my airline ticket pricing saga

[NYMom]

I was online earlier this evening trying to book Delta Song out of LGA to MCO for our family of 4's WDW trip on August 24 - 31. I have been watching the price rise for the last two weeks from $59 each way to $79. I know that I should have jumped at the $59 price, but I had been delaying the purchase of my Disney airline tickets since I had just charged our 20th anniversary cruise and airfare to our cc and wanted to delay another big purchase until our next statement. I spoke with my husband and he said to just book it. Just my luck, my son needed my immediate attention right then. By the time I typed in my cc info, my session expired. Much to my surprise, the rate increased to $89.There were the same amount of seats available on the flights I choose just minutes earlier (and just about as many seats from the time I started watching the flights). I called Delta Song and explained that I was in the process of purchasing the tickets when the rate went up. They said there was nothing they could do about it. What was interesting was that I was told that NY was a busy market for them and the rates fluxuate (up & down) frequently and to keep checking toward the end of the week. Do you think that he was trying to tell me something? Should I wait it out? I am unsure wheather to book at the $89 price. I could also book AA from LGA for $75 each way but thought Song would be a better choice for my boys. What would you do? Any thoughts would be appreciated. TIA

 

[frannn]

I wouldn't wait too long to book, but it may be that Song raised their prices during this past holiday weekend. Maybe they will come back down a bit since people are back to work, and probably not booking so much during the week. I'm just guessing here. I already bought our tickets for mid Oct at 59. each way last month, but I keep checking just to ensure myself that I got a great deal. The tickets are up 400 more than when I first bought them, and a full hundred up from what they were yesterday. The rate code when I bought them was T or U, now there is a K, Q, and H next to the flight numbers. I would pick a price I am comfortable with and go with that. How do Jetblue's prices compare for your time period? I have usually had decent luck with them.

 

[NYMom]

Jet blue's prices from JFK are $74/$89 going down and $89/$119 on return. I think that I'll wait until the end of the week to book hoping that the price will decrease. HAVE A GREAT TRIP!

 

[KilleriMac17]

if there are a good amount of seats available, then the prices will usually fluctuate, so keep a close eye, check it a few times a day and see. if there are not many seats avail, or the trip isnt that far off,then the prices may jump up and never go back down.

 

[msr709]

I was just checking for November and found $79 out of JFK and $129 to EWR coming back, so I'm going to wait it out a little, the plane is mostly empty still. I won't wait too long, I can live with $79. I was just wondering why the return flights are going so high. I'm looking to book from Wednesday to Wednesday.

 

[Tiger926]

Quick question - how do you know if the plane is empty or full? I know that you can pick seats on NWA, but I can't seem to find how to tell how full the plane is.

Thanks, Tiger

 

[frannn]

before you actually purchase your tickets. I do not believe you can do this on Jetblue until after you purchase. With Jetblue, you are only able to check if 8 seats are available at a given price.

 

[Tiger926]

Thanks, I think NWA is set up the same way.

Tiger

 

[vossjemi]

You might also delete your cookies and temporary internet files and check rates again. Sometimes if you've been checking, they put a cookie there to prevent you from getting that low rate again...at least until you are a "new" user to them.

 

[zulaya]

Delta will let you select your seats as you are booking, I believe. NWA won't let you choose seats until you are within 90 days of the flight. But you can log back in online and do that if you choose.

 

[DebbieB]

I would try it again today. I've had that happen where I've checked a rate and then went back in and tried it again, it went up. I think internally their system holds the first rate and when you come back in it goes up. Usually if you wait a little while it will go back down.

 

[NYMom]

I just checked again and it's still showing the higher price. There seems to be a good amount of seats left, so I will wait it out and hope for the best. Great advise on clearing the cookie, but have to wait for DH to do it. I can navigate the web, but when it comes to navigating my own computer I'm at a total loss

 

[disneydiva58]

OOOHHHHH.....I feel your pain. I am in exactly the same situation, Im waiting for airfare to come back down.I could kick myself for not getting it last week for $59 from LGA.Im also going in october,still a few months away....hoping the rate goes down and not up Pixie Dust to us

 

[PatMcDuck]

I booked the $59 each way on Song last week from LGA, Sept 30-Oct 5. The way I looked at it, it would NEVER get lower. And that $25 change fee is great, just in case.

 

[FirstTimer]

I'm kicking myself that I didn't find this board sooner, now my flight prices from LGA to MCO for Sept. 7-15th are $89 each way. I'm hoping that maybe something better may open up when flyi puts out their sept. rates in a couple of days, otherwise I might say forget it and book out of EWR for the convenience factor.

 

[NYMom]

I would love to get that $59 price again. I'll just wait to see what the prices are and book this weekend before the flights I want start filling up. I also prefer going out of Newark, it's more convienent, but the prices are always much higher than LGA. Times that by 4 and the savings almost pay for my car for the week.

 

[Keebles]

Oh, trust me, I feel your pain! I've been debating over going ahead and booking NWA non-stop for $329 roundtrip from MEM, or Delta for $305 with an hour layover in ATL. If fuel prices keep going up, I'm afraid to wait much longer!! Just for referrence, last January it only cost us $260 a piece roundtrip from MEM.

I feel like I'm in Hades!!

 

[NYMom]

Rates on Delta Song from lga to mco decreased this morning to $74 each way for my dates. I can live with that. The total price for four including taxes and fees were 661.60.
Check your rates again. Hopefully they went down like mine did.
Have a great day!!!