WOW - I paid WAY too much for airfare!

[oliverweagle]

Please note that I posted this on the Transportation site also. I am posting this in both places because I sincerely hope that someone can learn from my mistake.

WOW! Did I pay too much for airfare!

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Last June I made 3 airline reservations on Continental for 3 round trip tickets from Houston to Orlando - the cost $395 each on Yahoo travel. (This price coprresponded with the price on Continental site the same day).

I checked Continental's site today, and the cost was $178 each. I called yahoo travel and was told that the $395 price was the lowest fare at the time and that I "should have waited."

My understanding was that one should make reservations as early as possible as the fares would probably rise as the departure date approached.

I guess not - with airline travel anyway.

Live and learn.

Ollie

 

[mommasita]

It is so hard to do the right thing, isn't it? Especially last year with the gas prices going up, everyone said how much flights would increase...Sorry you had that experience, but it is a lesson in the end.

 

[WaltD4Me]

It is really hard to know what to do when it comes to airfare. I'm not sure when you are going, but I have found that it's best to start looking for airfare about 6-7 months before your trip. Set a price you are comfortable with and then book when you see that price. In general, a year out is too early to for booking airfare. I fly Continential also, but the website I keep an eye on is Southwest. When Southwest starts booking for my dates, then I go and check Continential and usually wind up with a fare very close to Southwest's price.

 

[magicaldisney]

I could get an ulcer booking airline tickets. I'm always second guessing myself. I wish I could figure out a sure thing, but I just can't. I'm curious....when is your vacation? How far in advance was that June purchase? I also wondered if making ressies as soon as possible was the cheapest way, but from your experience, maybe not.

 

[Maine-iac]

I could get an ulcer booking airline tickets. I'm always second guessing myself. I wish I could figure out a sure thing, but I just can't. I'm curious....when is your vacation? How far in advance was that June purchase? I also wondered if making ressies as soon as possible was the cheapest way, but from your experience, maybe not.

I would say it depends on when and where you are flying from. I fly out of PWM (Portland, Maine), a smaller airport, usually during April vacation. We get the best fares like 9 months out on Delta.(airline we use because DH uses them for work and accumulates sky miles) The closer you get to April there are less flights to choose from and the price increases.
I am keeping an eye on Jetblue to see if they will be cheaper than the other airlines during the year but so far have not seen any better fares for the flights we would use.

 

[Jeanne B]

I usually book 6 months or less in advance. I'm still playing the airfare game for our return trip from PHX to BOS in 3 months, I've had our airfare from BOS to California booked for a few months, booked CA to PHX with SW a couple weeks ago, just trying to figure out this last leg. I think I'm about to jump on my tickets in the next day or two because I don't have much for flight options and the prices I'm seeing right now aren't great but there the lowest I've seen to date ($130-150 one-way w/ taxes).

Personally, going from either MHT-MCO or BOS-MCO I've never paid more than $150 round-trip and I usually buy my tickets to MCO three months or less in advance, typically because we fly Southwest.

 

[Maine-iac]

Personally, going from either MHT-MCO or BOS-MCO I've never paid more than $150 round-trip and I usually buy my tickets to MCO three months or less in advance, typically because we fly Southwest.

If we were not such sticklers about driving to MHT or BOS we would do much better but we really prefer to arrive in PWM because we are tired and do not want the 2 hour ride home. So we pay the extra.

 

[mabenoab]

But I just bought my tickets round trip out of MHT 3 months in advance, and I paid a little more than $300 per ticket. $150 is 1/2 of what I paid, and boy, I wish I'd gotten that!

 

[Jeanne B]

But I just bought my tickets round trip out of MHT 3 months in advance, and I paid a little more than $300 per ticket. $150 is 1/2 of what I paid, and boy, I wish I'd gotten that!

Wow, $300?!! Guess I've been lucky, we only fly Southwest out of MHT, I've grabbed DING fares for less than $100 r/t and even without a DING I've always been able to get an internet sale fare.

Keep watching the SW prices, you probably already know this but if your fare drops at least you can get a credit for future travel (and I've heard some people have had luck with getting their cc refunded if the price drops and they make no changes to their flights).

 

[mabenoab]

That is good to know, and I did not! So thank you! I think the Internet sale fare last week was $158 one way to MCO. So...we had to settle for a Garden view room instead of MK view, but you know what? we can walk to the lagoon at the Poly. We just feel fortunate to be able to do this!

Wow, $300?!! Guess I've been lucky, we only fly Southwest out of MHT, I've grabbed DING fares for less than $100 r/t and even without a DING I've always been able to get an internet sale fare.

Keep watching the SW prices, you probably already know this but if your fare drops at least you can get a credit for future travel (and I've heard some people have had luck with getting their cc refunded if the price drops and they make no changes to their flights).

 

[yellowfish78]

Please note that I posted this on the Transportation site also. I am posting this in both places because I sincerely hope that someone can learn from my mistake.

WOW! Did I pay too much for airfare!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Last June I made 3 airline reservations on Continental for 3 round trip tickets from Houston to Orlando - the cost $395 each on Yahoo travel. (This price coprresponded with the price on Continental site the same day).

I checked Continental's site today, and the cost was $178 each. I called yahoo travel and was told that the $395 price was the lowest fare at the time and that I "should have waited."

My understanding was that one should make reservations as early as possible as the fares would probably rise as the departure date approached.

I guess not - with airline travel anyway.

Live and learn.

Ollie

Did you consider canceling your flights and rebooking? At $100 change fee per ticket, you'd still have $295 in credit...then use that credit to buy the new ticket at $178...yeah, your loosing money, but you'd still have $117 in credit with CO for a new flight...

 

[kmjmom]

I have been playing the flight game for the last few weeks. I originally paid $180 in February for a one way flight to Tampa in April. I got a Ding a couple weeks later an rebooked at $104. Yesterday I got yet another Ding and now have my same flight for just $60! $111 in credit with SW will buy me roundtrip on Dings! It's a game, but I'll keep on playing with this kind of savings! Good luck rebooking!

 

[mabenoab]

for the tip about the Ding...I didn't know what that was but signed up today...hopefully I'll get dinged? (dung just doesn't sound right!) before our trip.

Thanks so much for your help!
Beth

 

[TravelinGal]

Regardless of what website you booked on you can always call the airline and ask for a credit if the fare drops. Last time I checked (about a year ago), if you took a voucher for future travel you could get the entire difference 'back'. If you wanted the actual money back you had to pay the change fee first (usually $100 on most airlines) and then get anything above that back to the original form of payment.

That said, it has to be available on YOUR flights exactly. Won't help if it's a different date/time.

The poor customer service/response you got from the internet company just reinforces why one should use a travel agent they know. (or get to know) Travel agents will take care of that for you! Doesn't hurt to keep your eye on the fare though, as TA's are busy and can't remember every single ticket booked in every single market.

 

[tkldisney]

I agree with travelingal call the airline and they should issue you a credit for the difference that you can use at later date. (usually within a year of purchase date) I have done this with Delta several times. I normally purchase my tkts. when I know for sure we're going, then just keep watching the fares. If it goes down by 25.00 or more I call and get credit. Then next time I book flt. I just apply the credit.

 

[disneyeveryyear]

Yesterday I got a ding for our STL to MCO next Sunday.

Between the dings I got last week for my DH's trip home, and the Ding yesterday for my DH's trip yesterday, I saved a total of $135.00.

I called southwest yesterday afternoon and since we rebooked on all the same flights, they refunded all of that money to my visa card.

From what I understand, if you change fllights at all, you can only get a credit, however if you just rebook on the same fllight for less money, they will refund your money.

this is the 2nd time SW has done this for me.

 

[TravelinGal]

Not all airlines are as lenient as SW.

That's one good selling point for them. (if you can stand the no seating assignment thing)