I Think I'm Going To Be Sick...

[Tay N Evie's Mom]

I've been watching SWA several times a day for months now for our dates of June 9-16 for 2 people. Those 2 Saturdays seemed to be higher than the rest of the month, so I figured there must be something going on in Orlando. The rates on SWA were $255-$283 pp each way, which would come out to $1200 for 2 people to fly round trip from MDW to MCO. I finally bit the bullet on Monday and booked Spirit out of ORD going and AirTran back to MDW for $700 (including bag fees), which was $200 over my budget of $500. Well, this morning I look at SWA and their flights for my dates are now $110 pp each way. What!!! If I would have waited 6 more days I could have gotten the exact flight times I wanted and still would have been $20 under budget. If you'll excuse me now, I need to get to the bathroom...

 

[jpgpmpcp]

I hope you are out of the bathroom now! Totally understand what you mean. Thinking we are doing the right thing and book, then what we really want is there a few days later...UGH!!!!!!!! Airline prices are very unpredictable or so I've learned over the last few months.

 

[TamaraQT]

Same thing happened to me last year. Prices were high for my dates too. So I ended up booking a deal thru United airlines from PHL to MCO. Then I booked Airtran for our return flights. The flight down wasn't non-stop but it wasnt a problem since it still put in Orlando before noon. I had to pay baggage fees but it was still cheaper than the price I was getting for Southwest. About 2 months before our trip Southwest Airlines dropped their fares and I would have had nonstop both ways for $200 cheaper than I paid on the other airlines. I could have been sick too because Southwest is my preferred airline. In the end, I made the best of it. I got to try other airlines and found out I liked United and Airtran and would fly them again if needed.

The bottom line is, I bought my tickets out of fear they would have gone up even higher. So I bought what I could afford at the time. Its the chance you take. But I do understand and feel your pain. Try to make the most of it anyway and have a FABULOUS vacation.

 

[encinc]

Yup. I think many of us have been there at one point or the other.

I paid a bit more to travel on AA home from California because I liked their flight times better than anything else that was available at the time. Since then, JetBlue (which would be my preferred airline) lowered the fares on the flight I was watching with them AND AA changed our flight times. If I'd waited, we'd have had close to the times we wanted on the airline we wanted for less than we're paying to take a non-preferred airline at inconvenient times. UGH!

 

[dvcdenise]

You may need another trip to the bathroom, but do you all know that if you book with JetBlue and the flights go down you call them and they will give you a credit to be used 1 year from the credit. I always book though them to get my desired flight then watch, watch, watch and always end up with multiple credits. You just have to keep track of the price paid, Example you pay 250 for you flight, then it goes down 30, so you call and get a credit. So you paid 220 for you flight, if it goes down to 200, you call and get another 20 credit, so now you have paid 200. If it goes below 200 you call and get another credit. I love JetBlue.

 

[ksloane]

You may need another trip to the bathroom, but do you all know that if you book with JetBlue and the flights go down you call them and they will give you a credit to be used 1 year from the credit. I always book though them to get my desired flight then watch, watch, watch and always end up with multiple credits. You just have to keep track of the price paid, Example you pay 250 for you flight, then it goes down 30, so you call and get a credit. So you paid 220 for you flight, if it goes down to 200, you call and get another 20 credit, so now you have paid 200. If it goes below 200 you call and get another credit. I love JetBlue.

Southwest does this as well, and you can do it online (don't have to call).

 

[jlewisinsyr]

Southwest does this as well, and you can do it online (don't have to call).

You can do JetBlue online (I have many of times). But to clarify, there is a difference between JetBlue's policy and SWA. JetBlue's credits can be used by anyone (not just the original ticketed passenger) and are valid one year from the date the credit is recieved. SWA credits can only be used by the original ticketed passenger and are valid one year from the date of the original ticket purchase.

 

[Skye23]

I find the best thing to do with airplane tickets is to check them for a few weeks, then when they get to a price you can live with buy them. The third and most important step is to then turn around, run away and never, ever, ever look at what the price would have been for your dates again. I know I paid more for the tickets I wanted, but I wanted a specific time, on one of the few carriers that had a non-stop flight. And since there was exactly 1 flight going where I wanted when I wanted it would eventually sell out so I couldn't exactly wait forever.

 

[bumbershoot]

I find the best thing to do with airplane tickets is to check them for a few weeks, then when they get to a price you can live with buy them. The third and most important step is to then turn around, run away and never, ever, ever look at what the price would have been for your dates again.

Yes. Unless you've booked with an airline that does allow for free changes. So...southwest, jetblue, alaska, probably one or two others...go ahead and check those (if you've booked with them). Otherwise, probably best to not look.

 

[Brian Noble]

Agreed. My goal isn't to get the very best price ever. My goal is to get a price that I can live with, and know that I'm taking my vacation. Getting rid of uncertainty is worth something too.