Price of flights out of Buffalo

[disneykins]

Just started planning trip for Xmas 05. I'm getting a quote on USAirways out of Buffalo of $280.06 CAD per person including taxes and fees. Leave at 6:45am and stop in Charlotte. Return we leave at 6:30 pm change in Charlotte and arrive in Buffalo at 11:20 pm. Times aren't the best but the price sounds really great. Tried the Southwest airlines site but they dont list prices past September. Do I book this now (non-refundable) or wait for Southwest prices and risk losing this price? Any chance Southwest would be much better?
Thanks
Tony

 

[Hockeychic]

Personally I would wait for SW...which is what I am doing. Last year we flew non stop from Buffalo to MCO for $580.80 US for 4 people. I am hoping for a similar rate this time. The only thing I don't like about SW is the boarding but oh well for the great price I will live with it.

 

[hockey mom]

I also would wait. We are going mid December and are waiting for southwest to open up their schedule.

 

[Snowwark]

The only thing I don't like about SW is the boarding but oh well for the great price I will live with it.

Hockeychic, what's wrong with the boarding? Just curious....

 

[aphasia83]

Snowwark, what Hockeychic probably means is that SW boarding is a little... different... You have to print off your own boarding pass before you get to the airport, but you can only do that after midnight on the day your flight is due to leave. The first bunch of people who check-in/print their boarding passes will get put in the A category, then the B category fills up, and finally the C category. It basically all boils down to who gets to get on the plane first. The As get their choice of seats, the Bs get whatever the As didn't take, and the Cs get whatever is left over. There is no assigned seating. Thus, if you are a C, there is a chance you won't get to sit with your friends/family/whoever you're traveling with.

That said, I am flying out of Buffalo next week with SW and the total per person is something like $155 CAD. From what I hear, SW is an uncommonly great company, if you don't mind their weird boarding/seating policy.

 

[dancin Disney style]

I spent MANY hours online searching and comparing prices and schedules. I ended up booking with Air Tran from Buffalo. The price was $255 USD less than Southwest for 4 tickets(we are travelling in July). We do have to make a short stop in Atlanta but the savings is worth it to us. I agree that SW has some great sale prices and the bonus of direct nonstop flights from Buffalo. Air Tran also has regular sales. Through my searching I did discover a great deal on Delta ($501 USD total for 4 tickets) but I took to much time thinking about it and missed out, so basically if you see a good price book it. Xmas is an extremely busy time, so I don't think I'd wait to long before booking something unless you're willing to risk paying more.

 

[Snowwark]

Thank you for the explanation, Aphasia83!

Sounds like it'll be slim-pickins' seat-wise, for DH and I. We're staying over in Buffalo the night before, so we won't be able to print out our boarding passes. Usually I don't mind leftovers, but we'll see how it goes.

We got a great deal also, one of SW's internet specials. $283. Canadian, for our 2 flights.

I hope you have a smooth flight (and great seats..lol), Aphasia, and thanks again!

 

[poohbear7]

If you get to the airport 2hrs before your flight and do curbside checkin or counter you still may get an A pass. They distribute them among Kiosk, counter, curbside and internet. So you could do internet checkin and still get a B or C pass. We have always gotten A pass when we check in 2hrs before our flight.

 

[poohbear7]

We also stay over in Buffalo been doing it for 5 years to save money. Never paid more than $59. U.S. +tax each way. It's also a direct flight which is great when travelling with children.

 

[garytam]

I can print out the SW boarding pass on my way down. But I don't have my PC nor printer in WDW. Does that mean you will always be class "C" on the way back ???

THanks

 

[Jewel99]

We're flying out of Buffalo on SW in mid-May ($200 Cdn/pp return) and actually bought the tickets through a local TA who specializes in Florida trips. I could have booked the same rate buying direct ($49 USD each way +taxes/charges), but it was so much easier to pay the Cdn. fare than worry about what exchange rate our credit card company would charge.

SW has sales all the time, and they also have their "Ding" service which I'm just learning about that supposedly alerts users to seat sales that are offered for a limited time.

If you want to check and see if the TA here in Cambridge knows of any deals for that time of year, their number is **Edited to remove number for the Florida Travel Centre in Cambridge as I've since learned that they charged me a hidden service fee without informing me up front about the additional cost.

 

[aphasia83]

Jewel99, you're from Cambridge too? That is so exciting! I just went to the Florida travel place, but they weren't very helpful so I booked it all myself.

Anyway, someone had asked whether not being able to print your SW boarding pass will leave you in the C category. Well I had to call Southwest today, on a related matter, and they told me that if you arrive at the airport at least 90 minutes before your flight is due to leave, there is generally a "good but not certain" chance that you MAY still get in the A category. In other words, all is not lost. You can still hope.

Incidentally, if you're staying at a hotel, just go to the front desk and they apparently have no problem using their computers to check in for your flight.

 

[Third times a charm]

When we went in February, I called the front desk just after midnight the (night) day we were leaving (we had a 4:05 pm flight), and asked them to print out all our boarding passes. Then I went to bed and I picked them up after 9:00 am in the morning. Worked great for us.

 

[yyzgurl]

It was cheaper than $200 pp from the SW website. I got my credit card statement and it was $160ish for each person. This was with the $49 each way deal.

 

[aphasia83]

Indeed it was, yyzgurl. I got the same deal - it was something like $330 Canadian, total, for two people.

That is why I am wary about booking plane tickets with travel agents! I guess for the same flight, it would have cost me $70 more to book with them. With that money I bought an extra night at my hotel

By the way, if any of you are flying down from Buffalo and looking for a cheap hotel for the night before your flight, I just booked a great deal for next week - if you go to BestWestern.com and book their rate ($71-79 with free breakfast and shuttle), and then look at Expedia's rate for the Best Western at the Buffalo Airport ($64), you can do Best Western's "guarantee" thing and end up paying about $58. If you care, check their website.

 

[TIGGER'SFRIEND]

Southwest in Dec is usually very reasonable, last year I got rt non-stop for 135.00 all taxes & fees. NON-STOP & at Orlando by 1030am. Wait for them too open their schedule ( was in July last year) Print your boarding passes at midnite and you'll be all set.

 

[riu girl]

tiggersfriend, (or anyone else)
what dates in Dec. did you fly last year? We are flying Sat Dec 17 and back to BUF Sat. Dec. 31. I assume that the prices for my dates won't be near as good since I think they are considered peak Christmas holiday dates?

Any thoughts anybody??????????

Suzy

 

[TIGGER'SFRIEND]

We flew from 12/11-12/19 , not sure what the prices were for the holiday week but Southwest is usually pretty cheap.

 

[mousy_in_canada]

We are looking to go the 1st week of December and someone on the Transportation forum said that they can go as low as $39.00 each way during that time frame, the farther you go into December the more they cost, BUT it is still cheaper than flying in Canada!

 

[poohbear7]

My fare with Southwest is usually 115.US return each that's $49. each way plus tax. We went in Dec. last year and are going in May