Price of flights out of Buffalo

[riu girl]

Has anyone flown peak Christmas time with SWA? If so, if you don't mind sharing, what did you pay? We will be flying Sat Dec 17 and Sat Dec 31. I'm sure I will have to pay considerably higher then those who fly early-mid Dec. My dates aren't flexible since I have a condo booked for these dates.

I think next Dec. (when we go to Disney) I might consider flying mid-week.

Suzy V.

 

[Jewel99]

Hi everyone,

After looking at our flights booked through our local TA, I hate to say that we were charged more than we needed to pay -- and under what I see as misleading information. Our local TA (Florida Travel Centre in Cambridge, ON) told me there was a seat sale on with SW for $186 Cdn/person out of Buffalo. This price, they assured me at the time, was the same as if I booked direct through southwest.com. I should have paid more attention to things because I was told the cost included the $49 each way + taxes + airport charges, which worked out to the $186 Cdn.

They even told me I'd have more options booking through them instead of with SW direct as I wouldn't be dinged the high exchange rate through the credit card company, plus they could consider more options for the flights.

Well, had I booked with SW direct, I'd have paid about $70 US less, and now they tell me that they would have told me the $186 pp included their service fee, although I know they did not tell me that. In addition, when I went to book it, they said the exchange rate had changed, and so the price was then $200 pp, which I agreed to pay as they told me there weren't many seats left at all at those prices.

I've now learned, based on feedback in other threads, that this TA doesn't have the most stellar reputation, but I am now quite disappointed in having to pay an extra $100 Cdn more than I needed to, based only on wanting to give the business to a local TA. I know I should have added up the taxes and charges myself and figured out the exchange rate, but I felt I could trust them when they told me it was the same as I'd pay through them... oh well, at least I know they won't get anymore of our business, and I will be sure to dissuade any others I know from using their services.

I just hate having this put a damper on our plans, especially as we're on a tight enough budget as it is.

 

[dsneygirl]

I don't understand why they told you you would be "dinged" on a higher exchange rate on their credit card? I don't see the logic in that statement. I always book directly on their website, or I've called their 1-800# and got great service.

Sorry you are out extra money.

 

[Jewel99]

What I think they meant was that, if I booked through SW direct, I'd be paying whatever exchange rate my credit card company was charging that day, and that, as it varied on a daily basis, I might end up paying more than I expected to if the rate changed before the charge was posted to my credit card.

By booking through the TA, they said I was paying in Cdn funds, so didn't have to worry about the exchange rate varying.

It's just frustrating to me as I'm normally the most thorough and detailed consumer in my family, and I almost always find the best deals available, so it's just galling to me to have overpaid just for believing my local TA when they told me that I was paying the exact same amount whether I book through them or online with SW.

 

[dsneygirl]

What I think they meant was that, if I booked through SW direct, I'd be paying whatever exchange rate my credit card company was charging that day, and that, as it varied on a daily basis, I might end up paying more than I expected to if the rate changed before the charge was posted to my credit card.

By booking through the TA, they said I was paying in Cdn funds, so didn't have to worry about the exchange rate varying.

With that logic it could end up being less than you originally thought if the rates go down then.

I think they were trying to pull a fast one on you by "hiding" their service fees.

 

[Jewel99]

Oh yes... I realize that's what they did now.

They said that they'd have explained that the cost of the flight included all "taxes and fees" which I *should* have known meant it included their fee. I am sure that they only told me that the cost included all "taxes and airport and security fees" but they say I have no proof of that.

When I called them, the manager danced around the issue... and it was obvious I'd get nothing from them in the way of an apology or partial refund of what's been overcharged (imho), so my only option is to grin and bear it, and to make sure we never direct any business to them again in the future.

Edit: The TA's office called me up out of the blue this afternoon and offered to refund the $70 that was charged as the service fee. She said that this was because I obviously felt I'd been misled. While I'm still feeling like a bit of a goof, I do appreciate that they went to this effort after I'd spoken to them this morning.

 

[poohbear7]

When I booked the $49.US on the SW internet site they chargd me $45.58US plus $6.62 US for the UStax and $5.50 for the PFC&security fee total was$57.70 each way X2=$115.40 US This is why I'm now booking my own fares so I don't have to pay the high commision to a travel agent.

 

[BitsnBearsMom]

We booked with that same TA in Cambridge for our trip last October and ended up getting binged for their SC that they never informed us about until I went to pay the trip off 60 days before we left..... they also didn't even mention that we could fly out of buffalo for less then 1/2 the price AND when they went to charge me for the Disney part they bumped the exchange rate up and I ended up paying $1.37 instead of the $1.32 the banks were charging. Was NOT impressed with them and have since bought DVC and will be making all of our own arrangements next time!!

Plus the house they rented for us the first week was supposed to be an executive home that we paid more for thinking it would be better quality..... will never do that again!! Was not the cleanest place I've ever been to... we ended up cleaning and washing the bedding before we would sleep on it!!

 

[kelsco99]

So what are these cheap $49 one way tickets from Southwest... I am looking at booking SW for early-mid June (Buffalo - Orlando) and they are turning out to be one of the more expensive options at over $1000US for 4.

Maybe I am too close to the date of travel?

Kelly

 

[pxlbarrel]

When flying out of Buffalo in Dec or any of the winter months, don't you worry that a snow storm will come along making the drive to Buffalo rather treacherous? That would really make me nervous booking in Dec from BUF...I remember this last Dec, the weather was fine where I live but when I drove to Niagara Falls, the weather turned horrible along Mississauga, Oakville and Hamilton. It was white knuckle driving for a while...

I know that our winters haven't been as bad as they used to but I think I'd still be so nervous I'd actually prefer to pay to fly out of Pearson...just for peace of mind. Am I just being silly?

 

[Jewel99]

So what are these cheap $49 one way tickets from Southwest... I am looking at booking SW for early-mid June (Buffalo - Orlando) and they are turning out to be one of the more expensive options at over $1000US for 4.

Maybe I am too close to the date of travel?

Kelly

Kelly, I think the seat sale is now over for SW. From what I understand, they run similar sales all the time. We got our $49 tickets for Buffalo to Orlando about 5 weeks before our trip in May, but the availability was already starting to dwindle. At first the tickets were $49, then $49/69 depending on flight chosen, then those rates disappeared entirely.

I would suggest you either keep an eye on these boards for people mentioning seat sales, use "Ding" to hear about cheap fares from SW (it's a small program you can download from the SW site that alerts you to fares that are available for only a few hours) or just keep checking the SW reservations page from time to time.

 

[maryliz]

When flying out of Buffalo in Dec or any of the winter months, don't you worry that a snow storm will come along making the drive to Buffalo rather treacherous? That would really make me nervous booking in Dec from BUF...I remember this last Dec, the weather was fine where I live but when I drove to Niagara Falls, the weather turned horrible along Mississauga, Oakville and Hamilton. It was white knuckle driving for a while...

I know that our winters haven't been as bad as they used to but I think I'd still be so nervous I'd actually prefer to pay to fly out of Pearson...just for peace of mind. Am I just being silly?

We flew SW out of Buffalo on Jan 6th this year. They were calling for a major storm the day before and day of. We were lucky because we were flying with my sister and her DH who live in St. Catharines. We went down to their place the day before, so it should have only been about a 50 minute drive to Buffalo airport from there. We awoke to terrible roads -- snowy and icy, so we left shortly after 4AM for our 7:30AM flight. The good news was that there were very few cars on the road before 5:30AM so at least we could take our time, and not have much chance of sliding into another vehicle.

The airport hotels are very reasonable, especially if they include your parking for the week, so I would highly recommend going down the night before so you have lots of time to get to Buffalo safely.

MaryLiz

 

[BitsnBearsMom]

Well we flew out of pearson last time but next time we are leaving from Buffalo and are planning it so we will be in buffalo the day before we fly staying in a hotel there that night. PErhaps that's what you do in the winter months..... plan it so you can stay over in a hotel the night before!

 

[Leanne1972]

I didn't read all of the posts so forgive me if someone has already given you this response.

I was one of the unlucky ones who was flying with Jetsgo. Thankfully I paid by credit card so I will get a refund (after May, which is when I am going). My dad told me to check on flights out of Buffalo. I'm staying in a hotel the night before I fly out. When all is said and done, I ended up saving over $700.00 by not flying from Toronto. That includes the hotel for the night and leaving my car at the hotel for a week.

I booked on expedia.ca. They have a $15.00 service fee, big deal. My flights for 2 adults and a three year old was $434.00 (return flights). I do have a 2 hour stop in Atlanta both ways, but overall I think its a good deal. My flights are with Delta.

Best of luck.

 

[pxlbarrel]

What kind of security do they have in the Buffalo hotel parking lots? I'm such a worrier!

 

[Gsdlee]

What kind of security do they have in the Buffalo hotel parking lots? I'm such a worrier!

Can anyone help? I would be interested to know as well how safe is it to park multiple days in these airport hotels? I read that the airport parking have fences, how about these airport hotels?

I also found other Buffalo airport hotels offering Park n' Fly.
http://www.parksleepfly.com/airport_hotels/hotel_display.php?airportID=27&hotel_type=airport

 

[pxlbarrel]

bump

 

[cabmom]

We had no issue with security when we left our van at the airport in Buffalo in January. You have to pay to get in and out of the parking.
I'll be leaving my van their again this weekend.

Marilynn

 

[princess aurora]

Can anyone help? I would be interested to know as well how safe is it to park multiple days in these airport hotels? I read that the airport parking have fences, how about these airport hotels?

I also found other Buffalo airport hotels offering Park n' Fly.
http://www.parksleepfly.com/airport_hotels/hotel_display.php?airportID=27&hotel_type=airport

we've done it 2x before and have had no problems. Just open lots but usually behind or off to one side of the hotels.