Made a Big Mistake with AirTran

[wed100105]

I was a little overzealous and purchased one way tickets down to MCO on Airtran for Saturday, March 19. They had not published their fares for the following weekend and the rates were okay ($112) so I purchased them.

Fast forward a couple weeks to today when AirTran published fares for the return flight. $367 each for the return flight only. Yikes! That is completely out of our price range.

What do I do? Any tips? (There are three of us going.)

 

[TAKitty]

I fly airtran a lot. Don't worry, the price will go down. I check every day when I am looking for air. Also, consider another airline for your return, if you can.

 

[Lucky4me]

Go home a few days earlier or a few days later?

 

[wed100105]

Go home a few days earlier or a few days later?

That's a big part of the problem. I am a teacher and can't take any later dates. (There are some Monday night flights for $125.) I could go home earlier, but the flights are all the same prices.

Allegiant hasn't published that far into March yet. They are at another nearby airport.

 

[duffy]

There should be plenty of time to get a better price. Your return flight is 6 months away!

 

[jenseib]

But also remember with Allegiant, you can't use ME. So you would have to rent a car to get back to Sandford.

 

[greenclan67]

We are flying Airtran in March as well! The 7th to the 19th!~ When they first released the dates, I booked one way as well, on the 7th for $89 then they prices came out for my flight home,and it was $362 or something similiar, I checked them every morning and a few times more in the day, and I ended up snagging them at $89! I also helped a teacher friend of mine that was flying the 12th to the 19th, when they released the 12th on the Sat, it was outrageous, $360 or around about, I was checking them, on Sunday and Monday, and I called her at 8:15 mond morning and said they had dropped to $89 she got them. Then her flight home was sitting at $389 I called her Tues morning at 8:30 am and told her to get on there and grab them, they had dropped to $89 as well! So keep checking, and check frequently. It becomes almost a job! Good luck!

 

[bear_mom]

When I booked our flights for Dec the original prices were in the $360's. They came down to $79 for a few days and then have been between $99-$139 since then. Give them a little bit, the prices should drop down.

Emily

 

[Allison]

But also remember with Allegiant, you can't use ME. So you would have to rent a car to get back to Sandford.

It would depend what airport in regards to Allegiant. Some flights fly out of MCO not Sanford.

 

[NancyIL]

When AirTran first releases new dates, they don't always get the lowest prices loaded immediately. They are now booking through April 20, and the one-way fares from BMI are $379 + tax! They will go down in a few days, but I would NOT wait to book once they do so.

Keep checking Kayak (www.kayak.com) - especially on Tuesday afternoon! I bought a one-way home from Orlando for early May on Delta last Tuesday, and by that evening the lowest fare had gone up.

**I see you are from Peoria, so you are probably also flying from Bloomington. Gotta love AirTran's non-stops to Orlando!

 

[NancyIL]

I checked Kayak for MCO-BMI on March 26, and they showed AirTran at $146 for connecting flights and $156 for the non-stop! That means the pre-tax fare must be $125 for connecting flights and $145 for the non-stop at 8 a.m. When you click on the link to go to AirTran, they are still showing the $379 fare, but Orbitz shows fares at the lower prices.

 

[wed100105]

I checked Kayak for MCO-BMI on March 26, and they showed AirTran at $146 for connecting flights and $156 for the non-stop! That means the pre-tax fare must be $125 for connecting flights and $145 for the non-stop at 8 a.m. When you click on the link to go to AirTran, they are still showing the $379 fare, but Orbitz shows fares at the lower prices.

Nancy,
I noticed that, too. If I book through Orbitz though can I call Airtran if the flights go down? I was hoping to book around $125 and then snag a deal and have them credit the difference.

Yes, we're flying out of Bloomington. We live 10 minutes from the Peoria airport, but love the nonstop service out of BMI to MCO. We flew Airtran this summer out of BMI and I can't say enough good things about the experience. It was wonderful. At that time, I booked our flights for $200 pp after taxes.

 

[NancyIL]

Nancy,
I noticed that, too. If I book through Orbitz though can I call Airtran if the flights go down? I was hoping to book around $125 and then snag a deal and have them credit the difference.

Yes, we're flying out of Bloomington. We live 10 minutes from the Peoria airport, but love the nonstop service out of BMI to MCO. We flew Airtran this summer out of BMI and I can't say enough good things about the experience. It was wonderful. At that time, I booked our flights for $200 pp after taxes.

I live in Champaign, but the lower fares from BMI are well worth the one-hour drive - not to mention free airport parking.

I don't know whether AirTran will credit a price difference if you buy through Orbitz. However, I would not expect airfares to go down on Saturday to Saturday flights in late March, and if they do, it won't be by much. I do expect AirTran's prices will come down to match Orbitz's and the other sites soon.

The non-stop fares seem to be $145 plus taxes. While I prefer the non-stops to Orlando, I don't like departing from Orlando at 8 a.m. to go home. I have been booking my return air on later connecting flights with the airline with the best fares, and lately that has been Delta.

 

[jenseib]

It would depend what airport in regards to Allegiant. Some flights fly out of MCO not Sanford.

I totally forgot that some do fly in there now. I sure wish ours would.

 

[Minniekins]

My flight back to midway was holding at $99 and one day it dropped to $94 so I grabbed it, figuring if it went lower I could get the credit. It went up to 115 and 136, bouncing back and forth. Friday it was at 99, then yesterday, Saturday, it was $336!!!! I couldn't believe it, I was shocked. But, then today it was back down to 115(for 2 seats) and 136! Crazy business for sure! Glad I bought when I did, and I still check everyday, several times a time or in mid of night as I stay up late. My flights down, I bought at 99, and they've not once gone lower(at least that I saw!), and have bounced between 99 - 115 - 136. I would wait cause it will go lower than that 370 or w.e.

 

[bumbershoot]

Nancy,
I noticed that, too. If I book through Orbitz though can I call Airtran if the flights go down? I was hoping to book around $125 and then snag a deal and have them credit the difference.

They have their own thing for discounts...

Orbitz Low Fare Promise

If you book an airline ticket on Orbitz.com and then find a lower airfare for the same flights, dates, airline and travelers on another Web site, you may be entitled to a $50 coupon per ticket toward your next Orbitz booking.

* The fare must be at least $5 less per ticket than the airfare booked on Orbitz.com.
* The lower total airfare may not include Web site service, booking, processing, shipping, paper-ticket or other fees.
* You must provide the complete Web address (URL) where you found the lower airfare.
* You must file a claim by Midnight Central Time of the same day you booked your Orbitz flights.

They also have their Price Assurance.

How Orbitz Price AssuranceSM works

Once your booking is confirmed on Orbitz, we start tracking to see if another Orbitz customer subsequently books the same flight or hotel reservation on Orbitz at a lower price.

If that happens, we'll issue a refund for the difference. Amounts range from $5 to $250 per airline ticket or $5 to $500 per hotel room.

We'll continue tracking until the day you leave. So each time the price drops and another customer subsequently books your same itinerary for a lower amount, your refund amount will increase.

Expect to receive your refund check approximately 6-8 weeks after your trip is complete. We'll mail it to the billing address for the credit card used to make the booking. You'll have 90 days from the date the check is issued to cash it.

Of course, those aren't as simple as just calling the airline.


Also know that sometimes the Orbitz-type places have a price showing, but when you actually go to *book* it, the search engine realizes it isn't a real price, and you can't book at that price. So only go by the very very end of the booking process, not the price shown at the beginning.

 

[Traveliz]

I was a little overzealous and purchased one way tickets down to MCO on Airtran for Saturday, March 19. They had not published their fares for the following weekend and the rates were okay ($112) so I purchased them.

Fast forward a couple weeks to today when AirTran published fares for the return flight. $367 each for the return flight only. Yikes! That is completely out of our price range.

What do I do? Any tips? (There are three of us going.)

Hi neighbor - I live across the river and fly Airtan out of Bloomington a lot. I would almost guarentee the prices will go down. I rarely buy more than a month to two ahead of time (I am going to visit my daughter and just schedule that way) and prices will go up and down and up and down a zillion times before then.

You should stick with Airtran coming back though so you can use ME .... Allegiant to Peoria flies out of Sanford and the transportation cost to Sanford is kind of high.

Liz

 

[NancyIL]

Prices are $145 and $176 plus taxes.

 

[wed100105]

Thanks, I bought them today for $145 plus tax. The total for all three of us to fly out of BMI (Bloomington/Normal, IL) to MCO Saturday, March 19 - Sunday, March 27 nonstop was $871.20 for three people. At $290.40 per person, I'm not thrilled with these prices; I'm hopeful that Airtran will offer sale fares and continue to give credit for the difference. I didn't want to pay anymore for them though.

When I used the fuel estimator, I figured that it would cost us $415 in fuel, $100-150 in rooms on the way down and back, and it would take two full days driving down and two days driving back.

I currently have a mid-sized car booked through Alamo for $227. It would be $535 cheaper to drive. I'm having a hard time with that. I just think it would be awful to drive down with a 3 year old. Agh-now I'm reconsidering having booked those flights.

 

[NancyIL]

Thanks, I bought them today for $145 plus tax. The total for all three of us to fly out of BMI (Bloomington/Normal, IL) to MCO Saturday, March 19 - Sunday, March 27 nonstop was $871.20 for three people. At $290.40 per person, I'm not thrilled with these prices; I'm hopeful that Airtran will offer sale fares and continue to give credit for the difference. I didn't want to pay anymore for them though.

When I used the fuel estimator, I figured that it would cost us $415 in fuel, $100-150 in rooms on the way down and back, and it would take two full days driving down and two days driving back.

I currently have a mid-sized car booked through Alamo for $227. It would be $535 cheaper to drive. I'm having a hard time with that. I just think it would be awful to drive down with a 3 year old. Agh-now I'm reconsidering having booked those flights.

I am prepared to pay $145 + tax for AirTran's non-stop from BMI on Easter Sunday - when it is available to be booked. (At least I hope the fare won't be any higher!) I don't like paying $145, but I got a $79 (+ taxes) return fare on Delta a week ago for May 2, so I don't mind spending more to have as much time at WDW as possible.

Do you really need a car while you're at WDW? Are you staying on-site?