GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl
Senior Associate
"How you win matters." Ender, Ender's Game
Joined: Jan 2, 2011 13:33:09 GMT -5
Posts: 11,291
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Post by GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl on Jun 29, 2014 18:14:53 GMT -5
Okay, for reasons not really relevant here, I haven't flown since before 9/11.
So, I have NO experience finding low airfares.
I am currently thinking (okay, working up the courage) to take the family on a trip that works best by flying to our destination rather than enduring a days-long drive before we get there (we've done PLENTY of road trips -- we've got that routine down). I just feel like knowing how to navigate an airport and be a considerate fellow-passenger are life skills my now teenage kids need to learn to develop and develop soon.
So, how do you get your best airfares? Do they really only increase as the departure date approaches or are there occasional (or regular) sales to watch for?
Which websites help you find lower airfares? Are there any that alert you if certain airfares drop?
I am a AAA member. Can anyone attest to their ability to offer relatively cheap(er) airfares?
Please help me teach my kids to travel by air as chealy as possible!!!
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Malarky
Junior Associate
Truth and snark are equal opportunity here.
Joined: Dec 18, 2010 21:00:51 GMT -5
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Post by Malarky on Jun 29, 2014 18:25:29 GMT -5
Jet Blue goes to most of the places I go. I've gotten excellent service the past couple of years. Flying on Tuesdays and Wednesdays seem to be cheaper.
I take the Logan Express.
Give yourself plenty of time. I've experienced a couple of delays in the past couple of years. Including a one day delay because of snow last winter. Keep in mind that the airline staff wants you on the plane and gone nearly as much as you want to be gone.
I haven't flown any other airlines in the past couple of years. I had less than stellar experiences with other airlines prior to that.
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saveinla
Junior Associate
Joined: Dec 19, 2010 2:00:29 GMT -5
Posts: 5,234
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Post by saveinla on Jun 29, 2014 19:11:52 GMT -5
I read an article recently about booking of airfare - sorry don't have the link - I copied the info below for reference but have not tried it yet.
"Believe it or not, buying your airline tickets too early for the Fourth of July is just as bad as booking too late. Here's why.
For most airlines, the earliest you can book a flight is about 11 months before your departure date. Unfortunately, domestic fares tend to remain high and steady for about 7 months prior to departure. Airlines just aren't pressured to fill seats, which is why they don't offer fare sales that far in advance.
So when is the best time to book your travel? The prime ticket-purchasing window starts 104 days before a flight. After that, fares fall slowly and steadily until they reach their lowest point, which is 54 days before departure. Prices then begin to climb again, but stay within $10 of that low number until 29 days before the flight.
For those of you who missed the prime-booking window, your best chance of finding a last-minute deal on a Fourth of July flight is about 21 days in advance. Booking that week could potentially net you a 17% savings."
I also subscribe to a website called airfarecompare and I get daily emails on low fare flights to various places.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Jun 29, 2014 20:25:14 GMT -5
What you need to do is to figure out if you need to fly exactly on the days you want, or do you have flexibility. Flying on certain days can be as much as a couple hundred $$ cheaper. For instance, our flights to Turks are $200 less EACH if we go Sun-Mon vs Fri-Sat (we lose a day in travel there).
Consider ALL airports. Sometimes driving an extra hour can save quite a bit. We are oing to Quebec, but flights to Burlington are about $150 less than Montreal.
I also use kayak.com and lurk there for several days before I bite the bullet. Kayak is not a booking site, but will send you to the site where you can buy them. I was able to save about $75/ticket to Myrtle Beach this way.
Last minute can work for you and against you. The only time that I've really used last minute flights was when I could get a flight Wed. for a weekend to see TD. When I have had to look last minutes for family emergencies, it has been ugly. I try to keep miles for things like this.
AAA is a travel agency, and IME a good one. Only time I used them was when I was booking our flights to Turkey. I was trying to plan flights where I would meet TD in a hub airport in the US and fly into Istanbul together. After spending hours, I finally cried uncle. I think each ticket cost me $75 to book.
Flights are running very full. Get your seats when you book flights because if you wait until you get to the airport, if you re traveling with others it is difficult to get seats together.
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emma1420
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 28, 2011 15:35:45 GMT -5
Posts: 2,430
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Post by emma1420 on Jun 29, 2014 21:20:03 GMT -5
I second (or third) Kayak. I would also recommend google matrix to search for fares especially if you have flexible dates. Additionally, I would also make sure you consider bag fees into the overall price. Sometimes an airline like Southwest is cheaper because check in luggage is still free, but sometimes it is not.
But, in the end I would encourage you to buy tickets when you find a price that you can live with. Prices vary but typically don't get sky high until 7-14 days before departure.
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alabamagal
Junior Associate
Joined: Dec 23, 2010 11:30:29 GMT -5
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Post by alabamagal on Jun 30, 2014 10:44:40 GMT -5
Southwest airlines is great if they fly to the places that you want to go. But you have to go to their website. It is especially great if your dates are flexible.
DD just booked a round trip in August from Austin TX to Ft. Lauderdale FL (would have preferred MIA, but they only go to Ft.L). She is flying on Monday and return next Tues. Her inbound flight arrives at 1am, so she is definitely off peak. Total with all fees $246 round trip and no bag charges!
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Gardening Grandma
Senior Associate
Joined: Dec 20, 2010 13:39:46 GMT -5
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Post by Gardening Grandma on Jun 30, 2014 11:27:11 GMT -5
When searching for airfares, I use Kayak, Hotwire, Priceline and Cheapoair. Any fares that look good, I look up on the airlines' website. Often, the airline's price is as good as the other's.
I check fares frequently to get a "feel" for what I can expect to pay. Few bargains in the summer and if I want to go, I would not risk waiting til the last minute in hopes of a good fare. If you do get a good deal at the last minute, expect to be in the middle seats and seated separately from the others you are traveling with (this might be an issue if you are traveling with children)
Also, some of those sites include the taxes and fees and some don't. Make sure the fares you are comparing include all taxes and fees. Know how much you'll be charged for checked bags.
If you have flexibility, play with dates. Often fares are less on Tues, Wed & Thurs (but now always). Often staying Sat before returning can be lower (but not always).
Typically Frontier and Southwest have very competitive fares. (Southwest employees get good reviews as well)
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alabamagal
Junior Associate
Joined: Dec 23, 2010 11:30:29 GMT -5
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Post by alabamagal on Jun 30, 2014 12:44:16 GMT -5
the main thing is for Southwest you have to go to their website.
We totally forgot about that when we had to get a last minute flight for DD to go to FIL funeral last year. We did regular internet search, and only options were Delta that had decent times. We totally forgot about Southwest, because we have not used them much, so didn't even check their site. We called Delta for bereavement fares and they said "We do not have any on that route", so we spent $1000 for a ticket. Not sure what we could have got on Sothwest, but likely would have been better.
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emma1420
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 28, 2011 15:35:45 GMT -5
Posts: 2,430
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Post by emma1420 on Jun 30, 2014 13:01:23 GMT -5
When searching for airfares, I use Kayak, Hotwire, Priceline and Cheapoair. Any fares that look good, I look up on the airlines' website. Often, the airline's price is as good as the other's.I check fares frequently to get a "feel" for what I can expect to pay. Few bargains in the summer and if I want to go, I would not risk waiting til the last minute in hopes of a good fare. If you do get a good deal at the last minute, expect to be in the middle seats and seated separately from the others you are traveling with (this might be an issue if you are traveling with children) Also, some of those sites include the taxes and fees and some don't. Make sure the fares you are comparing include all taxes and fees. Know how much you'll be charged for checked bags. If you have flexibility, play with dates. Often fares are less on Tues, Wed & Thurs (but now always). Often staying Sat before returning can be lower (but not always). Typically Frontier and Southwest have very competitive fares. (Southwest employees get good reviews as well) I second using the airlines website, aside from work travel (where I am forced to use our company travel agent), I almost always book through the airline website. Online travel agents like expedia or orbitz charge an extra fee (often $250-$300 a ticket) to change a ticket, on top of the airline's change fee, and in the case of delays or interruptions in travel you get taken care of last or get referred back to your travel agent.
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