Which do you book first--airfare or hotel?

[Coconuts]

Do most of you look for good airfare first, then find hotel availability for those dates, or do you book the hotel/dates you want and then search for airfare?

I want to book for FD in late September, and have been pricing and researching different options for several weeks now. Of course, now that I am ready to book, the flights that I wanted aren't available anymore. If I would have booked a few weeks ago, I would have gotten airtran for just under $800(5 seats). I just want to kick myself.

Do I book my hotel/dates that I want, and take the chance that the right flight/price will be available later?

 

[KLL]

I picked the days I want for our Disney trip, then look for airfares durning those dates. Depending when the lowest airfares are available, I adjust my dates to fit the best airfare dates (best fares are most often found on a Tuesday and Wednesday). THEN I make my Disney reservation. AFTER my Disney reservation is completed, I make my airfare reservation.

So, in summary, I research for the best days to fly that fit closest to the time I want to go on vacation at Disney, adjust the vacation dates, book Disney, then book the flights. This works well IF you have some flexibility with your vacation dates.

 

[francie57]

I booked our vacation package long before I had the airfare. At the time of booking the airfare from Hartford to MCO was really high. I just kept checking all the area airports and when the price was right I got the non-stops (early in the morning to and night to return) that I wanted.

 

[dis_guy]

We booked our upcoming Christmas trip with WDW last September, not long after the 2009 rates came out. I like booking this far in advance because we can easily pay the trip down with smaller monthly payments.

Obviously, no airlines book that far out so I just kept checking as far out as I could with the airlines we could use to get a feel for how the prices were going. Eventually, when our dates came up the prices were high so I waited.

Finally, in March I got a great fare and bought it immediately. Haven't seen one like it since, either. The only problem was that the dates were different than our reservation. I phoned Disney and easily changed the reservation to match.

Done.

 

[pepe of ohio]

book room reservation first and travel second. disney resort reservations are hard to get sometimes at the locations we prefer. Travel arrangements are easy, might have to pay more but saving money on modes of travel and having no room at the inn will not work for us.

 

[Castillo Mom]

I book resort first, then air. We have specific needs in terms of resort and travel dates so air ends up getting booked last. By doing this, we haven't had any issues with paying higher than average fares. Don't know if we've just been fortunate but the fares have gotten have been very reasonable.

 

[Snow Shoe]

I book our villa at BWV first, then start hunting for a good airfare.

 

[jobie61]

I've done both....but I usually book airfare first.

Its easier to get better airfare when you can be flexible with your travel dates. But I have booked my resort first with the intention of driving if we couldn't find decent airfare. But the airfare always fell into place.

 

[uva185]

I almost always book my airfare first and then book a hotel later. 99% of the time when I book a hotel it is completely refundable rate, hotel rates do not usually rise or fall as much as airline fares do so I am not as concerned with the hotel as I am with airfare. I don't like booking packages because they are usually non-refundable or you must pay in advance.

 

[bjakmom]

I always book the resort first simply because those reservations are easily refunded if I need to change dates to accommodate good airfare. On the other hand, airfare, other than SW, is near impossible to change without hefty financial penalty and difficulty.

 

[brehan9403]

I usually book the hotel long before the airfare is at a good enough price for me to commit.

 

[dacky041208]

I usually book the hotel long before the airfare is at a good enough price for me to commit.

Same here.

 

[ancestry]

I sort of do them all simultaneously. I search everything out as to availability and then book everything back to back (within minutes of each other) or sometimes will book as a package directly through Disney.

 

[Christine]

Because my travel dates are usually very flexible, I usually book airfare first. Quite honestly, for any of my Disney trips, I've always done airfare first. I realize people can't always do this and that if you only have a certain time for vacation, then you just have to take your chances.

Airfare can be the costliest part of our trip, while lodging prices are always very stable. So I look for REALLY cheap airfare.

 

[Coconuts]

Thanks for all the great responses. Turns out we booked hotel first, while searching for airfare. I figure I can change the dates of our hotel if I find super great airfare.