OMG: Xmas Week Airfares

[cg1200]

My worst nightmare has come true. Jetblue has their Dec 2011 airfares up and they are insane. $677 round trip from HPN to MCO. $643 from SWF. I was prepared to pay about $500 but this is just absurd.

Don't know what to do here. I know booking early is the way to go but I just can't bring myself to pay over $700 (with) tax for airfare per person. I have a family of 5. I guess all I can do is wait (and pray) Airtran is cheaper when they release their fares.

I will likely cancel trip at this point. Absurd.

 

[collegejunkie]

i got christmas week flights last year for $190 round trip on american, and i booked only about 4 months out. something will pop up. good luck!

 

[cg1200]

$190? I would be thrilled with anything less than $300.

 

[JennSaint]

Have you considered other airlines? I wouldn't limit yourself especially during a very busy travel time.

 

[jacdolfin]

I know it sounds crazy but have you priced/thought of driving. I know id rather fly to but we have driven from Texas and it took us 23 hours to get there. We swaped off driving and drove all the way. We would have driven this year to but found good air fare for June so switched Christmas trip to June.

Try signing up at www.airfarewatchdog.com you can get good deals sent to your email. Also sign up with the airlines try Jetblue etc.

Best of luck

 

[collegejunkie]

i would also see if you can fly into and out of airports that you normally don't. for example, instead of JFK or LGA for me, i could try islip or white plains and fly into, say, jacksonville or something and rent a car and drive the rest of the way. mix and match and see what you get

 

[cg1200]

Have you considered other airlines? I wouldn't limit yourself especially during a very busy travel time.

I've looked at all NYC airports. Everything is over $600 round trip. Too rich for my blood.

 

[cg1200]

I know it sounds crazy but have you priced/thought of driving. I know id rather fly to but we have driven from Texas and it took us 23 hours to get there. We swaped off driving and drove all the way. We would have driven this year to but found good air fare for June so switched Christmas trip to June.

Try signing up at www.airfarewatchdog.com you can get good deals sent to your email. Also sign up with the airlines try Jetblue etc.

Best of luck

I don't know. I drove down a few times as a kid and found it torturous. My kids go crazy driving yo my in-laws which is about 6 hours. Even with a DVD player in the car, all have Nintendo DS', iPods, etc. Plus we'd have to leave like on Xmas day which just would not work.

Thanks for the url. I signed up with yapta which seems like it does a similar thing. At this point, I will pray Airtran has some decent fares. They have not released their Xmas rates yet.

 

[cg1200]

i would also see if you can fly into and out of airports that you normally don't. for example, instead of JFK or LGA for me, i could try islip or white plains and fly into, say, jacksonville or something and rent a car and drive the rest of the way. mix and match and see what you get

Yeah, this is a good tip. I thought of it already and there may be some options to fly into Tampa. We'll see. I hope it doesn't come to that.

 

[Redarrow5150]

I also get the airfarewatchdog but it isn't very reliable. The problem is the rates aren't consistent and are generally AFTER the fact. I think you just need to be persistent at looking at rates and give yourself a rate range you could live with.

 

[jeff968]

I did well. Here is my thread from last week with what I did.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2709631