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Too soon to book flights?

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(@Tank3434)
Posts: 43
Cast Member
Topic starter
 

So I've been looking at flights the last couple weeks just to get ideas and some really good prices just popped up today from my local airport. Rountrip it's giving me 250$ from PA (a small airport in NEPA) to MCO which is about as low as it gets. Years ago I've goofa as low as 220$ but idk if those prices happen anymore. I'm tempted to just book this because the times also work for us but our trip isn't until December so idk if I'm jumping on this way too soon. I mean anything can happen in the next few months. They can go up I know but they can go down as well. I'm one that also seems to book things super early then ends up kicking myself for one reason or another so I'm really not sure what to do here. Anyone ever buy flights so soon? Is it worth doing it should I wait???


1996 Caribbean Beach
1996 All Star Sports
1998 All Star Music
1999 Coronado Springs
2000 Dixie Landings/Disney Wonder
2001 Caribbean Beach/Disney Wonder
2002 Animal Kingdom Lodge
2003 Coronado Springs
2004 Wilderness Lodge
2005 Port Orleans Riverside
April 2006 Caribbean Beach

 
Posted : March 17, 2015 2:19 pm
(@CleveSJM)
Posts: 145
Cast Member
 

I book as early as I can. If the price is good, then it's time to book. Yapta is a website that can help keep you sane about ticket prices. You might kick yourself if you see you could have saved a couple dollars but piece of mind is worth something.


Steve "I'm Grumpy because you're Dopey"
90Treehouse, 93Clubhouse Villa(DD2), 96Hotel Plaza(DD5&2), 99CR, 01OKW(expecting DS), 03POR (luv the trundle), 04AKL, 06ASMo(DW40, DD2), 07DLRP/PC, 08Y&BC/PC/DLRP, 09ASMusic/Cruise, 10ASSp/Pop, 11POR/Cruise, 12DLR, 13PC/Cruise, 14ASMu, 15CRx2, 16CR&ASMo(DW50)

 
Posted : March 17, 2015 2:52 pm
(@Strmchsr)
Posts: 866
Team INTERCOT Cast Member
 

Flight prices are so incredibly random that if you find a good price you're best to jump on it. Otherwise you end up having to wait until the very last moment to hope for a good deal.


Chris, aka Strmchsr
INTERCOT Staff: Vacation Planning, Guests with Special Needs, and Weather Guru

 
Posted : March 17, 2015 2:56 pm
(@Pirate Granny)
Posts: 354
Senior Cast Member
 

My rule of thumb is to purchase and NEVER look again.


Pirate Granny

October 2020 — 3 nights OKW, 3 nights Poly Lakeview and 1 night BWV studios
November 2020 — BRV studio 9 nights
December 2020 entire family GV OKW
December 2020 January 2021 BCV studio

OH YEAH BABY !!! Proud owners at OKW + BCV + BRV + RR

 
Posted : March 17, 2015 6:57 pm
(@Tank3434)
Posts: 43
Cast Member
Topic starter
 

That's a great rule! I decided to wait...seems way to soon for my own peace of mind. Hope I don't regret it.


1996 Caribbean Beach
1996 All Star Sports
1998 All Star Music
1999 Coronado Springs
2000 Dixie Landings/Disney Wonder
2001 Caribbean Beach/Disney Wonder
2002 Animal Kingdom Lodge
2003 Coronado Springs
2004 Wilderness Lodge
2005 Port Orleans Riverside
April 2006 Caribbean Beach

 
Posted : March 17, 2015 10:22 pm
(@minnie-mouse)
Posts: 136
Cast Member
 

Book as early as you can, the prices usually just go up!


Tara

"It's a Small World after all..."

 
Posted : March 22, 2015 10:28 am
(@DizneyRox)
Posts: 511
Senior Cast Member
 

Maybe I'm just crazy, but it t seems the airlines go through to strategies...

1. Release airfare at lowest price and just keep going up.
2. Release high and keep dropping.

Seems they are mostly using strategy 1 for the past year or two. Once everyone is used to that, they swap.

I've been buying early and it seems to work best. Once I find a price I'm OK with, that's the one.


 
Posted : March 22, 2015 1:33 pm
(@mommy2maddi)
Posts: 50
Cast Member
 

From my experience they tend to go up closer to the time. That is a great price and I agree with the above post that says book it and never look at prices again!:mickey:


mommy2maddi

Aug. 2010 at POP
4/27-5/3/15 AoA Nemo suites
Getting married at WDW in 2018- Staying at WDW Swan for 4 nights and Polynesian for 4 nights.

 
Posted : March 25, 2015 6:55 pm
(@njgirl)
Posts: 654
Staff Member Moderator
 

For years I was able to book PHL to MCO for $200 or less round trip.....For the last three years prices have been terrible. Even with the gas prices down (an excuse the airlines have always used) they are up. I am paying much more than $250 this year. In fact we had to book two separate airlines this year to get the cheapest price.


Rita (aka NJGIRL)

 
Posted : March 25, 2015 8:26 pm
(@njgirl)
Posts: 654
Staff Member Moderator
 

DizneyRox;2450901 wrote: Maybe I'm just crazy, but it t seems the airlines go through to strategies...

1. Release airfare at lowest price and just keep going up.
2. Release high and keep dropping.

Seems they are mostly using strategy 1 for the past year or two. Once everyone is used to that, they swap.

I've been buying early and it seems to work best. Once I find a price I'm OK with, that's the one.

I find the your option 1 also. The only time I have seen prices go down is when too many seats are still not sold......and night flights and flights early in the morning are the cheapest.


Rita (aka NJGIRL)

 
Posted : March 25, 2015 8:29 pm
(@Tank3434)
Posts: 43
Cast Member
Topic starter
 

Ok so the flights went way up the last couple weeks and came back down today...I booked! And I'm NEVER looking at the prices again!!


1996 Caribbean Beach
1996 All Star Sports
1998 All Star Music
1999 Coronado Springs
2000 Dixie Landings/Disney Wonder
2001 Caribbean Beach/Disney Wonder
2002 Animal Kingdom Lodge
2003 Coronado Springs
2004 Wilderness Lodge
2005 Port Orleans Riverside
April 2006 Caribbean Beach

 
Posted : March 31, 2015 10:26 am
(@MouseHouser)
Posts: 31
Cast Member Trainee
 

We usually book early. For our December 2015 trip we will likely book on May 24, which is the first day you can do so for December travel on Southwest.

This strategy worked well last year, as prices were usually higher after we booked.


"Good evening ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls. In just five minutes...."

 
Posted : April 13, 2015 11:08 am
(@MouseHouser)
Posts: 31
Cast Member Trainee
 

We're flying in December. The first day to book on Southwest was May 14. We booked right away. I now see the fares for the flights we chose have risen by more than 20%.

With the economy strengthening, I definitely recommend booking early.

This applies to car rentals too. Last year was the first year in the last 4 that rates were higher when we arrived in December than when we booked in May. And so, upgrading was not an option. This year, I see that rental rates are already much higher for December than they were this time last year.

I could be wrong, but failing to book early seems to be a riskier proposition lately.


"Good evening ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls. In just five minutes...."

 
Posted : May 25, 2015 10:22 am
(@manutd1)
Posts: 0
 

We book as early as possible....and only with Southwest.


 
Posted : May 25, 2015 10:45 am