What would you do... airfare

[lorax123]

Hey all.

I keep seeing a really good rate on our Southwest airfare. Originally we purchased a rate of $159 down and $179 back.

The same flight back dropped to $129, so grabbed the lower fare last week.

Right now the flight down is still $10 higher, but I keep seeing a later flight (still the same day) going for $59!!!

We are really considering taking that flight out. But right now we have the earliest flight SW is offering out of Philly. We should arrive (fingers crossed) in Orlando at 12pm. This later flight leaves at 12:45 and lands at 3:25. So we lo
se a day traveling.

But we are talking about a $500 savings and we can use the credit for a flight in '09.

I'm thinking 4 hours is worth $500. We do have 12 days in Orlando.

What would you guys do?

 

[disneyholic family]

Hey all.

I keep seeing a really good rate on our Southwest airfare. Originally we purchased a rate of $159 down and $179 back.

The same flight back dropped to $129, so grabbed the lower fare last week.

Right now the flight down is still $10 higher, but I keep seeing a later flight (still the same day) going for $59!!!

We are really considering taking that flight out. But right now we have the earliest flight SW is offering out of Philly. We should arrive (fingers crossed) in Orlando at 12pm. This later flight leaves at 12:45 and lands at 3:25. So we lo
se a day traveling.

But we are talking about a $500 savings and we can use the credit for a flight in '09.

I'm thinking 4 hours is worth $500. We do have 12 days in Orlando.

What would you guys do?

i think i'd go for it...$500 is a lot of money....

 

[lorax123]

i did... I just hate afternoon flights!

So, for this trip we saved $745 on the airfare. So basically we have enough cash for 5 flights later!

 

[ADP]

I certainly would have changed. That is a nice sum of money to save.

 

[disneyholic family]

i did... I just hate afternoon flights!

So, for this trip we saved $745 on the airfare. So basically we have enough cash for 5 flights later!

i hate afternoon flights too, but it's too much to pass up..

i've taken 6 am flights to save that amount as well....my sister was soooooooooooooooo annoyed with me when i scheduled us for a 6 am flight...we had to wake up before we went to sleep.....more or less...

but to get the flights for less than 50%, i thought it was worth it...

 

[DVCsince02]

We fly SW out of Philly too. I say save the cash and fly later. You can't check in your hotel until 3 anyway.

 

[wilde_oscar]

take the $500 and burn a day

 

[figment3258]

I would switch flights to save that much money. And you are lucky enough to be there for 12 days so you will have plenty of time. have a great time!

 

[lorax123]

I'm a morning flight fan myself!

I was disappointed the earliest I could book a SW flight on a Sunday was 9am. I like to be landing in Orlando by then!

At least this way we don't have to get the kids up before dawn and make the 40 mile drive to the airport before my brain is awake!

I did tell my DW, what if our 9am flight gets delayed 2 hours? We'd still waste the whole day, but would have paid more in the process.


Now... I wonder where should we use our credits to fly too... A whole new problem!

 

[lisaanddenny]

we booked the 64 fare for 7:20am, we will have a rental so we can be at the airport in no time at all, waking up at 4:30 wont kill us to return home since we will be there 8 nights, i like getting home early and having the whole day to grocery shop, go thru the mail, etc...........

 

[MyteJoe]

I have flown into Orlando at 7pm because the it was a direct flight and much cheaper. No lines at the airport for the Magical express, just walked on the bus and away we went. It helps taking a longer vacation in making the descision to burn a day easier. But with the money I saved I would do it again in a heartbeat!

 

[disneyholic family]

I'm a morning flight fan myself!

I was disappointed the earliest I could book a SW flight on a Sunday was 9am. I like to be landing in Orlando by then!

At least this way we don't have to get the kids up before dawn and make the 40 mile drive to the airport before my brain is awake!

I did tell my DW, what if our 9am flight gets delayed 2 hours? We'd still waste the whole day, but would have paid more in the process.


Now... I wonder where should we use our credits to fly too... A whole new problem!

are you KIDDING???????????????????????

no brainer..

WDW!!!!!

 

[lorax123]

We fly SW out of Philly too. I say save the cash and fly later. You can't check in your hotel until 3 anyway.

Yeah... that was another factor in the decision. It's much easier to do our grocery run and get to the hotel and be able to put it away, instead of the hassle of storing all of our luggage at the front desk.

Now just trying to figure out what to do for meals that night. We'll probably be going over to MGM for EMH, but making a dinner resie that night would be ridiculous. We'd have to make it for 7, to ensure we could make it, as long as there's no major snags! Plus everybody will be way to hungry by that point, to wait until 7! I guess it's counter service for us that night.

 

[DebºoºS]

Wow that's a great saving! Dittos on what they said. I always book later flights to save. With DVC we check-in after 4pm anyway. The bag check and security lines are longer after 11am and there's a greater chance of the flight being delayed. It's a rolling affect from hub airports. All that is tolerated as long as I can get there for a late dinner in the world

 

[3DisneyKids]

I totally would have done the same thing and saved the $$ especially since you will be there for so many days.

As for dinner that night....since you are "feeling" pressed for time (though you aren't really, but I so understand that internal pressure of just getting there!), I would just grab something in the airport or in the car on the way there. Don't waste time on CS as it is not going to be great or special anyway. That way, when you get to property, you are just good to GO!

We have this down to a science where one person grabs food (the Au Bon Pain is actually decent) and then gets the luggage while the other gets the rental car. We end up always meeting at about the exact same time without anyone having to wait on the other. We are always out of the airport and on the road within 15-20 minutes from getting off the plane (as opposed to from the time the plane touches down...but yeah, we have that figured out, too! ). Considering we have 3 kids and several pieces of checked luggage plus a rental car, we consider that awesome time.

 

[Madi100]

I would have flown out a day earlier if I could get the same flight. That is what we are doing in December. The cheapest was the evening flight, so we are taking it a night before. It will be kind of nice, because we will be well rested to start our vacation.

 

[dizneedoll]

Oh, I would definitely take the later flight to save the $$$. And since you have 12 days there it won't feel too much like you're losing a day. We live on the west coast and have no choice but to lose 2 days getting there and back. We're on the earliest flight out...6:15am and still don't get to MCO till 4pm. I was worried about food too...my DS2 will probably be starving and I'm hoping to just get something at MCO to hold us over till we get to the hotel. As PP's said, maybe you could do that and then not have to worry about making it to an ADR later. Good Luck!

 

[ADisneyFamly]

We wanted to return home on Monday after MouseFest, but the airfare on Tues. was 1/2 the price. So we went for the extra day. It's still cheaper to stay for us even after the hotel, tickets, food.
As for your ? I would take the later flight and save the $$

 

[Halbleib1]

I just booked our tickets for Dec last week at $54.00 each way for a total of 387 round trip BWI-MCO for the three of us down from almost 700.00. I would def. have rebooked as well for $500.00. I am still watching the flights to see if they go lower but I highly doubt that they will. Airtran is offering the same deal except they have different flight times and charge for baggage. When I saw that price last week I told my dh I was not waiting a moment longer and was booking them right away.

 

[lorax123]

I'm glad everybody is unanimous! Now, i'm 100% positive I made the right decision.

Best of all... we won't have to get up at 3am, after tossing and turning all night in bed dreaming of waking up late and missing our flight. I hate the 'before you leave anxiety!!!'

Now, should I call DU and start planning another trip in May for DD's 5th birthday or is it too soon? :>