Best Time to Book Airline for March Break

[Frozen2014]

We're not travelling until 2019 March Break (and flying to Miami or Ft Lauderdale from Toronto) but I've been looking at prices for next March Break to get an idea and flight costs. A direct flights costs $900-$1000 per person for this time! So ridiculous. Talk about supply and demand.

When is the best time to book flights for March Break? I've also looked at the option of flying out of Buffalo but it's no cheaper, and then we run into the risk of a snow storm in March and not being able to get to Buffalo.

 

[grantclaire]

For March Break you will want to book as soon as the flights are released, usually about a year in advance for WestJet and Air Canada. For flights out of Buffalo flights around 6 months out. You will need to be up early and on a computer to score the cheaper flights. This past March we got direct flight to Orlando for 500.00 CDN return. Southwest and JetBlue can have some great prices out of Buffalo. GoodLuck!

 

[FigmentSpark]

If you can travel a few days before and after March break (like on a Tues or Wed), you'll have a better chance at good pricing. Definitely book opening day. Also, if you can, book one way there and one way back. While it's nice to have a return trip, sometimes waiting for those return fares to come up means you miss the deals on the way there. Also, WestJet pricing comes out about a month after Air Canada, so don't wait to price compare. They'll be similar, but, depending on where you're flying from, AC may have more flights available.

As for Jet Blue, Southwest and Frontier (aka: charge A LOT! for luggage, including carry ons), they each have their own opening day. As pp said, get up early that day, and be ready to book, if you want that price. It goes up by 100s throughout the morning and some people have said they've gone to book and the price already rose in the time it took them to fill out their info. I don't have experience with that, as DH is like you... its not worth the trip to Buffalo, especially with the dollar (although others here swear by the savings). One advantage is you go through customs on land, not at the airport, which, with the new rules at security/immigration might be a real bonus.

 

[bababear_50]

I agree... we barely get back from our yearly March Break trip before I'm online looking and booking next years trip. This year I got sidetracked and was late to the game, we are flying out on a Tuesday and coming back on a Monday in 2018. I booked in May and paid $600.00. return YYZ to MCO A.C.(Air Canada). AC is not my prefered airline but WJ (West Jet) was way more.
Have fun planning.
Hugs Mel

 

[deedubb]

I'm surprised it isn't cheaper out of Buffalo. We did Westjet one year (regular seats) at just over $1000 pp and since then, we've done Delta out of Detroit every March break at about $700 CAD (for the comfort seats which have more legroom and are near the front of the plane). Due to more flight availability with Delta, we also get an extra 1.5 days in Orlando this way. Driving to Detroit is a bit of a nuisance but worth it.

 

[Frozen2014]

Thanks for the replies. We're actually doing a cruise, Saturday to Saturday. We don't want our kids to miss (much) school but will leave one day early on the Friday..and then can return Saturday or Sunday. I did notice that flights are dramatically cheaper Tues to Tues but that doesn't work for us.

I am very happy to get up early on day flighrs are released. So how do you know what day that is? Do airlines post their release dates beforehand?

 

[FigmentSpark]

If you can at least do Friday to Monday, it'll be cheaper. That Sat/Sun flight home is really expensive. Even if you can do Thurs to Mon, you might save. But beware that every day you spend down there to 'save' on airfare, you will have to be in a hotel (which could be $200+USD a night) and will spend money on food and entertainment, even if it's only shopping. So balance that 'saving' with the extra fees of staying in Orlando for more days.

If you decide that Buffalo is right for you, then make an afternoon or evening flight down and a morning flight home, so you don't have to stay overnight in Buffalo, thus incurring more costs.

 

[grantclaire]

Air Canada uses a creeping calendar, that is they add a day each day to the available flights which is easier for booking. You might have to wait for the return flight to become available. WestJet is frustrating because they sometimes "freeze" the calendar for March so you might not know when the schedule opens up, so you end up having to check everyday.

 

[Frozen2014]

If you can at least do Friday to Monday, it'll be cheaper. That Sat/Sun flight home is really expensive. Even if you can do Thurs to Mon, you might save. But beware that every day you spend down there to 'save' on airfare, you will have to be in a hotel (which could be $200+USD a night) and will spend money on food and entertainment, even if it's only shopping. So balance that 'saving' with the extra fees of staying in Orlando for more days.

If you decide that Buffalo is right for you, then make an afternoon or evening flight down and a morning flight home, so you don't have to stay overnight in Buffalo, thus incurring more costs.

Yes exactly. The savings on flight has to be more than the cost of hotel, food + whatever we would do in Miami (or wherever) for the day.
Thanks for the tip. We don't want them to miss too much school but if taking them out the THurs makes a big difference...or returning Monday..makes a difference, then we would consider it too.

 

[mort1331]

If you can at least do Friday to Monday, it'll be cheaper. That Sat/Sun flight home is really expensive. Even if you can do Thurs to Mon, you might save. But beware that every day you spend down there to 'save' on airfare, you will have to be in a hotel (which could be $200+USD a night) and will spend money on food and entertainment, even if it's only shopping. So balance that 'saving' with the extra fees of staying in Orlando for more days.

If you decide that Buffalo is right for you, then make an afternoon or evening flight down and a morning flight home, so you don't have to stay overnight in Buffalo, thus incurring more costs.

Yes exactly. The savings on flight has to be more than the cost of hotel, food + whatever we would do in Miami (or wherever) for the day.
Thanks for the tip. We don't want them to miss too much school but if taking them out the THurs makes a big difference...or returning Monday..makes a difference, then we would consider it too.

I would rather spend extra on hotels and food, then on airlines. Extra days with the Mouse, bring it on.

 

[MommyBG]

We're not travelling until 2019 March Break (and flying to Miami or Ft Lauderdale from Toronto) but I've been looking at prices for next March Break to get an idea and flight costs. A direct flights costs $900-$1000 per person for this time! So ridiculous. Talk about supply and demand.

When is the best time to book flights for March Break? I've also looked at the option of flying out of Buffalo but it's no cheaper, and then we run into the risk of a snow storm in March and not being able to get to Buffalo.

We are heading down this March Break - just booked in October so I missed booking early. I just booked my flights this past Monday. I checked every option - Toronto, Buffalo (which we used last Christmas) and Detroit. Flights for March Break were way more expensive than Christmas! Finally booked from Toronto, Thursday evening-Thursday red-eye direct on AC for $680. We had a voucher from a travel agency that brought the cost down to $500. Most flights from Buffalo were still over $600 and not direct - Southwest had the best option but the times weren't great and the thought of driving to Buffalo in early March was causing me stress.

I checked numerous day combinations. Returning on Monday was still expensive - better fares aren't available until Tuesday. That's why we are coming home Thursday at 10:30pm - at least we still have the day. Good luck with your flight hunting!

 

[Frozen2014]

We are heading down this March Break - just booked in October so I missed booking early. I just booked my flights this past Monday. I checked every option - Toronto, Buffalo (which we used last Christmas) and Detroit. Flights for March Break were way more expensive than Christmas! Finally booked from Toronto, Thursday evening-Thursday red-eye direct on AC for $680. We had a voucher from a travel agency that brought the cost down to $500. Most flights from Buffalo were still over $600 and not direct - Southwest had the best option but the times weren't great and the thought of driving to Buffalo in early March was causing me stress.

I checked numerous day combinations. Returning on Monday was still expensive - better fares aren't available until Tuesday. That's why we are coming home Thursday at 10:30pm - at least we still have the day. Good luck with your flight hunting!

Good to hear that you got a "decent" price (it's all relative as in the past $680 would have been a lot..but for march break, that's a great price). It seems like you need to compromise on something....non-direct, leave super early, red-eye...to make it close to reasonable. It's hard when you're travelling with kids or restricted with dates/times (e.g. we are returning from a cruise so if we fly out same day, we can't look at anything before noon). Enjoy your trip.

 

[Minniemoo15]

Generally earlier the better. As a teacher I can only go a specific week - we try to do Saturday-Sunday. I pick the flights I want (I usually book two one-ways through different airlines due to scheduling preferences) and then stalk, stalk, stalk. Google flights is great for tracking . When it gets to a price I am comfortable with, I book.

It can be really airline specific. Air Canada and WesTJet usually means booking as soon as they are released. But we usually book our return leg with Air Transat and they historically have a seat sale end of August so I wait until then to book that.

I've always gotten ~500$ YHZ-MCO direct return which is pretty great for weekend flights in March. Though our march break is the first week of the month so not quite peak spring break time yet.

 

[Frozen2014]

Generally earlier the better. As a teacher I can only go a specific week - we try to do Saturday-Sunday. I pick the flights I want (I usually book two one-ways through different airlines due to scheduling preferences) and then stalk, stalk, stalk. Google flights is great for tracking . When it gets to a price I am comfortable with, I book.

It can be really airline specific. Air Canada and WesTJet usually means booking as soon as they are released. But we usually book our return leg with Air Transat and they historically have a seat sale end of August so I wait until then to book that.

I've always gotten ~500$ YHZ-MCO direct return which is pretty great for weekend flights in March. Though our march break is the first week of the month so not quite peak spring break time yet.

Who knew it would be so complicated...especially booking each way on their own. Guess it's all a gamble. We got a great deal for a cruise last year with Air Transat...about $1600 for four of us...in April...but not sure I would book with them again. After booking I found out that they only have one flight on Saturdays and one on Sundays, and no others during the week. So if doing a cruise, that was too stressful if they have to cancel a flight. Things worked out fine and our flights were smooth, comfortable and on time, but so worrisome.

I've been watching flights for this coming March break (we are booking 2019) so have seen it (once) as "low" as $693 but mostly it hovers around $1000 per person. We know our exact dates since our trip is a cruise again (over Ontario March break), so I am good booking as soon as airlines release their schedules. I'm just not clear on how to know when the release date is?

 

[darwinsrule]

This is where it pays to be a little OCD waiting for things to be released. When it is however know what you are comfortable paying and if it is within your price range buy it. Don't wait. Remember that for March Break you and 100 thousand plus others per day are looking at flying out of Pearson. As a result prices go one direction only.

Now MB cruises are worth it. We our doing our third March 2018. Booked Southwest BUF to FLL on day of release (before 7 am). RT for 4 of us was $1300, and that includes $120 in Early Bird Checkin fees. USD of course. Frankly in the last 16 years we have flown out of Pearson twice because of the pricing difference.

 

[Frozen2014]

This is where it pays to be a little OCD waiting for things to be released. When it is however know what you are comfortable paying and if it is within your price range buy it. Don't wait. Remember that for March Break you and 100 thousand plus others per day are looking at flying out of Pearson. As a result prices go one direction only.

Now MB cruises are worth it. We our doing our third March 2018. Booked Southwest BUF to FLL on day of release (before 7 am). RT for 4 of us was $1300, and that includes $120 in Early Bird Checkin fees. USD of course. Frankly in the last 16 years we have flown out of Pearson twice because of the pricing difference.

Omg... that's an amazing price. Do you remember around when flights were released? Was it around one year before?

 

[grantclaire]

With Southwest it is around 6 months before, the good thing is they post on the website when new schedules are being released. Still have to be up early ready to book!

 

[Frozen2014]

With Southwest it is around 6 months before, the good thing is they post on the website when new schedules are being released. Still have to be up early ready to book!

Thanks. Such a tough call as I think that's quite a bit later than other airlines? So then it's a gamble waiting to see .

 

[darwinsrule]

It is later. And can be a bit nerve wracking. At the point SW releases everything else has been released and gone up significantly. If it doesn't work you are basically screwed. Had that happen with the Fantasy for MB 2013. Air went on sale while we were on a cruise and we couldn't get a good internet connection. Price had effectively doubled for the return leg, so ouch.

 

[kuhltiffany]

Southwest releases March Break flights in August. We moved and don't live anywhere we can use Southwest anymore, so had to book with AirCanada or Westjet, they were released about a year ahead. Just checked, AirCanada was May, Westjet was April. You just have to stalk the website everyday around then to check...