How can I change airline date cheaply?

[Greg Wright]

I purchased airline tickets, through AirTran, for a trip in June, going to Orlando on Sunday, and back to Ohio on a Saturday. Just found out my fiance will PROBABLY have an extra WEEK (yeah!) to play with, so I want to change the date of departure. The PROBABLY means I don't want to call and bother AirTran about rates since they will change by the time later this week when I know for sure.

I already called AirTran, however, to find out if there is a penalty for changing flights. I found that I will pay a penaly of $100 just to change the date, plus any fair increase. That may or may not be too bad, since I have alot of flexibility in deciding just when to leave. (Thinking of leaving Tuesday or Wednesday, extending our trip.)

So my questions...

Does anyone think it would be possible to save money by buying a one-way ticket somehow and just not showing up for the AirTran flight?

Does anybody suggest a good website for getting cheap one-way flights?

Before I start bugging AirTran, are we going to "raked across the coals" financially for changing the date of the flight home from a Sunday late in June to a Tuesday or Wednesday.

Thanks to anyone who has experience in these things

 

[Greg Wright]

To clarify...the departure we want to change is from June 29 to July 1 or 2.

By the way, do the rates start going up for the 4th around then?

Thanks.

 

[safetymom]

If you don't show up for the flight the other half of the ticket is cancelled. You will lose all your money so I suggest you just pay the change fee and you won't have any problems.

 

[weeyore33]

southwest is having a HUGE one way air fare sale, see if it is worth it by going to southwest airlines it may work out to be less than the 100 fee....

 

[DMRick]

I don't see a hugh sale..what is it under..they have one way prices, but based on round trip..such as the following:

*Travel on nonstop flights between Chicago Midway, IL and select cities for $79 each way with 7-day advance roundtrip purchase.*

Do you see something else you can point me to?

 

[off2disney]

We have had a very similar change. My daughter had air tickets to Las Vegas for vacation, but since she bought them, she and her husband are getting a divorce... so rather than lose it, she changed it to join me in WDW in December, plus added her 6 y/o son for an additional charge of $208.00 (but to get that rate she had to stay over Saturday night). On my fare, I was leaving Saturday morning, so it did cost me $100 to extend my flight by one night. This will be a wierd trip - we live 9 miles apart but we're flying out of different airports (diffferent cities) on different airlines -- but will be arriving like one hour apart.

 

[safetymom]

off2disney , I have a similar experience. My daughter lives in FL but flew home for a visit. When she went to go back home we were going to WDW. So we went to the airport together but we flew on different airlines. We got to MCO first because we were on a non stop. She did this because Delta flew out of Melbourne which is very close to her house.

We had fun with that.

,

 

[Gillian]

What happens if you fly the first part of the round trip but not the second? I know that this used to be a good way around expensive one way fares, but have heard it doesn't work anymore? Will they charge you the one way price if you don't show up for the return flight?

 

[safetymom]

Yes you can do that. But don't do it on the same airlines. That is something the airlines frown on.

 

[off2disney]

Safetymom:

We're not going to tell my 6 y/o grandson that he's going to Disney - and that I'm going to be there too. They'll get in about an hour before me and I can't wait to see his face when he sees me get off the plane!

 

[safetymom]

Be sure to have your camera. That sure sounds like a Kodak moment to me. Have a great time.

 

[skiwee1]

I had to change my flights on Airtran and they waved the penalty fee. I got to delay both flights and just had to use my entire credit within 12 months of first purchasing them. I didn't ask for any special treatment either. The lady just did it for me.

 

[Greg Wright]

I clicked on the Southwest airlines link from above and I didn't find any special on one-way flights. Can anyone help me find it?