question for anyone who has traveled st. louis, mo to LAX

[WINTER]

Is $198 one way a good deal?

 

[rn_wannabe]

I know you posted this back in February, but I've been searching and from what I'm getting so far $198 round trip is a GREAT deal!!! Where did you find that?

 

[dudspizza]

Is $198 one way a good deal?

Heck yeah! I'd snag that in a heartbeat.

EDIT: I was thinking round trip. I would not thing that that is a great price one way. I would keep looking.....

Sorry for my lack of reading skills.

duds

 

[NotUrsula]

Yes, that is decent. Occasionally SWA will run a Ding to Ontario that is lower (usually around $178 ow when it turns up), but in general, STL to Southern California is not a cheap prospect, and LAX is normally the most expensive of the 4 airports to fly into. (That is, choosing from LAX, ONT, SNA and BUR; Burbank is probably the second-cheapest route; it also gets last-minute sales.)

FWIW, I just checked the SWA Low Fare Calendar for May/June, and there are some flights available to ONT at $144 on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Midweek flights between STL and ONT tend not to fill up, so they often go onsale last-minute. Fares for later in the summer are all fixed at $247 at the moment.

Unfortunately, though the prices are lower, the flight times to the Southern California suburban airports tend to stink. When I have to go to Southern California for business I almost always find that the best way to handle the timing is to overnight en-route outbound. You can get some very affordable rates on airport hotels in Las Vegas and Phoenix, and there are flights out of those airports to Southern California that will get you there before 7 am. (Also, both of those airports often have sale flights out of STL.)

 

[siskaren]

I know you posted this back in February, but I've been searching and from what I'm getting so far $198 round trip is a GREAT deal!!! Where did you find that?

The OP was asking about a $198 one way fare, not round trip.

 

[Jestocost]

The OP was asking about a $198 one way fare, not round trip.

Exactly. My last STL-LAX RT on SWA was $276 round trip, which is pretty good. I would not consider $198 for a one way ticket a very good price.

 

[NotUrsula]

Exactly. My last STL-LAX RT on SWA was $276 round trip, which is pretty good. I would not consider $198 for a one way ticket a very good price.

How long ago was that? I've found that in the last 6 months or so, less than $300 to Southern California r/t is getting quite rare in this market, and $400 is about average for an advance purchase now. It's the fuel cost and AA's virtual withdrawal from the route that is driving the increase.

I wouldn't say that $198/ow is a VERY GOOD price, but I wouldn't consider it unusually high, either. Fair is a good word, I suppose.

 

[Jestocost]

How long ago was that? I've found that in the last 6 months or so, less than $300 to Southern California r/t is getting quite rare in this market, and $400 is about average for an advance purchase now. It's the fuel cost and AA's virtual withdrawal from the route that is driving the increase.

I wouldn't say that $198/ow is a VERY GOOD price, but I wouldn't consider it unusually high, either. Fair is a good word, I suppose.

Booked last December, flew out in late February and back on March 1.

 

[dudspizza]

The OP was asking about a $198 one way fare, not round trip.

I missed that part...... I was thinking OP was saying $198RT and my first thought was BOOK NOW! $198 one way not so much........ I personally would hold off looking for better flight prices.

I just flew MSP-PHX and worked hard to get it to $306RT. Most were $350+, so keep an eye on prices and book when you find something that is comfortable to you...

Duds