Grand Rapids MI flyer question

[cindybelle]

We usually take NWA's direct flight out of Grand Rapids to MCO but the prices right now are HIGH (383 per)!! Last year I payed 555.60 for 3 during October. So I looked into flying out of Chicago(ORD) on AA (190 per) and it's a savings of about 500.00 for a party of 3.

I don't know if I should wait and see if the flights out off GRR go down or book the ORD flight and drive 3 hours for the cheaper flight.

Does anyone know when/if prices for the beginning of Dec will drop any further? Is Decemeber a more expensive time to travel? Should I buy now or wait a bit longer?

I'm so confused!!

 

[Simba]

What part of the state are you from? You should try flying out of Lansing or Flint. I know Allegiantair flies from Lansing to Orlando-Sanford straight through and you could possibly get tics for as cheap as $180. We always get great flights from flint as well. Very small airport and never had a single problem. Reply or PM me if you have any questions

 

[Disneyjosh229]

What about Amtrak between Grand Rapids and Chicago? Fares are usually around $25 each way, and would be much cheaper then driving and parking at ORD...

The way the market for airlines is right now, I would lock in at $190 (Although NW is lowering fares) I wouldn't expect them to dip to far under $190.

Just Another Thought....

 

[markscns]

If you want to fly out of Detroit (parking only $6 a day) and are flying in August and book by today, you can fly from DTW to MCO for $59 each way.

http://www.southwest.com/hotfares/hotfares_air.html

# Available only on southwest.com.
# 7-day advance purchase required.
# Purchase August 5 through August 8, 2005, midnight Pacific Time.
# Travel August 15 through August 31, 2005.

 

[DarthMickey]

Try Airtran out of DTW to MCO. Airtran just added service out of Detroit (used to only fly out of Flint).

We just booked roundtrip flights for 3 in Feb for $560!!

-Rick

 

[cindybelle]

Thanks everyone! After looking and pricing all your suggestions....it looks like the AA fare for 572.70 for 3 is the cheapest. My folks are going to be joining us for the 2nd half of our trip and will fly out of ORD too.....so we'll rent a car one way (61.00) and then they'll park their car at the airport (62.00) so when we fly back together...we'll drive home together.

I think we'll be buying these tickets tonight when my folks call this evening to confirm (hopefully the prices won't change!). But I just hate the feeling of....."maybe I should wait....what if they go down (especially on the flights out of our local Grand Rapids airport)" But if I do wait...."what if they go up!!" Why do the airlines toy with us so?!

Thanks again everyone!!!

 

[solotraveler]

I feel your pain. I was able to get the nonstop GRR-MCO flight for January for $245... I felt like those flight prices changed every day, so I bit the bullet.

I might hold out a little while to see what happens. JMO, however. You also might want to consider Lansing or AZO as alternatives if you decide to wait.

I hope the rumors are true about JetBlue taking an interest in GR-- that would be wonderful. (I miss living in DC... three airports and lots of low cost carriers...sigh...)


Solotraveler

 

[carrie_106]

Try checking Kalamazoo, we are flying from here in December and got a good deal through Expedia. I think it was 214 a person. That is on American from 12/17 to 12/23.

 

[cindybelle]

Ok, so I'm on the phone with my parents....talking them through their ressie while I do mine and as we get to the purchase page....I get an alert saying my price has changed. And of course it didn't go down. My parents didn't have a change and since I didn't want to mess up the flight home we were coordinating.....I had to agree to the change. It was only 42.00 more...but still...it's annoying!!

But at least it's over....I have tickets purchased. But now I have to try and keep myself from looking at our local flights and torturing myself with the chance that they'll come down......oh the madness

 

[MermaidsMom]

I don't understand why the tickets are so much higher in GRR than LAN, etc. in Michigan. GRR is a busy place in a large city and there should be more options there than elsewhere.

 

[aaronlisar]

Hey CindyBelle, I live in Muskegon and we are taking that exact flight GRR to MCO this Saturday. All I can say is keep looking, we were going to drive because the cost for the flights were so expensive but then one day back in March I jumped online to find that the price dropped and I got all 3 for $550 total. The next day I checked the price and it jumped back up to around $900 for 3. You could always go to Detroit for your flight also, Spirit has flights for around $120 per person nonstop with 7 day avanced purchase.

 

[Disneyjosh229]

I don't understand why the tickets are so much higher in GRR than LAN, etc. in Michigan. GRR is a busy place in a large city and there should be more options there than elsewhere.

Its all about supply and demand....

The more seats avalable, the cheaper they are...

 

[cindybelle]

I'm from Muskegon too......too bad we can't get great deals out of the MKG airport...just too small still I guess!
Have a great trip!