Playing Chicken with Air Fare

[alw1977]

Man we've got some type A travelers around here! It's just the two of us this time, no kids, so I don't really care about schedule or airline, just as long as we get there! Right now, Delta is only $40 more than the lowest it's been since I booked accommodations back in March, so I really haven't lost anything by waiting.

I'm more curious about the BING predictor - it has consistently said "Wait - confidence 80% fares are dropping" but we're getting awful close for a sale/reduction! Conventional wisdom says don't wait longer than 21 days out!

[ccinhbg]

Well I lost my game of chicken. I bought because the price kept going up on the flights I wanted and today when I checked those same flights are $100 less.

[piscesgirl0314]

We bought our tickets for our up coming trip back in January. I'm SO glad we did, too. Our airfare hasn't been this cheap since our first trip in 2003. We made the mistake last year of waiting to buy for our Costa Rica vacation and paid over $3000.00 for three tickets. Talk about painful...never again!

[alw1977]

And my game continues! Bing is still saying to wait - with 80% confidence that fares will reduce by >$50.

We planned this trip in March or April and honestly air fare has been high the whole time. It's frustrating.

[mbw1024]

Just my opinion but this close to travel I would not wait any longer. Especially since you indicate that you have been watching this fare for some time with no change.
Are there still plenty of seats available on the flights you are looking at? If so maybe I would wait longer but knowing myself I don't think I would.
Good luck!

PS I just looked at my flights for Sept/Oct and Bing is also telling me to wait. My fare has done nothing but gone up since I booked but maybe that will change.

[alw1977]

mbw - I'm probably going to pull the trigger. This is getting too close for even my comfort!

[alw1977]

And I did it. Now I'm not even going to look at prices. That way I'll never know if I won or lost the airfare game.

[SuefromMA]

Bet you'll "still" check!!.....

I know that "I" would....... LOL!!!

Glad you finally pulled the trigger. I NEVER could have played it this close. I am waiting for Jet Blue to release April, 2014 so that I can get ours done.

Congrats! (Let us know if you should have waited...!!!) LOL

Sue

[ccinhbg]

When I got mine I said I wouldn't check again but every time I was on the computer I could hear Kayak calling me "Come and check. . .Come and check" I just couldn't resist and of course the prices had gone down. On the brighter side, we have tickets, we have seats and we will rum away those airfare blues!!

[mbw1024]

And I did it. Now I'm not even going to look at prices. That way I'll never know if I won or lost the airfare game.

no regrets, never look back! just continue your countdown and have a great time!

[alw1977]

So I paid $750 for our direct on Delta. Today it is at $687. I lost the game of chicken. Lesson learned.

[liamsaunt]

Did you book direct with the airline? Maybe you can get a credit for the difference. I know JetBlue will do this. Haven't flown Delta in a while so not sure if they have the same policy.

[piscesgirl0314]

[SuefromMA]

Don't kick yourself TOO much.

It "very" easily could have gone up instead of down. 17 days out, I wouldn't have been able to sleep without having it already booked!

You did the right thing. No worries!!

Now just decide what NOT to put in your suitcase that you will NOT wear!! Time to worry about "that" kind of stuff now....LOL

Have "fun" enjoying your countdown......

Sue

[alw1977]

Delta isn't good with price reductions at this point. I believe it's $150 to change an itinerary, so the price has to reduce by more than that to make it worth it. Plus, one ticket was purchased using the "pay with miles" feature ($100 off for every 10,000 miles).

Oh well, at least I am going to St. John! Before kids, we used to book airfare and then accommodations. Now, we don't have flexibility to pull the trigger on airfare like we used to - we have to line up child care for specific dates, and book around that.

It will be a great 11th anniversary trip. And we are staying in Tracy's studio at Grande Bay, very excited!