Holiday Travel

[JDAZ11]

When do you normally make your holiday travel plans? I am traveling on very off peak days for thanksgiving this year, but I actually haven't purchased tickets for christmas yet (I think I am stupidly hoping I get job and can't go, and I also feel a little badly about leaving DF here... but he's on call, so no way I'm staying here only to end up alone).

I've always been able to drive or take the train, so this is the first year I have to deal with booking flights. I know I'm pretty late.... (although my schedule is somewhat flexible, so I think I will be ok). Just wondering when everyone usually books their tickets, is it in like June...

[Ladybug]

Let me stomp up on my soapbox here...the airlines are gouging people! We were flying down to houston to see family over Christmas. I found a little under five hundred per ticket (flying Xmas day and new years eve!) and I was willing to drive to JFK or CT to a price break. Overnight while I was clearing dates with DH and my mom prices jumped $150 PER ticket, and we're booking six tickets. Even for a standard family of four it would be $2500 to travel from the NE to SW. Crazy!

So we're driving. 26 hours with four kids. Fa la la la la....la la la. Even Clark Griswald would cringe.

But ultimately we have to find a way to make peace with this. All of our family lives out of state and we have four kids. They must learn to love the road. Pray that I don't throw myself from a moving vehicle. Someday I want a pimped out RV. Screw delta.

I've already looked at tickets for march and they aren't a penny less...

I have heard that tuesday is the lowest prices and best day to purchase, and Wednesday is the cheapest day to fly. That's fourth hand info though.

[diggitydot]

Keep an eye on Kayak and Bing for when to buy. Bing actually tells you how likely the chance of a price change (up or down). We find that about two weeks out is cheapest.

[JDAZ11]

Let me stomp up on my soapbox here...the airlines are gouging people! We were flying down to houston to see family over Christmas. I found a little under five hundred per ticket (flying Xmas day and new years eve!) and I was willing to drive to JFK or CT to a price break. Overnight while I was clearing dates with DH and my mom prices jumped $150 PER ticket, and we're booking six tickets. Even for a standard family of four it would be $2500 to travel from the NE to SW. Crazy!

So we're driving. 26 hours with four kids. Fa la la la la....la la la. Even Clark Griswald would cringe.

But ultimately we have to find a way to make peace with this. All of our family lives out of state and we have four kids. They must learn to love the road. Pray that I don't throw myself from a moving vehicle. Someday I want a pimped out RV. Screw delta.

I've already looked at tickets for march and they aren't a penny less...

I have heard that tuesday is the lowest prices and best day to purchase, and Wednesday is the cheapest day to fly. That's fourth hand info though.

UMM WOW! I totally support your position on that soap box, that's crazy... I'm only buying one ticket and thought it was crazy. Six tickets makes a HUGE difference!

I'll pray for you, and totally support the purchase of a pimped out RV! I'm going the opposite direction, otherwise I'd go in on it with you

[SuzySunshine]

I've had my Thanksgiving tickets for MONTHS but that is because I got a great deal on them. We bought our Christmas tickets in mid-October but bought two and used miles for two. Good luck, fares are RIDICULOUS!

[diggitydot]

I'm so glad we're not footing the airfare bill to WA in December...

[peggyfromwastate]

If we travel by air, I generally buy my 6 tickets (I don't bother buying for dh- dropping 500$ on a late ticket for him makes sense) at least 8 months early. We have our ticks for spring break. No more air travel for me over Christmas ever again. Ever. I am not staying the night in an airport, and they always overbook, and the kids get soooo sick for weeks post-holiday-travel.

If people want to see us, they are welcome to come visit!

[v-girl]

Ladybug - My college roomie and her fam of 6 (4 kids) drive from Binghamton, NY to Austin every other year. It's insane, but flying is so expensive.

[oceanchild]

I picked out flights a month ago and could've gotten them for ~$250/person, which is a really good price for our route. DH kept waiting to pull the trigger, though, and now they're up to nearly $400. For Christmas I try to book as soon as I have viable dates in mind.

Interestingly, Bing is predicting with 79% confidence that prices are going to go down still. I don't think I believe them. It's possible Bing doesn't understand Christmas.

[PrincessFiona]

Wow! That's crazy! I've been looking at ticket prices for travel as well. Im really annoyed by the charges to check bags too. Travel has just become no fun!

[SoonerTexan]

There is a website (cant remember the name of course) besides Bing that "predicts" fares. Might check that out. Honestly, I'm not surprised at the huge fares, though. Supply and demand.

[oceanchild]

I just wish they would standardize the supply and demand for one flight. I hate sitting next to someone wondering if they paid half what I paid for the ticket. Petty, I know.

[peggyfromwastate]

Lol Julia-- once we flew on a flight (I booked 5 tix at around 220$ ea) and Luke was seated behind a total jackass who was loudly complaining that he didn't pay 600$ per ticket (family of 4) to be kicked the "while flight". Luke did not kick him- I was right next to him, but Luke had trouble with the tray thing sticking a few times.

Anyway, I took great glee in the fact that that guy got hosed on ticket prices.

Bwahahaha.

[OrionGrad]

There used to be a site called Farecast that predicted airfare prices, but it was bought by Microsoft and integrated into Bing.

If you fly certain airlines (JetBlue, Alaska, AirTran, etc.) it's worth checking out a site called Yapta. If you create an account and add your flight details, they'll keep track of any price drops and let you know if you qualify for a refund. I used it when DH and I were going to Hawaii in October (we purchased our tickets months in advance for a slow-ish time of year) and it actually worked. It ended up that we only got $80 back from Hawaiian (for the price difference), but it was still $80 in our pocket that we didn't have before.

[SoonerTexan]

^^^Farecast was what I was thinking of...so no go I guess