Never flown before...

[MamaBelle4]

I am in the pre-pre-preplanning stage of our next Disney trip (as in we just got back on Sunday).

My DH and I (I believe) have decided to purchase DVC and go down every 2 years. We've only driven down and we live in PA. My husband said he guesses he's going to have to learn to fly (it makes him exceptionally nervous so I've never pressed it).

We've never flown before. I read online that somewhere around 60 days out is when you get the best airfare, does that seem right? I checked for my family of 6 from Harrisburg, PA to Orlano for roundtrip and it came to about $1,300. Does that seem about right? I don't know if that's a deal or I'm missing a big clue to finding the best airfare. Thank you!

 

[ncc1701]

That sounds good. DH and I fly from Philadelphia and would jump on an airfare for $225 round trip each. My only question is depending on the airline what extra fees are there? Some airlines economy tickets now charge for carry on bags that are stored overhead in addition to the checked baggage fee.

 

[Gracie09]

I would buy directly from the airline you want to fly. Use Expedia or the like to get an idea of schedule but ultimately book from the airline site directly. Make sure you understand what you fare includes - seat selection, baggage etc. when to buy can vary. We like to fly JetBlue and tend to buy as soon as they release the flights as well we can usually get good deals. That way we also spread out the cost of the trip a bit. But I am sure people will chime in with other opinions. But basically - once you buy don't look at the prices anymore. With limited exceptions you cannot get a price difference so why bother.
When you pack stay under the weight limit usually 40-50 pounds depending on the airline for checked baggage.
As a first time flyer I would opt for an airline where you choose seats. It's one less thing to worry about

 

[Betty Rohrer]

I am in the pre-pre-preplanning stage of our next Disney trip (as in we just got back on Sunday).

My DH and I (I believe) have decided to purchase DVC and go down every 2 years. We've only driven down and we live in PA. My husband said he guesses he's going to have to learn to fly (it makes him exceptionally nervous so I've never pressed it).

We've never flown before. I read online that somewhere around 60 days out is when you get the best airfare, does that seem right? I checked for my family of 6 from Harrisburg, PA to Orlano for roundtrip and it came to about $1,300. Does that seem about right? I don't know if that's a deal or I'm missing a big clue to finding the best airfare. Thank you!

when packing make sure everyone has clothes in every suitcase that way if one goes missing for a day you don't have to rush to find something and pay Disney prices. we live in the same area of Pa and I would also look at Baltimore/BWI for prices. $1,300 for 6 sounds about right but could be higher depending on when traveling

 

[richmo]

$1300 for 6 sounds pretty good. I'm not sure if you've added in baggage fees, etc., which would add another $50 or so per person, roundtrip. Also, some airlines charge varying amounts for seats (some don't) so keep that in mind. Looking at Expedia/Kayak and the like is a good place to start to see who flys where and how much, but I also agree that its best to book directly with the airline, once you find what you want. Also, it's not an issue for Harrisburg, but if you go out of anywhere that Southwest flies (like Baltimore), you have to look their prices up directly at Southwest...their schedules are not posted on any of the "general" sites.

 

[sam_gordon]

I read online that somewhere around 60 days out is when you get the best airfare, does that seem right?

There is no absolute with airfare prices. Period. On AVERAGE, ~7 weeks out is supposed to be the best time, but the folks who did the study on that (cheaptickets.com) even admit you can't use that as a rule. The best thing you can do is check prices at least multiple times a week (more often the closer you get). Once you see a price you're satisfied with (note I did not say 'happy'). Book. Don't look again unless you're on an airline that offers refunds (Southwest and Alaska(?)).

All that being said, 6 people for $1300 is $216pp RT. That's probably pretty good. If you want to look at what the lowest prices could probably be, look for tickets for next January (after New Years). That will probably show you how low they can go. But just know, the time you want to fly (Spring break, summer break, Christmas break, etc) all factors into it.

 

[nkereina]

Agree with PP - there is no real rhyme or reason with airfare pricing. I plan my trips relatively far in advance and usually book when schedules are released, so about 6+ months in advance. Sometimes we get the best price, sometimes not, but I haven't yet had a great variation where I was kicking myself. But, by booking far in advance, I do always get the times I want and seats together, if I'm booking an airline that I can choose my seats with.

 

[Dis703]

That's not a bad price for 6 people. We fly out of PA and have been getting flights as low as $50 to $100 RT per person on Frontier. Prior to using them the best rates we found were around $200 each. Right now it seems to be even higher. As for when to book that really depends on the airline and for 6 people I'm not sure I'd wait too close to your dates. We've found deals very close but with limited number of tickets or flight times that were less than ideal. When we flew JetBlue we never saw the prices drop lower than they day they were released. With Frontier they can have very last minute specials and the cheapest flights we've booked were only 2-4 weeks out. But you have to be flexible with plans to take advantage of those kind of rates.

 

[NH-to-FL]

The $1300 for 6 is a pretty good price.

Also, I am curious about your flight to Orlando out of Harrisburg. Is it nonstop? Given your DH's nervousness I would suggest a non stop flight. Is it through Allegiant Air? You probably know this but Allegiant flies into Sanford airport, not Orlando International. A bit further away from Disney and will probably require a rental car. Magical Express doesn't go to Sanford.

If you live in the right part of PA I would second the suggestion on checking out the Baltimore/Washington airport. I suspect you will find a lot more non stop options to get to Orlando out of BWI.

Congrats on the upcoming DVC purchase and have a magical trip!