Why are flights so expensive??!!

[dmdj232]

Agreed. I also suggested waiting. Southwest's schedule for the first week of August isn't doesn't really work for the OP.

I think (hope) they are over-estimating their checked luggage needs.

I think we will definitely wait until Southwest has released the rest of August until we decide what we will finally do. Also, we will be going for 2 weeks so thats why we think we will need 2 checked bags per passenger. We are renting DVC so we have free access to the Washer/Dryer so we'll see if we can cut back on the luggage. The price of the flights are what is really crazy in my opinion at this point.

 

[BadPinkTink]

Also, we will be going for 2 weeks so thats why we think we will need 2 checked bags per passenger.

this just seems excessive to me. I fly transatlantic, Europe to USA every year. Including travel days, its usually around 12 or 13 days, from the time I leave my house, to to the time I get back to my house. I have 1 checked bag, 50 pounds and I dont do laundry when Im away. On the way to to USA I bring gifts for friends and on the way back Disney merchandise. If you really want to cut down costs, reducing the number of checked bags is the first thing to do.

 

[FreeTime]

I agree, two checked per person is excessive. We regularly travel for two weeks with just a carryon. In the summer, I can do the two weeks without doing laundry as the clothes aren't as bulky and take up less space.

 

[focusondisney]

I agree, two checked per person is excessive. We regularly travel for two weeks with just a carryon. In the summer, I can do the two weeks without doing laundry as the clothes aren't as bulky and take up less space.

Ok, I have to ask, 2 weeks in Orlando in the summer with a carry on & not doing laundry? Sounds kind of hard to imagine. I can see wearing shorts a few times, but not shirts, and surely not underwear. How many shirts do you take?

 

[kydisneyfans]

Ok, I have to ask, 2 weeks in Orlando in the summer with a carry on & not doing laundry? Sounds kind of hard to imagine. I can see wearing shorts a few times, but not shirts, and surely not underwear. How many shirts do you take?

Size of the person also matters. If someone is a size 2 wearing t shirts and leggings it's going to take up much less space than a person size 16 taking sweaters and jeans. I normally do a checked bag for every 5-6 days just for myself, but I workout daily so 5 workout and 5 wearable outfits are taken. I'd also advise against taking too much as we took 4 checked bags to Scotland, and it was an absolute nightmare hauling everything around.

 

[sam_gordon]

Size of the person also matters. If someone is a size 2 wearing t shirts and leggings it's going to take up much less space than a person size 16 taking sweaters and jeans. I normally do a checked bag for every 5-6 days just for myself, but I workout daily so 5 workout and 5 wearable outfits are taken. I'd also advise against taking too much as we took 4 checked bags to Scotland, and it was an absolute nightmare hauling everything around.

Size of the luggage makes a difference too. Our carryon will generally get 7-8 outfits (whether for one person or multiple people), our medium gets ~15, and our large ~20+.

I agree w/PP that 2 weeks in Orlando in the summer with just a carry on and not doing laundry seems hard to believe. We just did a week in Orlando w/5 people and had two checked luggage sized (we drove) and two carry on luggage sized pieces. The suitcases weren't totally full.

 

[Pmlocke]

Non stop from Detroit to Orlando on Spirit for our February trip was 136.00 round trip each. My buddy just got tickets for January 18 from Detroit to Orlando on Spirit for 125.00 round trip. I always travel Spirit and have NEVER had a delay, lost baggage and any other problem. Maybe I live a charmed life but since 2009-no problems. My son also flies down every year and he agrees with me. Sure I pay for the one piece of luggage. It is still hundreds of dollars less than Delta or any other airline I check out every year before going back to Spirit.

 

[dmdj232]

I looked at Spirit and in our case, after adding the fees for choosing seats (which is a must traveling with a 3yr old and a 1yr old), and luggage, it comes out to the same price as any other airline. As said in my earlier post, just the base prices without the added cost of luggage has been coming out to around $450-$500 roundtrip per person. That is by far the highest I have ever seen or paid to go from EWR-MCO. I will hold off for now and keep my fingers crossed for Southwest releasing a non-stop when they announce the rest of August.

 

[Nikki0401]

Thank you for your suggestion! I did look into leaving out of A/C on Spirit but the additional cost of carry-on's, picking your seats, checked bags, etc... it didnt really save too much plus the hassle of driving 2-1/2hrs to get there cost of gas.

I found the same thing, sometimes leaving from AC was even a little more expensive than Jet Blue out of Newark.

 

[Nikki0401]

Non stop from Detroit to Orlando on Spirit for our February trip was 136.00 round trip each. My buddy just got tickets for January 18 from Detroit to Orlando on Spirit for 125.00 round trip. I always travel Spirit and have NEVER had a delay, lost baggage and any other problem. Maybe I live a charmed life but since 2009-no problems. My son also flies down every year and he agrees with me. Sure I pay for the one piece of luggage. It is still hundreds of dollars less than Delta or any other airline I check out every year before going back to Spirit.

I guess it's the time of year and the airports we are leaving from but I have never seen even one way that low

 

[Nikki0401]

I think we will definitely wait until Southwest has released the rest of August until we decide what we will finally do. Also, we will be going for 2 weeks so thats why we think we will need 2 checked bags per passenger. We are renting DVC so we have free access to the Washer/Dryer so we'll see if we can cut back on the luggage. The price of the flights are what is really crazy in my opinion at this point.

How long do you think you'll wait? I am always in a panic about not getting the times we want so I always book early and probably pay too much.

 

[dmdj232]

How long do you think you'll wait? I am always in a panic about not getting the times we want so I always book early and probably pay too much.

Well, according to Southwest's website, they will release the rest of August on or about Feb 7th. We'll probably make a decision at that point.

 

[Debbie Jean]

I noticed the lack of direct flights Newark to Orlando as well. Southwest has never had lot of these on any given day... most were connecting... but in the past there have always been at least a couple.

Unfortunately for me, I have travel funds that need to be used by July since they cancelled my direct flight coming back to home the Friday before Christmas because of bad weather in Newark. The problem is that with so few direct flights and everything flying full days, the best they could do was to put me on a connecting flight the next day through Austen, Texas! YIKES!

Luckily, I was able to get a Jet Blue flight that afternoon but it makes me very, very wary of flying Southwest. Others may not mind connecting flights... I'm just too old to have to go to Austen so I can get home to Newark. And unfortunately with the lack of direct flights, it is a very real risk. So I can totally see, OP, that with too little ones you want those direct flights.

I'm also going in August and have been tracking Jet Blue fares which are out already. United is another option. Both airlines run regular direct flights Newark/Orlando. I'll keep an open mind about Southwest and hope they reinstate more direct flights but my experience last month has really made me nervous about booking anything with them.

 

[goofy370]

If you are looking for direct, try philadelphia. Southwest has a mix of direct and non direct from there. It may not be much further away than newark depending on where you live.

 

[Debbie Jean]

If you are looking for direct, try philadelphia. Southwest has a mix of direct and non direct from there. It may not be much further away than newark depending on where you live.

Works for south Jersey.

The only options for folks in the north are LaGuardia which frankly has also cut back direct or Islip which is still showing a couple direct flights per day.

 

[wdw&sonny]

It has more to do with when you are looking at prices as it has to do with anything else (travel dates, from where, to where). Many, many people are off/relaxed over the Holidays and then think to begin their planning. I am not talking about actually traveling over holidays, I am talking about the prices for future travel, when you look them up during a holiday. Airfare is notoriously one of the most fluctuating prices of anything. You need to check often. Prices can fluctuate drastically from day-to-day.

I have experienced this first hand for many years, specifically from CLE to MCO. Most recently, TODAY!!!!
I have been tracking the prices of the Spirit Airlines flight for Feb 6, 8a returning Feb 10, 12p since August. In August RT was $187. Sept $172. Oct $232. Nov $237. Dec 3rd, $247. Dec 5th $287. Dec 17th $422. Jan 3rd $422. Jan 4th $127.

That's not a typo. Price for RT airfare dropped from $422 to $127 in one day!!!! I booked today.

I suggest you look at your specific flight prices if you were to travel in one week, one month, two month, four months...get a sense of the prices for future travel (for those exact flights = same day, same time, just different dates) and you may gain a sense of security with booking closer to your travel dates.

 

[MomOfDisneyPrincess]

For whatever it's worth, I always fly Southwest from Kansas City to Orlando. The cheapest "Wanna Get Away" price available is $153 per flight, NOT round trip. So, $306 is the cheapest round trip I could ever hope to find for my vacation. They are harder and harder to get these days. So, I agree. Flying is expensive, but driving is out of the question, so I'm stuck planning it into the budget.

 

[MillauFr]

I just looked and it is coming up at $287 RT from EWR to MCO nonstop. That is a cheap price.

 

[dmdj232]

I just looked and it is coming up at $287 RT from EWR to MCO nonstop. That is a cheap price.

What airline and what dates?

 

[MillauFr]

What airline and what dates?

United, 8/3 - 8/10.