Purchasing airline tickets

[Abbie]

We are sending two of our kids to DW as a double graduation gift in June with a couple of friends. They will be flying Southwest (have a credit that needs to be used) and I've been watching flights now for several months and the price fluctuates a little up and down. I've been told to hold out because they will come down closer to June but that makes me a little nervous!

I've never done this before but I'm wondering if it makes sense to purchase the outbound flight now (since that price is pretty good) and wait until later to purchase the return flight? Right now the return is quite a bit higher than the outbound. Plus I have four credits that I want to use that need to be used by 1/28.

Is that something reasonable to do or will I run into problems doing that?

 

[Jestocost]

It's purely a roll of the dice. For the dates we usually travel (summer and the various holidays) and from our airport I almost never see prices come down from what we have paid on the day the schedule comes out. Other posters seem to get lower fares all of the time. IMO, fare drops and sales are going to be much more likely during off-peak travel times and likely are more common at some airports than others.

 

[Abbie]

It's purely a roll of the dice. For the dates we usually travel (summer and the various holidays) and from our airport I almost never see prices come down from what we have paid on the day the schedule comes out. Other posters seem to get lower fares all of the time. IMO, fare drops and sales are going to be much more likely during off-peak travel times and likely are more common at some airports than others.

I know prices may not go down. But I'm really trying to see if purchasing tickets the way I'm considering has some downfall that I'm not foreseeing. Does it make sense to purchase one-way tickets for the trip down and purchase the return later? Is there any reason NOT to do it that way?

 

[Jestocost]

I know prices may not go down. But I'm really trying to see if purchasing tickets the way I'm considering has some downfall that I'm not foreseeing. Does it make sense to purchase one-way tickets for the trip down and purchase the return later? Is there any reason NOT to do it that way?

No down side really. And on Southwest, it actually can work better because if the price of one direction goes down you can benefit without having to rebook the entire round trip.

 

[Abbie]

Thanks, I was hoping that was the case! Guess I will purchase in stages then and just hope the return flight will drop a bit before I have to get it!