Will airfare go down this year?

[schoen]

I am a pretty seasoned traveler, BUT I am not used to booking a trip well in advanced. Usually I book everything about 3 month out. I have a trip booked for November 2011. We would like to travel the 11-20th-which is a Friday to a Sunday.

usually I am able to book airfare from Detroit for around 160-180 a person. I am looking at $277 right now. My DH is saying that we should wait until we are three months out, and prices will be at their lowest then.

I feel like with fuel prices and the economy looking the way it does the airfare won't probably come down.

We have found an excellent rate through airtran, but we both prefer delta. We like the terminal better, and have a friend who can get us exit seats for both legs of our flight, plus that is our normal line, so we would like the points.

I think we should just suck it up and go with a guaranteed excellent price, but my DH thinks we should wait Delta out. Any insight?

 

[Blessed_wth_Triplets]

We booked out Aug/Sept. trip out of DTW back in February I think....it was a while ago...and they've done nothing but go up since! We paid $79 each way...and now I think it's around $200 each way. Your guess is as good as mine...but with gas I can't see them going down?

 

[backyardponder]

My guess is if they go down (big IF) it will be closer to the end of summer.

 

[mom2randj]

I was in the same dilemma as you last week for our trip in late Oct.
Airfare roundtrip non-stop for us was $324 (from Omaha to MCO). I debated and debated (had seen higher prices before that) and finally bit the bullet when I saw "only 4 seats left at this price" on my quote from Frontier airlines.
So...total for us was $1299. Now a week later, the same flight is running about $1900+. Sure it could go down again, but I dont' want the stress of checking it every day this summer "hoping" it comes down. I was comfortable paying the $324 price based on flight departure and arrival and the fact that it was non-stop.

Good luck with your decision and have a great trip.

 

[JennSaint]

I am a pretty seasoned traveler, BUT I am not used to booking a trip well in advanced. Usually I book everything about 3 month out. I have a trip booked for November 2011. We would like to travel the 11-20th-which is a Friday to a Sunday.

usually I am able to book airfare from Detroit for around 160-180 a person. I am looking at $277 right now. My DH is saying that we should wait until we are three months out, and prices will be at their lowest then.

I feel like with fuel prices and the economy looking the way it does the airfare won't probably come down.

We have found an excellent rate through airtran, but we both prefer delta. We like the terminal better, and have a friend who can get us exit seats for both legs of our flight, plus that is our normal line, so we would like the points.

I think we should just suck it up and go with a guaranteed excellent price, but my DH thinks we should wait Delta out. Any insight?

Looks like you are leaving on Veteran's Day and returning right before Thanksgiving when flight prices will start going up. Have you traveled those same days in the past?

 

[schoen]

Looks like you are leaving on Veteran's Day and returning right before Thanksgiving when flight prices will start going up. Have you traveled those same days in the past?

Nope. We have not gone in that week at all before. We are going this year at that time because DH's job follows the schedule of the Legislature, and they will be off on deer hunting break that week The various holidays surrounding it are coincidental.

 

[kksmom92]

I ended up booking our Jan trip already as I thought I would rather be safe than sorry. Are you renting at car at all? If so, maybe it would be cheaper to fly into TPA? I ended up having us fly into MCO but flying out of TPA. It was actually cheaper for us to do it that way.

Just a thought....

 

[jlewisinsyr]

I think about the only major change that will effect airfares is oil prices falling and/or demand dramatically shifting (ie. down).

 

[grumpytx]

I recently booked our travel but had to change airlines due to pricing, usually use Continental. The rates I had been looking at had only changed about $20 in a period of two months. Keep looking, be flexible, hopefully something will appear.

 

[webworm]

I am a pretty seasoned traveler, BUT I am not used to booking a trip well in advanced. Usually I book everything about 3 month out. I have a trip booked for November 2011. We would like to travel the 11-20th-which is a Friday to a Sunday.

usually I am able to book airfare from Detroit for around 160-180 a person. I am looking at $277 right now. My DH is saying that we should wait until we are three months out, and prices will be at their lowest then.

I feel like with fuel prices and the economy looking the way it does the airfare won't probably come down.

We have found an excellent rate through airtran, but we both prefer delta. We like the terminal better, and have a friend who can get us exit seats for both legs of our flight, plus that is our normal line, so we would like the points.

I think we should just suck it up and go with a guaranteed excellent price, but my DH thinks we should wait Delta out. Any insight?

There are 2 nonstop flights each way on your dates with AirTran for $84.00. Total with taxes is $189.40.

Departing: Friday, November 11, 2011 Earn 1 A+ credit $84.00 - Coach
Detroit, MI (DTW) to Orlando, FL (MCO) Flight 1485
11:31 AM 2:02 PM

Departing: Sunday, November 20, 2011 Earn 1 A+ credit $84.00 - Coach
Orlando, FL (MCO) to Detroit, MI (DTW) Flight 1482
4:11 PM 6:48 PM

Total Cost of Flight $189.40

 

[Michigan_tinkerbell]

We are going DTW to MCO ovember 2-8th. I booked our airfare Feb 14th and paid 547 for five tickets. My BFF just booked hers for the same flights last week and paid 797 last week. Today the same tickets are 1100. I say book now and good luck. We ALWAYS fly delta but this time we are going on Spirit because of the BIG BIG difference in price.

good luck

 

[1tufgt]

If anyone could figure that out they would be a millionaire.

I'm still waiting for a drop in our airfare and kinda wish I booked when it was $159 each way b/c now it's gone up from $159 to $164 and $191 from SDF to MCO.

 

[Brian Noble]

There is only one way to know for sure.

 

[WDWisTheBest]

There are 2 nonstop flights each way on your dates with AirTran for $84.00. Total with taxes is $189.40.

Departing: Friday, November 11, 2011 Earn 1 A+ credit $84.00 - Coach
Detroit, MI (DTW) to Orlando, FL (MCO) Flight 1485
11:31 AM 2:02 PM

Departing: Sunday, November 20, 2011 Earn 1 A+ credit $84.00 - Coach
Orlando, FL (MCO) to Detroit, MI (DTW) Flight 1482
4:11 PM 6:48 PM

Total Cost of Flight $189.40

good post.

 

[fitgirl36]

There is only one way to know for sure.