Is it cheaper to get airline tickets with package?

[TeamTinkerbell]

This will be our first time flying as we've driven all of the other times. I noticed that you can purchase your plane tickets at the time you make your ressies online. I admit I haven't flown in many years so I plead ignorant. Is it cheaper to go ahead and purchase them when I make my ressies, or is it better to get them on my own?

 

[helenk]

I always get my own flights, I have found that by going to the airline's website I get better deals and I can chose better flight times.

 

[Tigger22]

I booked my airline once with my reservations. I'm the type that keeps looking to see if I can get better deals (saved $45 dollars for this trip by checking my car rental first made two months ago yesterday), and so, I kept looking at the flights that they made for me. Well it worked out that that particular flight cost went down. If I had booked it on my own, I could have gotten a refund for the difference...but by booking with them, the price could not be lowered. Might be a bit obsessive for some, but it has become a game for me. I once booked a trip to Hawaii with Delta Vacations, and by checking prices everyonce in a while, I saved about $700 when the price went down. Ever since then, I always checked.

It may be easier in some respects, but I have saved a ton of money by booking on my own.

 

[kkmauch]

If you don't want to think about it and hassle with booking on your own, just book with Disney. Most of the time, they find fairly reasonable fares and they are good about getting convenient times for you. Generally speaking, when I've looked, the prices have been slightly higher going with Disney but you're paying for the convenience of booking everyhting on-line at once with Disney.

If you're concerned about cost and you don't mind checking back now and then for better deals, then book on your own. In addition, you can check www.farecast.com to find out of the prices are expected to drop or rise for your particular dates.

Good luck!

 

[CleveRocks]

I'd always assumed that buying airfare on my own would be best. I'm still pretty much in agreement with this, but let me share with you my most recent experience.

My wife and I did TONS of research on airfares, and were flexible as far as airport, time of day, and even which days to fly (6 or 7 days within a 12-day window). We found the best fare/airline/airport/date combination for us. With that in mind, I called Disney to tweak my reservation to match the date swe'd be flying. The rep asked if we'd already bought airfare, I told her I was about to, and she asked if she could check into it for me. I gave her the dates and flight numbers, and she came back with a quote that was something like $120 cheaper PER TICKET than AirTran's own website. Disney got me on AirTran for almost $500 cheaper than AirTran would have, for the 3exact same flight. I don't know if lightning will ever strike a second time, but you're darn tootin' I'll be checking with Disney before booking airfare again.

 

[snowbunny]

I just booked a trip to Chicago - although I usually do everything myself a la carte, I ended up getting a United Package which saved me about $500 dollars in combined air/hotel/car.

 

[TeamTinkerbell]

That's really interesting. I haven't made ressies yet, but I played around with it and the plane tickets seemed to be a good price but both left very early in the morning. However, for a savings of $100 or more, I can get up a little earlier. Thanks so much.

 

[2Princes2Princesses]

I think it depends on where you are flying from. We fly out of BUF and have Airtran and Southwest available. We originally had a package last September before we bought DVC and I was going to go with Disney's air. They gave us US Air, with layover, for something like 290.00 round trip. I bought DVC, cancelled the package and booked on my own. I ended up paying $309.00 total for 3 round trip tickets on nonstop flights with Southwest.

And even without Southwest, for our trip a couple of weeks ago, I snagged $59 each to ORlando on SW, and $59 back home on Delta on the Thursday before President's Weekend.

 

[TeamTinkerbell]

And even without Southwest, for our trip a couple of weeks ago, I snagged $59 each to ORlando on SW, and $59 back home on Delta on the Thursday before President's Weekend.

Now that's what I need!!!