When to book airfare for an October trip?

[Jillnkids]

Help! I know some people have already booked their airfare for October. Am I safe to wait and see? I figured I could wait until late June/July to seriously book. I've been watching the airfare and it's been pretty steady. I thought prices may drop later in the summer.

When do you usually book a airline for October?

 

[ADP]

It really depends on certain factors. For instance, the city we live in observes Fall Break in October along with some other school systems in the area. Flights for that week are becoming very slim. Since the planes are filling up low prices are going out the door.

I would also add that it depends on what day of the week you intend to fly. Fridays and Sundays tend to be busy days at the airports. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday are less busy and more seats are available on flights to Orlando.

Keeping these factors in mind can help determine your decision on whether you should purchase now, or take the chance and wait until Summer to book.

 

[Mousema]

I have ours already booked and I'm glad I did. I booked CAK (Akron/Canton) to MCO for $203/pp. It's now up to $300. and it's only been about 3 weeks.

 

[disneyfanforever]

I just came to this thread wondering the exact same thing. We are leaving late October, and we haven't booked our air yet. I keep thinking that there will be a summer sale but I don't know. Anyone else have any experience? I hate to book at the prices that I am seeing now, but I definitely don't want to wait too long and have to pay even more.

 

[brenda1966]

I'm in the same boat. I know I have booked for November later in the year than this and didn't have any trouble. But when my dates are firm, like they are now, I don't like to wait too long. I sometimes go to the airline sites and go through the ticket buying process to the point where you pick your seats and see how empty the plane seems.

Right now SW is not booking out into November, when they finally do I'm hoping the airfare will go down a bit and I'll book then.

 

[Cdn Friends of Pooh]

We had our October flights booked in January

 

[kimpossible]

Just booked our flights down on SW. I figure we could get a credit or if we are lucky, get a refund on our cc if our flight goes down in price. I already have us checking a day earlier because the earliest Sun flights do not have the cheapest air avail. Hoping for a discount for POP for one night.

 

[Jillnkids]

Hello all! Thanks for all the feedback. I'm still trying to sort it all out. It seems that just as I decide on something, then I start second guessing myself.

We don't live near a large airport. To travel out of Indy, Louisville, or Nashville, we would have to travel 2-3 hours. Still just trying to figure out where to fly from! By the time we'd pay for gas, food, etc. We'd only save $300 but we'd be out our time, plus we'd face that drive home after the plane lands!

One of our local airports is going to begin Delta flight to Cincinnati in June. I'm kind of wondering how much fare will be from there. No info is available yet.

Keep the advice coming because I'm still in limbo!

 

[eacatwork]

I booked my tickets in January, exactly nine months to the day that we leave. About two months later, the prices dropped $60 per ticket and I was able to secure a refund to my CC. But even booking in January, I got great rates and I've had peace of mind this whole time that we've got seats on planes that leave at perfect times to maximize our Disney time.

 

[kimpossible]

I booked my tickets in January, exactly nine months to the day that we leave. About two months later, the prices dropped $60 per ticket and I was able to secure a refund to my CC. But even booking in January, I got great rates and I've had peace of mind this whole time that we've got seats on planes that leave at perfect times to maximize our Disney time.

Which carrier did you use?

 

[Jillnkids]

For those of you who book early, do you buy trip insurance in case something comes up? My Dh is worried that we may have to cancel for whatever reason. Our past few vacations, we've had ill family members and even had to come home from Destin early because of a death. I guess we're a little skittish this time!

 

[eacatwork]

Which carrier did you use?

US Air

 

[eacatwork]

For those of you who book early, do you buy trip insurance in case something comes up? My Dh is worried that we may have to cancel for whatever reason. Our past few vacations, we've had ill family members and even had to come home from Destin early because of a death. I guess we're a little skittish this time!

No, we didn't. Not to sound crass, but DH and I are the only ones that live where we do. The rest of our families are three hours away by car. If something happens...someone gets ill, gets hospitalized, etc., there isn't a lot we could do from three hours away by car or by plane, so we're just going to go on with our vacation and deal with things when we get home. We actually plan to be incommunicado while we're away...we're taking the cell phone, but it will be turned off. We'll check it once per day for voicemails, but anyone and everyone we know will know we're in WDW, so no one had better leave us a message unless someone is dead. Seriously. I know that sounds completely heartless, but anything short of a death CAN WAIT. We've told our parents that and hope they'll comply. Otherwise, it wouldn't surprise me if my MIL was up our arses each day wanting a trip update.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

For those of you who book early, do you buy trip insurance in case something comes up? My Dh is worried that we may have to cancel for whatever reason. Our past few vacations, we've had ill family members and even had to come home from Destin early because of a death. I guess we're a little skittish this time!

If you can book on Southwest, you don't have to worry. They don't charge any fee to change or cancel. You have 1 yr. from original date of purchase to use those funds and can call before funds expire to get a 6 mo. extension. Do you have access to SWA?
Also if their rate drops after you book, you can rebook (no fee) and pocket the credits or if your flight date/time hasn't changed when you rebook, you can get the credit returned to your cc.

 

[lustergirl]

I just changed my ressie dates to arriving on a tuesday and coming home on the next monday because airfare is so much cheaper to fly during the week, especially on tuesdays- a 600 dollar difference, woohoo!!
This through Southwest flying nonstop out of Buffalo..

 

[Jillnkids]

I just changed my ressie dates to arriving on a tuesday and coming home on the next monday because airfare is so much cheaper to fly during the week, especially on tuesdays- a 600 dollar difference, woohoo!!
This through Southwest flying nonstop out of Buffalo..

If you can book on Southwest, you don't have to worry. They don't charge any fee to change or cancel. You have 1 yr. from original date of purchase to use those funds and can call before funds expire to get a 6 mo. extension. Do you have access to SWA?
Also if their rate drops after you book, you can rebook (no fee) and pocket the credits or if your flight date/time hasn't changed when you rebook, you can get the credit returned to your cc

Yes, we can fly out of any of the three larger airports. Do they allow you to board early (with or without an A pass) when you have kids? How young do the kids have to be? We will be travelling with DS12 and DD9. I'm nervous we wouldn't get seats together? Any thoughts?

 

[brenda1966]

I think you can only preboard with kids around age 5 and younger. My DD was 4 the last time we flew and when I asked about pre-board they kind of indicated she was just on the border of being "too big".

I wouldn't worry too much about not sitting together unless you're the last to board. People tend to sit in groups and singles tend to grab seats toward the front of the plane.

 

[TnTWalter]

And when the flight down went into my desired price range I booked. It was $75 after tax and fees. It was hovering around $92 after tax. We are doing MNSSHP that night so I was really concerned to get a time that gave us plenty of time before the party.

Many of the deals seem low until you add fees and all, so be careful there [like $49 dings end up being $65 which is still great].

I'm still waiting for the way back to go down. It's been as low as $95 after fees/etc. but currently it's hovering closer to $200...yikes. I have been watching trends and 4 month and 2 month marks seem to go down. But if there's a blip that goes into my price point, I'll jump.

I'm flying from Indy, there are 7 of us total [5 in my family + mom and dad].

We bought insurance for the trip but not for airfare. I'd rather be out $800ish than $3K.

I prefer NS so I'm limited to SW, NWA and Airtran so I check them daily and I also go to sidestep and itasoftware and orbitz and whatever else I feel like.

I feel relieved getting the flight there and will feel wonderful once I get the return booked.

Trish

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Yes, we can fly out of any of the three larger airports. Do they allow you to board early (with or without an A pass) when you have kids? How young do the kids have to be? We will be travelling with DS12 and DD9. I'm nervous we wouldn't get seats together? Any thoughts?

Don't be nervous about sitting together. I have ds10 and ds6 and we've flown SWA for the last 4 vacations. Just check in online at the 24 hour mark so you get "A" boarding passes. Even if you don't have access to a printer you will still be checked in as an A and can get a reprint by the curbside checkin staff. We've even gotten a B once and still all got to sit together. Yes, it was in the back of the plane but who cares as long as we're together. Since both ds's want a window, I sit with ds6 and dh sits with ds10.

 

[Jillnkids]

Thanks so much for all the replies! We actually have quite a large cashback bonus built up and can pay for airfare that way, but I'm such a cheapie that I want it as cheap as possible! LOL! I do feel better about flying Southwest. My DH is worried about booking this early; of course, he thinks I'm obsessed with our trip. Gee, I wonder why he thinks that?

Thanks a bunch!