Staring contest with the airlines... when should I blink?

[Andy48]

We're headed to WDW for Presidents' Week 2011, and as soon as we booked the room, I started tracking flight prices through Yapta.

Granted, it's still more than 5 months out, but the airfares are absolutely staggering and they haven't budged since I started following them. To fly Boston to Fort Lauderdale (to visit family) and return MCO to Boston, it will currently cost me about $950 per seat for a nonstop itinerary, only dropping to $660 if we do 1-stop each way.

I'm really trying to put my faith in what I've read about airfares, that they usually drop about 3-4 months before the travel date... but could someone please reassure me that this is true, especially for the February holiday week?

If I keep watching those airfares, I won't have to spend more on airfare than on the rest of our vacation combined... right? RIGHT?

Thanks-

 

[monarchsfan16]

Virtually all of New England is on break that week because of the way the dates fall. We booked flights for my mom the day Southwest opened the dates, and she paid far more than she ever has to travel over Feb vacation week (NH is usually the week after the rest of New England). We've been watching to see if we could change her to a better flight home, and they've just gone up.
ETA: I don't know where in New England you are, but you might look into SW from Manchester. You'll still pay through the nose, but you may be able to drop those prices. There are still some flights back from MCO in the $200 range. Not sure what flights are down to FLL.

 

[ancestry]

Yeah - that is a really busy week in New England as almost all people college and regular schools are on break that week. You might get the air fares to come down somewhat but I wouldn't count on a HUGE drop -- don't except $200 round trip or anything like that.

If you can try checking not only Boston, but also Manchester (and Southwest) and possibly Portland (and JetBlue/AirTran).

 

[PrincesCJM]

The PP is correct. It's school vacation week in New England and prices are always high and will stay high I am a teacher and will be heading to WDW during April vacation. I bought flights almost as soon as they were release end of May/June. My flights now cost almost three times as much as I paid. The only downfall with buying tickets so far out is that Delta keeps changing things with the flights. Yesterday when I looked, I have a 5 minute layover in LGA. I was easily able to get them changed - without a fee since it was Delta's doing. If and when you find flights at a price that you like, buy them ASAP. Don't wait to think about it

 

[debster812]

You may have already waited too long. We're in MA, and fly to FL every year over February Vacation/President's Week. Generally, I'll pull DS from school a day or two early, and we'll come back before the 2nd weekend of vacation.

I booked our flights the days the became available (Delta flying to TO Florida, JetBlue coming home) and have a round trip, non stop each way, for about $300 per person, and I'm quite happy with that.

 

[Zerosinthecloset]

We're headed to WDW for Presidents' Week 2011, and as soon as we booked the room, I started tracking flight prices through Yapta.

Granted, it's still more than 5 months out, but the airfares are absolutely staggering and they haven't budged since I started following them. To fly Boston to Fort Lauderdale (to visit family) and return MCO to Boston, it will currently cost me about $950 per seat for a nonstop itinerary, only dropping to $660 if we do 1-stop each way.

I'm really trying to put my faith in what I've read about airfares, that they usually drop about 3-4 months before the travel date... but could someone please reassure me that this is true, especially for the February holiday week?

If I keep watching those airfares, I won't have to spend more on airfare than on the rest of our vacation combined... right? RIGHT?

Thanks-

How is the airline supposed to know when ones travel dates are? I've seen this in a number of threads, that airline fares go down a X number of weeks/months before a certain date. Nothiing beats sheer tenacity when it comes to booking airfare...with a dash of flexability.

 

[Brian Noble]

I would look around at alternative airports, just to see. I don't see much harm in waiting a bit---it's not like that fare is going to go drastically higher---at least, not until we get into the last few weeks prior to the trip. But, as others have mentioned, *definitely* adjust your expectations from prior trips.

How is the airline supposed to know when ones travel dates are?

It's not a matter of knowing when I'm flying. Instead, it's about the "advance window" that the airlines typically use for sales. I get a couple of aifare watch newsletters. Right now, most promotions still aren't past the end of 2010. In general, folks are not planning as far ahead as they used to, and so airlines are not running promotions as far in advance as they might have a few years ago.

 

[clanmcculloch]

I just yesterday booked my flights out of MHT for the February vacation. My kids are going to miss 3 days of school in order to save around $2000 on our flights. As others have said, this year is even busier for travel than other years because NH is normally the week after MA and ME but this year we're all on the same week. There are still some $118 nonstop flights out of MHT on SWA right now if your kids can miss a couple days of school.

 

[NHDisneyFan]

I just yesterday booked my flights out of MHT for the February vacation. My kids are going to miss 3 days of school in order to save around $2000 on our flights. As others have said, this year is even busier for travel than other years because NH is normally the week after MA and ME but this year we're all on the same week. There are still some $118 nonstop flights out of MHT on SWA right now if your kids can miss a couple days of school.

In Nashua we are the week after MA, so basically vacation is the first week of March as the first Saturday is 2/26. The airfare for SW from MHT to MCO is ridiculous right now, I can get Airtran from BOS round trip at just a little more than one way via SW. JetBlue is also much more than Airtran for this week and I'm looking to leave on Friday. Really wanted JB or SW but their prices are making it hard to go with them.

 

[lisa-upnorth]

been watching southwest's rates and it would be a better price-but not sure how far away you are. Dates around the holiday week are cheaper too-

Prov to Orlando
Thurs Feb 17th is $217
Fri Feb 18th is $330
Sat Feb 19 is $330

Trips home are-
Sat Feb 26 is $330
Sun Feb 27 is $330
Mon Feb 28 is $217
Tues Mar 1 is $118

all are direct flights

 

[Zerosinthecloset]

been watching southwest's rates and it would be a better price-but not sure how far away you are. Dates around the holiday week are cheaper too-

Prov to Orlando
Thurs Feb 17th is $217
Fri Feb 18th is $330
Sat Feb 19 is $330

Trips home are-
Sat Feb 26 is $330
Sun Feb 27 is $330
Mon Feb 28 is $217
Tues Mar 1 is $118

all are direct flights

They are non stop flights. Direct and non stop are two different things.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Deleted - posted in wrong thread.

 

[lisa-upnorth]

non stop flights are the prices posted (not sure of the direct vs. non-stop difference but these are non-stop)

 

[NHDisneyFan]

non stop flights are the prices posted (not sure of the direct vs. non-stop difference but these are non-stop)

I pulled the trigger today on Airtran nonstop BOS-MCO. The price was just so much better than JB or SW, I didn't want to risk losing it in the hopes SW cut their rates in half, which is what it would take to match AT.

 

[Zerosinthecloset]

non stop flights are the prices posted (not sure of the direct vs. non-stop difference but these are non-stop)

Direct is when a flight makes one or more stops, but you stay on the same plane to your destination. That is quite a difference from non stop.

 

[lisa-upnorth]

oh, now I see! Yeah, the whole going up and down more than once is not very good!!! Thanks for the lesson

 

[Lillian Gracey]

I'm not used to seeing such high prices (except with Jet Blue and other pricey airlines). I am having the same problem. I knew I should have bought tickets when they were $99 each way, but I didn't because my mom said I could find something better. Boy was she wrong, now they keep going up! They're $153 each way now.

Where in Ft. Lauderdale? My grandparents own a condo in Pompano Beach right next to this seafood restaurant.