When is best time to book airfare?

[MouseloverJD]

Hi ~ When are the best airfare deals published? 1, 2, 3 etc.,. months prior to trip? Thanks, Eden

I agree with the PP, the earlier you book the better. I booked my Delta flight for May 2010 in November 2009. The price has since gone up. However, on Airtran they don't release fares so far in advance. I booked for my August trip last week and when I checked again this week, the price had increased. So lesson learned, book as soon as possible.

 

[NMW]

It's really a gamble. One time we booked 10 mos out and prices just kept going up. Another time, I told DH just to book the flights 8 mos out and he did. Well, they went down a month later, and then amazingly went down AGAIN. I was annoyed and told DH to just stop checking! This was Continental, so we didn't get any credit.

Once we booked Song (was owned by Delta) out of Newark NJ and Delta re-absorbed the airline. Our flight got moved to Delta out of JFK and was made an afternoon outgoing flight instead of early AM. I only found out because I checked my flight online. I called Delta and they were able to move us to an early AM flight out of JFK, but could not get us on a direct flight out of Newark.

Last May our Continental flight out of Newark was cancelled and we were changed to another flight and we were all split up all over the plane. I called and complained because of my children and they were able to move us into one of the first rows they reserve for club members or something.

This year we are going in November and have been holding off booking waiting for a better deal. We'll probably book in April. We may do Jet Blue out of Newark. I'm not sure.

 

[DisneyAndRedSox]

1. Now that airline capacity is much less (less flights), I book ASAP. For our Feb 2010 trip, we got Delta for $220 n/s r/t last April. Two months out our exact times was now $1200. I booked Jet Blue for Labor Day week, it went up about $30 to $35 since I booked it last Friday. Just an example how much capacity is down, Delta used to have 3 evening flights from Boston to Orlando, now they have only 3 a day and none are in the evening!

2. Everyone is right about Delta changing times and *sometimes* you can use it to your advantage. Delta changed one of our flights EIGHT times! The best was they had us connecting in Ohio before the first leg of our flight landed! But, like others said you can use it to your advnatage. Once I was using DH's miles and they would not let me fly direct on the return flight. It changed by over an hour and we said the new time didn't work. They put me on the direct flight I originally wanted.

 

[huskies90]

Does anyone have ANY experience or idea about airfares Xmas week? Should I hold out for something lower? Is $200-$250 a possibility for that week or is there no chance?

Also, does anyone know when Airtran, JetBlue etc will be releasing fares for that week?

I saw some airfares drop a bit today for Xmas week (Tuesday/Wednesday theory?). I think I am going to wait for Airtran and/or Jetblue to be released and book as soon as they are released.

 

[nellyru]

I saw some airfares drop a bit today for Xmas week (Tuesday/Wednesday theory?). I think I am going to wait for Airtran and/or Jetblue to be released and book as soon as they are released.

Let me know when they do- cause I'm thinking that's when we are going down to Disney too!!