Mass travelers- how early do you book flights for school vaca weeks?

[Tattylou]

Hey fellow Massachusetts neighbors,
We have to fly over school vacation weeks due to fact that DH is a teacher. We always tend to go April vacation. I usually buy my flights out of Logan and I purchase them 10 or 11 months out. In my experience that seems to be the best deal. However, I'm curious if other people wait and if they are still able to find decent prices? What is your strategy for buying tix from BOS to MCO during vacation weeks and what do you typically pay? Thx!!

 

[Hopefully]

I fly from BOS to MCO.
My experience has taught me that the prices are lowest as soon as they are released. I buy right away.

 

[ton80]

We usually book our flights BOS_MCO in Nov for June when school gets out. Prices are really cheap when they are just released or a couple of weeks after..

 

[goofy4tink]

I buy as soon as the booking window opens. I'm fortunate in that I'm in central Mass....I can fly out of Logan, Worcester, or Providence...even Bradley (haven't yet, but I'm sure I will).
Prices tend to go up the longer you wait. Why? Supply and demand. The airlines know, full well, when school breaks are, and price fares accordingly!

 

[babyruth]

I waited this time - first and last. I will never buy a flight later than release day ever again.

 

[Tattylou]

Ok, so sounds like I'm doing it right by buying on the release date.

 

[Tattylou]

Do you all wait for JetBlue and Southwest or do you buy the airlines that release at 11months (ie Delta, American, etc)?

 

[babyruth]

oh. I typically pay 1400ish round trip for 6 people. This trip I spent that just to get home for 4 people.

 

[babyruth]

we have a nut allergic child so I only book JetBlue or Southwest.

 

[Hopefully]

I used to book Delta's first early morning non stop. It was great times for us. But they eliminated that flight a few years ago. Now I usually wait for JetBlue and that has worked for me in the past.

 

[han22735]

We can book either PVD or BOS and usually fly Jet blue or SW and wait till they open. Then buy on the day they are released.

 

[cmarsh31]

Flying out of Albany but same, SW and the minute they go on sale, for school breaks. Usually for other times of the year, I check as soon as they go on sale, but hold off if they seem high, etc and check regularly.

 

[Tinknalli]

Vermonters, but we fly out of Bradley, Albany or Burlington and compete with MA spring break often. I start looking 11 months out and if I find a great one way I book it. Rarely, does this happen, so I am sitting in front of the computer and book the minute Jetblue releases fares. I look at Albany first for great flight times and what have been the best prices the last two years. If I strike out I look at Bradley. If still too high I look at Burlington (no non stops) and Worcester (one flight per day). My goal is $250 pp and usually end up in the $180-220 range by shifting plans 1 day in either direction. Prices never come down on our flights.

 

[debster812]

DS is in college now, but when we were flying during school vacation weeks, I would ALWAYS book the day the flights were released. We fly to Ft Myers, not Orlando, and Delta used to have non-stops into RSW. I used a spreadsheet to figure out what day my flights would go on sale, and I have been known to stay up until the flights were loaded onto Delta's website (NO, I'm not OCD--YOU'RE OCD!) Once Delta stopped their non-stops to RSW, we switched to JetBlue, and I tried to book the day they were released.

Now we're tied to college Spring Break, which gives us a bit more wiggle room, but prices are still a little high.

I found there are rarely seat sales over February and April School vacation weeks.

 

[Tattylou]

Vermonters, but we fly out of Bradley, Albany or Burlington and compete with MA spring break often. I start looking 11 months out and if I find a great one way I book it. Rarely, does this happen, so I am sitting in front of the computer and book the minute Jetblue releases fares. I look at Albany first for great flight times and what have been the best prices the last two years. If I strike out I look at Bradley. If still too high I look at Burlington (no non stops) and Worcester (one flight per day). My goal is $250 pp and usually end up in the $180-220 range by shifting plans 1 day in either direction. Prices never come down on our flights.

Wow, that is a good price for vaca weeks. I usually hope to get $350 or under. I'm always afraid to wait for JB and SW in case I let a good deal get away on the ones that open flights earlier. We only fly out of Boston bc without traffic we can be there in about 20 min and there's a Logan Express bus to the airport in my town. It's just so convenient.

 

[Tinknalli]

Wow, that is a good price for vaca weeks. I usually hope to get $350 or under. I'm always afraid to wait for JB and SW in case I let a good deal get away on the ones that open flights earlier. We only fly out of Boston bc without traffic we can be there in about 20 min and there's a Logan Express bus to the airport in my town. It's just so convenient.

Our local airport is only 20 minutes from home, but I have never seen flights less than $685 pp and those flights require layover in Boston. We drive anywhere from 2 to 3 hours every time we fly. When you buy 4-5 tickets the savings are worth it.

 

[Kteacher]

I fly out of Bradley, and have to follow School vacation periods as well. I always book as soon as fares are released.

 

[Tattylou]

Our local airport is only 20 minutes from home, but I have never seen flights less than $685 pp and those flights require layover in Boston. We drive anywhere from 2 to 3 hours every time we fly. When you buy 4-5 tickets the savings are worth it.

It is def a good point. We could drive to Providence or look at Worcester too. Providence is only abour an hour away, same for Worcester.

 

[monorailsilver]

I am from CT and we have April break. I book the day the flights get released. Last year it was $230 RT, I was one of the lucky ones to get onto google flights and book our jet blue flight that way, that was from BDL to RSW and Easter was just before.

This year, I booked in July when the fares got released and sticker shock...$500+RT but I look now and it's $1000 for the same flight RT.

DS is in college now, but when we were flying during school vacation weeks, I would ALWAYS book the day the flights were released. We fly to Ft Myers, not Orlando, and Delta used to have non-stops into RSW. I used a spreadsheet to figure out what day my flights would go on sale, and I have been known to stay up until the flights were loaded onto Delta's website (NO, I'm not OCD--YOU'RE OCD!) Once Delta stopped their non-stops to RSW, we switched to JetBlue, and I tried to book the day they were released.

Now we're tied to college Spring Break, which gives us a bit more wiggle room, but prices are still a little high.

I found there are rarely seat sales over February and April School vacation weeks.

We took that flight last April and will take it again in just over 2 weeks...I type this as my fingers are freezing listening to the wind howl in shoreline CT.