Travel Part 2 - Where ya headed?

[RaceBoarder]

Re: Travel Part 2 - Where ya headed?

I'm a noobie when it comes to flights... I'm quickly seeing that there is no rhyme or reason to the pricing... I was looking at Southwest for MDW to BOS... Prices were $101 each way... Put in at work for the time off... Got that approved... Now my flight to BOS is clocking in at $151 while my flight back home is still $101... Does this mean that the flight is selling out and I need to jump on a seat ASAP? Just trying to do this on a budget... From what I'm seeing, I would be locked in at whatever price I buy at, even if they drop the price later... Do I want to jump on this or play the waiting game?

 

[St. Clown]

Re: Travel Part 2 - Where ya headed?

I'm a noobie when it comes to flights... I'm quickly seeing that there is no rhyme or reason to the pricing... I was looking at Southwest for MDW to BOS... Prices were $101 each way... Put in at work for the time off... Got that approved... Now my flight to BOS is clocking in at $151 while my flight back home is still $101... Does this mean that the flight is selling out and I need to jump on a seat ASAP? Just trying to do this on a budget... From what I'm seeing, I would be locked in at whatever price I buy at, even if they drop the price later... Do I want to jump on this or play the waiting game?

Prices fluctuate a lot for plane tickets. For leisure tickets, they'll often go with a steady climb the closer you get to departure date until a week or so before the date, then they come back down some though the exact amount will vary. Waiting for a last minute deal can be risky as your flight might sell out by that point.

 

[RaceBoarder]

Re: Travel Part 2 - Where ya headed?

Prices fluctuate a lot for plane tickets. For leisure tickets, they'll often go with a steady climb the closer you get to departure date until a week or so before the date, then they come back down some though the exact amount will vary. Waiting for a last minute deal can be risky as your flight might sell out by that point.

Ok... This is for July 26-29, so I got time...

 

[hockeyplayer1015]

Re: Travel Part 2 - Where ya headed?

Ok... This is for July 26-29, so I got time...

Be careful waiting with Southwest though. It's generally been my experience that prices will steadily increase up to (insert departure date here). And at some point, the wanna get away fares will become unavailable as well, which naturally makes things very expensive. I would wait no more than another 2 weeks (6 weeks prior), which is sort of a generally accepted time to where fares begin rising.

My advice? Figure out what price range you're comfortable paying, and if/when you find something that fits that, pull the trigger. It MAY be worth looking at Manchester, NH or Providence, RI as well, you may find savings looking at alternate regional airports.

 

[FadeToBlack&Gold]

Re: Travel Part 2 - Where ya headed?

6-8 weeks is generally accepted as the sweet spot, unless you want to gamble on a last-minute deal that may or may not be available.

 

[manurespreader]

Re: Travel Part 2 - Where ya headed?

The airlines use a complicated software that measures demand for a particular segment. Even if you just investigate that segment, and try different dates, and different combinations, it shows up to them as demand and the price will go up. (even 8 weeks or more out.) Using kayak will help not trigger the price rise though it will still go up eventually.
The big price increase is at the 13 day point. I would not wait at all. at least if you buy early you get to choose what seat you want.And southwest is not the cheapest out there. usually it's spirit that is.

 

[FadeToBlack&Gold]

Re: Travel Part 2 - Where ya headed?

There is also a well-observed trend that if you can be flexible with your dates, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays tend to be the cheapest days to fly. It's not a rule that is set in stone (very little is when it comes to airfare pricing), but the reasons behind it are logical. 1) Even during non-peak periods, Joe & Jill Schmoe and their screaming babies ideally want to start their vacation on Friday and return on Sunday. 2) A lot of business road warriors leave town on Sunday evening or Monday morning, and return home on Thursday night. Of course, during the Christmas/New Years' and Thanksgiving holiday periods, all bets are off.

 

[The Rube]

Re: Travel Part 2 - Where ya headed?

There is also a well-observed trend that if you can be flexible with your dates, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays tend to be the cheapest days to fly. It's not a rule that is set in stone (very little is when it comes to airfare pricing), but the reasons behind it are logical. 1) Even during non-peak periods, Joe & Jill Schmoe and their screaming babies ideally want to start their vacation on Friday and return on Sunday. 2) A lot of business road warriors leave town on Sunday evening or Monday morning, and return home on Thursday night. Of course, during the Christmas/New Years' and Thanksgiving holiday periods, all bets are off.

This. When I somewhat traveled for work, they'd send me out on Sunday morn, come back on Friday night. It was a little pricey, but it was JUST off the peak business times.

 

[goldy_331]

Re: Travel Part 2 - Where ya headed?

My son and I leave Sunday for our first Boundary Waters canoe trip. Short trip entering Monday, coming out Wednesday. Using an outfitter on Moose Lake. Keeping it short as my replaced ankle is still well below 100%, although the surgeon gave me the OK yesterday. Two short portages and then a base camp for a couple nights. I wish I had done it 40 years ago, but better late than never.

 

[5mn_Major]

Re: Travel Part 2 - Where ya headed?

Wednesday: The Stones, Minneapolis
Friday: Clubbing Milan
Saturday: Sunning Rimini
Sunday: On to San Marino

 

[Gurtholfin]

Re: Travel Part 2 - Where ya headed?

My son and I leave Sunday for our first Boundary Waters canoe trip. Short trip entering Monday, coming out Wednesday. Using an outfitter on Moose Lake. Keeping it short as my replaced ankle is still well below 100%, although the surgeon gave me the OK yesterday. Two short portages and then a base camp for a couple nights. I wish I had done it 40 years ago, but better late than never.

Neither of you have been there or just your son?


Unsolicited advice of the day: Have them shuttle you to the your first portage. It's an extra cost, but the one time I didn't (the first trip out of Moose Lake), I regretted it.

 

[St. Clown]

Re: Travel Part 2 - Where ya headed?

Ok... This is for July 26-29, so I got time...

I just read that Southwest Air has a sale going on Jun 2-4 (so for today and tomorrow). The main price points for the sale are $49, $99, $129 and $149. Some people have found flights for as low as $47 one way.

 

[goldy_331]

Neither of you have been there or just your son?


Unsolicited advice of the day: Have them shuttle you to the your first portage. It's an extra cost, but the one time I didn't (the first trip out of Moose Lake), I regretted it.

First for both. Thanks, tow trip already booked.

It's my first BWCA trip but not my first canoe trip, nor first time on a shield lake. ;-)

 

[RaceBoarder]

Re: Travel Part 2 - Where ya headed?

I just read that Southwest Air has a sale going on Jun 2-4 (so for today and tomorrow). The main price points for the sale are $49, $99, $129 and $149. Some people have found flights for as low as $47 one way.

Yea... Been trying to buy all afternoon, but their site has been down

I'm sorry, but this whole experience is really a turn off to air travel for me... Too many games with prices for occasional travel... Not worth the hassle and frustration... Really makes driving 8-10 hours seem like a much more viable option...

 

[FadeToBlack&Gold]

Re: Travel Part 2 - Where ya headed?

You aren't the only one, RB. Even though I understand why they do it, I strongly dislike how the airlines now nickel and dime the services to varying degrees. It's not going away though, if you've ever looked at the balance sheets - extra fees are a big part of the new airline business model and continue getting bigger each year. Whoever is running Spirit is an evil genius, when I think of what a rinky-dink, nearly-bankrupt airline it was in the early 2000s, holding together its ancient MD-83 fleet with duct tape.

 

[manurespreader]

Re: Travel Part 2 - Where ya headed?

You aren't the only one, RB. Even though I understand why they do it, I strongly dislike how the airlines now nickel and dime the services to varying degrees. It's not going away though, if you've ever looked at the balance sheets - extra fees are a big part of the new airline business model and continue getting bigger each year. Whoever is running Spirit is an evil genius, when I think of what a rinky-dink, nearly-bankrupt airline it was in the early 2000s, holding together its ancient MD-83 fleet with duct tape.

Airbus gave them 25 airbus a/c for free for 4 years. that does help of course. They pay now, but airbus does this stuff to steal Boeing customers.

 

[The Rube]

Re: Travel Part 2 - Where ya headed?

I don't mind some nickel-and-dime stuff (like carry-on fees). The only prob I have with airlines is them not strictly enforcing the carry-on rules. If you have a bag that you didn't check, and it's too large...hey! Free checked-luggage! Whee! F that noise. They should match the bag to the flier, and charge their arse for it.

 

[FadeToBlack&Gold]

Re: Travel Part 2 - Where ya headed?

I don't mind some nickel-and-dime stuff (like carry-on fees). The only prob I have with airlines is them not strictly enforcing the carry-on rules. If you have a bag that you didn't check, and it's too large...hey! Free checked-luggage! Whee! F that noise. They should match the bag to the flier, and charge their arse for it.

I am in agreement that if you get on the plane (a regular wide or narrow-body aircraft, not a regional jet) and it doesn't fit in the overhead bin, you should get charged. However, if you get on-board and they are out of overhead bin space, as often happens on the legacy carriers that don't charge for carry-ons, then I would just tag it and send it below. That is one advantage to flying the no-frills carriers that charge for every farking thing - since it costs more to bring a roller bag on-board than to put it underneath, most people cheap out, and the plane unloads that much faster on the other end. It does, however, cheese me off when they charge for things like selecting your seat in advance, even if it's the middle seat in the last row. That serves no visible purpose other than milking pax for a little extra "convenience" money just because they booked early enough to try and snag an aisle seat near the front of the aircraft.

 

[The Rube]

Re: Travel Part 2 - Where ya headed?

I am in agreement that if you get on the plane (a regular wide or narrow-body aircraft, not a regional jet) and it doesn't fit in the overhead bin, you should get charged. However, if you get on-board and they are out of overhead bin space, as often happens on the legacy carriers that don't charge for carry-ons, then I would just tag it and send it below. That is one advantage to flying the no-frills carriers that charge for every farking thing - since it costs more to bring a roller bag on-board than to put it underneath, most people cheap out, and the plane unloads that much faster on the other end. It does, however, cheese me off when they charge for things like selecting your seat in advance, even if it's the middle seat in the last row. That serves no visible purpose other than milking pax for a little extra "convenience" money just because they booked early enough to try and snag an aisle seat near the front of the aircraft.

If the airline runs out of room, I have no problem with free checked luggage. Not at all. Some people cheat the system. THAT is what I get mad about. Those other charges like seat selection, etc, are BS.

 

[MinnesotaNorthStar]

Re: Travel Part 2 - Where ya headed?

I don't mind some nickel-and-dime stuff (like carry-on fees). The only prob I have with airlines is them not strictly enforcing the carry-on rules. If you have a bag that you didn't check, and it's too large...hey! Free checked-luggage! Whee! F that noise. They should match the bag to the flier, and charge their arse for it.

This is starting to change. I saw the Delta gate agents get credit cards from people if their "carry on" didn't fit within standards while waiting to board at IND on Friday.