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Pull the trigger on August airfare?
Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2014 10:28 pm
by michigan girls
Checked fare matrix today and my August tickets are at $418 out of Detroit. Last time I checked was at $572. Do I pull the trigger, or wait a bit longer?
Got very lucky for this April's trip by finding airfare at $274...
Doubt I'll get that lucky again, I just hate buying if I think there's a chance it will drop again.
Re: Pull the trigger on August airfare?
Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2014 11:08 pm
by KAY
I would be pulling the trigger. I paid $605 for my April tickets out of Chicago. They went down to 560 so I got the difference in credit. Good luck!
Re: Pull the trigger on August airfare?
Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2014 11:47 pm
by philbetm

I would love to find those kind of rates out of Charlotte again...but don't think that is ever going to happen anymore ! We had to pay $745 p/p for our June trip and $767 for last year. I am so

with envy !!
Think I would consider pulling that trigger.
Sherry in SC
Re: Pull the trigger on August airfare?
Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2014 7:20 am
by star2515
I'm with Sherry, out of NC (CLT or RDU) 418 sounds like a steal. We paid 460 out of RDU for our trip coming up this spring, and 540 out of CLT in 2013.
Re: Pull the trigger on August airfare?
Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2014 8:19 am
by RickG
If you like numbers, here is some analysis:
http://www.cheapair.com/blog/travel-tip ... as-to-say/
with caveats
http://www.cheapair.com/blog/travel-tip ... -possible/
The other number I've seen for Caribbean tix is 110 days, sorry no reference. July is one of the most expensive months. The second half of August gets cheaper, then September is the steal. We tend to book early and try to use frequent flyer miles on United's limited schedule. Half the time we end up on AA, and we tend to book more than three month's out. We fly out of IAD/DCA/BWI.
Cheers, RickG
Re: Pull the trigger on August airfare?
Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2014 8:34 am
by ToonMann
TIP: When using Matrix --
http://matrix.itasoftware.com -- to search for flights, make sure you also check "See calendar of lowest fares" next to "Dates." Plug in your departure date and length of stay and it will show you if you can save a few bucks by moving your departure a few days.
Thanks to this feature, we paid less for our Jan 2015 airfare than for Jan 2014.
TM
Re: Pull the trigger on August airfare?
Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2014 8:38 am
by jmq
Rick - saw those articles and generally agree that booking around 4-5 months out has been best for us to Europe and booking 3 months out has been best for us to the Caribbean, but thats out of PHL and NYC area airports.
But from stuff posted here, seems like different rules of thumb (or none) apply to you Midwesterners
If I lived there, and was looking at (and paying) AF >$600 to the Caribbean, it would make me compare it to HI and consider swapping out a STJ trip to Kauai.
Re: Pull the trigger on August airfare?
Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2014 6:38 pm
by JJShaw
Ok, so I couldn't stand it and I had to look...I just pulled the trigger for Oct 25th for 263.00 from Myrtle Beach...its on the dreaded Spirit Airlines, but..we have had good luck with them in the past...so hopefully the airline gods will be with us once more...This will be the first time for us during Halloween...Yeah Me !!!!!!!

Re: Pull the trigger on August airfare?
Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2014 6:45 pm
by michigan girls
Crap, went back to buy and it's up to $572 again. Unless I fly Spirit, then it's $364... I just don't think I can do it...
Re: Pull the trigger on August airfare?
Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2014 10:10 pm
by Capn Dan and Ruby
Pull the trigger!!!! I got $610 for June out of Atlanta and thought I was doing well. OMG!!! I too am green with envy!

Re: Pull the trigger on August airfare?
Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2014 10:58 pm
by philbetm
Capn Dan and Ruby....Sounds like we are going back about the same time again
Sherry in SC
Re: Pull the trigger on August airfare?
Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2014 9:58 am
by nikkiki
$364 on Spirit?!? Yes, it's miserable, but think of the payoff! This April will be my second flight with them. I pack a carry on only and try to sleep through as much of the flights as possible. Nothing like waking up in paradise!
Re: Pull the trigger on August airfare?
Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2014 10:54 am
by betsyv
JJShaw wrote:Ok, so I couldn't stand it and I had to look...I just pulled the trigger for Oct 25th for 263.00 from Myrtle Beach...its on the dreaded Spirit Airlines, but..we have had good luck with them in the past...so hopefully the airline gods will be with us once more...This will be the first time for us during Halloween...Yeah Me !!!!!!!

JJShaw,
We will be there on the 23rd of Oct. Our first time during Halloween too...It will be interesting...We are in NE Pa...But fly out of Syracuse..I would die of happiness if I could get prices like that. So far Im looking at $551.00. and one heck of a layover on the return..hoping it goes way down.
Maybe we will bump into each other while on the rock

...Its way to far away for me tho.

Re: Pull the trigger on August airfare?
Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2014 3:23 pm
by JJShaw
nikkiki wrote:$364 on Spirit?!? Yes, it's miserable, but think of the payoff! This April will be my second flight with them. I pack a carry on only and try to sleep through as much of the flights as possible. Nothing like waking up in paradise!
We fly them because they have the best deals...and( knock on wood) have had good luck with them..We do a back pack and I carry a shopping bag...it works out great...I'll be curious to know how your flight goes...keep us posted..

I try to nap too on the second leg...

Re: Pull the trigger on August airfare?
Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2014 3:26 pm
by JJShaw
betsyv wrote:JJShaw wrote:Ok, so I couldn't stand it and I had to look...I just pulled the trigger for Oct 25th for 263.00 from Myrtle Beach...its on the dreaded Spirit Airlines, but..we have had good luck with them in the past...so hopefully the airline gods will be with us once more...This will be the first time for us during Halloween...Yeah Me !!!!!!!

JJShaw,
We will be there on the 23rd of Oct. Our first time during Halloween too...It will be interesting...We are in NE Pa...But fly out of Syracuse..I would die of happiness if I could get prices like that. So far Im looking at $551.00. and one heck of a layover on the return..hoping it goes way down.
Maybe we will bump into each other while on the rock

...Its way to far away for me tho.

Hopefully we will see you there...I was very happy to see flights that low so I jumped on it...and its a first time for Halloween for us...can't wait !!!