which comes first-the villa or the air fare?

[mbw1024]

I'm working on returning the Friday after Thanksgiving 2007. Would it be stupid to book a villa now knowing it's still going to be a month or so before air fare is even open for that time frame?

[California Girl]

I booked our villa first (and airline tickets weren't even available for that date until about 2 months later!). I knew I could get air tickets for whenever I wanted but I wasn't sure the villa would be available once I got airline tickets. I wasn't looking for a "deal" on air, though. I had my itinerary picked for the flight I wanted so waiting for an airline sale wasn't an issue.

[Jan&MikeVa]

I always book the airfare first, but only minutes before the villa! Airfare for us has varied between 240 and 650 so it's worth it to me to wait. I usually have several different villas in mind in the time frame then go for it. The airlines have so few of the cheaper seats it's not worth the extra $$ for us. This last trip I had the airfare planned and booked the villa. In less than 4 hours I lost a cheap return flight on Sunday so I had to go with Monday. The $$ savings is pretty important to us.

But if there was really a villa I wanted, I might risk the airfare, but I doubt it. We also don't plan vacations too far out, maybe 3 or 4 months.

Happy Planning............. we knew you'd be heading back!

Jan (akaCharlie)

[jayseadee]

There is nothing stupid about any process of booking trips to St. John

You've got to start somewhere. So if you have your dates and know where you want to stay, go for it. You know the planes will be flying.

[Diane]

We always book the villa first, mainly because we have specific weeks/very little flexibility in travel days. I'll start watching airfare about 6 months out, but usually get nervous and book before I should (last year I could have saved about $100/ticket if I'd waited another week). This year I'm not going to check airfare anymore after I book!

[Betty]

Diane

USAir will refund in the form of vouchers, if the price goes down, after you make your reservations. I always watch to see if the airfare drops, and use the savings for the next trip. Check with your airlines about that policy.

I made the villa reservation first, then the air.

[susan & herb]

We always book our villa first. It's a bummer to set your heart on a villa, and then find out it's been booked for your dates. Before we went to St John last year, we looked for about 3 months at every villa, I think, on the island. Narrowed it down to three, and with limited dates for us to go, I just bit the bullet and booked. Was not sorry. We stayed at Le Virage. We booked for May 2007, two weeks after we returned from our trip. Yeah, it's fun to look at all the villas, but I just didn't want to go thru it again. Well it will be like coming home as apposed to a new experience. What ever works for your needs.

[ScottB]

I like to book the air first. We try and fly mid-week, and seem to get better fares by being flexible with the flights.

The trick is to make sure the lodging is available for your dates, thne book the flights according to the ceapest fly-out dates. Then call & book the lodging after your flights are confirmed.

Either way works, this is just how we do it.

[St. John Lover]

If there is a specific villa or condo unit that we absolutely want to stay in (which is usually the case) then we book the villa first. Because the good ones (ie good values/good location/ones that make us feel like "we're coming back home") book up fast (ie far ahead of time)!.

The ONE advantage of paying huge amounts of tuition for one's kids, is that I was able to put a substantial portion of it on my "air miles" cc, so I have a nice amount of air miles. Off-season, we usually pay for airfare and have no problem getting the dates we need; On-season, we usually use airmiles and book way ahead. We are then happy campers

So, I vote for "book the villa first."

Have fun on your adventure!
SJL

[Berlingirl]

Because our days are not flexible, we book airfare first...then we get accomodations...we book the first day we are able to for a year in advance. We have paid from 450 to 750 each...one year I waited for a sale that came after the seats were sold out for the days we needed and couldn't go...

Never again...no chance we miss our trip!

[RickG]

We always book the villa first, except for our next trip. I have use or lose USAir miles that can get me a free ticket for April 27. This time it will be Gang of 2.

Cheers, RickG

[flip-flop]

Air first, then villa. We have used FF tickets through Delta the last two trips and plan to use them for trip #3 - tentatively November, 2007, like you.

I am hardcore and refuse to use the double miles tickets so I have to find the skysaver (30000 a ticket) vs the skychoice (60000 a ticket) options. I wait until 331 days out, book the airfare and then nail down the house.

Usually I have 2-3 villas on my list and have never had a problem getting one booked 10+ months out.