Getting nervious about airfare

[pmk]

We had such a great time last year, we're bringing the whole family down this January. ... but I'm getting a bit nervious about the cost of airfare.

Last year we paid $320 from Boston non-stop and this year Yapta is showing $470. We've already have specific travel dates.

Any recommendations? Do I keep waiting? Is there a way to lock in now and get reimbursed if the price goes down.

Thanks for any advice.

pmk

[Greenskeeper]

I would lock now. Book through a website that will reimburse you for any price drops. I don't know if I can post the name on here but you can't miss the ads on tv.

I waited and ended up paying more for one stop flights (one with an overnight layover) than I would have for direct flights had I booked earlier.

[P-600]

I heard that airlines lower their rates on Tuesday evenings after 10pm. You can give that a try. We paid $1,204. for the three of us on American for January 2010. Nonstop each way from Boston.

[Joppa]

I went directly to the airlines web site and got a good deal (319.00) on non-stop round trip bos to stt in Jan.
My nephew who travels Alot swears by calling the airline.

[tipsy]

IMHO - Book now.
We waited and ended up paying over $100 more pp. And now the same flts are over $600 each way. We booked thru Delta and they have a policy that if fare goes down, you get the diff. back in cash or credit.

I too have found going thru the airlines seems to always be cheaper than all the on-line sites. Not sure why..

Good luck !!

[liamsaunt]

I would lock now and register your flight with yapta. If the fare goes down you will get an email from them alerting you and then you can contact the airline for a credit.

[alw1977]

pmk - booking through an online site like travelocity, orbitz, expedia means that you cannot call and get a refund if the price goes down. My understanding is that you need to book directly through the airline to do that. Now, here's the catch... at least with Delta. Delta charges a $50 "re-ticketing" fee (this may have gone up), if the price goes down and you ask for a refund. So, you really only win if the price goes up or down substantially. I'd book through the airline and ask them about their policy, just to be safe. Good luck!

[pipanale]

I would lock now and register your flight with yapta. If the fare goes down you will get an email from them alerting you and then you can contact the airline for a credit.

Does this really work? i'm in charge of finding airfare for our friends. Really...there's no choice...they want the Continental non-stop from EWR. but, it keeps creeping up and is now over $400. I had seen it at $300 but that was before we'd locked the dates for the trip.

If I have them buy now at $400 and Kayak finds it for $300, they get the difference back???

[liamsaunt]

Yes, it really works. You do need to buy directly from the airline, as someone else mentioned. John and I flew to Bermuda for practically free this summer using credits that yapta found for us on a flight to Florida that we took the prior October.