Wondering why my return flight is so expensive

[stasijane]

We come home from WDW on Nov 3rd and for the last 2 months I have been searching for our flight back home. We have our flight to WDW booked already, but for the life of me I cant understand why the tickets for this day are so darn expensive. I have been checking almost daily and even during the sales from southwest there has been no change We have the Wine and Dine on the 8th so we would like a later flight that day but I cant find anything in a good price range. I normally pay $120-$140 per one way ticket

So I'm wondering if there is something on Nov 9th that would make the tickets be that expensive (like close to the $300 range) or am I just unlucky this time around?

We are flying MCO to MCI on Nov 9th, I prefer Southwest (free checked bags) but am fine going another carrier if the price is good at this point. The morning wont work for us as we will be up late the night before for the run. Any help would be great Thank you.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

I think the race may be part of your problem Between that and the normal Sunday evening business travel you are now in a busier time and SW doesn't need to "Discount" as much. The fact that the early morning flights are cheaper tends to support the idea that the race is putting "pressure" on the later flights.

Sadly, I am not seeing many options. Monday is still around $180,but it might be worth it to get a cheap hotel near the airport and fly in Monday morning...

 

[stasijane]

Thats what I am afraid I will have to do. We actually have the BWV until the 11th but I have to work on Monday so we are leaving early.

 

[NancyIL]

Nov. 11 is Veterans Day (a Tuesday), but the holiday is often celebrated on Monday (3-day weekend). Also - Sundays are often more expensive days to fly, along with Fridays, and Southwest special fares don't apply to those days.

 

[stasijane]

Ah!. OK that is good information. Thank you.

 

[Yellowjj]

Nov. 11 is Veterans Day (a Tuesday), but the holiday is often celebrated on Monday (3-day weekend). Also - Sundays are often more expensive days to fly, along with Fridays, and Southwest special fares don't apply to those days.

This.

Add into the fact that you can't fly out in the morning and thus why your getting the prices your getting. Are you able to change arriving/departing airports at all?

 

[bumbershoot]

Thats what I am afraid I will have to do. We actually have the BW until the 11th but I have to work on Monday so we are leaving early.

Hyperventilating that you have the coveted BW reservation and won't be using it all. Fainting. Trade? (though I note you said BW not BWV so maybe we're talking different sorts of room)


Prices started going up in May for me over that period of time (we have flights on the 6th then 11th). At least from Seattle. My friend and I waited a day and paid a bit more than we could have done the day before. May was shockingly early for me to book airfare (for instance I *just* reserved flights for mid-October) but I didn't like what was going on with it!

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

With Veterans day on Tue a lot of people - me included- will take Monday as a vacation and get a four day weekend. Plus Sunday and Monday are typically a higher priced travel day for SWA. Tue and Wed are usually the cheapest.

 

[stasijane]

Hyperventilating that you have the coveted BW reservation and won't be using it all. Fainting. Trade? (though I note you said BW not BWV so maybe we're talking different sorts of room)


Prices started going up in May for me over that period of time (we have flights on the 6th then 11th). At least from Seattle. My friend and I waited a day and paid a bit more than we could have done the day before. May was shockingly early for me to book airfare (for instance I *just* reserved flights for mid-October) but I didn't like what was going on with it!

Yeah. Sorry it is BWV I forgot the V and no hyperventilating yet unless I cant get a flight home I was somehow about to turn a 4 day Food and Wine trip into a 10 day one. I am not even concerned if I have to leave early. Thats actually one of the reasons why I have to go back to work Monday is that I am heading down there quiet a bit earlier than I had planned at first. BWV during Food and Wine is one Item I will be able to cross off my Disney bucket list so I am not even trying to change the date on the room in fear I will mess it up And I am too happy right now to care. I did invite a friend to stay an extra night after we leave as she checks out of her room Monday, so hopefully the room won't go to waste.

 

[stasijane]

This.

Add into the fact that you can't fly out in the morning and thus why your getting the prices your getting. Are you able to change arriving/departing airports at all?

I did actually look into leaving out of STL (we live right between KC and STL) Tickets were a little better on the return but the way there was about $70 more a person than we paid for the way down. I looked last night for a bit and will try again tonight as I am off work and don't have any plans and give it one last shot. If I have no luck I found a flight on Monday that is a good price and will get me home in time for work. I work 12 hour shifts over night so waking up at 6am for the long journey home only to arrive and go strait to work for 12 hours is not going to be easy, but I guess for an extra night at Epcot I can survive one rough day at work

 

[bumbershoot]

Remember that it's possible to use different airlines going back and forth, and also different airports in Florida. Sanford is another local one and...Tampa, but I feel like there's another to check.

 

[Yellowjj]

Will you have a rental car or using the DME?

St. Louis seems to have the cheaper options and if you are also flexible for arriving departing Orlando or Tampa, even better. For instance there's a 4:40 pm flight nonstop to St. Louis from Tampa for $182 per person on your date with Southwest.

Depending how many persons in your party, the savings could be good.

 

[bookwormde]

Since SW changed their ticket pricing structure and decided that they were willing to leave seats empty rather than lowering prices there is a lot of this. We are seeing lots of flight showing as "sold out" from day 1 hour 1 of release, particularly on flights returning from MCO.

With this changed ticket pricing algorithm, they are taking one more step to just being another legacy carrier.