Southwest price ?

[Dentam]

Dentam, I've never paid that much going from Dallas to Orlando! The highest I can remember paying is $200. Most times I managed to get fares of around $125-150.

Wow, you've been lucky to get such cheap fares in the past! I've actually heard that there's an investigation into whether airlines have been working together to keep prices higher. I feel lucky to have gotten the fare I did since my parents live in podunk Oregon and will be paying over $500 each to get to Orlando and back!

 

[KikiFan]

Wow, you've been lucky to get such cheap fares in the past! I've actually heard that there's an investigation into whether airlines have been working together to keep prices higher. I feel lucky to have gotten the fare I did since my parents live in podunk Oregon and will be paying over $500 each to get to Orlando and back!

I don't know, maybe I have been lucky - all I know is I want to be that lucky again! lol

 

[supersnoop]

Dentam, I've never paid that much going from Dallas to Orlando! The highest I can remember paying is $200. Most times I managed to get fares of around $125-150.

On Southwest? The Wright Amendment only expired 9 months ago. I can't imagine the necessary two-tickets would have been that low recently.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

the problem is, I need the last flight out

1) Late flights are typically vacationers and business people.
2) The flights command a premium.
3) You should be able to get an earlier flight for less.
4) Nothing says a vacationer needs to take the latest flight, except as a preference.

 

[KikiFan]

On Southwest? The Wright Amendment only expired 9 months ago. I can't imagine the necessary two-tickets would have been that low recently.

While you're right about the Wright amendment expiring, those are the prices I was finding. And I wasn't buying two tickets. It was a single ticket with one stop - no getting off the plane. Southwest prices have jumped a lot in the past few years.

 

[supersnoop]

While you're right about the Wright amendment expiring, those are the prices I was finding. And I wasn't buying two tickets. It was a single ticket with one stop - no getting off the plane. Southwest prices have jumped a lot in the past few years.

I guess I must be getting too old. I had to look it up, but the direct booking restriction was repealed in 2006, so I guess you're right; you could book cheap flights for the past few years. Before that, you couldn't even purchase a ticket outsize of the zone. The 2014 expiration of the Wright Amendment opened up non-stop flights.

 

[kristenrice]

My mother and I are currently booked R/T out of FNT. I'd paid $318 each but then the prices dropped and I got us each a $70 credit. That credit is probably going to waste since the next planned vacation is after it expires. So, I looked at flying OUT of FNT (since I got that leg down to $108) and flying back IN to GRR, which would save us a 90-minute drive home at 11pm. Of course, once I booked the one-way rental car (to get us to FNT), the price from MCO-GRR jumped to $192. We certainly don't want to pay MORE so I need that leg of the trip to drop only $4, which would use up our entire credit. Of course, for the last three weeks, the price has not budged one bit. Our return trip isn't until October 20 so I still have a little time...but it is so nerve-wracking, checking every day and hoping that I can get it changed. At least the rental car is not pre-paid. The hotel in FNT (for the night before our departure flight) IS pre-paid and non-refundable so we will definitely be flying OUT of Flint...just not sure if we will be flying back IN to Flint.

 

[keahgirl8]

I need to get tickets for February. I usually wait too long to get them and end up paying the highest price possible. Should I get them now, or is it possible they will go down?

 

[Dentam]

I would think it's still possible they could go down for February. I think it's risky to wait later than two months before your trip to book but my parents are doing that... hoping they don't end up paying more!

 

[Yellowjj]

My mother and I are currently booked R/T out of FNT. I'd paid $318 each but then the prices dropped and I got us each a $70 credit. That credit is probably going to waste since the next planned vacation is after it expires. So, I looked at flying OUT of FNT (since I got that leg down to $108) and flying back IN to GRR, which would save us a 90-minute drive home at 11pm. Of course, once I booked the one-way rental car (to get us to FNT), the price from MCO-GRR jumped to $192. We certainly don't want to pay MORE so I need that leg of the trip to drop only $4, which would use up our entire credit. Of course, for the last three weeks, the price has not budged one bit. Our return trip isn't until October 20 so I still have a little time...but it is so nerve-wracking, checking every day and hoping that I can get it changed. At least the rental car is not pre-paid. The hotel in FNT (for the night before our departure flight) IS pre-paid and non-refundable so we will definitely be flying OUT of Flint...just not sure if we will be flying back IN to Flint.

I'm confused. The flight is $4 per person than what you paid for the original flight out of FNT? If that's the case $8 more is a bargain considering the one way rental and gas you would buy getting to GRR from FNT. I would go for it.

Southwest also has a flight that leaves 2 hours earlier for $146. The trade-off is a extra stop in Dayton.

 

[DisDadDVC]

I need to get tickets for February. I usually wait too long to get them and end up paying the highest price possible. Should I get them now, or is it possible they will go down?

If it is for President's Week, I think you are probably too late unless you can travel off days.

 

[Happyheartintx]

Dentam, I've never paid that much going from Dallas to Orlando! The highest I can remember paying is $200. Most times I managed to get fares of around $125-150.

When you say $125-$150, do you mean round trip or one-way? We're traveling from Dallas to MCO in January for a cruise. Right now, I can't find anything lower than $324 round trip per person times 5 people. That is way too much! So I was wondering what my chances are of finding airfare round trip for $200 per person. When is the best time to book a flight for January 8-18?

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

When you say $125-$150, do you mean round trip or one-way? We're traveling from Dallas to MCO in January for a cruise. Right now, I can't find anything lower than $324 round trip per person times 5 people. That is way too much! So I was wondering what my chances are of finding airfare round trip for $200 per person. When is the best time to book a flight for January 8-18?

It's hard to say. You may have already missed the best bargains. You might want to consider driving with that many people.

 

[kristenrice]

I'm confused. The flight is $4 per person than what you paid for the original flight out of FNT? If that's the case $8 more is a bargain considering the one way rental and gas you would buy getting to GRR from FNT. I would go for it.

Southwest also has a flight that leaves 2 hours earlier for $146. The trade-off is a extra stop in Dayton.

Well, the way I see it (and I admit, I'm a little odd) is that I already overpaid for our airfare. I ACTUALLY paid $318 but with the price drops, the cost went down to $248. If I switch our flight at the current price, I will ACTUALLY be paying $324....PLUS the cost of the one-way rental. My goal is to switch the return flight, without having to pay even more. The actual price increase is about $75, but I can cover most of that with my credit...but I certainly do not want to pay even more. We are OK with flying back into FNT...it's the late-night drive home that we'd prefer to avoid, but not if it will be an added expense.

As it sits right now, we are flying round-trip out of FNT, non-stop both ways. If we fly back into GRR, the cost of the one-way rental car (GR to FNT) will be offset by the fact that we will not have to pay for long-term parking at FNT, so that's a non-factor.

 

[Yellowjj]

Well, the way I see it (and I admit, I'm a little odd) is that I already overpaid for our airfare. I ACTUALLY paid $318 but with the price drops, the cost went down to $248. If I switch our flight at the current price, I will ACTUALLY be paying $324....PLUS the cost of the one-way rental. My goal is to switch the return flight, without having to pay even more. The actual price increase is about $75, but I can cover most of that with my credit...but I certainly do not want to pay even more. We are OK with flying back into FNT...it's the late-night drive home that we'd prefer to avoid, but not if it will be an added expense.

As it sits right now, we are flying round-trip out of FNT, non-stop both ways. If we fly back into GRR, the cost of the one-way rental car (GR to FNT) will be offset by the fact that we will not have to pay for long-term parking at FNT, so that's a non-factor.

I'm still mixed up on one or two things. Do you live near FNT or GRR? Originally it sounded like you lived near Grand Rapids, but now it sounds like you live in Flint?

 

[kristenrice]

I'm still mixed up on one or two things. Do you live near FNT or GRR? Originally it sounded like you lived near Grand Rapids, but now it sounds like you live in Flint?

Nope, we live in GR. The R/T fares from GRR were close to $450 vs. $318 from FNT so we plan to drive over the night before and stay at a hotel ($75 from hotels.com) before our 7:15am flight. The return flight (MCO to FNT) dropped from $188 to $118 so I rebooked it and got the $70 credit. Since that credit will probably go to waste, I looked at possibly paying the higher fare to fly home to GRR instead of FNT, but only if the credit would cover it. We still want to fly OUT of FNT since the price and times are MUCH better, but we would prefer to fly in to GR, as long as the flight won't cost us any more money.

 

[keahgirl8]

If it is for President's Week, I think you are probably too late unless you can travel off days.

It is from the middle of that week to the middle of the following week.

 

[DisDadDVC]

It is from the middle of that week to the middle of the following week.

Actually, those are pretty low travel days and you may get lucky.

 

[rrehman]

In the past, Southwest has made their fare prices based on how full the plane is. For our upcoming trip in December, it was cheaper for my family of 4 to get a hotel room at the Orlando airport and fly out the next morning.

 

[kristenrice]

My mother and I are currently booked R/T out of FNT. I'd paid $318 each but then the prices dropped and I got us each a $70 credit. That credit is probably going to waste since the next planned vacation is after it expires. So, I looked at flying OUT of FNT (since I got that leg down to $108) and flying back IN to GRR, which would save us a 90-minute drive home at 11pm. Of course, once I booked the one-way rental car (to get us to FNT), the price from MCO-GRR jumped to $192. We certainly don't want to pay MORE so I need that leg of the trip to drop only $4, which would use up our entire credit. Of course, for the last three weeks, the price has not budged one bit. Our return trip isn't until October 20 so I still have a little time...but it is so nerve-wracking, checking every day and hoping that I can get it changed. At least the rental car is not pre-paid. The hotel in FNT (for the night before our departure flight) IS pre-paid and non-refundable so we will definitely be flying OUT of Flint...just not sure if we will be flying back IN to Flint.

Nope, we live in GR. The R/T fares from GRR were close to $450 vs. $318 from FNT so we plan to drive over the night before and stay at a hotel ($75 from hotels.com) before our 7:15am flight. The return flight (MCO to FNT) dropped from $188 to $118 so I rebooked it and got the $70 credit. Since that credit will probably go to waste, I looked at possibly paying the higher fare to fly home to GRR instead of FNT, but only if the credit would cover it. We still want to fly OUT of FNT since the price and times are MUCH better, but we would prefer to fly in to GR, as long as the flight won't cost us any more money.

The price went down today!!

I was able to change our return flight without having to pay any more money. So now we are all set...
...drive to FNT on Wednesday night (one-way compact rental car = $51.82)...
...stay at Wingate by Wyndham ($70.29 via Hotwire) in Grand Blanc...
...fly non-stop from FNT to MCO, departing at 7:15am and arriving at 9:55am...
...return home, flying from MCO to BWI (5:25pm depart, 7:40pm arrival), then departing BWI at 8:35pm, landing in GRR at 10:10pm

The price for the long-term parking at FNT (had we kept our round trip flight, which would have been non-stop, 7:35-10:15pm) would be $48 so it is actually a better deal to rent the car. I rented a compact car (our vehicle is a Tahoe!) so we will easily save the $3 difference in gas.