PHL to MCO for $288 (round-trip, nonstop)

[SpaceMountain77]

Hi everyone,

I have been watching airline fares for our August trip. Over the past several weeks, nonstop flights have ranged from $350 to $425. Right now, I can book 4 round-trip, nonstop tickets for $288 each. Would you suggest that I book or wait to see if fares drop lower? We are a little less than 4 months out.

Thanks,
Jim 8O

 

[jennypenny]

Have you checked Frontier out of Trenton? We're flying in August as well and it was cheaper than that. (plus, the airport is small and parking is only $8/day)

Frontier also flies out of Wilmington if Trenton doesn't work for you.

 

[CarolMN]

If it were me, and I were traveling on Tuesdays or Wednesdays, I'd wait. Otherwise, I'd book.

Good luck!

 

[ppoe65]

Frontier at Wilmington, DE also has free parking!

 

[Dawn16]

We're going in August from Boston and have been looking at the same ridiculous $400 fares - crazy for late summer. I think I'd bite if I saw the $288 at this point.

 

[Micca]

I recently saw something (CNN?) that said the best time to book air fare is 54 days prior to travel. No idea if that's right, but there it is.

 

[luckyman_apd]

Check out southwest fares out of BWI. Depending on where you live it's not a terrible ride to Baltimore. We are in South jersey and have done it several times. Gotten fares as low as $97 one way

 

[DebbieB]

I recently saw something (CNN?) that said the best time to book air fare is 54 days prior to travel. No idea if that's right, but there it is.

That might be true in general but I think flights to Orlando are mostly vacations and people book earlier. The prices only go down if there are empty seats.

 

[Millionaire2K]

Hi everyone,

I have been watching airline fares for our August trip. Over the past several weeks, nonstop flights have ranged from $350 to $425. Right now, I can book 4 round-trip, nonstop tickets for $288 each. Would you suggest that I book or wait to see if fares drop lower? We are a little less than 4 months out.

Thanks,
Jim 8O

I have booked PHL to MCO 2 times a year for the past 14 years. I always book Southwest as soon as fares are available. Prices only go up.

I booked Oct 2 way for $240. Its now $305.

NOTE: I have not paid for an airfare in 10 years. I get all my flights free with my SouthWest Credit Card.

Book ASAP.

 

[sophia315]

We have been stalking airfare for a late fall trip and they flights are insanely expensive for Phl to Mco. I would book. Also check spirit out of AC along with frontier from Trenton.

 

[wendydarling826]

I'm also stalking PHL/MCO fares. They are so high this year. I bought our fares to MCO but am still waiting for the return flights to go down a little (I don't care about getting back home as much as I care about getting to WDW!) I will give it another couple of weeks. It kills me to pay over $200. for a one way ticket. I miss the days of $69. airfares!

 

[SpaceMountain77]

Have you checked Frontier out of Trenton? We're flying in August as well and it was cheaper than that. (plus, the airport is small and parking is only $8/day)

Frontier also flies out of Wilmington if Trenton doesn't work for you.

Yes, we are Mercer County residents and Trenton would be ideal, but fares are more expensive on Fridays and Saturdays. Unfortunately, I was not able to adjust our reservation to align it with Frontier's cheaper fares. Next year, I will not plan a Friday departure and Saturday return.

Thank you, jennypenny.

 

[SpaceMountain77]

We're going in August from Boston and have been looking at the same ridiculous $400 fares - crazy for late summer. I think I'd bite if I saw the $288 at this point.

I want to book this fare, but my family is not pleased with the return flight. The departure flight is at 9:35am, which means a DME pick-up at 6:30am or earlier.

They would like to have one final resort breakfast before a midday departure.

 

[SpaceMountain77]

I recently saw something (CNN?) that said the best time to book air fare is 54 days prior to travel. No idea if that's right, but there it is.

Yes, Micca, it is 54 days. According to the article, the prime booking window is between 104 to 29 days before a trip.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/01/best-time-to-book-a-flight_n_4875266.html

 

[SpaceMountain77]

Check out southwest fares out of BWI. Depending on where you live it's not a terrible ride to Baltimore. We are in South jersey and have done it several times. Gotten fares as low as $97 one way

Unfortunately, the nonstop flights out of BWI are actually more than the nonstop flights out of Philadelphia. There is a $20-30 savings out of EWR, but I do not think the savings is worth the additional hours spent on connections.

Nonstop out of PHL is 2.5 hours whereas most travel times out of EWR are 6-7 hours.

 

[SpaceMountain77]

We have been stalking airfare for a late fall trip and they flights are insanely expensive for Phl to Mco. I would book. Also check spirit out of AC along with frontier from Trenton.

Thanks, sophia315!

Spirit actually has a better flight combination and the fare is $269.98 per person. The departure time is ideal, but the return is still earlier than my family would like to leave.

 

[SpaceMountain77]

According to the article, the prime booking window is between 104 to 29 days before a trip.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/01/best-time-to-book-a-flight_n_4875266.html

We are now within the "prime booking window" and the lowest fare is now $326. About a week ago, the same fare was $288.

Right now, I do not find the information presented in the Huffington Post article to be convincing.

 

[Worktoplay]

When you see prices that good book it. Don't go by the 6 weeks out thing as airlines raise prices as the seats fill up and the seats fill up to Orlando! Last year we paid over $400 from PhL to MCO for early November, prices never came down since early May.

 

[SpaceMountain77]

Well, we waited until this evening to book our airline tickets. Although I was starting to worry that passing on the Southwest deal was a huge mistake, we were able to book round-trip, non-stop flights, with Frontier, for $283.15 each.

While I still think this is high, I do not anticipate that late August flights, out of Newark or Philadelphia, will drop from the high $300s, low $400s to $250 or less.

Thanks, everyone, for the helpful comments.

Jim 8O

 

[CarolMN]

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