Jumping Air Fares

[blackforest]

Why did Monday's airfares double and triple on Tuesday? I could just SCREAM!

We are going to Hawaii in July. Two week trip, saved for two years and using our Marriott Vacation Club for our condo.

So, DH's company has gifted him with some Capital One No-Hassle Rewards. First off lots of hassles! Second, we can't access any info because it is the company's card, so everything has to go through the company.

We knew getting to Hawaii was going to be expensive, but Hawaiian Airlines doesn't do Capital One Rewards. Any other suggestions? Overnight the Hawaiian Airlines ticket jumped up $150 for our family of five.

Stumbled into the Frontier Air website and fell in love with their services offered, flight times and the prices. Well, this morning I got to checking and the flights we were interested in (DAY-SFO) went up, overnight, by $2,200!!!

DH had an out-of-town meeting today and we were going to "get" to this by Thursday! My budget-minded brain is freaking out

I know the prices were up a month ago and have slowly been coming down, but in the last few days they have started to go back up. Will I see this change too? I know that we are a ways out, but I really would like to get this off my mind!

 

[LeeLeeLuvsDisney]

Look up your dates on Kayak.com to find alternative airlines that fly from Dayton to wherever you're going in Hawaii. And don't worry too much - prices change frequently. Keep looking and you're sure to find a reasonable flight.

 

[3boymthr]

You might have priced out sale prices which then sold out. The prices are probably now the standard fare prices. Just keep hoping for a sale which can happen anytime or try priceline name your own price.

DB works for a major airline working on the online ticketing system. When I asked him about when was the best time to buy tickets he said that as long as you buy before 21 days out you will not be charged any surcharges and that sales can happen at any time but if you come across a sale don't wait. The base prices go up 21 days before, then 14 days before then 7 days, then 5, 3, 2, and 1.

He also recommended pricing out alternate airports/routes, i.e., for us we price out departures from BOS, PVD and MHT which are all within a 1 to 1.5 hr drive. For our trip to WDW we are pricing out tickets to Orland plus Tampa and other nearby Florida airports as the tickets are not as in demand so not as expensive.

 

[Foogahzee]

Just so you know, airfares go up and down in price throughout the week. Usually I find that Tues and Wed are great days to find a deal but before 5PM. I looked up airfare on a Monday and it was $119 OW and then I found the same flight $59 OW on a Wed.

Keep trying

 

[blackforest]

Thanks for all the replies. I know, I know don't freak out, but what a change!

We did price alternate airlines and alternate airports. Some great, some not so great!

Of course, I would be upset if we HAD bought and the price was reduced!

"Just keep checking, just keep checking"

 

[jsmith]

Also so you know-Frontier does not do overwater flights-they code share with Contenential-the overwater portion of the flight is on Contenential and so a change in thier fares may drive the up tick. Keep watching-about 45 days out tends to be the cheapest time to buy-and i went *** to HON in oct for just over 400 a person.

 

[RichNKatHolly]

A friend of mine who works in the travel industry says Wednesday morning is the best day to purchase flights. I have no idea why though. So, maybe tomorrow you will wake up to better news.

 

[blackforest]

Yeah, Hawaiian Airlines sort of has a lock on flying to the islands. We are going to spend a few days in San Francisco before and after the Hawaii portion. We flew straight through about 10 years ago, when DD#1 was four. It was a long 16-18 hours, 5 airports & 3 plane changes. The jet lag was awful!

This time DD#1 is 14 and DD#2 will be 7 and DD#2 isn't quite the best traveler (very busy, all the time!) And DD#1 is a Type 1 diabetic, so spreading out the time changes will help her also.

 

[blackforest]

A friend of mine who works in the travel industry says Wednesday morning is the best day to purchase flights. I have no idea why though. So, maybe tomorrow you will wake up to better news.

Thanks, I have also heard that. So, hopefully we can get this wrapped up!

 

[Happy_Mom]

I saw somene here post that booking airfare is like a fun game to them.


It made me laugh because for me that's one of the downsides of plannning my vacation.

 

[becca1125]

I feel your troubles but Ive had it coming from Hawaii. We lived on Oahu for a few years and its crazy expensive to fly us all off island. I guess thats why we only left once lol Anyway my suggestion is to get on travelocity fare watcher, check orbitz often and another good site is www.sidestep.com Also try different airports. My parents flew out for Christmas one year from Florida. They saved a few hundred flying out of New Orleans vs the small Pensacola Airport. Yeah they had to drive a couple of hours but it was worth it.

 

[Chereya]

Of course, I would be upset if we HAD bought and the price was reduced!

"Just keep checking, just keep checking"

I'm going to Hawaii next month and my family flies from there to visit me a few times a year. The major carriers that service the continental US and Hawaii are: Hawaiian (West Coast cities), United, Delta, American, Continental, and Northwest. I've signed up for the Travelocity Fare Watcher service and they email to let me know when the prices drop. I was able to get my tickets for under $450 each person, all taxes and fees incl, but I had flexible dates and could go during the sale period. The current super cheap fares ($408) are only good through the end of march but they had some listed for $625 that are good through the end of the year. You'll have to log in and check their calendar function to see if your dates are available.

I only use Travelocity as a base research tool, however. After pinpointing the airline, schedule and exact flights I wanted, I went and purchased directly from United to shave a handful of dollars off the purchase price. If you are worried about paying too much, Orbitz has a price assurance refund feature, where if someone else pays less than you for your exact same flight itinerary, you get a refund of the difference. Essentially, this guarantees you all pay the same, lowest price that someone purchased at but it's not the same as guaranteeing the lowest price ever Offered. Orbitz has an email notification service too but I have found it to be less reliable than Travelocity at finding deals.

Best of luck - I also think you'll find the best deals at 60-45 days prior.

 

[Phalene]

Have you looked into Alaska Airlines? They fly to Hawaii from Portland and Seattle. I have no idea what their rates are though.

 

[Handbag Lady]

I hear you on flights to Hawaii.

We're going in November and I about fainted when I saw the choices and the prices.

We prefer to fly out of Burbank but also will consider LAX (one of my favorite places to fly out of but we're not longer 4 miles away!) or even Long Beach.

It's just so hard to GET to Long Beach or LAX from our house now...in traffic it can be as much as 3 hours and it is just a few miles away to either airport.

I will take up the offer to do the fare-tracker on Travelocity, good idea!

 

[Earstou]

Also, if you are able to fly on a Tuesday or Wednesday, fares are often cheaper for those days.

 

[blackforest]

I'm going to Hawaii next month and my family flies from there to visit me a few times a year. The major carriers that service the continental US and Hawaii are: Hawaiian (West Coast cities), United, Delta, American, Continental, and Northwest. I've signed up for the Travelocity Fare Watcher service and they email to let me know when the prices drop. I was able to get my tickets for under $450 each person, all taxes and fees incl, but I had flexible dates and could go during the sale period. The current super cheap fares ($408) are only good through the end of march but they had some listed for $625 that are good through the end of the year. You'll have to log in and check their calendar function to see if your dates are available.

I only use Travelocity as a base research tool, however. After pinpointing the airline, schedule and exact flights I wanted, I went and purchased directly from United to shave a handful of dollars off the purchase price. If you are worried about paying too much, Orbitz has a price assurance refund feature, where if someone else pays less than you for your exact same flight itinerary, you get a refund of the difference. Essentially, this guarantees you all pay the same, lowest price that someone purchased at but it's not the same as guaranteeing the lowest price ever Offered. Orbitz has an email notification service too but I have found it to be less reliable than Travelocity at finding deals.

Best of luck - I also think you'll find the best deals at 60-45 days prior.

Were you flying all this in one day? Since we want to break it up and won't be flying over all in one day and back all in one day, can I still get that great price. Thanks for the Travelocity tip, I'll head over there too!

I feel like I'm glued to this dumb office chair! It may be a fun game, but right now I'm losing!

 

[smile750]

you may also want to check out Pleasant Valley Holidays - one of the largest tour/travel operators in Hawaii. They may get different rates/bulk fares.

 

[jsmith]

Okay this is going to sound NUTS-but im serious-ive done this 11 times over 20 years-STOP looking for airfare now if you are going to Hawaii in the fall. Unless an airline you do mileage point with has a sale dont even look til after labor day. The CHEAPEST time to fly to the islands is between oct 15 and the sat before thanksgiving or the sunday after thanksgiving to the 15th of December. But the airlines price the fares so that if you book the ticket now the fare you Pay is the fare they are charging for 21 day advance purchases-ie the spring break season. If you purchase those tickets in say-June you will pay peak season Fare. If you wait to post labor day you will pay that lower season fare-and if you wait til 45 days before you travel-THAT is when you pay the lowest fair. As an example-we went to hawaii last October.-traveled 24 oct and 4 nov to be exact. I began watching airfare in March-tickets RT Denver to Honolulu were averaging 650 per seat and RT Colorado Springs Honolulu about 725-for the dates i wanted-by mid summer those numbers were 850 and 975. I actually purchased tickets on 9/15-and paid 460 per seat RT ***. and i jumped to soon-those fares were 415 a week later. then as you get inside 30 days they start to climb.
The airfare is cheaper month in advance thing is a myth-its best 60 to 45 days before for most travel actually.
For Hawaii in the summer-that does not hold true-and it is not going to go anywhere but higher as you get toward teh summer season unless you catch a sale.

 

[jessica52877]

Airfare is driving me nuts right now! I have been looking to fly out to LA and airfare more then $200 more per ticket then it was just last month! I keep checking the same dates and it wasn't a sale. It is just crazy out there!

 

[Chereya]

Were you flying all this in one day? Since we want to break it up and won't be flying over all in one day and back all in one day, can I still get that great price. Thanks for the Travelocity tip, I'll head over there too!

I feel like I'm glued to this dumb office chair! It may be a fun game, but right now I'm losing!

Yes, we're doing it all on one day. Wish me luck! I have 3 and 5 year old boys. We live in Madison and got this flight flying into Chicago and then from Chicago, a direct to Honolulu. Honestly, the time difference and jet lag is not so bad flying west. You will stay up a bit late on your internal clock the first night and probably wake up at 6am Hawaii time the first 3-4 days but that's ok. If you plan your days right, you can take advantage of waking up early to watch the sunrise or hit some of the popular crowded beaches before everone else does. The parking lot to Hanauma Bay will fill up by 8am for instance.

Flying back home in the easterly direction is what kills you, IMO! You'll be up 'till past midnight and not want to wake up in the morning 'till noon!

As for your flight itinerary, I don't know if you'll have any luck on prices with a multi-city trip. Essentially, you want to look for separate cheap fares between your home city and San Fran and then San Fran to Hawaii. Keep in mind also that each airport you fly into, you will have to pay airport taxes and fees so that also impacts cost. The less plane changes, the less fees added on.