Questions on booking my Airtran flight

[Minniekins]

I've got some, okay, lots of questions on booking my flight for Jan 2 - 10 trip to WDW with Airtran. I hope you will bear with me asking these many questions!

We are going from Chicago, definitely want nonstop, and want it to be a park day later, so the only flight fitting that is one that leaves at 7:30 am , arriving 11:01. I've been watching their prices for maybe 6 weeks now, since deciding that's when our trip would be for sure. Of course prices were lower when I was undecided, maybe in the low 80's, even 79 I think maybe, but then as I finalized plans, prices have been higher, staying at either 94 or 98 and up to about 104 lately. Then a couple days ago it dropped back to 98, 94, 93, and a few hours later tonight now it's at 89. So, now I'm wondering if I should just go ahead and book it? I don't know if it will go much lower. I just remember watching my flight last year and prices did go down a good bit at times, after I'd already booked end of May for Nov. So, I was trying to be patient, just not sure if now is the time to jump on the price? What do you think? Plus, I was hopeful a $25 coupon would become available for my travel times, the current one ends 12/18. So, should I book or hang on? Just looking for some opinions or advice. I'm leaning towards booking tomorrow but just not sure. Btw, why are the nonstop flights the ones with the lowest prices?

Then, if I do decide to book now, who should I book through? The prices on the different sites seems to be all the same, totaling 199.20, so what difference does it make? I planned to book directly at Airtran like I did last year. But, I read in another current thread that if you book through Kayak they don't charge a fee for choosing a seat assignment, though I didn't see it there when I checked flight prices. Is that true even though they take you directly to Airtran's website? That would be great to save the $12 each way for 2 seat assignments, especially with the 15 charge per checked bag now! And if I book through an online travel site instead of Airtran's site, are there advantages or drawbacks to booking through them instead, and is one place better than another? Is Kayak the only one who doesn't charge seat assignments or do none of them do this?

I also noticed, though not sure it was kayak or another travel site, that seats available for booking included seats ahead of the usual seats available from row 14 and back. I was surprised to see this since I thought Airtran held those seats for some reason. Airtran only shows seats available from row 14(well maybe even 15 now) and back. I'd like to get closer to the front seats. Any drawbacks to seats in the tenth row, directly behing the business/first class section? I'd like to be closer to the front of the plane, and not having to drag our carryons on down that annoying narrow aisle, lol!

Okay, thanks to anyone who reads all these questions and can offer and bit of help, I really appreciate it!

 

[Minniekins]

Okay, unbelievable, I have to say, just my luck! While writing this thread, the price has gone up to 104+ for the same flight that was just $89! Argh! So, I'm back to waiting and checking often and will grab when I see again! Jeez, what's the deal, lol?!

 

[PoohsFan1]

First off I wanted to say ...we are fellow Chicagoians who are flying Airtran for the first time on 12/1-12/8. My DH booked our flights through Cheapoair.com on 7/31 for $77 each way (that included the $6 seat fee). In your case you may want to hold out a twee bit longer because I was just on Airtran's site last night looking at different flights (for 2 wks earlier than our dates, and they were at $79 going and about $84 coming back....these too were nonstop flights, that is the only way my DH will get me on a plane :, this did not include the seat fee). Our schedule has been changed since we booked. We origianly were to leave Chicago by 8:25am and get to MCO by just after 12:00pm now we are leaving at 7:30am and getting to MCO at 11:01am. Then we have the latest flight out of MCO to Chicago (6:55pm leaving and getting to Chicago at 8:45pm). I definately like our schedule now and are praying they don't change it before we leave.

 

[NancyIL]

Some airlines raise their fares on the weekend, so I would keep watching fares through the weekend and into early next week.

 

[JCornell]

Rates bounce up and down so keep an eye on the pattern and you'll know better when to book. Also, check the flight prices for other travel dates to help give yourself an idea of the price range it goes through. It's not an exact science but it gives you some perspective so you have an idea when it's as low as it's going to get. Until 10 minutes ago I would've said book direct through Airtran but I was just reading another thread where they said booking through kayak.com gives you seat assignments for free (normally $6 per person on Airtran's site).

 

[Chelley00]

If you go through kayak and put in your dates, it will pull up a screen to choose where you want to get your flights (Priceline, Airtran etc) Click on Airtran. Once you double check flights and rates, the next window (or the one after) offers you menus at the bottom to select seats (they are pictures that say "aisle seat" "window seat" "seats together" etc) After you select that, it will take you to the diagram of the plane. Select your seats and at the bottom it should total $0.

It's pretty easy, you just have to go through a couple more pages than you would think

 

[Minniekins]

First off I wanted to say ...we are fellow Chicagoians who are flying Airtran for the first time on 12/1-12/8. My DH booked our flights through Cheapoair.com on 7/31 for $77 each way (that included the $6 seat fee). In your case you may want to hold out a twee bit longer because I was just on Airtran's site last night looking at different flights (for 2 wks earlier than our dates, and they were at $79 going and about $84 coming back....these too were nonstop flights, that is the only way my DH will get me on a plane :, this did not include the seat fee). Our schedule has been changed since we booked. We origianly were to leave Chicago by 8:25am and get to MCO by just after 12:00pm now we are leaving at 7:30am and getting to MCO at 11:01am. Then we have the latest flight out of MCO to Chicago (6:55pm leaving and getting to Chicago at 8:45pm). I definately like our schedule now and are praying they don't change it before we leave.

Hey, hello! Wow, you really got some good rates there! We flew AT last Nov first time. When I first saw their prices back in May I thought there must be something wrong, they were so different from the other airlines, a couple hundred dollars lower, so I was sure something was not right, lol! We took that same morning flight you are taking and thought that was early(we are so not morning people, lol!), now that same flight has been moved to 7:30 as you noted, and we also took that 6:55 flight back on sun night. With all the talk of them changing times, I watched often last year, but they only changed slightly, about a half hour earlier. Now that flight has moved even a hour earlier, yikes! Actually, only having that one morning nonstop flight, seems to be everyday, I checked a bunch of days, that sort of makes me feel more confidant(know nothing is for sure) in that flight time staying relatively save from huge changes or cancelling. We want to do the same flight times this year, get their early to have the day, and stay late on leaving day, lol!

So, did Cheapoair not charge a $6 fee at all, or the price was like $71 plus the charge? That was a great price, would it have been the same at AT, disregarding the seat fee? Last year, once I finally came here to check out AT comments, I decided to book quickly, worried that seats would be gone soon. This year I just will keep watching several times a day/night to see what pops up suddenly. So far, all deals seem to end about mid December. But, your rates give me a bit of hope! Did you book recently? Anyway, I hope you have a great trip in Dec, Christmas time is so fun!!

 

[Minniekins]

Some airlines raise their fares on the weekend, so I would keep watching fares through the weekend and into early next week.

Rates bounce up and down so keep an eye on the pattern and you'll know better when to book. Also, check the flight prices for other travel dates to help give yourself an idea of the price range it goes through. It's not an exact science but it gives you some perspective so you have an idea when it's as low as it's going to get. Until 10 minutes ago I would've said book direct through Airtran but I was just reading another thread where they said booking through kayak.com gives you seat assignments for free (normally $6 per person on Airtran's site).

Thanks for your responses! Yeah, I guess I'll just keep an eye on things. I have been keeping an eye on things but can't really see a pattern, though I don't write stuff down. Those few hours I mentioned that the prices were down to 89, were the only really low prices I saw, usually in the 90's up to 104, the highest I've seen it's back there again now. The prices are okay, but can definitely be better I think. I did look around a bit. I thought 89 was good, though I think it's possibe it may go as low as 79, though the PP was able to get the same fights for even lower than that. Yeah, I read that thread on getting the seat assignments for no charge. I think Cheapoair may do it like that also but not sure. So, what would be the benefit of booking direct with AT as you were first inclined to suggest, as opposed to going through a travel site? Is there anything that wouldn't be worth not having that seat fee?

If you go through kayak and put in your dates, it will pull up a screen to choose where you want to get your flights (Priceline, Airtran etc) Click on Airtran. Once you double check flights and rates, the next window (or the one after) offers you menus at the bottom to select seats (they are pictures that say "aisle seat" "window seat" "seats together" etc) After you select that, it will take you to the diagram of the plane. Select your seats and at the bottom it should total $0.

It's pretty easy, you just have to go through a couple more pages than you would think

Thanks very much for letting me know how to figure how to get this free seats figured, I appreciate that!

Well, prices have stayed the same the last few days, but I'm sure they'll dip again, I just have to be watching!

 

[PoohsFan1]

So, did Cheapoair not charge a $6 fee at all, or the price was like $71 plus the charge? That was a great price, would it have been the same at AT, disregarding the seat fee? Last year, once I finally came here to check out AT comments, I decided to book quickly, worried that seats would be gone soon. This year I just will keep watching several times a day/night to see what pops up suddenly. So far, all deals seem to end about mid December. But, your rates give me a bit of hope! Did you book recently? Anyway, I hope you have a great trip in Dec, Christmas time is so fun!!

When we first booked with Cheapoair it was $71.50 ($143.00 round trip p/p not including the taxes and fees however) each way (also not including the seat fee), then after we booked, about a day later, my DH decided that he wanted to pay the extra fee for the seats so we could all sit together....the seat fee was $6 each way, so with all four of us it cost an extra $48 for both flights. I just checked Cheapoair again (put in my dates) and they still have the $143.00 round trip tickets. My DH booked our flights on 7/31 for our December trip. I also plugged in your dates with 2 Adults (not sure how many are going in your party) and for those dates they have $182.00 round trip p/p which comes out to be $91.00 per flight, but they have a $10 off sale where you take an additional $10 off your total flight....something to think about but again this rate did not include the seat fee. Plus the earliest flight out was at 4:09pm out of Midway and arriving in Orlando at 7:40pm then on your way home it was 11:43am going and 1:23pm arriving. Good luck finding the right deals....it is such a headache sometimes.

 

[Missytara]

Keep an eye on it; here's what I found for me.

The fares start going up Friday afternoon through Monday; I think it is when most families are together and thinking about booking their flights when they are all home.

I noticed T/W/Th the prices would fluctuate, with the most over lunchtime or dinnertime.... when most people might get on the computer at work.

I finally got on a Wednesday morning at 6:00 am, the minute I got to work and got the lowest fare I had seen, so there was no taking chances.... don't wait too long or the seats will start to sell out and the prices will go way up.

I booked mine for November 28th going down and December 5th coming back - I got $172.00 round trip (no seat fare because I booked through kayak.com) and it is now up to $353.00 because seats are really starting to disappear....

 

[Minniekins]

When we first booked with Cheapoair it was $71.50 ($143.00 round trip p/p not including the taxes and fees however) each way (also not including the seat fee), then after we booked, about a day later, my DH decided that he wanted to pay the extra fee for the seats so we could all sit together....the seat fee was $6 each way, so with all four of us it cost an extra $48 for both flights. I just checked Cheapoair again (put in my dates) and they still have the $143.00 round trip tickets. My DH booked our flights on 7/31 for our December trip. I also plugged in your dates with 2 Adults (not sure how many are going in your party) and for those dates they have $182.00 round trip p/p which comes out to be $91.00 per flight, but they have a $10 off sale where you take an additional $10 off your total flight....something to think about but again this rate did not include the seat fee. Plus the earliest flight out was at 4:09pm out of Midway and arriving in Orlando at 7:40pm then on your way home it was 11:43am going and 1:23pm arriving. Good luck finding the right deals....it is such a headache sometimes.

Thanks! It is just DD19 and I going to WDW. I'm going to keep an eye out for some good prices. I do want to take the earliest possible flight out of Chicago so we have a good part of the day for a park, so if possible we want to make sure to get the 7:30 am flight. Now are those flights of 143 and 182 inclusive of all fees(other than seat fees and baggage fees)?

Keep an eye on it; here's what I found for me.

The fares start going up Friday afternoon through Monday; I think it is when most families are together and thinking about booking their flights when they are all home.

I noticed T/W/Th the prices would fluctuate, with the most over lunchtime or dinnertime.... when most people might get on the computer at work.

I finally got on a Wednesday morning at 6:00 am, the minute I got to work and got the lowest fare I had seen, so there was no taking chances.... don't wait too long or the seats will start to sell out and the prices will go way up.

I booked mine for November 28th going down and December 5th coming back - I got $172.00 round trip (no seat fare because I booked through kayak.com) and it is now up to $353.00 because seats are really starting to disappear....

Hmmm, I've been keeping an eye on things. I should have probably written down when the flights I want were at which price to see how things were going. I really didn't notice a pattern though, things were steadily within maybe at most $4 - 6 most of the time. I think last friday night it was 98 in the late afternoon, down to 94 a couple hours later, and then late evening and for a few hours, it was down to 89. Then, just after I started this thread, it was suddenly up to 104 which I think was the high for as long as I'd been watching prices. I never really check in the morning, but check late afternoon and evening, and well, I guess early morning uptil maybe 3 - 4 am. I will have to start adding some other times in just to check prices so I don't miss something, who knows what I missed during times I wasn't checking, lol? I will have to keep an eye out the next few days for fluctuating prices on T/W/Th at lunch time and dinner times especially. Why do they fluctuate at all, and why then? I'm still optimistic for a really good fare as there seem to be some nice deals for flights from nearby and other cities for time periods close to mine, so maybe something good will come towards Chicago! Thanks!

 

[Missytara]

I got my fingers crossed for ya!

 

[Minniekins]

Oh, thanks so much! But, this isn't working, darn it! It's up to 109 now, argh!! Oh well, I shall keep an eye on it every couple hours when I can be near a computer, which is a good part of the time, work or home. I still don't think it's gone up for good yet. But, I don't understand the way prices can fluctuate so often, with some prices sometimes only available a few hours then they are lowered or raised a bit again. Oh well, appreciate the finger crossing, thanks!