I bit the bullet and booked my Thanksgiving Weekend airfare!

[Cinderumbrella]

After checking prices every single day since the 331 day booking window began, we finally purchased our airfare from Chicago to Orlando leaving the Sunday after Thanksgiving.
We got $235 pp (before taxes) on United for nonstop service both ways.
Whew!!!!! I am so glad to have that behind me.
For all of you still watching- good luck!!!!!!!!!
And thanks to everyone who offered advice to me along the way!

 

[eyeoreismyhero]

Feels good doesn't it to not have to worry about it anymore. I booked my Sept. last week at $225.00 on USAir direct.

 

[kimmikayb]

Is that a good price?? I'm looking to fly out of Chicago or St. Louis and I heard all these great stories about $45 DINGS....I was hoping for round trip under $200. Maybe that won't happen

 

[Shagley]

Is that a good price?? I'm looking to fly out of Chicago or St. Louis and I heard all these great stories about $45 DINGS....I was hoping for round trip under $200. Maybe that won't happen

What part of Iowa are you from? A few weeks ago I saw a fare out of Moline, IL (Quad Cities) for $177 (taxes included) non stop to Orlando MCO. Now the fares out of Moline are around $215, but I am hoping they will go back down. Check on www.sidestep.com, I think that is where I originally saw the $177 fare. It isn't quite as cheap as the $45.00 ding fares, but it might save you a couple hours of driving, and probably quite a bit of $ for parking (I think Moline has $30.00 weekly parking).

Edited to add - the dates I was looking at were Sept 23rd - 30th

 

[MOMOFMNM]

kimmi

try flying that Friday after or the Monday after...anything before Thanksgiving and or during that weekend, esp Sunday is going to be HIGH!!!

235 seems reasonable and for some reason I do not think they will be going DOWN for that day!!

WTG on the fare!!

have fun

 

[mouse4ever]

Hello! I booked United out of Chicago 3 days ago for $203. Our trip is in September and I regretted not booking in Jan. when airfair was $187! It went up to $225 but is currently back down to $203. Good Luck!

 

[Cinderumbrella]

Don't get me wrong- $235 is not a great fare for most times of the year (we went last fall for $165), but for traveling Thanksgving weekend (and on the busiest travel day of the year!) I feel like I won the lotto with this price! And, I just got an email from Expedia, telling me that the price just went up $26, so I am tickled pink

Good luck!

 

[PURTYPAT1]

I booked ours 331 days & was very thankful to get $200.00 rt non stop for Thanksgiving. I had to book 18 family members, different times & days. I was lucky enough to get great fares.

I don't think the fares for that week or weekend, will drop any lower than 200.00.


I think you got a great price. You are going to see your flight go sky high in price.

Now you can sit back & enjoy.

Patricia

 

[DemoBri1]

The only reason I'd say the price on that flight might go higher is because of the actual day that you're leaving. I'm wondering if you checked the flights out the next day what the price would have been.

Unfortunately for us...ATA is no longer flying to Orlando again. So for us it looks like it will be waiting for AirTran and SW to post their schedules. I won't fly out of O'Hare unless I cannot find a non-stop flight out of Midway. The price premium for O'Hare is just astronomical.

 

[Cinderumbrella]

The only reason I'd say the price on that flight might go higher is because of the actual day that you're leaving. I'm wondering if you checked the flights out the next day what the price would have been.

Unfortunately for us...ATA is no longer flying to Orlando again. So for us it looks like it will be waiting for AirTran and SW to post their schedules. I won't fly out of O'Hare unless I cannot find a non-stop flight out of Midway. The price premium for O'Hare is just astronomical.

At this point, there was not a difference in fare price until later in the week (Wednesday I believe), however, my birthday is on Tuesday and we really wanted to be there for that. Besides, the savings wasn't that great (maybe $20 per person)
We are on the other side when it comes to Midway as we live in the far northwest 'burbs- Midway is way too far for an early morning flight (our current flight is at 7am)

 

[pumpkinboy]

Well done snagging reasonable airfare for the busiest travel time of the year! We have only bought our return flight so far: the monday after Thxgiving, MCO-Boston at an amazing $87.50 per person, one-way, non-stop. Now for the outbound leg, we're still not seeing any non-stops for less than $500 one-way! Ouch. We're gonna wait for JetBlue and SouthWest to release fares for that time, and frankly, we'll take anything in the $200 range for the outbound flight on a non-stop(for total r-t fare under $300), otherwise, we are going to be reassessing our options (FF miles, or heaven forbid a stop-over )

Nope, there are not gonna be any dings for that time period. The airlines are gonna sell all of their seats, and need to get the best possible price for them if they are going to stay in business. I am not expecting any bargains, but that's not gonna stop me from looking for them.

 

[Cinderumbrella]

Good luck!!

 

[yogibigdog]

I think I got a good rate - leaving Tuesday 21st before Thanksgiving returning Sunday after Thanksgiving 26th on Delta direct non-stop Boston to Orlando round trip for $ 177.00. I booked on the right day because two day later the price went up to $1,008.00! I think it had something to do with the shutting down of Song. The had not yet combined the flights.

 

[PURTYPAT1]

Very good yogibigdog , I will flying Delta on the 26th also. Our flight leaves at 3pm to LGA. I have never flown on the weekend after Thanksgiving. I have a feeling, it is going to be like a zoo. I just flew back on President's Week, & the airports were like a mad house. People were getting bumped left & right.

Great price at such a busy time.

Patricia

 

[eeyorina]

Hi, I got that $177.00 pp price too on Delta flying out Sat. Nov. 18 and returning Sat. Nov. 25 from Boston to Orlando non-stop. The Delta website isn't even showing any nonstop flights for those days now.

 

[yogibigdog]

I booked ours 331 days & was very thankful to get $200.00 rt non stop for Thanksgiving. I had to book 18 family members, different times & days. I was lucky enough to get great fares.

I don't think the fares for that week or weekend, will drop any lower than 200.00.


I think you got a great price. You are going to see your flight go sky high in price.

Now you can sit back & enjoy.

Patricia

I think we are both on the Thanksgiving Wonder. Look forward to seeing everyone on board.
It is a good feeling having the flight settled now I won't have to do the watch for Jet Blue and Southwest to released their flights.

eeyorina-
They also show no non-stop flight available for my trip any longer. Considering the flight where less than half full on Tuesday and on Wednesday the are not available Don't no what is going on with Delta.

 

[jeankeri]

I travelled during the same time period last year, and continued to check prices after I booked (really am a sucker for punishment). For return on the Sunday I never saw anything better than what you booked for. For the past two times I travelled during this time there were also flight changes for what I booked- do check your e-mails and call them soon if this happens and you need to rebook so you get good flights/times. It is a busy travel day .

 

[sixcats]

For those of you that booked non-stop from Mass.-Is it possible Delta has cancelled the non-stop you booked? When I found out my Song flights were cancelled it was by looking to see what flights were still available for my dates. My itinerary was still listed as confirmed even though the flights no longer existed. I am sure they would have eventually notified me, but I caught it first.

 

[yogibigdog]

For those of you that booked non-stop from Mass.-Is it possible Delta has cancelled the non-stop you booked? When I found out my Song flights were cancelled it was by looking to see what flights were still available for my dates. My itinerary was still listed as confirmed even though the flights no longer existed. I am sure they would have eventually notified me, but I caught it first.

I hope not. My flight down still show it my return flight that does not show that for Nov. 26 Sun. after Thanksgiving. The return flight still shows under "Flight Schedules". I will probably call and double check. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[eeyorina]

My flight to MCO still shows up but not my flight home to Boston on the 26. If they cancelled it do they rebook you on another flight? Right now they are showing no non-stop flights from MCO to Boston on Sun. the 26.