Procrastination pays off!! BIG TIME!

[MyGoofy26]

This is sort of off topic, in that the destination isn't Disney. But what I did this time is what I always do for my Disney trips, so maybe it'll help someone.

I've planned enough trips for me, friends, family, friends of family, etc that over the years I've noticed some things that I can almost always count on and that have yet to fail me. The biggest one, is airfare. Fares go up and down all the time, but I've noticed that around 8 weeks before departure date, they drop to their lowest (either matching or beating the lowest rate it's been) I usually start looking at about 10 weeks just to watch, and sometimes it hits at around 6 or 7 weeks. But roughly 8 weeks is the average every time. For my trip to Disney in December, this method got me round trip for $115 after all taxes and fees. . .not bad.

Anyway, my next trip is to Italy. We're headed end of March, so the past few weeks I've been obsessively checking for rates from Pittsburgh (PIT) to Rome (FCO) and they've slowly been dropping. At first the lowest rates were only by airlines who happened to be codesharing with Alitalia so that was a big no-no, as that's the worst airline I've ever flown with. Finally rates started dropping for the airlines I'm comfortable with.

Earlier this week, Monday and Tuesday I noticed the fare was down to $463 round trip PIT-FCO with just one layover at JFK, so I wanted to jump on it. Last year we paid nearly $600 and were happy with that, so $463 was exciting. Well got sidetracked and never booked and then last night I had a moment of panic, "what if the rates went back up!" Since usually they're only low for a short time frame and then go way back up. So I looked. . . and it dropped AGAIN! This time, no hesitation. Booked it!

So I get to spend 3 weeks in Italy for $393.30!! That's including all taxes and fees! Don't even have to pay for a hotel, as I have family that live outside of Rome. So other than a couple road trips totalling to a few nights hotel, there is no other cost!

Really takes the sting out of the bad exchange rate when the base cost of the trip is so low (most people are spending a couple thousand per person for a similar trip. . . and we get our own private tour guides and translators, LOL!). Makes me feel less guilty for splurging on things for myself.

 

[zippehsmom]

Wow that is a great deal. I have noticed airfare does a dip a couple months prior. I've always been to nervous to take advantage of it. I usually set a price that I'm comfortable with and whenever it hits that I jump on it.

zippehsmom

 

[CarolA]

I am jealous.

I am trying to book a Europe trip for 8 teens and thier chaperones in late May. Right now about $650 is my best quote. We are just going too late for the really cheap fares, High season starts the day before we leave!

 

[dbal]

When to book airfare totally stresses me out! I have the travelocity farewatcher on my comp.; so every time the price changes within $25 from a few regional airports - I get an email. It's so exciting ... even when I don't need the airfare.

 

[Taja]

Congratulations! How exciting!

Enjoy your trip!

 

[HayGan]

Good deal!

Only one thing - I hope that your PIT to JFK flight is not on US Airways.

 

[Focusdude]

I had the airfare nervous breakdown over the past few weeks! I had a fare that went from $79/one way to $169/one way in less than 24 hours!! I waited it out and ended up with $89/one way (Providence to Savannah). I never realized that prices fluctuated that much over such a short period! Someone I work with told me the best day of the week to buy airline tickets is always Monday (I have no idea why, though!). I told my husband that when I buy my airline tickets for our December Disney trip, and I buying them, and never looking at the price again - too much stress!!

 

[PURTYPAT1]

My Experience, when traveling for Airline tickets, is to book as early as possible if it is a "Busy travel date", which is only when we travel.

Example Every year, we travel President's Week From LGA to MCO. As soon as the flight is show(about 10 months before) is when we book. This Year My Preidents tickets cost $199.00 RT direct flight. Now my flight is about $1000.00

I do the same for November every year, since all of New Jersey (us included)goes to Orlando for teacher's convention week This year I got the tickets for only 115.00 RT.direct. Now they are double.

Moral of this, is if it's a holiday, you book "Early" If it is just a regual date, you wait till the end, & try to book early in the morning weekday. I have read, the airlines release only a few seats cheap early in the mornings.

Hope this helps

Patricia

Now if you want to talk about getting bumped, (we have for the last 3 years in a row) & get free tickets, I have become an expert on that.

Ask away

 

[MyGoofy26]

Good deal!

Only one thing - I hope that your PIT to JFK flight is not on US Airways.

No, I was a little worried about USAirways. If I would have gotten a good enough deal I would have considered, but we're going Delta. I know they've had some bad reviews of late, but it seems there isn't an airline out there that hasn't. . . and flying internationally, there are fewer options. We flew Delta last year, and our flight from JFK to Rome was codeshared by Alitalia which was ABSOLUTELY miserable. Nice plane, very new. . . terrible service. They had individual TV screens in the back of each seat which probably less than 1/3rd of them worked - add in that you weren't allowed to use any electronic devices of your own (nt even a CD player) and it makes for a VERY long 8 hour flight. Our flight crew disappeared for about 2-3 hours midflight to their breakroom underneath so you couldn't get a drink unless you helped yourself, and we could smell the cigarette smoke coming up from under us. But we flew Delta back and it was so much more pleasant, so I'm not too worried this time.

My uncle just flew USAirways to Rome last month. He flew over to spend the holidays with my cousin and he had the WORST time. His flight to Philly was delayed because they couldn't figure out how to replace a light. He missed his flight to Rome so they put him on a flight to Munich. Well that flight got in late, so he missed the flight to Rome from there. All the while, my uncle has two very bad knees that are soon to be operated on. I think he ended up in Rome about 10 hours later than originally planned. . . his luggage got there 3 days later. He had checked everything since he needed to use crutches, so he had to wear what he had on for that three days.