HELP! - ? about dings & how to get best airfare from DC area?

[quiltymom]

We just decided to make a trip in October, and DH suddenly wants to drive just to save $$ -18+hours to Orlando, non-stop, except for small breaks! And it would cost $900+ to take the auto train, about the same or more as flying without discounted fares.

I don't want to drive for a variety of reasons. So, I'm frantically researching the cheapest way to fly there. Here are my questions:

- What are Ding fares? (sorry - I must be from the stone age not to have heard of them before!)

- If you have flown from the Washington, DC area, what airlines have you found to be best? We live very close to Reagan National and about 45 min from Dulles. BWI is just too far way to be convenient.

- When do you have to book to get the best fares?

We're tentatively planning on a Oct 6-14 trip, but we can't be definite until DH hears about dates for a conference he needs to attend sometime in Oct. We won't fly United (too expensive and horrid service around here); USAirways we can get non-stop from Reagan National; SW & AirTran non-stops from Dulles.

I would appreciate any hints, tips, or suggestions on what you do, or on what I should do. It will be greatly appreciated!

 

[pamjb]

Here is the DIS thread where a bunch of us keep track of the Ding! airfares

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=957753

Here is the link to Ding! from the Southwest website

http://www.southwest.com/ding/what_is_ding.html?refId=2006050000000051

Unfortunately, Southwest is only ticketing for trips thru May 10. While SW has great prices, you are a slave to your computer waiting for them to open up ticketing. Typically they only book for 130-ish days in advance. The scuttlebutt is that the schedule may be opening up tomorrow. But one really never knows.
Ding!s sometimes appear only a few days before you are traveling. For example, DH's aunt is down in WDW now. I booked her tickets as soon as the window for her date opened (10/27/06 for a 2/6/07 travel date). I paid $99 each way for the tickets. A Ding! appeared for her originating flight on 2/6/07. That Ding! "dinged" on 2/2/07. So, she paid $49 each way for her tickets, and I have a credit that I can use for a future flight.
The greatest thing about SW is that they let you change a ticket, without paying a penalty. While some of the fares are non-refundable, they do allow you to carry a credit.
I hope you aren't more confused that when you started

 

[quiltymom]

I hope you aren't more confused that when you started

It doesn't take much to confuse me these days!!!

I think I get the idea of the dings - a special fare for a special set of days/flights/times.

SO, if I understand this correctly, if I book RT flights to MCO from Dulles, AND THEN find a ding for my flight after the fact, they will give me a credit for future flights?

 

[addicted_to_WDW]

Just remember that SW has only 2 departures/arrivals from IAD. BWI has tons of daily nonstops, so it may be worth your while to drive there. We are about half way between BWI and IAD and usually go to BWI because we like the airport more (and, more discounted flights). We hate National so I only fly from there if I have to for business. It's difficult to get in and out of and parking is sometimes difficult to find. Forget Metro if you have luggage.

I aim for under $150 a ticket and have always (knock on wood) managed it. Fares are up, though, so if I can get it under $175 I book.

It's about a 15 hour drive to WDW for me (I'm in Montgomery County, MD) and the piddly amount we'll save isn't worth it. We are a family of 3, though, so if you have a larger family it might be worth your while.

 

[I'mNoPrince]

It doesn't take much to confuse me these days!!!

I think I get the idea of the dings - a special fare for a special set of days/flights/times.

SO, if I understand this correctly, if I book RT flights to MCO from Dulles, AND THEN find a ding for my flight after the fact, they will give me a credit for future flights?

Don't book RTs with SWA.

Book oneways only so you have two confirm numbers.

For regular discounts it's no big deal as you can go through the TravelCenter to make the change.

But for a Ding if the discount is only for 1 direction the other flight could be way higher and cancel out your savings.

SW doesn't give a discount for booking RT and it's easier to make the changes to the One-Ways.

 

[quiltymom]

Just remember that SW has only 2 departures/arrivals from IAD. BWI has tons of daily nonstops, so it may be worth your while to drive there. We are about half way between BWI and IAD and usually go to BWI because we like the airport more (and, more discounted flights). We hate National so I only fly from there if I have to for business. It's difficult to get in and out of and parking is sometimes difficult to find. Forget Metro if you have luggage.

I aim for under $150 a ticket and have always (knock on wood) managed it. Fares are up, though, so if I can get it under $175 I book.

It's about a 15 hour drive to WDW for me (I'm in Montgomery County, MD) and the piddly amount we'll save isn't worth it. We are a family of 3, though, so if you have a larger family it might be worth your while.

There's 4 of us, but thinking about driving 15 hours with two kids just doesn't cut it for me, no matter how many movies we let them watch! We do a drive to Vermont every year (about 10 hours) and I'm dead when we arrive. Adding 5 or so hours to that makes me cringe.

We've done BWI before (did so on our last DW trip), but since we live only 15 min from National, we can take a cab there for about $20 each way. That's why we like it so much. If we did BWI we would have to then book a hotel near the airport for the night before so we could leave the car there - just one more thing to do since it's a 1-1/2 hour drive for us. But if the savings were that good, we could do that. I'll just have to keep an open mind! Thanks for the tip.

 

[quiltymom]

Don't book RTs with SWA.

Book oneways only so you have two confirm numbers.

For regular discounts it's no big deal as you can go through the TravelCenter to make the change.

But for a Ding if the discount is only for 1 direction the other flight could be way higher and cancel out your savings.

SW doesn't give a discount for booking RT and it's easier to make the changes to the One-Ways.

Wow - thanks for that great tip! There's so much to learn...

 

[pamjb]

Don't book RTs with SWA.

Book oneways only so you have two confirm numbers.

But for a Ding if the discount is only for 1 direction the other flight could be way higher and cancel out your savings.

SW doesn't give a discount for booking RT and it's easier to make the changes to the One-Ways.

I knew I forgot something in my muddy description.
I only live about 20 minutes from Lehigh Valley International Airport. The only problem is, the only direct flight to Orlando is to Sanford with Allegiant Air. I am a little leary about flying that airline as I have seen more than one airline go belly up out of LVIA. There are other flights to MCO, but none of them are nonstop. The stops can make what should be a 2 1/2 flight 5 hours (or more). And the prices are way higher than I am willing to pay. I drive about 60+ minutes to Philadelphia airport. Depending on our flight time, we stay overnight at an airport hotel, or I drive down the day of and park in a park 'n fly lot. No muss, minimum fuss. If I can get a $49 Ding! airfare, even better

 

[I'mNoPrince]

Well we are very lucky to only be 20 mins from BWI they have so many NonStops going every day we get great rates and choices of times.

We just leave our Jeep at FastPark for about $6 a day. We could do Lightrail or get someone to take us but if things get delayed then it's a hassle.

Pamjb you did a great Descrip and I would not have even posted until I saw the RT booking question.

Now if my June dates would just open so I can spend this $400 in credits I have sitting here I would be all set.

quiltymom When you set up Ding I would do Dullas ,BWI , MCO and Tampa. then any other place I have LAX and Vegas Just incase a great sale comes along. This way you can see if a Ding will save you overall with the travel up to BWI real easy.

I always book my flights as soon as they become avail then adjust from there.