Jax to Chicago - Airfare experts help!!!

[Trinity721]

Posted this in the Community Board, but someone suggested I try here.

It has been a whole year since DH, DD and I have been home to Chicago. We want to go back for New Year's and thought we'd look at airfare now. For a non-refundable ticket roundtrip, it's pretty reasonable - $190 on Orbitz. The problem is, we will not be sure of DH's exact vacation dates until about 1-2 mos before Christmas (thanks to the Navy). DD and I can buy our non-refundable tickets now, but to get DH a refundable ticket would cost at least $500 by itself!!! Should I just wait to buy his ticket and get ours? Or buy him a non-ref. ticket and risk that I might have to change it? I would like as much as possible to avoid paying $500 for one ticket. I am dying to go home, but I still have to think about Christmas presents and want to have enough money to enjoy our stay. Am I looking too early?

I don't do a lot of traveling, so any advice from airfare experts would be wonderful!!!

 

[CarolA]

That is a toughie. If you KNOW what you want to do book your ticket for you and DD.

You can hold on DH, while you probably won't get the low rate you are seeing today I would think you could still get a discounted fare for less then the fully refundable. That is what I would do if it were me.

 

[Dan Murphy]

As I said I the CB, Jenny, maybe wait a bit, book hubby's at noncan rate, and if needbe, pay a fee to change it. Good wishes.

 

[Trinity721]

Thank you Dan and Carol! Hubby comes back next week before the month is over, so we'll make our decision then. But I think we'll be booking our tickets and if it changes, we'll deal with that then. I am just so excited to go back home!!!