Play the waiting game, or just buy now???

[txsoccermom]

We are planning a 4 nt cruise on the Disney Dream over our spring break in mid-March. We're going to fly in the Fri nite before (Sun dep on cruise), so we can spend Sat at KSC, and then fly back the following Fri nite after spending 2 days at Universal following the cruise. The best price I've ever seen between DFW & MCO was about $175 or so, and that was not a school holiday time. Right now, I have flights on hold with American (nonstop) for $235/rt per person (inc tax), where we fly into Tampa on Fri nite, and fly out of MCO the following Fri nite. I don't know if I will find much better or not (still think if I can save $25/pp in the ticket that covers checked bags 1 way)! SWA (not a nonstop flight, BUT no costs for checked bags ) doesn't open the rest of their March 2011 fares until Oct 5.

So, what would you do? Gamble and play the waiting game, to see if prices go down and also check the fares on SWA on Oct 5, or book now? I've know before too, that fares tend to go on sale about 2-3 months in advance of when we would be planning to go, but since it's Spring Break, I don't know if that will happen.

Pls help this indecisive mom

 

[NancyIL]

Have you checked fares at Kayak, including prices to return home on Saturday rather than Friday night? Saturdays are usually a less expensive day to fly. If you plan to go to Universal on Friday and then fly home that evening, you must have a late flight on hold.

I've read that Tuesday (~ 3 p.m. Eastern) is the best day to purchase a plane ticket, because other airlines have matched the airline(s) who put their flights on sale on Monday night.

I am cruising on the Dream Feb. 27, and I bought my Feb. 24 plane ticket to Orlando on AirTran on July 30th. I bought the return flight for March 9 a few days later. I was going to buy it on American, then saw on Kayak that Delta's one-way fare was $91.40 with taxes - about $39 less than American or AirTran. I'm glad I didn't wait, because Delta's one-way fare was $39 more the next day!

**I guessed at your travel dates (March 11-18) and checked Kayak. Returning home on Friday is definitely less expensive than on Saturday! The other airlines' fares are considerably more, except AirTran. Since you have the reservation on hold until tomorrow night (I assume) - you can keep shopping tomorrow before deciding!

 

[txsoccermom]

Yes, those are the dates (Mar 11-18)! I did have tix on hold last week for Mar 11-19 (total of about $30 more). And yes, Tues/Wed afternoons I've found are the best for the price shopping on flights! I even looked into buying a 1-way on SWA when they opened up their ressies thru Mar 11, about 2 wks ago. However, 1 way was @ $200/ea So I passed on that!

Oh well, guess I'll sleep on it Thanks!

 

[NancyIL]

Yes, those are the dates (Mar 11-18)! I did have tix on hold last week for Mar 11-19 (total of about $30 more). And yes, Tues/Wed afternoons I've found are the best for the price shopping on flights! I even looked into buying a 1-way on SWA when they opened up their ressies thru Mar 11, about 2 wks ago. However, 1 way was @ $200/ea So I passed on that!

Oh well, guess I'll sleep on it Thanks!

A roundtrip on Southwest will not be any less expensive than two one-ways. If the one-way flight on March 11 is $200, the return flight will probably be similarly priced. I know you can get a credit on Southwest if the fare goes down, but it only benefits you if you can use the credit within a year.

My daughter flew from DFW-MCO on Thanksgiving Day 2007 until the Monday afterwards, and I know her ticket was more than $300 on American (purchased in August). A fare of $235 into Tampa and home from Orlando on American non-stops sounds pretty good to me!

 

[seashoreCM]

Are the fares already on sale?

If it is just their everyday low price then I would wait.

I am not sure whether this is true but some folks are saying that if you do not clear the cookies in your computer between shopping sessions, the lowest prices of the day might not always appear.

 

[NancyIL]

Checking fares at American's site this morning, the one-way to Tampa on the 11th has only one flight at $110 + tax, and other flights are $186. Returning from Orlando on the 18th - the 6:03 p.m. flight is $103 + tax, and the other flights are $178. The days on either side are also higher.

I am paying $220-$230 for my roundtrip flights on ArTran from Bloomington, IL this year, whereas last year I paid $160. If $175 is the lowest you have seen in the past from Dallas, and you can get them for $235 for spring break, I would buy them and not look back - especially when the lowest one-way fare on Southwest on March 11 is $214 to Tampa and $236 to Orlando plus taxes! Just my opinion.

 

[dudspizza]

That is about the best you'll find on AA, IMO. I would look closely at Airtran out of DFW.

I am finding really weird pricing for our flights March 10-19 out of MSP. Sun Country sold out the flight already and has added a second one, while Airtran came out at $390 each way for their non-stop that day and then dropped it to $114 each way yesterday (I bought 9 tix) and they are back up to $390 each way for the same flights today......

$250 is more than I have ever paid to fly to MCO by at least $30, but the way the pricing has looked, I decided to buy and hope for a schedule change so I can move my return flight a day later AND eventually a price drop so I can ask for a credit.... am I asking too much, LOL? I am actually happy to be booked at a price that is ok.....

duds

 

[NancyIL]

That is about the best you'll find on AA, IMO. I would look closely at Airtran out of DFW.

I am finding really weird pricing for our flights March 10-19 out of MSP. Sun Country sold out the flight already and has added a second one, while Airtran came out at $390 each way for their non-stop that day and then dropped it to $114 each way yesterday (I bought 9 tix) and they are back up to $390 each way for the same flights today......

$250 is more than I have ever paid to fly to MCO by at least $30, but the way the pricing has looked, I decided to buy and hope for a schedule change so I can move my return flight a day later AND eventually a price drop so I can ask for a credit.... am I asking too much, LOL? I am actually happy to be booked at a price that is ok.....

duds

AirTran is higher out of DFW than American, and there are few non-stops.

AirTran just opened bookings beyond March 9 yesterday, and they haven't loaded all of the lowest fares, yet. That explains the odd (really high) pricing.

 

[Brian Noble]

Right now, I have flights on hold with American (nonstop) for $235/rt per person (inc tax), where we fly into Tampa on Fri nite, and fly out of MCO the following Fri nite.

With one bag each, that amounts to $285 for nonstop flights at the times you want. From DTW in the winter, I'd buy that in a heartbeat, especially this year now that the airlines have gotten more of a handle on capacity. DFW might be better, I don't know that market. But, it's not an unreasonable price. You might save a few bucks on Southwest, but you'll have to connect---and based on what I'm seeing out of DTW for my late Feb/early Mar trip, you might not save a few bucks on southwest.