Tips to finding the best priced flights on delta?

[gottalovepluto]

I usually just watch for the best price but I find myself committed to Delta for my Nov trip due to having vouchers. Any tips on watching for the best price when locked into a specific airline?

 

[Westcoastwild]

If my dates are somewhat flexible, I usually check the flights at all of the airports in the area every day, and when it's something I can live with, I buy. It does depend on how much they vary and whether the savings is worth the hassle. If there's only one flight that I'd be willing to take on the days that I've got to fly, I just book right away. I don't want to risk a horrible layover or having to take a 5am flight.

I think for November I would not be worried for a few months unless this is Thanksgiving week. Those prices don't go down in my experience- they just go up, and up.

 

[AquamarineSteph]

Everyone has a favorite method of pricing a flight. There are websites that have attempted to calculate how many days before a flight you are most likely to score the best price, but I don't remember the exact number of days.

Where Delta is concerned, I usually check the prices once a day when I have my target dates. Prices fluctuate a lot depending on the day of the week. Some people also say that the price varies based on the time of day. The one thing I do know is that you should always clear your browser's cache after you search for flights. That sudden price jump that makes you think, oh, no! I should buy now before it goes any higher! That very same price jump sometimes disappears if you clear your cache.

It also helps to sign up for Delta's emails. That's a good way to get a heads up on sales.

Have fun on your trip!!

 

[SandyinMonterey]

On my local news the other evening, it said "they" now say the best time to buy tickets for a domestic flight is 3/12 to 3 months out and having flexible dates help too.

 

[SandyinMonterey]

Meant to type: 3 1/2 weeks to 3 months out.

 

[mjonis]

Book when you see the price you can live with. I was going to use my Delta Companion certificate when I saw Key West flights for $450 roundtrip (that would've been 2 tickets for $450). Instead I waited a month and they went up to $650 (this was 6 months in advance). It's now slightly less than 2 months out and they're almost $1,000.
For coach.

It really depends on where you're going, but it's been my experience out of my home airport, that the prices almost never go down (VERY rarely, even on southwest). Perhaps if you're flying out of a big airport like JFK/BOS or something.

My sister is flying SW out of DEN to MCO. I've checked every day since she's booked 2 months ago (trip is in October). Prices have only gone up or sold out (for the lowest fares).

Just think of it like insurance or gambling. Buy it and don't look back (unless it's southwest and you can change without penalty). haha

 

[kydisneyfans]

I've checked prices up to 4 times a day and have seen different prices every time I look.
Seems to be much quieter this week.

No strategy other than to keep looking. At times I peek at how many seats remain to tell how full the flight I want already is, chances are if most of the seats are gone, the price isn't dropping more. If the plane has next to nothing reserved, the price is likely to drop.

Also check all airports in the area. For us, Delta is at Lexington, Louisville, and Cincinnati. Cincinnati flights are the cheapest 95% of the time. On the flip side, SW is cheaper from Louisville, even with SW coming to Cincinnati next month.

 

[newestkg06]

I use the trick kydisneyfans suggested. I look at how booked up the flight looks. We fly Delta most of the time and the past few years it has seemed to have fewer "sales" and just pretty steady prices until the plane starts to fill and the prices go up. There may be more sales if flights stay empty, but I'm too much of a worrier to wait until 3 weeks out, and with school and work breaks, we really aren't flexible.