Looking for peeps from South Jersey who have flown during Jersey Week

[phillymummer]

Hello DISers!

I am planning a trip in Nov 2015 during "Jersey Week". I can only go Wed-Sun. Any one out there from South Jersey who has flown to Orlando during Jersey week? I am looking for advice about airfare during that time. About a month ago, I looked at the U.S. Air website to look up fares for this year's Jersey week and almost fell out of my chair. Over $400 to fly home on Sunday into Philly? I have been checking SW too and their fares are not much better. I started looking into other airports and I am seriously considering flying out Baltimore bc the airfare is significantly cheaper!

Can anyone give me some advice as the best way to fly during Jersey week? How soon should I book (a month ago, some flights on U.S. Air were sold out for Sunday!)? Should I go ahead and fly out of Baltimore?

Thanks!!

 

[Cubicleprisoner]

Flying out of Philadelphia is probably the most expensive option and with Southwest buying AirTran, the price difference between US Air and Southwest is usually minimal because the competition is a joke. Spirit flies out of Atlantic City and is fairly reasonable. Frontier flies out of Trenton and Wilmington, DE, but I'm not sure if they run flights on Wednesdays. You would need to check out their website. I've heard that flying out of Baltimore is consistently cheaper than Philadelphia, but then you will have the aggravation of dealing with that traffic. If you choose one of the discount airlines, you should definitely book immediately. Good Luck!

 

[phillymummer]

Thanks! I checked out Wilmington and Trenton- neither airport has flights on the days I need . I checked Spirit out of AC and their flight time (yes, TIME- they have one non-stop flight a day) is horrible. I am considering Baltimore bc it is straight down 95 and it's only about 2 hours. I just have to plan it out so I do not have to drive through rush hour. I have been up at 4 am for a flight before. I could do it again if it meant saving hundred of dollars!! I just didn't know if there is a "golden window" time frame that I can find reasonably priced airfare out of Philly since it is only a half hour away and we are familiar with it. But $400 one way! NO WAY!

 

[Cubicleprisoner]

Typically, prices for domestic flights are at their lowest around the 49-day mark. I'm not sure if the prices for Jersey week will decrease that much though, since the airlines do their own tourism research and price-gouge accordingly. I forgot to mention Allegiant Air that flies non-stop out of Allentown, PA and lands at the other airport in Orlando (Sanford).

 

[KenDoll]

I fly spirit from MCO to acy and it's a quick easy flight my usual prices are as low as 40 to as high as 99 on any given flight, I've been using them for about 5 years about 5-6 times a year on trips to Orlando. Good luck!!

 

[phillymummer]

Typically, prices for domestic flights are at their lowest around the 49-day mark. I'm not sure if the prices for Jersey week will decrease that much though, since the airlines do their own tourism research and price-gouge accordingly. I forgot to mention Allegiant Air that flies non-stop out of Allentown, PA and lands at the other airport in Orlando (Sanford).

Thank you! I did not know the lowest-price mark. I've also heard 6 weeks. I do agree that they probably won't go down much. I'm pretty sure Jersey Week can be thought of as a holiday around here

I forgot to mention Allegiant Air that flies non-stop out of Allentown, PA and lands at the other airport in Orlando (Sanford).

I do not want to drive north just to go south again. That is why I am considering Baltimore. I did not know Orlando had another airport!!

If you choose one of the discount airlines, you should definitely book immediately

My trip isn't until 2015. I used the Jersey Week dates for 2014 to get an idea of prices. To see some flights sold out in early June shocked me. I didn't know if it was best to actually book like 6 months in advance. I do not fly often and I don't know the savvy ways to find cheap airfare.

 

[Dwheels]

I'm from SJ an just booked flights for my cousin and her family for jersey week this year! Southwest was by far the cheapest! She is flying out of PHL on Sunday 11/2 and returning home on Saturday 11/8. I was able to book her $144 each way including everything so $288 RT. I booked it the exact day that SW released their flights! I have found that the day SW releases their flights it seems to be their cheapest! We r flying SW 2x's this year 8/23-8/31 and 12/2-12/7. I booked both trips the day flights were released and haven't seen them drop in price only sellout! SW was def the cheapest! All I ever hear about is how cheap spirit is? I've never seen those deals and yes their schedule is awful!! Not to mention they often cancel flights! US Air is for some reason extremely expensive!! 8/31 flights were $350 one way!! I'm an airfare stalker!! Good luck and I say book on the exact day SW releases their flights!!

 

[phillymummer]

Awesome! Thank you! I have heard that before about SW and completely forgot! $288 RT is doable!! Do you know how early SW releases their flights? I guess I can go play around on their website to figure it out, but do you remember when you booked? I need to know when to start stalking their website!!

I can only imagine how cheap Baltimore would be...... hummm.... I still may drive to Baltimore!!

 

[Dwheels]

Yes I booked the 11/2 flight on 5/19. Go to their website and click on their travel tools. That page will tell you when the next set of flights will be released. Right now they are booking to 3/6/2015 and the next set of flights will be released on 8/25 through 4/6/15! So around 6-7 months out. Good luck

 

[phillymummer]

Awesome! thank you for the information!!

 

[Dwheels]

Yep Happy Planning!!