Holy flight prices, SW!

[moesy4]

We are flying late October to Disney from Indiana and the flight prices are insane! Our trip was originally booked the first week in May and we were easily able to book a nonstop for under $120 and all flights were priced that or lower. Now, of the 6 flights we have available to get down there, all but 2 are priced around $300...one way! The flights back are not much better.
We are open to flying out of Midway or flying into Tampa, but those prices aren't honestly much better. What gives? It is actually a lower crowd calendar predictor, and we purposely are booked after all the Fall Breaks are over. Are prices high everywhere or is this just a weird anomaly?

 

[DebbieB]

They didn't offer free dining for October because the resorts are booked up.

 

[PatMcDuck]

On the flip side, some nonstops from Newark NJ are $82 one way for late October. I was surprised to see that recently, rebooked from PHL to EWR. PHL was low too, $102 or $122 each way. But $82 was better (and a little closer to us).

 

[HarleenQ]

We are in columbus and saw the same thing. There were non stop flights for $112 each way that we didn't jump on fast enough. We ended up booking through Tampa at $112/$136 and now those flights are a lot higher!

Crazy!

 

[KT0191]

Keep watching. I booked our flights from Indianapolis for this September right when flights were released and both September and October were $123 each way to/from MCO. I've already gotten a $40 credit and I think they'll go down lower at some points. One moment, they'll be super high and then the next, they'll drop about $50. So I would keep holding off.

 

[georgina]

I just booked a trip for Sept last week and the price of one leg has already dropped. I booked with points so was comfortable booking the higher rate and getting point credit later. I check every day for a price change.

 

[limpy]

Book and periodically check for lower price as you get closer. I booked SW on points in January for our end of May trip and have rebooked for less points once or twice since then on each flight.

 

[moesy4]

We booked the one way already, but the flight time isn't my favorite (not landing until 6 pm). We just now have enough points to book the return trip, but those have never dropped low, even when I was looking before we had the points.
Prices jumped again today, and several flights are now showing unavailable for our dates with wanna get away fares. All flights out are now hovering around $300. I never would've guessed it, really hope it drops!

 

[SBWB48]

I just booked a trip for Sept last week and the price of one leg has already dropped. I booked with points so was comfortable booking the higher rate and getting point credit later. I check every day for a price change.

Definitely keep checking. I took this piece of advice from DIS boards and within the last week alone, both legs of our flight has dropped considerably! We booked with points as well, so we were fine booking initially and just checking every couple days. Within the last week, our flight into MCO has yoyo'd, but we caught the 'low' for the week and locked in. Then just now, our return flight home has dropped even more, so made another change and have saved $250 from when we initially booked!

 

[Anal Annie]

Airline prices are SOOO volatile. You really have to watch flight prices all the time and be super familiar with what's a good fair price & what's high. Even after I book I still obsess and continue to watch as I have to know if I jumped at the right time. We booked our Sept. trip several weeks ago. I watched the prices for several days after we booked our room and they didn't fluctuate much (comparing the 3 major DC area airports). The first 2 days I looked there was a decent round trip non-stop price on United out of Dulles ($171) but we prefer BWI if possible so I didn't snatch it and then it went up and then went up again then the 2nd increase just dropped back to the 1st increase. It has not dropped back down yet to that original price that I saw. I actually ended up booking a combo of JetBlue down and SW home out of BWI tho. Because I watch every day I know that I just happened to catch THE ONE DAY that each airline had slight drops. I wanted SW down as the JetBlue one & only direct flight was later than I wanted (11:10 am) however it dropped from $100 to $82 and the earlier SW flights at the time were running about $152 so I snatched it. JetBlue had a direct return for $67 but was again, it was earlier than I wanted (2:18) so I decided to wait a day or so to book our return while I watched. Since we're flying down later than I wanted I really wanted to push our last day to be a full day in FL. Finally - a couple days later for just one day (and one day only) SW finally dropped their 7:10 pm direct return to $83 so I jumped on it. Now we have a round trip combo for $165. But the next day after I booked the SW flights all jumped up to $218!! And they STAYED at $218 for at least a week. They have since dropped down again to mostly in the $133 - $152 range (although today our return is $100). Our $82 JetBlue has been running $115 this week. It's so frustrating to watch how these prices fluctuate. But I was convinced that I wasn't going to find anything less than the $82-83 one-ways that I booked and I am confident that's right and that I booked a bargain.

I have a friend that booked Oct. flights on SW apparently during that same week that I saw them spike and she's already had at least a couple of price drops and now has some credits coming. Such a hard game to play...but you have to in order to get the best prices.

 

[BabiesDaddy]

Once the wanna get away fares are gone, it gets ugly. The price if i was to book today are $350 each way each person. A couple of years ago, a couple of months before my trip, it was north of $400.

 

[maxiesmom]

We are flying late October to Disney from Indiana and the flight prices are insane! Our trip was originally booked the first week in May and we were easily able to book a nonstop for under $120 and all flights were priced that or lower. Now, of the 6 flights we have available to get down there, all but 2 are priced around $300...one way! The flights back are not much better.
We are open to flying out of Midway or flying into Tampa, but those prices aren't honestly much better. What gives? It is actually a lower crowd calendar predictor, and we purposely are booked after all the Fall Breaks are over. Are prices high everywhere or is this just a weird anomaly?

I'm flying to Orlando October 1, and back home to Grand Rapids MI on October 8. I paid around $320 round trip for my ticket, which is the most I have ever paid. The flights I am on have done nothing but go up. If I were to book the same flights now are $430.

I keep checking because there is a flight out that leaves an hour earlier, but gets there 2 hours ahead of the one I am booked on. If that flight drops, I want to switch to it.

 

[Meeko5]

I'm flying to Orlando October 1, and back home to Grand Rapids MI on October 8. I paid around $320 round trip for my ticket, which is the most I have ever paid. The flights I am on have done nothing but go up. If I were to book the same flights now are $430.

I keep checking because there is a flight out that leaves an hour earlier, but gets there 2 hours ahead of the one I am booked on. If that flight drops, I want to switch to it.

I was hoping to fly out of GRR to MCO too, but man those prices are ugly for not being a nonstop!

We flew out of flint nonstop and back home Into into GR last trip and paid somewhere around $260 RT on SW. I'm hoping to fly from flint again but they only have 1 nonstop from MCO now so I'm sure it's going to be pricey

 

[RedAngie]

Just got back from Florida (we drove) and we're considering another trip in October. Flying, since I only have one week off then. SW's prices from both Philly and BWI were ridiculous. Over $400 RT. And those are the Wanna Get Away fares. I can get American from PHL for $174 RT. Haven't checked for cheaper options from BWI yet.

We could have flown to MCO from PHL for $87 RT on American this past trip, but we drove because we visited other destinations both going and coming back.

 

[MickeynMinnie]

Flying from buffalo on Sept 23 and coming home Oct 1... we paid 226 round trip... was hoping for a little less but over all not bad. not the cheapest we have paid, but also not the most expensive. Keep looking. we book one ways and wait for prices to go down. Just booked our returning flight... went from 248 to 113 in like an hr. i check a lot!!! now its back up! Prices are jumping all around. you have some time... just watch and then pounce on what you want!! good luck and have a great trip!!

 

[Meeko5]

Is it still advised to book the day the fares are released (not going until end of November so waiting still) and hope it goes down? Ideally I'd like to book when its lowest since we don't always fly within the year to use the credit, but I'm afraid if I wait the WGA fares will sell out then I'm totally screwed!

 

[MickeynMinnie]

Is it still advised to book the day the fares are released (not going until end of November so waiting still) and hope it goes down? Ideally I'd like to book when its lowest since we don't always fly within the year to use the credit, but I'm afraid if I wait the WGA fares will sell out then I'm totally screwed!

I say if you see really low fairs book it!! Not sure what they are like around your neck of the woods but when we see anything 100 or a little above we book! Round trip from my area normally go from 200 to 250. Anything below that is Amazing!!!

 

[katallo]

We have found that BWI fares really remain fairly stable. Maybe because SW is the major airline. We always wait to see if fares drop but don't find it too often. Tuesday Wednesday flights are usually a little less, but for October even those are the same as weekends.

 

[maxiesmom]

I was hoping to fly out of GRR to MCO too, but man those prices are ugly for not being a nonstop!

We flew out of flint nonstop and back home Into into GR last trip and paid somewhere around $260 RT on SW. I'm hoping to fly from flint again but they only have 1 nonstop from MCO now so I'm sure it's going to be pricey

When I checked Flint was a little cheaper. But the flight to Orlando arrived later than the one leaving Grand Rapids, and the flight back arrived earlier. So we would have lost time in Orlando on both ends of the trip.

 

[jhoannam]

I checked last night and our $1500 trip went up to $2000 over night.