Ever Changing Flight Prices

[divinedi]

Maybe someone can explain to me how it is that airlines can change their prices so often. I looked Sunday evening, good price (I know I should have booked it then! ), Monday night it was $20 more, and this morning, Tuesday, it was another $20 more. How is that right!!! I just don't get it and it annoys the heck out of me!! Sorry, had to vent, thanks! They sent me an email for $50 off coupon (for everyone, not just me) but when you keep increasing the price, how is that a discount??

[DizneyRox]

It's the law of supply and demand... They demand lots of money, and customers supply it.

Businesses are in the business of making money. There are trends for booking flights that customers follow and they can and will adjust their prices accordingly.

They also have limited numbers of seats available and as people book, those seats are taken. As fewer seats are available, they become more valuable to people needing them to get from me place to another.

I always recommend people buy something (anything) when they can afford it. If Sunday's price was acceptable, that would have been a good time to buy it. Prices can go up or down, mostly up...

[BrerGnat]

Airlines play off each other. It's a never ending price war.

The weekends are traditionally the WORST time to look at airfare. Airlines reset their pricing on Monday nights/Tuesday morning, and as new pricing is released, the other airlines scramble to match or beat the best fares.

Your best bet for a low fare is to start looking on Tuesday afternoons and look through Wednesday. By Thursday, most low fares will be gone and the fares will magically rise for the weekend (airlines know people tend to look at airfare over the weekends when they have time, so the highest prices are there).

Also, seems fishy, but RESET your browser cookies every time you look! If the airline knows you are watching the fare, it might keep creeping up on you every time you check. Their tracking software totally does this!

Occasionally, you will see good airfare on a Sunday. If so, book it! It might never come back.

I feel your pain. I just finally purchased airfare for a trip to CA we're taking in three weeks. It does pay to cut it close sometimes! I got a great deal!

[figgie]

It's true what they say, look to the right of you...look to the left of you...neither one of them paid the same price for their ticket as you! I just got an email this morning for pretty good prices on SW, keep trying but don't let price stop you. When you find something that will work for you, just buy it...then don't look again unless it won't cost you anything to change, it will just make you angry to find a better price.

[Gator]

My rule is that if you see a good price, you grab it. Because everyone else will see the good price, grab it, and drive up the price for everyone else. I always get it right away when the good deal is there, and if the price drops, I'll call back and see what the airlines can do for me.

[Airblue1]

Southwest buy any time, they will give you discounted prices. ( at least last time I checked?)
But otherwise tues is usually the day when sales hit the market. There is a number of days before departure that prices drop again I would google that, but sometimes it does not hold to the law!! Grab your price when it comes up or you could get caught in a very nasty price game!!
Best O Luck!!

[ukyrob28]

Well I work for a major airline and surprisingly we want to make a profit!! I know that is unthinkable, but yes we do like to make money.
MCO is a leisure market and it does have lots of competition, but the fares are going higher because we are reducing frequency to make sure the flights are packed!
What I don't understand is I don't hear about people angry about $3 waters and $10 hamburgers at WDW, but when we raise fares by $20 people get so mad!?
Idk...supply and demand ppl.

[Airblue1]

It is not the fares that get me it is all the costs that continue to add up plus the fares. Taking a 5 hour flight to LA direct from pgh is only 1200 roundtrip for a family of three, which I do not mind, but 120 in baggage, 60 total on in flight food and the ridiculous amounts of hurry up and wait. Plus when you receive a 10 american dollar hamburger from Disney at least you get it with a smile and a thank you. Some airlines I feel like I am the little boy telling santa I want a red ryder bb gun and santa kicks him in the face and goes HO HO HO!!!

[DisneyDadfromPittsburgh]

Airlines file updates to thier fares three times a day: 10 AM, 12:30 PM and 8 PM on weekdays and one filing at 5 PM on Saturday and Sunday. ( all times are EST). Most of the lowest airfares are filed on Tuesday and Wed. Best airfare rate to purchase is at least 6 weeks out from the date you want to travel. Anything within 6 weeks has a good chance of going up each day you get closer to your departure date.
SWA often runs airfare sales but you need to check thier website each day to grab the best rate.