when to buy airline tickets

[kidzmom3]

my dh and I plan to go to WDW in January for our 10 yr anniversary. I priced some airline tickets last night and got 388 round trip on Delta Express but you can't change them. What do you think of the price Boston to MCO, and when would you buy them. Do you think this price will go away the closer to the date we get? I am inexperienced at buying my own tickets. In the past we have done a package or used my F-I-L's frequent flyer miles. any advice is greatly appreciated.

 

[Free4Life11]

I would suggest signing up for Travelocity. Then you can sign up for their Fare Watcher service - they automatically send you emails when a certain fair goes up or down.

If I find a good fare, I check out what dates/times its offered on Travelocity, they I go directly to the Airline site.

Usually when you enter the Travelopcity dates/times you get a cheaper fare and actually get the tickets. Plus, I feel it is easier to deal directly with the Airline then a third party.

Just today was able to save about $25 on a roundtrip by going to the airline site.

-Matt

 

[disneefamily]

Disnee Dad Says............................Wait!!! The maximum we have paid from the west coast was $275. pp. And thats for three different trips. Travelocity is good , as is Orbitz. Boston to MCO, I wouldn't go over $199. Check the sites every couple of days, and when you get get a price you like book it. On our last trip, I got a price of $248. Then 9/11 happened , I could have got $198. I was still happy because I got "my price".
Always book your own tickets. If Southwest is in your area, it is almost guaranteed that you can get $198 or less sometime before your trip.

 

[Beanie]

I agree with Disneyfamily...I have never paid over $200 per person Boston to MCO or Manchester to MCO...I would suggest Travelocity as well, they are usually pretty good with updates on their site for great prices...

We usually always fly Southwest as well, they have great deals...I was just checking prices tonight for a trip in August and it was quoting me $69.00 one way Manchester to MCO!!

 

[Gail T AGAIN]

I'm going down in one week and Delta express I am paying $165,00 round trip per person. I am not sure if that is because it is the summer months but I was tickled pink with that. If it was me I would hang on a little more, the closer it gets if the plane is half empty or is that half full they seem to cut the priced down just to get people on. Good luck no matter what you do and have a great trip. PS I bought my tickets a month ago so I waited it out and took the chance.

 

[JAP]

I agree with everyone above. We payed $198 per person on Delta Express. Wait until you get closer.

We are also planning a trip for January. I was going to start pricing airfare this a.m. until I read this thread.

I got some really good advice and a reminder to WAIT! It is hard to be patient when planning for WDW!!

 

[leslieh]

Southwest has in the past had 99.00 rt to florida from bwi and other eastcoast areas, they wont open up tickets till the end of summer or fall. Just wait, those prices you quoted are way too high. Airtran has 108.00 rt now, but only through summer. We have a family of four flying to MCO next week for 448.00 with southwests by one get one free deal!!!

 

[Free4Life11]

http://www.usairways.com

Check it out! I checked and they have tickets for $148. Not for January yet, but they have a whole listing of different fares.

-Matt

 

[Cinderella0616]

Hi,

We have a trip planned in October for 2 weeks just me and hubs and we got tickets from Southwest.com at a rate of $224 including taxes and security fees roundtrip for both of us from Providence. (T. F. Green airport) on the Friends Fly Free program.. I know that program is over right now, but keep checking.. they always have it. I just barely got the plane tickets.. they only had 4 seats left on that plane, all the others were sold out, they go real fast! So just keep your eyes open and good luck!

 

[figment27]

We are flying BOS to MCo via Delta Express in January also.
I purchased 4 tickets on Delta's website for $178.00 RT including all fees and taxes.
I just checked the website for flights leaving BOS to MCO in the first week in January and they are $189.00 RT including all fees and taxes.
Who gave you the price of $388.? Is that for one ticket? Is it RT?
Figment

 

[kidzmom3]

It would be 189 per person round trip so that works out to 378 but when I put the whole plan into their computer it said 388, sooo I am not sure where that figure comes from.

 

[PamCo88]

If the 388 is for both tickets, the price isn't bad. But...I would wait and keep looking on the net for sales. You can book easily 3 months in advance and better prices should be out by then.

 

[DMickey28]

I am also going in January to WDW. I am waiting on Southwests airfares to come out for January. I like to fly out of Providence, it tends to be cheaper and much easier in and out. Last night I found approx 168-199 per person from Logan though. For some reason when you put in a flight for one person it is always cheaper than when you do it for more.... some posted something about that earlier, I think.

Anyway, being January it's a fairly slow time for both WDW and airlines going down there. I have never paid less that 150 out of Providence to MCO. I actually managed to get 101 including taxes and fees for a saturday over spring break in march this last year on southwest......

Just my two cents. Sorry, I tend to ramble

 

[kidzmom3]

we want to leave on January 3rd, a Friday and our acutal 10 yr anniversary. Well the flight we were looking at before, non-stop from Bos to Orlando is no longer showing as an option. Just a connecting flight that is 12 dollars more, now I am starting to feel nervous.

 

[PamCo88]

what are your dates and time schedule? I can look for you and see what I find.

 

[Lissaluv]

We got ours on a Southwest deal both of us for $464 round trip thats $232 each and its good deal for a flight from Arizona to Orlando. =)

I know they were doing a friend flys free deal but don't know when or if it has ended. check the web page out is all I've got to say.

I also like travelcity web site.

Our tickets were bought back in Feb..

 

[Rpsemont]

It really depends on how flexible with your dates you want to be. With 1/1 on a Wed, my guess is that you are competing agains some holiday travellers by travelling on 1/3. If your dates are non changeable, I would watch fares between now and mid September and book it when you can (even if it's over $200/tickets. If you're willing to adjust your dates, I would wait until late November/early December. We fly from Hartford which sometimes parallel's Boston fares. We've taken three trips in early Feb. Our first, I booked in Oct, but then a lower fare came out in Nov and I was able to get a credit (not a refund) Our second I booked in Sept. (I remembered that I had missed sale fares from the Sept before) The last trip I booked in Dec. USAIR came out with a $100 RT special fro travel in Jan and Feb. Last year I think there were some specials for JAn and Feb too, but we went in Dec so I wasn't watching it as close.

 

[Linda L.]

Southwest has an email program you can sign up on. They don't usually post rates until about 3 months before. I know it's tough waiting, but I kept looking for my August trip and the rates were so high, I waited. I did get in on Southwest's companions fly free program, and our family of 4 is flying nonstop out of Providence for less than $450. My last trip we paid $65 each way, so this is even better. Southwest emails specials once a week and you can also look on their website. I would never pay as high as you're talking, but it's probably too early to get the best rates. I just booked a few weeks ago for my August trip. Good luck.