When to purchase flight tickets?

[todzwife]

DH and I are going for a few days but since he will be in class from 8-5 every day I invited my sister (who is Disney obsessed too). I purchased the tickets for DH, baby and I while Southwest was having their sale ($73 per way) but sister's tickets from PHX to SNA are still over $100 a way.

She's flying April 30& May 2...do I get them now or should they drop a little more before then?

 

[Geemo]

Here's an article from MSN.com 10 tricks for finding cheap flights.
http://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/article/10-tricks-for-finding-cheap-flights/ss-BBhDKOY#image=1

 

[Carolynleanne]

I'd think now would be better than later, but it's always so hard to tell! I noticed the flight prices have been really great over the past few weeks. She may be able to score something SUPER last minute, but generally I find they go up in price as the seats begin to sell out.

 

[SMD]

If the price drops on Southwest you can get a credit for the difference. If I'm sure I'm going somewhere, I'll book right away and hope it goes down.

 

[2tinkerbell]

Southwest is having a sale right now. Make sure to clear your cookies or use another browser.

Edited to add: Wow! I just checked and it appears the sale isn't going to help you. What I find interesting is that I can fly from SLC to SNA through PHX for $23 more. Something doesn't seem right.

What I have found with Southwest is to keep watching to establish what the usual rate is. Then you know what to expect and when the price goes down you can jump on it. Tuesday is usually a good day to check and surprisingly Sunday morning. I like Southwest because you can change to the lower fare and get a voucher with no change fees. To help with other airlines, I check the available seats as well. If the plane appears to be filling up, the price will not come down. With Southwest, if there gets to be several "unavailable" flights, then the price will not go down if you are close to your travel times. Sometimes with Southwest, they will lower one flight (usually early morning or late night) if the flight isn't filling up. It is a game that I've been playing for over 5 years now. I had a DD who went to school in MA and either I was back there or she was here every 6 weeks during the school year. That was 9 round trip airfares a school year and then we added Summer Camp on top of it. Good luck.

Edited to add: With averaging 13 rt airfares a year for over 5 years and having limited resources, I've learned to be pretty good at getting lower airfares and establishing patterns. I flew both my DD and I round trip to LAX last October and it cost me less than $33.

 

[SMD]

Southwest is having a sale right now. Make sure to clear your cookies or use another browser.

Edited to add: Wow! I just checked and it appears the sale isn't going to help you. What I find interesting is that I can fly from SLC to SNA through PHX for $23 more. Something doesn't seem right.

What I have found with Southwest is to keep watching to establish what the usual rate is. Then you know what to expect and when the price goes down you can jump on it. Tuesday is usually a good day to check and surprisingly Sunday morning. I like Southwest because you can change to the lower fare and get a voucher with no change fees. To help with other airlines, I check the available seats as well. If the plane appears to be filling up, the price will not come down. With Southwest, if there gets to be several "unavailable" flights, then the price will not go down if you are close to your travel times. Sometimes with Southwest, they will lower one flight (usually early morning or late night) if the flight isn't filling up. It is a game that I've been playing for over 5 years now. I had a DD who went to school in MA and either I was back there or she was here every 6 weeks during the school year. That was 9 round trip airfares a school year and then we added Summer Camp on top of it. Good luck.

Usually Southwest's model is to offer the lowest price when the schedule opens until it sells out. Even if the lowest fare sells out, if there is a sale, it won't reopen the lowest level fare for that flight. The reason flights with multiple legs cost more than non-stop is because you pay the airport fees at the connection.

 

[2tinkerbell]

Usually Southwest's model is to offer the lowest price when the schedule opens until it sells out. Even if the lowest fare sells out, if there is a sale, it won't reopen the lowest level fare for that flight. The reason flights with multiple legs cost more than non-stop is because you pay the airport fees at the connection.

Southwest's prices can go down at any time. For example, my upcoming flight was $84 each way. It was $84 when it opened up. I watched it and it went down to $74 for 3 days and then back up. I have another trip scheduled for MA this Summer. I was watching and it was running me about $209 each way. With the sale it went down to $196. The flight had been opened for several weeks now.

My point was that it seems to be less than $23 to fly from SLC to PHX, but, I know that isn't how much it normally costs.

 

[SMD]

Southwest's prices can go down at any time. For example, my upcoming flight was $84 each way. It was $84 when it opened up. I watched it and it went down to $74 for 3 days and then back up. I have another trip scheduled for MA this Summer. I was watching and it was running me about $209 each way. With the sale it went down to $196. The flight had been opened for several weeks now.

My point was that it seems to be less than $23 to fly from SLC to PHX, but, I know that isn't how much it normally costs.

But had the $84 fare level sold out, they would not have made $74 fares available for that flight during the sale. There would have been a discount on the next higher level fare, but they don't reopen lower level fares for sales.

 

[todzwife]

It's so weird because I almost booked her on the same flight as us- but she'd stop in PHX and we'd continue to ABQ- and HER flight was $10 MORE than ours???

Do do I grab them now?

 

[SMD]

This week's email says PHX to SNA $100 each way, book by 3/12 for flights 3/24-6/3. LAX is also $100. If $100 is available, why not take it.

 

[Geemo]

I have noticed SW flights from PDX to SNA with a stop in PHX are less expensive than just PDX to PHX.
Not sure how the airlines justify the difference. Fly farther, pay less?
oh well......

 

[3monkeys4me]

I have noticed SW flights from PDX to SNA with a stop in PHX are less expensive than just PDX to PHX.
Not sure how the airlines justify the difference. Fly farther, pay less?
oh well......

I believe there are several reasons for this including the popularity of the routes and the fact that different airports charge different taxes/fees for the airlines.

In any case, I wouldn't expect the fares to drop at this point.

 

[Canuck16]

Sooner the better is what we always do. Then if the flight goes down take the credit.

Good luck