!!!!

[Liam]

q

 

[jel0511]

Furst off most of the cheaper fares need to be booked at least 14 days in advance. Also, we are going down next weekand our flights are full both ways. My guess is that the flights you want to book are probably pretty full, hence the high fare.

 

[yoopermom]

We leave on the 26th, and I've had my tickets bought since July. On the other hand, my folks decided to join us, are leaving on the 30th and only bought their tickets a few weeks ago, and still got a pretty good price. The closer you get, the higher the prices, I would think.
Terri the Yoopermom

 

[ducklite]

Originally posted by Liam
With all the crying the airlines have been doing since 9-11 you would think you could get a decent price on a ticket. I have flown to Orlando probably 50 times and have never seen prices this high. American Airlines, the company that lost 2 jets on 9-11, is charging outragous prices. almost $1000! I wanted to spend new years at WDW and got great deals for everything but cannot spend that much to fly. How is it that airlines would rather the planes be empty then to offer a half decent price. The only good offer was Jet Blue and they were booked up. I never want to hear the airlines cry again. I could fly to Paris for cheaper then Orlando! Bon Vayoge.

Economics 101, the laws of supply and demand.

When they have already sold most of the seats on any given flight, why would they discount?

Anne

 

[Beverly Lynn]

its the inventory game. this time of year books fast, always has, always will. if you want to travel last minute you will pay the full coach fare. the only way not to is fi they offer last minute deals but these are highly restricted and travel is only allowed on certain days of the holiday week.

 

[MartDM]

You'll never EVER get a bargain fare trying to buy tickets a week in advance during the height of the holiday travel season to one of the busiest locales in the US. Getting mad at the airlines for not providing you with a bargain fare under those circumstances is pretty unreasonable.

 

[BuzzMe]

If you are flexible with the times/days you fly you may have a better chance of getting a less expensive fare. We bought tickets last week for Orlando 12/31, 8am flight from JFK(fare dropped way down from 12/30), returning on 1/6, for $187pp. This is less than we paid for our tickets in July!

 

[nancyj_pa]

If you're not too fussy about the time you leave, give Priceline.com a try. I've used them for hotels and got a good deal at the last minute.

 

[danacara]

as Ducklite said - ECO 101 + governmental price regulations.

 

[seashoreCM]

I think it was three or four weeks before my Thanksgiving trip that choice Boston to Orlando flights were showing over $1200. for a trip that could have been booked for under $300. months earlier. This was on Delta, after they cancelled a number of flights due to 9/11.

It seems that the planes were officially full, but anyone (or whose companywas) willing to pay $1200. round trip would get a forcible booking (any airline can do that but won't tell the pax they specifically did so) and the airline will worry about asking for volunteers at flight time offering them perhaps a $350. gift certificate (I got one of those one time).

It also seems that, after Delta cancelled half their Orlando nonstops, the ones remaining were completely filled with super saver pax after things were consolidated, and even full planes operate at a loss that way.

More Disney tips:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

9/65 Disneyland
3/75 (World Inn* off I4 near DD)
4/85 (Kon-Tiki* on 192)
'80s Disneyland once or twice
7/94 POR
9/97 ASMu
11/98 ASMu
12/98 (Knights Inn on 192)
9/99 ASMo
12/00 ASSp
9/01 ASSp
11/01 ASSp
*no longer exists

 

[inkkognito]

You need to be a savvy consumer to get good deals for holiday weekends. We plan our Disney cruises very far in advance (our 9 for 2002 are booked already), and we usually sail around holidays in order to maximize our vacation days. A few months before the date, hubby and I start checking in with Orbitz and the other travel sites, as well as the airline websites, and so far we've never failed to snag a good deal. For non-peak times, the fares are great out of Chicago. For example, a local grocery store is running a promotion that allowed us to get our April tickets for $166 roundtrip. It's just a matter of patience, coupled with where you live...in Chicago, we are fortunate to have two airports and lots of airlines that fly to Orlando. As Ducklite said, it's the law of supply and demand. We are lucky to have lots of supply.
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.castawayclub.com

 

[NancyIL]

You can also try www.hotwire.com - which is similar to Priceline, except they tell you what you will pay for an unknown airline and flight times. Then, go to Priceline (after checking out www.biddingfortravel.com for VERY helpful tips and BONUS MONEY) and bid less than Hotwire's price. Good luck!

 

[Liam]

As many of you have said, why discount if all flights are booked? That is what I am upset about. stop complaining, laying people off, and collecting huge (I am talking BILLIONS) of dollars in federal aid if flights are so full. I wrongly assumed that I could get a decent price (I have gotten many on shorter notice) because of all the sob stories airlines have been laying on us. I understand they have lost money after 9-11 but how about a nice chunk of that airline relief money going to the victims families or to much needed improvement in intelligence and law inforcement if all these flights are booked. Whether we loose our luggage, get bumped from a flight, or sit on a runway for an hour, the airlines always seem to find a way to screw the American people. No other business could be run like this and still profit. We are basically held captive, flying for business is almost a neccesity.