direct flight so a little flexibility may be required.

I'm pretty sure the price will drop at some point, but wasn't willing to chance it... I'm not a gambler.

I don't care about direct flight (i would if luggage got lost lol) but with westjet it was over 2000$ & air canada was over 3000$, that was not even direct flight i believe.

Our dates are not flexible as we are going on the free dining plan & have our dates booked with work so we didn't have many options but even around that date it was still more expensive.

I ended up booking with delta directly, was cheapest that way & i did not want to book with an unreputable site.