MSP to MCO help please!

[seashell724]

We haven't flown this route for about 4 years. So many things have changed...especially the prices and extra add on costs for everything! Luggage, seats etc.

We drive 7 hrs to fly from MSP. It is the only way we can get a non stop flight and that is very important for my sanity. I hate worrying about connecting flights and hauling baby stuff around big airports! Also, going through a land boarder crossing is much easier than air when you have all that stuff too.

Looking to go in Oct 2014 but I am scoping out prices for this Oct anyway. Looks like about $435 for non stop flight. Eek!

What is a good rate from MSP-non stop? Any tips on when to start looking hard core and emails to sign up for? I know my flights won't be released for a while but I want to be prepared!

I'm well versed in flights in Canada but haven't flown in the US for 4 years.

Please help!

 

[seashell724]

Also, is there traditionally very good sales at certain times if the year I should watch out for?

 

[seashell724]

Anyone?

 

[taitai]

When in October? If you are going during MEA, the prices are going to be significantly higher.

 

[jacksonsmom]

I fly MSP to MCO also, airfare has gone up A LOT! Even during non-peak times.

I book anytime I see my dates around or below $300 RT.

During peak travels, third week in October, Spring break, Christmas break, etc. I would expect right around $400 - $450 RT unfortunately. It really stinks!

 

[4Joyces]

We paid just under $300 for a direct flight last August. I thought that was pretty good. As the pp said, if you fly during MEA (I think it's Oct 17-18 this year), it'll cost a lot more.

Have you looked at Sun Country? They have a direct flight and should be cheaper than Delta

 

[Collette]

I haven't flown MSP to MCO for quite awhile so I'm not sure what a good price might be. My last six trips have been out of Fargo either in October or early December.

A lot will depend on what part of October you are traveling and how flexible you are with dates of travel. Our school break (MEA now Education MN) is always the third full weekend in October - so good deals around that time are difficult to come by. But maybe not impossible with flexible dates.

I always just keep watching the Delta website. Sorry I don't know anything about emails to sign up for. Just now I looked for MSP to MCO and Wednesday to Wednesday Oct 23 - 30 is $297 with good flight times and seat choices. Saturday to Saturday Oct 12 - 19 (includes MEA) is $618 with the latest flight out and an 8 am return flight - but $355 for Oct 26 - Nov 2.

I watch flights all the time - even when I don't have a vacation planned - changing up dates, time of day, etc. That way when it comes time to book, I have a real good idea of what I want to pay and what timeframes those prices might be offered. I have certain times when I want to have my flights so I don't always get the cheapest flight, but I know what price I am willing to pay to fly at those times.

For my trip this year, I was especially watchful because I wanted to fly for our school break. I think I booked the very first day I could and got a price I could live with and was fairly glad to get.

I love going in October!! My preference though is for the latter part of the month. With the exception of one time, the weather seems to be more comfortable then. Still warm/hot, but mostly hasn't been as humid. We were there last year mid-month. Had some VERY uncomfortable days. We're northerners - what can I say

I think this is a good time to start watching - several times a week at various times if you can - trying out the days and times you would like to fly. Then when you start checking the first day flights are available for October 2014, you should have a pretty good idea of what you want to do. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are supposed to be better than weekends. I don't know. Sometimes I've booked on other days though late at night, on my lunch hour on a Thursday, after 3 pm on another, etc.

Good luck!!

 

[Minnesota!]

I would avoid MEA, or at least fly out just prior. Go Tues/Tues if you can.

We were able to snag Airtran for $123/each way (well, I had A+ rewards so I only had to buy 1-one way ticket at this price) but still - that would have only been $250 or so RT.

What about Allegiant out of Duluth?

 

[seashell724]

Hi! We would be going the beginning of October for about 2 weeks.

Someone mentioned Tuesday to Tuesday may be better...are those cheaper days?

Some great advice here. In 2010 we paid about $250 per return flight. I will keep in mind that anything around $300 or lower is a "book now" price for direct flight. There doesn't seem to be many direct flights from what I have seen. I saw one on SW and that is it. Others mentioned sun country and delta. Have they offered non stops? I have heard mostly bad things about delta so I will probably avoid them.

How far in advance do these flights open up? I seem to recall it is around 6 months or something. Is this true of most airlines? I want to look as soon as they open. If there are only a few airlines that offer direct from MCO it would make searching so much easier.

Thanks!

 

[travelcoupons]

Not sure where you're from, but it sounds like Western Ontario or Manitoba.
If that's the case, you may want to check flights out of Grand Forks or Fargo, ND on allegiant. http://www.allegiantair.com
They start at about $100 each way. Only drawback is they don't fly everyday. BUT the flights are non-stop. (Into Sanford, FL which is on the north side of Orlando).

 

[seashell724]

Good idea. I had looked at grand forks and Fargo fights before but they all seemed to stop in Mpls. anyway. I will check it out. Are they small planes though?

 

[travelcoupons]

Good idea. I had looked at grand forks and Fargo fights before but they all seemed to stop in Mpls. anyway. I will check it out. Are they small planes though?

They are all larger planes.
I flew them twice between Fargo & Sanford, and both times were in the winter. The flight left on time both times with no problems.
They do have all the little extra charges that many of the airlines have now (fees for bags, advance seat assignments, etc.), I was traveling alone so I didn't purchase the advance seat assignment. They assigned me a seat at check-in at the airport for no charge.

These are the 3 types of planes they fly:

MD-83

MD-87

BOEING 757

 

[CarolMN]

Check out SWA as well. They may have non-stop flights now, too. We are flying non-stop MSP-MCO for our early December trip. They allow you two checked bags (under 50 pounds each) for free and their cancellation / change policies are more passenger friendly than most other airlines. They fly out of the Humphrey terminal, which is smaller and much, much easier to navigate than the main terminal (aka terminal 1). Long-term parking is less expensive at Humphrey, too.

I also keep an eye on Sun Country. They go non-stop and also operate out of Humphrey (aka Terminal 2)

Flying Tuesdays or Wednesdays is often less expensive.

 

[turning into fanatic]

We are flying direct MSP-MCO in November(Sat-Sat) and I had been watching prices for weeks. Cheapest I could find was $378. Then one Friday night at 11 pm I checked and the price had dropped to $297 so I bought them(through Delta)! I wasn't sure what a "good" price was, but a friend who flies to Florida a lot from Minneapolis said she buys whenever they are in the $300's, but wouldn't even tell me what they are paying for their December trip. She said it was outrageous! Have you signed up for an airfare watchdog where they send emails when prices drop?

 

[jennbunn]

This past may we flew non stop AirTran from msp to mco for about 330.00 roundtrip I booked under southwest to avoid bag fees. for non stop your choices are pretty much going to be delta,sun country, or southwest.

 

[seashell724]

Ok. Thanks everyone.