Spring (Easter) break flights from DC/Baltimore - seriously high still!

[happymommy]

I'm sure many of you, like me, live near BWI (but I can also use Dulles or Reagan National if I really NEED to but won't if I don't have to). The most I've normally paid is about $350 round trip to Orlando (usually in slower times like late August it's a lot less).

Holy Cow! Southwest and JetBlue (I haven't taken them before, but they added once daily nonstops now) are looking like $500 and $650 respectively.

I'm going to wait a while, and I'll hope for a better fare. Being Easter for our spring break this year (first time ever at this school), though, I'm not so hopeful.

I know Spirit is an option, but their times are horrible (arriving super late, then going home super early, which is the opposite of what we do normally and takes basically two days from our trip).

Just wanted to vent with y'all!

 

[DisneyinPA]

I'm sure many of you, like me, live near BWI (but I can also use Dulles or Reagan National if I really NEED to but won't if I don't have to). The most I've normally paid is about $350 round trip to Orlando (usually in slower times like late August it's a lot less).

Holy Cow! Southwest and JetBlue (I haven't taken them before, but they added once daily nonstops now) are looking like $500 and $650 respectively.

I'm going to wait a while, and I'll hope for a better fare. Being Easter for our spring break this year (first time ever at this school), though, I'm not so hopeful.

I know Spirit is an option, but their times are horrible (arriving super late, then going home super early, which is the opposite of what we do normally and takes basically two days from our trip).

Just wanted to vent with y'all!

I booked one way the first weekend in Apr out of BWI for $74 but the return flights the next weekend are ridiculous. I'm waiting and praying they will go down.

 

[happymommy]

I'm the week before you, so it's Easter. We're returning April 2nd, and those flights are awful coming back!

$74 is something I haven't seen in a while!

 

[WDW Traveler]

Having traveled during our winter or spring break numerous times (from New England), I hate to say this, but your flights may not come down. We have booked immediately when flights are released for vacation weeks and have never seen the flights come down, only increase. This year, I looked maybe a week after the flights were released and they were already up to $800 RT (normally, other times of the year $300-$350). And if your spring break is around Easter, that is unfortunately another negative. Good luck to you, I hope for your sake they do come down.

 

[happymommy]

I'm not too hopeful, but last year about this time they came down a bit. Easter - UGH!

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

It's odd too that most of the flights from CLE to MCO go through BWI and the price for my ticket is so much cheaper than a BWI to MCO ticket. I paid $98 each way for a ticket that connects in BWI for Easter

 

[kwdw]

I just looked this morning - and I'd recommend you use SW "flexible day" calendar for price searching. I'm seeing you can book for around $400 if you have some flexibility. I don't think those prices will go down - there are a lot of sold out flights already.

 

[DisneyinPA]

Hey happymommy did you check Allegiant Air out of Harrisburg? You would have to rent a car though because it goes into Sanford airport.

 

[happymommy]

Yes thanks - also looked at Hagerstown. Timing isn't quite right, but thanks!

 

[happymommy]

Although it's a bit far, we've flown out of Reagan National several times on trips in the past (we're about 30 minutes from BWI but close to an hour to DCA).

I just did a quick check this morning, and round trip nonstop on American Airlines from National is less than $300. I'm lifetime gold with AA (million miler) so they will even put me on the upgrade list (and I honestly don't care - only a two hour flight!) plus I get free checked baggage & stuff.

It's worth it to drive another 30 minutes to save half of what SWA is charging!

Booking today!

 

[DisneyinPA]

I have 15 yrs of airline experience and it still amazes me of the cat and mouse game that the airlines so. Did you check SW today as they were having a one day sale? I stay with SW to avoid the bag and change fees. I rebooked yesterday and got a better time on Apr 2nd. I haven't booked the return yet. One flight went down to $84 but you had to leave from MCO at 650am. Yuck!!!

 

[happymommy]

I did check today! Nothing good for my dates - between $239 and $289 each way.

I have no checked bag fees with AA, so for $149 each way it works for me! Plus, we leave from DCA at 10am, so get in at lunchtime. We leave to go home at 6:30pm, so still have time to do a park that day or enjoy the resort, have a little bite to eat at the airport & snooze on the plane! Last two trips I took the 8:00pm flight home, so we just nap on the way home. I don't ever leave for home in the morning!

 

[DisneyinPA]

Sounds good. I don't have status with anyone so I have to stick with SW. Do you see a difference in AA since US Airways merger? Enjoy your trip and hope the crowds are at least manageable during Easter.

 

[happymommy]

Thanks! I have been over Easter before, and find the crowds perfectly acceptable (we go almost every spring break). It's nowhere near as bad as Christmas/New Year's! My favorite time is last two weeks of August though - no lines for lots of things!

I haven't seen any difference since the merger, but honestly I fly SW more often! I only have status since they used to count miles earned from credit card spend and bonus miles like through their internet shopping portal, so over the years and having my husband shop for his business through the portal (and we're talking many years) I reached a million miles, so have lifetime gold status (toward the end of the time when they were stopping that, I did a transfer from Starpoints to bump me over the edge). It's nice, as we flew first class to Korea and then home through Hawaii in 2014 free with AA miles!

I am so glad to find $300 round trip though! Usually BWI with SW is cheaper, but Easter must have booked up quick!

 

[katallo]

Happymommy, we booked for 74.00 when the schedule opened. I'm not sure of your dates but there are March fares starting at 69.00 from BWI.

 

[happymommy]

Thanks - for our dates they're $239 and $289 each way. If we could be flexible with our dates, they do have a bunch of $79 fares. Not for us though!

Our dates are March 24 to April 2.

Glad I bought now though. $300 round trip is totally fine with me!

 

[n2mm]

I also fly all three airports. Yes rates are high especially if you can't move your dates. Reagan has had some of the lower prices, but parking is double compared to bwi so you need to incorporate that into your price. I've been trying to put a long weekend together for late February or early March to use sine SW credits, but the one way dates are horrible. Coming home is reasonable though. Good luck.