To Book or Not to Book Airfare - That Is The Question

[GrammieMame]

I'm looking at Denver to Orlando airfares the last week in March. They are between $425 and $550 or so, depending on the schedule. Trying to decide whether to book now or to hold out, hoping they will come down some. Any thoughts?

 

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

Bumping this up for you.

 

[mturner]

that seems awfully steep to me. what airlines? if you book now, i would make sure that you can cancel should you find a lower price.

what do you normally pay from denver?

 

[Bill From PA]

Normally I'd be looking to buy airfare right now for our annual March trip, we're going 3/2 - 3/12 2006, but this time I bought from USAir out of PHL 330 days out, as early as they come out. I paid $181 plus at the time and the rates have done nothing but go up from there, now going for $516.90 on the USAir web site. I gambled that fuel costs would drive up fares and grabbed the flight at its lowest. Now, I've been flying out of various Pa. airports to MCO for 6 - 7 years, so I know what the normal range is. $181 out of PHL was $16 more that our best out of that airport and $50 less than from a closer, local airport, so I knew the fare was an acceptable deal when I purchased. You need to know what the range is from your area. It does sound high, but I suspect, like mine, it was lower when first announced and has gone steadily up since then. Try posting another note here asking for sample fares from your area starting in March 2005 through your dates. You'll get some idea which way the fares are heading. I fear it's up.

Bill From PA

 

[westjones]

I've been looking at the last week of March also (from Indianapolis) and it is really high! We are probably going to drive (I know this isn't an option for you though). I don't have any advice, just wanted you to know that I too have noticed that the prices are much higher than what we have been paying in the past.

Good Luck,
DJ

 

[erikthewise]

I really don't think they will be filling their planes at these prices. They are playing a waiting game. So should you. These prices have nowhere to go but down in the next couple months. If nothing happens by Jan 31, you have my permission to panic.

 

[treloarf]

I know that November isn't that popular, but I booked in Sept for Nov. & paid almost @250, by time end of Oct. came around the flight went down to $116. iT DEPENDS ON HOW THEY FILL THE PLANES. I don't think people have the money - I think prices will come down if you're flexible a little.

 

[dizplanner]

We have tickets from Denver to Orlando for Mar 11-19. I purchased them last summer (July). I paid a bit less than $250/person (actually I used points from my credit card). I did have to go with American and a connection to get a decent price. Direct flights have been $400-$500/person all the time. The connecting flights were ~$250 for couple of months, then jumped to $330/person. They fell for a weekend and that is when I purchased. They jumped back up the following Monday. I stopped checking so often, but I haven't seen the prices come down at all.

I know when we went in 2004, I decided to go in January. Flights were over $500/person, but I had points with my credit card that would pay for up to $500/person, so we could still go.

While you can get flights from Denver to Orlando for ~$250, I wouldn't count on it for March.

 

[DrTomorrow]

I've read quite a few articles stating that air travel demand is increasing at the same time that many airlines (particularly the ones in or near bankruptcy) are cutting back on flights. Demand up, supply down = higher ticket prices.

To me, peace of mind has a significant dollar value....

 

[mturner]

i just looked on one of those comparison sites on google and looked at march 23 to 30 and and frontier and american both were going for about 350 from denver to orlando. i would sure shop around first before i booked. does southwest fly out of denver? you can get e fares that are really good rates if you catch them early. i just flew from chicago to las vegas in oct on united for 175 so i can't imagine that you can't find a better rate then 4 or 500 . good luck.

 

[Bill From PA]

I can verify that airlines are dropping flights because we were scheduled on a 6:30 am flight out of PHL and it was eliminated. Now we leave at 7:55. It's your money, but if it were me, I'd do the best I could right now and not look back. On one occasion I experienced the sick feeling of buying airfare only to see it go down $25, but every other time I bought at or near the low for March fares and it was always around this time of year. They've always gone up as March approached from this date, at least from the NorthEast to MCO. Again, see if you can learn what prices were historically available for your dates, and when the tickets were purchased. If, in the past, others have successfully waited it out and have gotten lower rates past this date from your airport, you may win. If rates purchased past this date have historically gone up, there's every reason to think they will this time, and probably worse that in the past. Airlines are not launching half filled planes, they're cancelling them. I see precious little competition at this time.

Bill From PA

 

[vfb2girls]

I bought our tickets for our March trip back in May and even then they were 444.00 a piece. I knew from where our location is that airfare was not going to come down much. Right now when I go to price the same ticket is is almost 900.00 a piece! Now I honestly do not think anyone in their right mind is going to pay that price but I am glad I went ahead and bought when I did. In our area we have such limited airline choices.

 

[Brian Noble]

For what it's worth, I was convinced DTW/MCO flights for late feb/early mar wouldn't go down from their (reasonable) $280 back in August. They went sky high for a while (350-500) but came back down this week to $225-$300, depending on times/airports.

I think I might hold out for late March, but not much more than 3-4 weeks. It seems unlikely to me that they will go up *significantly* between now and then, unless the planes are already running full. They might go up some, but your upside potential seems pretty good, too, as that's not too close to Easter to worry about holiday traffic patterns.

 

[cdpa4d]

Another Indy person looking for the last week of March. I've noticed the same thing. I always try and fly Southwest, but this year the fares opened up while we were out of town. By the time I got home and looked the Internet fares where gone, out of here! Now I'm looking at 400 to 500 dollars per person from Indy. Let's hope the current flights book up completely and the carriers will have to add more. Maybe a stretch to think that, but you never know.

By the way, April 1st - 3rd is Final Four weekend in Indy. Getting flights in and out of Indy the week prior and the week after will be difficult because of the number of people who attend the event. It will be crazy here, but well worth it in my opinion.

 

[mturner]

again, i normally shop around and keep a watch out. flying out of chicago does give me choices but as i said, i booked LV in sept 3 weeks ahead on united for 175 and only booked my flt for disney 2 weeks ago and managed to get an internet special on southwest for 170. both places being heavy tourist areas--- perhaps i am lucky.

 

[westjones]

Another Indy person looking for the last week of March. I've noticed the same thing. I always try and fly Southwest, but this year the fares opened up while we were out of town. By the time I got home and looked the Internet fares where gone, out of here! Now I'm looking at 400 to 500 dollars per person from Indy. Let's hope the current flights book up completely and the carriers will have to add more. Maybe a stretch to think that, but you never know.

By the way, April 1st - 3rd is Final Four weekend in Indy. Getting flights in and out of Indy the week prior and the week after will be difficult because of the number of people who attend the event. It will be crazy here, but well worth it in my opinion.

I didn't realize that about the Final Four Weekend, so that may be why it is so high also (that along with spring break).

Just FYI, I checked Southwest within a couple hours of them opening up the last week of March and there were no cheap rates. The best I have found if is we wanted to fly into Jacksonville and drive down (3 hours) ourselves. We are considering it.

DJ

 

[erikthewise]

I didn't realize that about the Final Four Weekend, so that may be why it is so high also (that along with spring break).

Just FYI, I checked Southwest within a couple hours of them opening up the last week of March and there were no cheap rates. The best I have found if is we wanted to fly into Jacksonville and drive down (3 hours) ourselves. We are considering it.

DJ

I'd invite all you Hoosiers to drive over to Dayton and fly Airtran, but they are also still around $500 for this time frame. I'm looking at a March 16-19 weekend trip (business of course ). They recently had a sale covering flights up to March 8, so I expect a major price break within the next 6 weeks, probably when we're out of town!

 

[krismom]

Ugh! I'm in the same boat here- but looking for flights the 2nd-2rd week in March. Jetblue is so expensive, Southwest is "unavailable" and I've tried Orbitz, Expedia and the like and they are all 5oo or so round trip. I'm hoping holding out isn't going to cost me dearly!