When to book flights?

[CerysG]

We are going in the middle of August for a couple of weeks and I'm beginning to look at flights more seriously. Seems they were cheaper before Christmas! How far in advance should one book their flights? I'm hoping they go down again and I get a good price for them but I don't want to leave it to long.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

We are flying the last week of August (23rd - 31st). We purchased our flights last week. For our flights last August, we also purchased mid-January.

We buy when we can find a price we can live with. Our airline of preference is Jetblue (which includes one checked bag, advance seat selection, onboard snacks, etc. in the advertised cost), so if the price goes down after booking (which it hasn't yet), then we can get a credit for the difference.

We fly from either Syracuse or Buffalo for an additional cost savings over Toronto prices.

Where are you flying from? Perhaps with a little more info, some others on the boards could offer you some helpful suggestions.

 

[stefanospops]

We always fly with Jetblue out of BUffalo. The great thing with them is that if the price of the flight goes down from the price you paid they will give you a credit for your next flight of the difference. So we just book as soon as flights become available and keep watching the prices. We fly down at least once a year and sometimes twice a year so it works for us.

 

[CerysG]

Saddly we are in Regina so no Jetblue and I don't want to drive down south to get on a plane. We drove to Minot last time we went and I just don't want to do it again as it adds a day to the trip and when you come back its a 4 hour drive on top of the flights etc. Guess I'll just have to keep looking for the next few weeks and hope for the best. Flight from here are expensive and usually you end up going all over the place. DH needs to get a new passport as his expires in April but I don't think I need to give the number right away but frankly if he'd just go and do it we'd have the darn thing in a week or so.

 

[Myxer]

I had to sign up just to reply to this thread, as we're heading down at the same time and I'm also watching the flights, my mom worked for Air Canada, and she said, the flights always go up after the holidays as the snowbirds are heading south after the holidays and march break is coming up. She said to check again starting in April and the prices will come back down again, so I'm holding off until then. Hope you can wait, I'm the type that just wants to have that detailed settled and forget how much it costs, so waiting until April is killing me.

 

[CerysG]

I had to sign up just to reply to this thread, as we're heading down at the same time and I'm also watching the flights, my mom worked for Air Canada, and she said, the flights always go up after the holidays as the snowbirds are heading south after the holidays and march break is coming up. She said to check again starting in April and the prices will come back down again, so I'm holding off until then. Hope you can wait, I'm the type that just wants to have that detailed settled and forget how much it costs, so waiting until April is killing me.

Thanks for the info as I really noticed that they prices went way up since the last time I'd looked at them before Christmas. I'm like you and like to have everything organzied well in advance but April should be ok but I don't think I could go much past that. I would love to fly one of the Canadian airlines but they always seem to be hundreds of dollars more expensive then the American ones. I also can't figure out why West Jet flies you to hell and gone to get you any where, yet they must fly to Toronto everyday from Regina and they must fly to Orlando from Toronto everyday so why can't I just fly Regina-Toronto-Orlando!!! No you have to go to Calgary and Newark etc. Crazy I tell you!

 

[Golden Amik]

We booked our March 2013 flights in April of 2012, but we were booking through Airmiles. Good luck with your search!

 

[alc571]

We booked in late March last year for our trip the first week of October. We flew direct from Toronto, on Airtransat/Canjet. We got a great deal on Expedia - $1350 for three flights and a midsized car. I'm hoping for a similar or better deal for our Sept trip this year which is why I'm already looking. The only better deal I saw last year was $300 less, two weeks before we left. And there was no way I would have waited that long to book a flight! Too nerve wracking!

We got a really great deal in 2009 thru Westjet. We booked in January for the last week of April.

 

[holidaygirl]

My son and I are going at the end of June, and flights have not really come back down since before christmas. Waiting until after easter might give me heart problems....... checked the prices today, they were down slightly.....

 

[the_green_machine]

Just a thought...

I notice your flying out of Regina. My wife and I were in WDW last year this time and flew down with AirTransat (out of Winnipeg). Granted it was a packaged type deal but the prices were more than fair ($399.00 return-direct flight) AND I didn't feel like filling out a police report for robbery like I do every time I book or fly with Air Canada. I believe you can just fly down with them as well (if you've already priced out and paid for tickets, lodging etc.). Maybe its something worth looking into...I dealt with Marlin Travel.

 

[PensFan]

I book my Disney trip AROUND Air Canada as the daily flight rates change a lot.

Over the years I have found the BEST I can do with Air Canada is about $400 direct flight per person return (TANGO) if you book your travel days on the cheaper days.

So I have already booked my flights for my Aug trip this year when it was available to do so. Historically in all my years of travel .... I have never seen a price through Air Canada from YYZ to MCO better then the $400 per person.