ugh! These airline prices!

[Dick Nami]

I've always flown to Disney, however the prices for any airline flying out the first week of November is ridiculous. 300-400 each way from philly to orlando. Family of 4 adds up..

Is this the new standard? i haven,t been to disney in about 4 years, and back then it was about 100 per person each way. Is this a bad week to fly or the standard?

 

[teambeaman]

No, you are looking to early for a non-holiday week. Best prices are usually 6 weeks before the flight, unless it is almost sold out. Look at the seat availability to see how full it is.

 

[sarmat1]

I've always flown to Disney, however the prices for any airline flying out the first week of November is ridiculous. 300-400 each way from philly to orlando. Family of 4 adds up..

Is this the new standard? i haven,t been to disney in about 4 years, and back then it was about 100 per person each way. Is this a bad week to fly or the standard?

No, it's not the new standard, but you are looking right around or at Jersey Week (teacher convention this year is Nov 6 and 7). Either that first week or the next week (or both) will have plenty of Jerseyans heading down to Disney. Since you're looking to fly out of Philly, it looks like you might be one of them.

 

[1Grumpy9]

I've always flown to Disney, however the prices for any airline flying out the first week of November is ridiculous. 300-400 each way from philly to orlando. Family of 4 adds up..

Is this the new standard? i haven,t been to disney in about 4 years, and back then it was about 100 per person each way. Is this a bad week to fly or the standard?

I am seeing that for the week before also. I was looking at flying out of Baltimore, but the price was the same you are seeing. I researched a little and found it was cheaper for my friend and I to rent a car and drive. Now, granted, we are on the road for a day and a half, instead of 2 hrs, but to save almost $200 each for travel is better for me. I also don't mind driving.

I have also been researching prices for March to fly to Vegas for a girl's week and it is over $400 round trip out of BWI. It sucks right now...

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

I am seeing that for the week before also. I was looking at flying out of Baltimore, but the price was the same you are seeing. I researched a little and found it was cheaper for my friend and I to rent a car and drive. Now, granted, we are on the road for a day and a half, instead of 2 hrs, but to save almost $200 each for travel is better for me. I also don't mind driving.

I have also been researching prices for March to fly to Vegas for a girl's week and it is over $400 round trip out of BWI. It sucks right now...

I would not drive 1 1/2 days to save only $200!

 

[theduhaimes]

Keep checking several times a day! I am flying to WDW in the middle of October. I recently booked my airfare (middle of July)and paid $215 per person round trip out of PHL. I found that Southwest had the best prices for my time. I had to be flexible (late day flights out of PHL are much cheaper than morning flights). I originally wanted to leave Saturday, October18th first thing in the morning but ended up booking 3:50 Friday, October 17th to save a bunch of money. I used my reward points at a hotel near the airport to get a cheap hotel for Friday night and we will use Magical Express first thing Saturday morning to head to WDW. This is saving me almost $100 per person. Good luck!

 

[KristenFNJ]

Jersey Girl, checking in... because I was literally coming here to post the same dang thing!!!

Indeed, that is Jersey Week (Teacher's Convention is Th 11/6-F 11/7). Many schools also have half-days on M-T-W (though not all). As a parent, it's extremely attractive to give our kids the very fortunate opportunity to enjoy WDW without missing as much school (while avoiding the standard school break crowds and summer heat). We have taken them out of school until now, but DS1 just can't miss middle school for a whole week. If it weren't for Jersey Week, I don't know when we'd ever go again! But man alive, the flights are unbearable!

I can't say how much the airlines are on to the whole "Jersey Week" phenomenon, but it wouldn't surprised me if they are pricing it as if it's a holiday. And I'm sure the southwestern 1/3 of NJ would be flying out of Philly. I apologize on behalf of my tribe.

This is our first time going during Jersey Week, and I am utterly flabbergasted by the cost of flights as well! Like, well more than double what it cost us in May 2013-round trip flight for our party of 6, plus a minivan for the week, was $2000. For this trip, flight alone is clocking in at over $4500. **thud** We've driven a bunch of times, but over 2 days... and the day before our time share reservation (11/1-11/8) is Halloween! That ain't happenin'!

So, once again, I understand why we do it , but my sincerest apologies on behalf of my people!!!

 

[speniner]

Consider the train....yes it takes a lot longer, but in your situation given the price you stated for air, it is A LOT cheaper. My math says you will be out approximately $2800 for airfare (I'm assuming $350 x 2/round trip x 4 passengers). You can go one way on the train for $132/pp from Philly to Kissimmee. Worst case you are looking at $1,056 (taxes included) round trip for 4. I say worst case, because kids 12 and under ride half price with a paying adult, so if both kids are under 12, it goes down to $792 round trip for 4. Yes, you will spend a few bucks on food but not $2,000 worth.

Note, the $132 I used Sun Nov. 2nd and 9th as the travel dates.

 

[sam_gordon]

No, you are looking to early for a non-holiday week. Best prices are usually 6 weeks before the flight, unless it is almost sold out. Look at the seat availability to see how full it is.

1) Seat availability may or may not show you how full a flight is. Depending on how the airline does seat assignments, folks may be waiting to select a seat, which would show as an "empty" plane even if it's actually full.
2) And think about the bolded... if the flight is almost sold out, prices will continue to rise, which means if you've waited until 6 weeks out, now you're paying more.
3) EVERY TIME I've been able to book at the 11 month mark (actually about 10 1/2 months), the prices have never gotten lower.

YMMV, which is exactly my point. What works for one person may/may not work for someone else, so giving anyone an absolute is the wrong thing to do.

 

[teambeaman]

1) Seat availability may or may not show you how full a flight is. Depending on how the airline does seat assignments, folks may be waiting to select a seat, which would show as an "empty" plane even if it's actually full. 2) And think about the bolded... if the flight is almost sold out, prices will continue to rise, which means if you've waited until 6 weeks out, now you're paying more. 3) EVERY TIME I've been able to book at the 11 month mark (actually about 10 1/2 months), the prices have never gotten lower. YMMV, which is exactly my point. What works for one person may/may not work for someone else, so giving anyone an absolute is the wrong thing to do.

I worked for Delta in the reservations department for 5 years and was a travel agent for 3 years. If you don't think that I know what I'm talking about then that is your opinion, but even if you google when the best time to buy is, it will say the same thing. This is not just from my experience as a consumer, but also my experience in the industry.

If you look at fights 5 weeks out from today, Sep 9-16, a RT between PHL and MCO is $239.

 

[jworthy]

Bought our airfare yesterday for November. We are flying out of Fresno, Ca and are paying the same price as we did 2 years ago. Typically 45-60 is the best time to buy, but if you check daily you may find a good price earlier. Funny thing about our flight this year is: We are paying 60 dollars less for our flight with a layover at LAX than we would pay if we just flew out of LAX. The airlines are funny.

 

[1Grumpy9]

I would not drive 1 1/2 days to save only $200!

But when you are trying to save money anywhere for your trip, my friend and I can drive round trip for the cost of 1 round trip ticket, and we both don't mind driving...I say yes.

Plus, for me it is an adventure....

 

[puffkin]

I have always flown to Disney too, 2x a year. We are about the same distance from PHL and BWI so I check them both. The last couple of years, BWI is almost always cheaper. We are going Thanksgiving week so we have been anxious to book airfare. I can't find anything under $400/person and with 5 people, its just too much for us. We actually were prepared to drive but I did check DCA (Washington DC) and was able to get us RT tickets on Southwest for $260 into Tampa. Still higher than I am used to and not ideal, but I can work with that. I'll take a 3.5 hour drive to the airport over a 20 hour drive to Disney anyday. It basically buys us 2 extra days of vacation time and once I factored in the costs of driving it is only about $500 more to fly even with a rental in Florida. We had rented a mini van (don't have a car big enough for all of us to take), gas, and hotel for drive down and back (2 rooms), so this works out to not be too much more. My kids are little and not used to long drives but are used to flying, so I think for our sanity we can work with this.

Keep checking, especially for a non-holiday week

 

[TeamMMom]

No, you are looking to early for a non-holiday week. Best prices are usually 6 weeks before the flight, unless it is almost sold out. Look at the seat availability to see how full it is.

Teambeaman, when would you recommend looking/booking for a holiday week? We are flying out of PWM on April 18, returning Sunday April 26. School vacation week here in ME. Right now we're looking at $500 - $600 pp. DH and I are hoping for $400 pp or less.

Thanks!

 

[sam_gordon]

I worked for Delta in the reservations department for 5 years and was a travel agent for 3 years. If you don't think that I know what I'm talking about then that is your opinion, but even if you google when the best time to buy is, it will say the same thing. This is not just from my experience as a consumer, but also my experience in the industry.

If you look at fights 5 weeks out from today, Sep 9-16, a RT between PHL and MCO is $239.

Right now, September 9-16 is showing $255 on Delta. But since that's not exactly 5 weeks from today, I modified it to September 11-18... $255.
September 18-25 (6 weeks)... $255
September 25-Oct. 2 (7 weeks)... $255
October 2 - Oct. 9 (8 weeks)... $255
December 4 - 11 (17 weeks)... $255
September 4-11 (4 weeks)... $255

So right now, the price is the same for a week long RT ticket from four weeks from today through 17 weeks (4 months).

June 4, 2015- June 11, 2015 (10 months)... $255

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

But when you are trying to save money anywhere for your trip, my friend and I can drive round trip for the cost of 1 round trip ticket, and we both don't mind driving...I say yes.

Plus, for me it is an adventure....

I completely understand this, but I wouldn't do it!

 

[teambeaman]

Teambeaman, when would you recommend looking/booking for a holiday week? We are flying out of PWM on April 18, returning Sunday April 26. School vacation week here in ME. Right now we're looking at $500 - $600 pp. DH and I are hoping for $400 pp or less. Thanks!

So this is what I do: I look at the fare calendars and see what the average fare is for that route, ex. DEN to MCO is usually $99 each way. Then I check the fares, for you I'd start in late Jan. early Feb. and if one way hits my target price (or close to it) I'll by that way and wait for the other way. So last Christmas we flew to California and I started checking fares in late October. Our return flight dropped before our flight out so I bought the return for $69 each. Then the 1st week of December our flight out dropped to $79 so I purchased those. You have to be patient and persistent, but as the flights get closer the airlines bring the fares down because they don't want to risk not selling every seat. It's the people that get nervous and pay double and triple the average fare that lose out and make the airlines the most money. We fly to wdw every October and I've never purchased my tickets before September and have never paid more than $199 RT. In fact, we've never paid more than $399 RT to go anywhere in the US (inc. Hawaii) and we travel quite frequently. Good luck!

 

[Jack&Ryan'smom]

It's crazy this year! I've bee looking for flights for the past 2 months. We went last Sept. and flew out of Philly for $790 for the 4 of us. This Sept. I couldn't find anything for under $980 out of Philly and that was with crappy times & non direct flights. I finally settled with flying out of Newark for an extra $100 w got great times and direct flights.

 

[TwizzleMouse]

IDK where you live and when you are planning to fly out that first week of Nov but there's 94$-127$ flights going out of Harrisburg Int'l Airport that week, depending on your carrier. It's also 159$ out of Allentown. Just FYI.

 

[CapnJacksGirl]

I'm losing my mind over fares too.

We fly to MCO on Oct 12 and back on Oct 19. The catch for us, apparently, is that we have to fly out of MCO after noon since we're coming back from a 3-night cruise. We're using credit card points to purchase the flights so I just need them to get under $400 per person. So far, the only way I can make that happen is on Spirit, which I'm a little hesitant to try. (Too many horror stories about being cramped.) I may have to bite the bullet and do it anyway. I've never waited this late to purchase our flights and it's making me twitchy!