Has Anyone ever got a good fare on Sat/Sun

[airplane]

What time of year and what airline?
I am so frustrated right now. I have to return on a Sat or Sun.
I would just like some comforting here b/c I am about to spend about $200.00 / person for a OW tkt from MCO to ACY

 

[bellelinus]

I have gotten good prices for Sat/Sun, but only when buying way in advance -- as soon as the dates are released. Since they will only sell a certain number of seats at the lowest price before ramping up the cost, the popular times and days go quickly.

 

[CarolA]

I got $79 one way for an upcoming Sat. Had to take the late night flight, but it happens. Sunday is actually harder to find a cheapo fare on, sometimes early morning does better.

 

[BABYJOSIE98]

I usually have no problem fyling on Saturdays...Sunday is another story.

Mousesavers.com says that the best time to purchase airfare is 6 months and then 2 months out.

I am still waiting out a sale for May 28th and I am starting to get nervous!!

Cheapest I can find is $99 OW before taxes and fees and the only flight on Sunday is at 7:55 AM!!!!! UGH!

 

[JoeCathyAngelina]

There have been more flights available from Boston/Providence to WDW at better fares, Saturday to Saturday than Friday to Friday on Song, Southwest, American and Jet Blue.
For personal reasons and convenience we've been going to WDW from Friday to Friday.
I've been so fustrated this past year with the constant changes in Flight times and cancelled flights that I intentionally booked next years' April break at Disney from Saturday to Saturday so we can Drive.

My wife hates to fly.
The first time we went to Walt Disney World, April 2004 with my 3 year old daughter We decided to go a couple of months before we went with little planning. We rented some points off the DIS forum, checked the airfares a couple of time and picked up a trip tick from AAA.

We drove from my office in downtown Boston to WDW Old Key West stopping only for gas and bathroom breaks.

After the first 3-4 hours in the car driving the rest of the way to WDW isn't that bad; more like a series of short trips.

Our Trip to WDW started Friday, 3/26/04 at 1 pm: Miles, Stopped, Time

Leaving, Boston to Walt Disney World: Friday, 3/26/04, 1:00pm
1, Boston to New Jersey 212 212 6:00pm
2, N J to Aberdeen MD 183 395 9:07 pm
3, MD to Rocky Mt NC 266 661 1:36 AM
4, NC to Florence SC 209 870 4:40 am
5, SC to S Newport GA 210 1,080 7:58 am
Arrived, GA to WDW 251 1,331 12:00 PM

Started, Friday, 3/26 0 1:00pm
Finished, Saturday, 3/27 1331 12:00pm
A 23 hr trip with 5 stops along the way down
76 gallons of gas, $131 for the gas, 17.78 mpg 58mph
Driving around WDW 21

The Trip Home started Friday, April 2nd 11 AM: Miles Stopped Time

Leaving Walt Disney World to Boston:Friday, April 2nd 11:00 am
1, WDW to St Augustine FL 116 116 12:44 PM
2, FL to Savanah GA 178 294 3:55 PM
3, GA to Florence SC 174 468 6:22 pm
4, SC to Battleboro NC 181 649 9:30 pm
5, NC to Aberdeen MD 295 944 2:17 am
6, MD to Bloomfield NJ 181 1,125 5:30 AM
Arrived, NJ to Boston, MA 237 1,362 9:30 am

Started, Friday, 4/02 11:00 am 0
Finished, Sat, 4/03 9:30 am 1362
A 22 1/2 hr trip with 6 stops on the way home
81 gallons of gas $126 for the gas 17.58 mpg 60.5mph
Driving around WDW 62

157 gallons, $257 for the gas, $44 tolls, 17.68 mpg, 59.2mph 2776


The traffic was a mess from Hartford through Delaware on the way down.
It rained from North Carolina to Boston, Mass. on the way home

Me and my wife alternated turns driving our Nissan Xterra when we stopped for gas. My 3 year old held out a lot better than I thought she would on the way down and on the way back to Boston, WITHOUT, tapes, DVDs, video games, just a lot of singing and sleeping.

It's not that Bad!!!

Last year, April 2005 we caught a break in fares and flue down and back out of Logan on a non-stop with American Airlines , $504 round trip total for the 3 of us.

This year, April 2006 we caught a break in fares so we're flying down and back out of Logan on a non-stop with Song/Delta , $496 round trip total for the 3 of us.

April 2007,
If all goes well,
The creek don't rise,
and there ain't no melt down,
We'll do it all again next year.

Good Luck all,
Joe

 

[PolyHereWeCome]

We just booked on Southwest Sunday-Friday, as we really like having the days before and after to adjust, and there was no price difference flying on these days as opposed to any other days of the week. When I went back to check on Southwest fares, I see that now they're offering a lower (new category) fare for flights on a Monday-Thursday or Saturday the same times and within days of our flights.

So, I'd definitely be optimistic if I were you that fares could be good for Saturday flights. But not Sunday flights.

 

[RobInBigKC]

I agree with what many others have posted. "Good" Saturday fares shouldn't be too difficult to find. Sunday fares are a lot harder. The reason, of course, is many business travelers fly on Sunday evenings to be ready for their work on Monday morning (yes, some of the people flying to Orlando are going there to work -- how sad ) and many recreational travelers fly back home on Sunday so they can get back to work at their jobs on Monday morning.

-- Rob

 

[airplane]

Thanks for the great replies. I am going to keep waiting to see if the fares fall for April 29/30

 

[Brian Noble]

Unfortunately, the "as far in advance as possible" rule doesn't always work, depending on the time of year and market.

Our feb '07 trip just opened up today on NW, the only "major" (i.e. bankrupt) airline with direct flights. Cheapest fare is about 1.5-2x what I'd expect to pay.

But, we go from Detroit for a week in late February (when everyone wants to escape to someplace warm) either during or shortly after P-Week. Weekend travel is pretty much a necessity for us because of various work and school schedules; Saturdays are easier, but Sundays are possible. We are usually able to go about $250pp or less, though last year I bit at $285---I had a travel voucher that took some of the sting out of it.

In the end, we've found we'd rather pay a bit more to travel on the days and times we want than to try to save a little. If we can save a lot, that's different, but still...

 

[BABYJOSIE98]

airplane,

If you can fly Southwest then check your dates...Prices dropped this morning!!

I was able to book $64 base one way from STL to MCO!!!

Late afternoon flight down but I will take it and just watch for a better time and switch it...If not atleast I have it...

 

[airplane]

airplane,

If you can fly Southwest then check your dates...Prices dropped this morning!!

I was able to book $64 base one way from STL to MCO!!!

Late afternoon flight down but I will take it and just watch for a better time and switch it...If not atleast I have it...

wow. congrats on your aifare!
I can fly southwest. I just checked the fares and they still haven't dropped. I am waiting w/ my fingers crossed. The ideal flight that I want out of ACY just rose to 333.00(OW)

 

[airplane]

I think I cracked the code. I am going to fly out of TPA to ACY for 104.00
Hake of a lot better than 333.00!

 

[BABYJOSIE98]

I went back and checked and SW opened up the morning flight that I wanted and so I was so excited and went into the reservation to change it and it was gone again before I could select it....UGH! I called and they said keep watching...It could open back up at anytime!!

 

[wmjivey]

Have been watching the fares for a couple of months now for our November trip. Was going to wait for SW to open up their November dates but today when I checked the current price for PHX to MCO it was at least $300 pp RT. I then checked Travelocity and was given a quote, with better times, for Continental, through Houston, for $250 pp RT. Needless to say, I booked it quickly; at least with Continental we have assigned seats.

Before booking, I checked out the other "consolidators" and even Continental itself and the cheapest price for these exact flights I could find was $1650 for the four of us. That was a big surprise and a huge savings (more money for food at WDW).

Just keep checking every day and check all of the various companies. That is how I found the fare today. Now I can just sit back and relax until November.

 

[PolyHereWeCome]

Yup, I need to revise what I'd previously written about Friday and Sunday fares being higher!! Thanks to a different post on this travel board, I checked our flights -- leaving Hartford, CT on Sunday and returning on Friday -- and they both were included in the lower fares that just came out! So now the lowest internet-only fares are the same for everyday of the week.

Good luck to everyone!