Question for discount airfare gurus

[marshallandcartersmo]

Our small airport has two carriers to Orlando, Delta (a direct flight once a day) and USAir, and our closest competing airport is about 2 hours away. We are looking into a flight for 4 in February, what's the best way to get the best deal? Looking at Delta and US Airs websites, Delta is always cheaper than US Air, and since we have frequent flier miles with Delta (not many, but every bit helps) and they have a direct flight, we'd like to fly Delta anyway. I'm looking at about $300 pp now, but when we bought tickets Nov. 2005 for our April 2006 trip, we got them at $150 pp. Am I dreaming they'll be that low again (thanks rising gas prices!!)? Is there a better way to search for airfare other than the companies website? Should I check the website daily, or several times a day----do rates change only in the mornings, or throughout the day?? Booking this trip myself, no travel agent.
thanks so much!

 

[CarolA]

Rates have gone up a lot in the last year and the hit has been hardest at small airports like yours with little competetion.

I use travelocity fare watcher. It emails you when rates go down by whatever you tell it.

If you are flying out of Knoxville good luck. I NEVER found a decent rate for my mother on her trip in June. She wound up driving to Nashville and flying DL one way and SW the other at some great rates.

 

[tracys2cents]

Fares for Feb won't usually come down until maybe December..........but are you traveling at a heavy volume time, such as from a New England State during February school vacation? If so they may not come down much, if they do it might just be on Tuesdays Wednesdays.

If you are booking say Saturday-to-Saturday during a school vacation period, I would not wait long. They will go higher than $300 eventually.

 

[justplaingoofy]

Say that you are looking for a family of 4. When booking airfare first enter for 1 ticket & get a price. Then, put in the total amount of passengers and check that price. If its the same, book it. Otherwise, check 3 passengers, then 2.

Alot of times airlines release so many seats at one fare, then when that quota is sold it goes up to another price. If there is only 2 seats left at the lower fare and you are looking for 4 seats when you enter 4 tickets it will automatically sell you the 4 at a higher price instead of 2 at lower price & 2 at higher price.

 

[CarolA]

However, if you live in a city where DL and USAir feel NO need to compete...

We watched my mother's airfares for about 6 months. Never really budged from the $250-$300 range. So when SW ran one of their great sales I got her round trip from Nashville for $120 or so. Even with current gas prices it was a huge savings!

 

[marshallandcartersmo]

Say that you are looking for a family of 4. When booking airfare first enter for 1 ticket & get a price. Then, put in the total amount of passengers and check that price. If its the same, book it. Otherwise, check 3 passengers, then 2.

Alot of times airlines release so many seats at one fare, then when that quota is sold it goes up to another price. If there is only 2 seats left at the lower fare and you are looking for 4 seats when you enter 4 tickets it will automatically sell you the 4 at a higher price instead of 2 at lower price & 2 at higher price.

Great tip!

I wish we had a Southwest here, I've heard wonderful stories of their "Dings!"
We're hoping to leave on a Tuesday and come back on a Monday. I'll have to check out when the Northern States winter break is.

thanks everyone

 

[tracys2cents]

Basically, the first two weeks in February will see fare sales and room sales, and the 2nd two weeks will probably not.

 

[popstar7867]

I am having the same problem! We booked our flights for last May's trip in March and got tix for $150. I was browsing for our next May 2007 trip and the cheapest flight out of Boston is $300! I heard that they usually go down in price around 6 months from the flight and then around 2 months from the flight

 

[marshallandcartersmo]

Basically, the first two weeks in February will see fare sales and room sales, and the 2nd two weeks will probably not.

Well that would work for us, as we're hoping to leave the 13th. Is Delta.com the best way to check for these rates? thanks