Oh boy! My flight went up $270 overnight!

[Disneycrazymom]

I had a feeling I should have booked it yesterday but didn't. This is a southwest flight into FLL in Nov. Yesterday was the lowest I have seen it since they opened the dates at $411 RT. So this am I thought I would just go ahead and book. Today it is $681 RT!!!! I am afraid many people booked yesterday and the plane is getting full.

What should do now? Any thoughts? Book it high thinking the flight is getting full? Wait it out and hope for a drop to book? It is a cruise and so our option of times are limited. What to do......

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

If I were you, I'd wait a bit and also keep checking the prices of other airlines. Next time you see a price you like, grab it.

 

[1tufgt]

Yeah, southwest has been up and down with their fares a lot here in the past couple of weeks. Were already booked for our Oct. trip but I'm always looking to get a better deal and switch to a non-stop.

The non-stop i wanted dropped from $223 to $191 the other day and I wish I would of rebooked it because it's now up to $285.

Also note Tues - Wed is when fares usually change.

 

[katallo]

The exact same thing happened to our friend. It's difficult to believe that a flight that was 122 went up to 270 overnight. This morning, she booked with another airline. I guess it's not easy predicting SWA. Their have been all over the place this year. Our friend is happy with 109-122 each way and glad she doesn't have to think about it anymore. They were a family of 5, so it was a huge savings.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

When in November? Are you booking around the Thanksgiving holiday? That can change the 'expectations'

 

[brenda1966]

A SW flight i've been watching went from $220 over night to $350! Insane. Just take a deep breath and keep watching. Maybe next Tuesday they will take a dip again. If not, I have my eye on a couple of other flights, maybe even have to do a layover. But I will not pay over $350 for ONE WAY!

 

[Rpsemont]

Unless it's over a thanksgiving, I would wait.

I've been watching flights from BDL to MCO for 10/22 - a non stop at noon
It was at $139 at one point, then $159, recently, it was back to $139 with another connecting flight at $99. Today its $217!

I'm waiting for it to be $99 or else I'll just have to book delta (which yesterday at $99)

Generally, I check the low fare calendar a couple times a week. You can almost see when the discounted flights begin and end. Recently, all of July and August has been $99 for most days - even though a few months ago the lowest was $139 or even $159!
Keep checking, but I'm hoping by mid August my preferred October fares will be available.

needless to say, none of this works if you're flying around the Thanksgiving Holiday. The weekend before and Thanskgiving weekend aren't known for the lowest fares. Also, if you're from NYC and going during "jersey week" the lowest fares may not be available.

Good luck!

 

[Mjkre]

I am looking into flying from NY around Thanksgiving as we have done every year for the last several years. I have paid anywhere from $1100 to $1550 for our family of five dring Thanksgiving Week. We always leave the Friday before and have left Orlando on either Fri, Sat or Sunday after Thanksgiving. Never have I paid even close to what they are charging this year, certainly not the $3000.00 that I found today. Yes, I should not have waited. Right now, Jet Blue is much cheaper and if SW doesn't drop their fairs, that is who we are booking with (despite the a change in our outbound airport that makes it less convient).

 

[jennapens]

I actually booked a few days after the fares were announced. We're flying out of PIT on Thanksgiving Day. We paid $162 each way. The same exact flights now are $275 each way. That is just insane. I was going to wait to book, but I'm glad I didn't.

 

[TyRy]

We switched our flights yesterday from flying into Tampa to flying into Orlando in December. We originally booked Tampa as they were about $140 cheaper (pp) RT than Orlando. I was checking the site yesterday and suddenly the flight into Orlando had dropped drastically and was only 4 dollars more RT for us. So I switched. Checked this morning and the flight to Orlando had gone up to $270 pp, an increase of $153 and the flight home went up about $65 pp Glad I caught the website at a good time.

Sorry OP you didn't get in on it yesterday - hopefully you'll find the fares lower again.

 

[Minniekins]

When fares for Dec came out like May 24, I checked in late at night. I was surprised to see 117 each way with great times and nonstop, Chicago/Orlando. I came to the dis for a min, then refreshed the SW page and the way down was 170! i was so mad! i didn't want to just book one way(home). So, I just watched, checking a few times day. Prices stayed there, so finally I thought maybe i better book the way home. AT prices were the same of 117, but with bag fees it was lots more. Anyway, went to book the way home and it was up to 170, I was so disappointed, but figured I'd be watching a while and figured I'd not be booking for a while maybe. Anyway, late Sunday night I went to check and suddenly the fare each way was 117 again! I was very surprised and had to really verify that was valid, lol, then booked the RT for 510 w/taxes and fees. Still less than last year with the bag fees from AT so I was happy with that! A few ago I checked just to see, and they had gone up to 237 down and 179 back so $875 or so RT!! So glad I booked when I did, and that I saw it - gotta keep checking. I haven't found any pattern of days or anything of when prices drop, regardless of what I've seen others say. I'd just keep watching and wait til the price drops again, that's best at this point I think! Good Luck!

 

[browniemtb]

Something must have happened......I booked 5 tickets for $1800 and like everyone else the follow day those same flights went up to $3082. Glad I booked when I did......

 

[helenk]

You really just have to keep an eye on the Southwest website. I had been watching the fares for my trip 12/8-12/14 since the fares were first released. I did not book right away since I was waiting for my vacation approval to come through.
When I booked the flights I picked were $115 each way, then some of the flights went up $26. A day or so later, my flight to MCO went down to $89, now they are up to $163 and $215.
I suspect that they will come down again, you just have to check it each day.

 

[Scrappygrrl]

THey will come down, it is still early. SW airfares seem to have pretty drastic fluctuation as compared to other airlines.
This past Tuesday at 4pm, my flights went down (also doing Jersey week PHL-MCO, fri nov 4 to fri nov 11). I got 163 on the way down and 89 on the way back. Wednesday am I rechecked and the flights had gone up to $284 and $189. I was like seriously????
Just keep checking several times a day. You still have lots of time for Jersey week.

 

[AJKMOM]

I found a great deal on Delta, and by the time I filled out the 6 travelers info, the price went up over $50 per ticket. "We are sorry, but the price quoted for your trip has changed". Really, in 3 minutes? I had many "choice" words for Delta that day. Wish I could drive from PA.

 

[scootch]

I noticed yesterday that flights were going back down about 6 weeks earlier than I was looking, example, I am looking to book Nov 18th, well they are high until you go back till the first Friday in October and that is when they are low, same flight, a friday.... so I am just waiting on mine.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

THey will come down, it is still early. SW airfares seem to have pretty drastic fluctuation as compared to other airlines.
This past Tuesday at 4pm, my flights went down (also doing Jersey week PHL-MCO, fri nov 4 to fri nov 11). I got 163 on the way down and 89 on the way back. Wednesday am I rechecked and the flights had gone up to $284 and $189. I was like seriously????
Just keep checking several times a day. You still have lots of time for Jersey week.

I disagree unless you can stay a few days into the following week. On SWA the last Sat night flight is completely sold out and the only flight home under $200 is Sat morning and it connects. On Sunday all the 'wanna get away' tier is sold out. That leaves only 'Anytime' or Business Select, both are over $300 pp one way.

I've been watching this week since last Dec when USAirways 1st released their dates since we travel this week every year. I got $89 down Fri night but they wanted $280 to return Sat or Sun. (if I could stay til Mon I could have gotten $89 but ds will be in HS.) Spirit also wanted $280 to return. Finally I got Airtran at $130 on Sun the 13th. By later that day it was over $200.
Since I already had flights, I didn't see SWA prices until an hour after they were released but then they were already over $200 pp and I haven't seen them drop since. If they did, I must have missed it. This year, JW is a more popular week than TG.
Good thing I got an awesome deal on the cruise cuz the airfare shopping is torture.

 

[Scrappygrrl]

I disagree unless you can stay a few days into the following week. On SWA the last Sat night flight is completely sold out and the only flight home under $200 is Sat morning and it connects. On Sunday all the 'wanna get away' tier is sold out. That leaves only 'Anytime' or Business Select, both are over $300 pp one way.

Yes, that was the same deal last weekend too. Zero Wanna Get Away fares for Saturday the 12 (only the 309 Anytime fares). So I booked my condo from Fri to Fri because they were somewhat better. Anyway, Tuesday right after I booked the decent Friday flights, I checked the Sat flights and suddenly there were decent WGA fares returning on Sat (one was 115, the other was 151, maybe?).
While I am not omniprescient, I think we will see some WGA fares reappear for the Fri/Sat/Sun Jersey week dates, especially since SW has not run any of its fall sales yet.

Out of curiosity, why do you think Jersey week at Disney will be more crowded than Thanksgiving week this year?

 

[Disneycrazymom]

Thanks so much for the encouragement. I plan to continue checking fares and hope the flight I want comes down. If not I will book a different flight that has a stop or even a different airport. Because this is a cruise I need to fly in on Sat and out on Sun and so it will be more expensive. But I would still spend more on rooms/food etc to fly on Tues or Wed. I do hope they come down! Sure wish I had grabbed it at the $411 when I saw it come up!

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Yes, that was the same deal last weekend too. Zero Wanna Get Away fares for Saturday the 12 (only the 309 Anytime fares). So I booked my condo from Fri to Fri because they were somewhat better. Anyway, Tuesday right after I booked the decent Friday flights, I checked the Sat flights and suddenly there were decent WGA fares returning on Sat (one was 115, the other was 151, maybe?).
While I am not omniprescient, I think we will see some WGA fares reappear for the Fri/Sat/Sun Jersey week dates, especially since SW has not run any of its fall sales yet.

Out of curiosity, why do you think Jersey week at Disney will be more crowded than Thanksgiving week this year?

I don't think it will be more crowded at the parks; just talking about flight availability & prices. Last time I checked prices for flights for JW they were on par with TG or worse; more like Christmas week. It was never this bad and with the cuts in the # of flights there is less supply than demand.

When we 1st started going JW, ds14 was in 1st grade. Then USAirways had non stops every hour from 6am to 9pm. Even when SWA first came to Philly around 05 they had around 8-10 nonstops per day and plenty of sales that week. Since all the economy went down the drain, lots of cuts in the # of flights, much fewer non stops and prices are crazy high.

I just wouldn't be posting that there's plenty of time for JW. (unless you can be VERY flexible. Our cruise ends Sunday so no option to return early.) Last year, prices started decent then shot right up. My good friend's SIL kept waiting for better prices but they only kept going up so she gave up & cancelled her trip. For peak demand times such as holidays & JW, in general it's much more common to see prices rise than drop. I just wouldn't count on it.