last minute airfare

[pickles]

I am considering a short trip to disney first week march to see the flower show.

usually i have watched airfare and book in advance.
currently, flights on swa from mci to mco are running around $119 each way

I am curious the day before will they usually be more or less? what happens if you just show up at the airport to catch a flight> odds are good bad, prices, higher or lower?

I could do airtran(never flew them before)
I can leave desmoines ia or kansas city

in order to do this trip and enjoy myself i will need to be cheap, so looking for best suggestions for a quickie trip and flight fare

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Usually the closer the day to your flight, the higher the airfare. Never wait until the last minute to purchase an airline ticket unless you can't help it.

 

[Nadjalu]

PP is correct. I found that about a week out from my trip was a better deal than a month out...but it changes all the time.

FYI, if you do it the day before or show up and do it, I hear that alerts the TSA and you will be pulled out and searched. Don't know if it really happens. But I have heard that for the last couple years. Guess it has to do with the terrorists.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

FYI, if you do it the day before or show up and do it, I hear that alerts the TSA and you will be pulled out and searched.

Absolutely untrue.

If this ever has happened, the passenger had other red flags.

 

[TaraPA]

DH flies last minute (sometimes literally a few hours prior) for work all the time. He has never gotten a sale fare, it's always been ridiculously high airfare. Not saying you couldn't find a last minute deal, but from our experience, I'd never wait til the last minute to book unless there was an emergency or extenuating circumstances.

I'm a gambler when booking airfare - I've waited up til 2 weeks prior because the fares were fluctuating. From the airlines I watch regularly, the 14-day mark is when the fares stopped fluctuating & just went up up up. This year for some reason the fares for Allegiant, Airtran & USAir have not moved down at all - they just go up. I have 2 trips in March, both booked on Airtran, and those dates have done nothing but increase in the 3 months I've watched them daily. Just this morning I checked 3/22-28 that I booked over the weekend at $79 going & $100 coming back - they have both increased - it's now at $100 going & $129 coming back. I wouldn't wait any longer.

 

[bcbmommy]

Ugh. I've been wondering the very same thing. We're supposed to leave for Disney the 18th or 19th (haven't decided which day yet) and prices from KC to Orlando are high. There are 5 of us, and the cheapest I've found is still close to $400 once you add in the taxes, etc. I was hoping for a last minute sale.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

The 18th or 19th of Febuary??? If so, you have waited WAY too late.

 

[JennSaint]

Ugh. I've been wondering the very same thing. We're supposed to leave for Disney the 18th or 19th (haven't decided which day yet) and prices from KC to Orlando are high. There are 5 of us, and the cheapest I've found is still close to $400 once you add in the taxes, etc. I was hoping for a last minute sale.

I agree with OrangeCounty if you are waiting for a sale for this coming weekend you are way too late. Maybe a few weeks ago but prices will be sky high this late in the game on a holiday weekend. We booked a last minute deal several years ago but when I say last minute I mean two weeks out. Beyond that I'd be surprised to find a deal. We booked 4 weeks ago for our trip this coming Sunday and had to really play around with dates and airports. We are flying into Daytona February 20 flying home out of Tampa February 28 and those tickets were $285.00(we only paid $185 pp since we had some delta miles) which for those dates are a steal. We just got lucky! Unfortunately I think you've waited too long!

 

[bcbmommy]

The 18th or 19th of Febuary??? If so, you have waited WAY too late.

No, March. Sorry...should've been more specific.

 

[grammy2dj]

We are looking for deals from Detroit to Orlando March 15-20. None so far - prices seem to be going up now ~$400-500 per ticket. Hoping for something cheaper by end of February...

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

We are looking for deals from Detroit to Orlando March 15-20. None so far - prices seem to be going up now ~$400-500 per ticket.

And they will probably continue to rise. You also have waited too long, unless you get a very, very lucky break.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

If these March dates are spring break in your school, the odds are not good IMHO. Otherwise you have a 50/50 shot. However inside of two weeks the prices tend to go UP because that'st he "business traveler" that has to pay the price and provides the profit to the airline.....

 

[TaraPA]

However inside of two weeks the prices tend to go UP because that'st he "business traveler" that has to pay the price and provides the profit to the airline.....

That would be DH - thankfully his company pays his travel but I've seen the fare be almost $1000 for a ticket that normally would have been $200 when they book it just days prior to departure.

 

[pickles]

been watching the swa airfares. just went down today from $120 to $94

I am confirming somethings and then plan to book a flight today. Hopefully, the price will hold all day(or get lower)

 

[keishashadow]

SWA prices i've monitored always jump dramatically higher a week out

since it's a relatively last minute trip & you're probably a flexible type, have you considered priceline?