how far in advance to buy plane tickets?

[cropper]

I am sure this has been talked about but I can’t find a thread.

How far in advance do you buy your airline tickets?
When do you decide to just do it because this is a good price?
Is there any magic timeframe? Do prices usually drop, say, 90 days before flight time or something?

I know the 21, 14 and 7 day stuff. But what about in longer terms?? Is 6 months too early to buy?

We are going to Aulani so I have been watching fares….not cheap. But if I were going to go in the next 4 months, prices are much better. From 5 months and later, prices are higher.

 

[backyardponder]

If you could figure it out, you should go to Vegas...you'd never have to worry about airfare again.

It's pretty much a crap shoot. Buy when you feel the price is good for you. When airlines have sales, they typically are on Tuesday and Wednesdays...but definately not always.

Travel mid-week can be cheaper than traveling on weekends.

Good luck. I've looked at airfare to Hawaii a number of times and that is one of the reasons I haven't considered buying DVC at Aulani.

 

[budafam]

I don't think they get cheaper honestly. When you see an amount that you can live with, book it. I booked our trip at $98 each way per person which is a STEAL... I had enough points to get 4/5 of our flights for free. Good luck!

 

[MisWal]

I found a great fare in September for a May trip and booked the airfare that day. I've watched it a bit to see if I did the right thing and it has gone up and down, but never below what I paid.

I think, in general, the earlier the better. Once the flights start to fill a bit, the prices go up, up, up!

 

[DVC California]

How far in advance do you buy your airline tickets?

It depends. If we are using miles with a major carrier and we know for sure we are taking this trip, we may buy as far out as the 330 day max advance to ensure we nab the few FF seats.

If we will be using Southwest, we may also buy early if it is a good fare since it is easy to get a price adjustment with SWA if the fare goes down.

When do you decide to just do it because this is a good price?

Since you have already been monitoring fares, you have a good sense of what a good price will be. If you find a fare that is close and fits your budget, go for it. Fares may go down but they can also go up too.

Is there any magic timeframe? Do prices usually drop, say, 90 days before flight time or something?

Here's a link to an old USA Today article I bookmarked. It's a few years dated but the advice still seems sound.
A guide to booking air tickets online

I know the 21, 14 and 7 day stuff. But what about in longer terms?? Is 6 months too early to buy?

No, not too early. If you know you will be taking the trip and the price is good, go for it. You may also consider buying trip insurance to cover reimbursement should you have to cancel due to illness.

We are going to Aulani so I have been watching fares….not cheap. But if I were going to go in the next 4 months, prices are much better. From 5 months and later, prices are higher.

Probably due to travel seasons and not that 5 months is some magic number related to fare structure. I bet hotel rates are also cheaper if booking for the next four months and go up in May/June when families begin traveling again.

 

[cassie]

I wasn't planning on WDW in 2011, but in Dec 2010 I got a pin code I couldn't refuse.

So I booked POQF for Oct 2011, 10 months out and checked airfares. I have flyer miles, but the airfare was $179 rt, which I paid cash, and saved my flyer miles.

You just never know, but I was luckey then. What surprised me was how full the airline (Delta) was that far out.

 

[Nancy F]

I always got my Air Tran tickets as soon as they posted the dates I needed. I'm really hoping to get one more Dec. trip in before they go over to SouthWest. So I've been putting it off. I really don't like SouthWest so I'm going to have to shop around for another airline.
Nancy

 

[Collette]

Such good advice here already.

If you find a price you can live with on the dates and times you want, I don't feel it is ever too early to buy. We all get disappointed if and when something cheaper comes up later, but I don't mind paying a little more to lock in the time of day I want my flights to be.

I knew I was going to WDW in October 2012 so all last year I kept watching flights for the same timeframe. By the time I started looking in November and in January knew my "for sure" October dates, I had a good idea what I was going to have to pay and what my "jump in" price was.

So last Sunday my price was there at the times I wanted to fly and I didn't do it!! I kept thinking about what I heard about 90 days out and thought way too much about what if I could get a better price. The price for those same flights took a big jump early in the week. But Thursday night they came back down to just $20 more than Sunday so I bought the tickets nine months out. I'm still obsessing a little about the extra $20. Eventually I'll get over it

Out of curiosity for next time, I am going to keep watch to see what happens between now and then. I imagine there will be times that I wish I had waited, but I feel good about the tickets. Mostly because it is very important to me that I get the flights at the times I want. Prices will probably go down, but maybe not for the time of day combination I want.

Good luck with your decision!!

 

[Donna M]

Hawaii is a different story, but I always buy my WDW tickets way out. This year I bought them in the summer for a trip in April. The prices have about doubled for the flights we have. I could get cheaper tickets but they wouldn't be nonstop and at the times I like.

We plan to head to Hawaii in June 2013, so I'll be interested in what you find out.

 

[mlittig]

I fly Southwest so I am limited by when they release each round of flights On January 22nd, they will be releasing flights up to September 28th I booked my flight down for August already and am now waiting for the next release date so I can come back home I do check fares at least daily because if the fares go down, I can and have re-booked at the lower price with no penalty and with a travel credit

 

[ksloane]

We typically fly southwest and I try to buy the day they come out. I find that it is rare for our route (houston to mco or dallas to mco) to become cheaper than that first day....

Planning a trip for mid October and trying to find out now when Southwest will release those dates as I know they only go through September on Jan 22 release....I always mark my calendar to remind me.

 

[phillyteamhater]

I just checked the flight I wanted and it went down $18 total for 2 people with SW for dates in June. Basically same question as everyone else when is best time to book? Which is more likely to happen price increase or price drop over the next few months and will my preferred time for flight get booked up?

 

[ksloane]

My experience with summer fares as this is a more prime time for families to travel, is that prices are more likely to go up.

I booked our June airfare the day it came out for $89 one way and $109 the other each. I have checked at least once, if not twice, a week since booking, and I have not seen it go lower than those prices once. The cheapest fares now are $249 each way!!

If you are ok with the prices offered now, I'd buy.

 

[phillyteamhater]

Thanks the fares are $121 each way. If by some miracle they go lower can you appeal for the lower fare?

 

[ksloane]

Thanks the fares are $121 each way. If by some miracle they go lower can you appeal for the lower fare?

You do not get the lower fare; however, you can rebook for the lower price and you get a credit that can be used for a year from the day you booked the original airfare. Once we got enough back in credits before that we paid for an entire trip the next time. Multiple times we've gotten enough to cover one way of the next trip.

 

[phillyteamhater]

Thanks, think I will book it this week and hope for the best, it's well within our budget so not too worried, the credit wouldn't help us much, we can't afford to take that many trips and rarely fly. This is for our honeymoon and still have a budget for everything and will penny pinch wherever we can, although I would probably do that regardless because that's just how I am with everything, love clearance, sales, deals and freebies!

 

[jeff968]

We travel for President's week in February. i purchase my tickets as early as April and no later then July. This way i get non-stops and a reasonable price. You have to watch like a hawk for when they come out.

 

[NotUrsula]

There are many, many variables that affect price. It is possible to give that advice on a certain route for a certain season most of the time, but without knowing that it is too unpredictable.

That said, for routine domestic flights that are NOT in a holiday or special-event period, I usually find my best bargains around 60 days out, and normally you will get the best deals for travel on days other than Friday and Sunday. For holidays and special events, you are generally going to get the best fare as soon as the dates open for purchase.

Hawaii does not normally count as domestic in terms of pricing patterns. Since it is a year-round resort destination it is one of those situations where using a travel agent who specializes in Hawaii is probably going to be your best bet. Routing your travel there via a stop on the West Coast is usually the best strategy for saving money if you cannot buy a package.

 

[phillyteamhater]

Would summer travel to Orlando be considered like special time for flying? I am worried the flight I like now won't go down any lower $121 each way right now and Baltimore-Orlando is non-stop. Would the 60 day plan be applicable for my dates Mon June 18-Mon 25? I ask because I was thinking about buying this week.

 

[Tony NY]

I love your question..

If you are like the rest of on Dis you like to get the best value with free dining or 40%off the rack rate

1st know you market and what is a fare market price of the airline ticket for the legacy airlines to the low cost airlines.

2nd know the fees and taxes of the airline this differ's form carrier to carrier

3rd Be patient and book smart knowing #1 will help you chose to buy now or latter it all comes down to doing you home work.

On a side note, with that said sometimes you might be better booking a last minute vacation thru the airlines you would be suppressed on what a good deal they have to offer.