Stressed about Flights

My husband and I are booked on a cruise that leaves January 16th, 2016. I'm trying to find the best price (which is Spirit) but I'm a nervous person and they fly in at 5am the day of the cruise. I've read horror stories about them having delays, cancellations and not putting you on another flight. I'm terrified we're going to miss our cruise ship. Especially considering it will be the dead of winter and there could be snow/ice from any of those locations causing delays. Leg room, and being nickelled and dimed are not worries of mine.

Flights on all the other major airlines are more than double the price. Plus the cost of hotels if we have to stay either before or after.

We can leave out of either Detroit, Buffalo NY, Niagara Falls NY or even Toronto and fly into either Miami or Ft. Lauderdale. I just can't find anything that is a decent price at a decent time besides Spirit.

I'm totally lost and don't know what to do. Any help or tips would be much appreciated. Please!!

You have clearly identified the problem. But cost shouldn't be the only consideration. You need to be assured of getting there. You could take the same Spirit flight the day before (if Spirit has that flight), thus getting you in the day before, and potentially getting that cheaper fare, but of course adding a hotel. That is the safest route- arriving the day before is always the recommendation.

At less than two months prior to flight, your options are shrinking. Don't let cost be your only consideration. You need to be there.

You are right. My sanity is not worth the savings. Flying in the day before is the exact same price so might as well just book a hotel and know we are there safe and sound. Thank you.

I have not done any research on this topic, but you could look into flying to Boston-BOS or New York-NYC and try to connect there. Dunno if there will be better deals but it cannot hurt to look. JetBlue flies direct non-stop to FLL from BOS...you would have to look at jetblue.com because they, like Southwest only sell direct to their customers.

Steve

Buying tickets NOW for tickets to Florida in January means that most of the good prices are long gone. Spirit is barebones, with tons of extra fees and charges. Plus, their lack of interline agreements and limited equipment/frequency means I would NEVER take them for a time-sensitive flight.

Not to sound harsh, but you really should have bought those tickets months ago. Were you swayed by those folks for write that you should buy tickets about six weeks out? Because they are flat out wrong.

I have not done any research on this topic, but you could look into flying to Boston-BOS or New York-NYC and try to connect there. Dunno if there will be better deals but it cannot hurt to look. JetBlue flies direct non-stop to FLL from BOS...you would have to look at jetblue.com because they, like Southwest only sell direct to their customers.

Steve

Do a search on this site.

http://matrix.itasoftware.com/

Thoughts on Southwest airlines? After adding in the extra fees from Spirit, Southwest is only a little bit more expensive. Thinking I should jump ship over to them.

Thoughts on Southwest airlines? After adding in the extra fees from Spirit, Southwest is only a little bit more expensive. Thinking I should jump ship over to them.

I would defintely switch over to Southwest and still come down the day before .

My husband and I are booked on a cruise that leaves January 16th, 2016. I'm trying to find the best price (which is Spirit) but I'm a nervous person and they fly in at 5am the day of the cruise. I've read horror stories about them having delays, cancellations and not putting you on another flight. I'm terrified we're going to miss our cruise ship.

Fact: Spirit does not interline with other airlines. So even if there is a delay or cancellation that is their fault (i.e. mechanical, crew member is a no-show, etc.) they will not endorse your ticket over to another airline. You would need to wait for the next Spirit flight that has available seats, and that could well be the next day.

Is the 5am flight the only one that day for your particular city pair? Even if it's not, you have to consider that if there's a problem with your flight, you potentially have an entire flight's worth of people needing to be rebooked on a later flight.

If you are, as you say, terrified of missing your cruise, then you need to consider something other than price. There's a reason that Spirit flight is cheaper than others, and if you MUST be on THAT flight in order to make your cruise, maybe price shouldn't be your primary consideration.

You are right. My sanity is not worth the savings. Flying in the day before is the exact same price so might as well just book a hotel and know we are there safe and sound. Thank you.

Good choice.

Since the flight gets in a 5am, you can treat Friday as the start of your cruise. If you are up for it and the budget allows, rent a car and head out to Shark Valley in Everglades National Park. You can have a leisurely breakfast along the way. Mid January is usually a great time to see many different birds and other wildlife on the tram tour. No sharks :). Just alligators.

I would never fly in the day of the cruise no matter what time of year.

And the time you are talking about have the issue of snow.

Fly in the day before.

Keith

Friends don't let friends fly Spirit ;)

Yep, Spirit is cheap. There is a reason: no backup planes, you pay for everything after paying your fare (seat, luggage, carryon (from $26-100 for ONE carryon!!!) etc.). If I had to be somewhere within a 4 day window, I wouldn't pick Spirit.

Southwest is a perfectly acceptable airline choice. I don't fly it because I do not like "festival seating" and their pricing from my airport is many times more than the legacy airlines.

With the weak Cdn$ right now, and IF?? you can handle Pearson (terrible airport), after a quick check on Matrix I find the prices similar. Trouble is AC return times suck (unless you want to take a stop over in YUL). You could possibly do one way on AC and a return on WestJet (both non stops). Price would be slightly higher, but maybe worth it in the long run. Good Luck.

I ended up booking with Southwest Airlines. I was able to snag what I think is a good deal of $285pp round trip USD. I'm not a frequent flyer so not sure how good that price really is. We're still flying in the day before (already booked that hotel) and I feel much more comfortable spending the extra money for a little peace of mind.

Thank you all for your help and suggestions.

5am...if that's the arrival time, is fine. You have 11 hours till the ship sails. I prefer arriving the day prior....but if you can't...thats the flight to take. Stop stressing...this is supposed to be a FUN vacation!

I ended up booking with Southwest Airlines. I was able to snag what I think is a good deal of $285pp round trip USD. I'm not a frequent flyer so not sure how good that price really is. We're still flying in the day before (already booked that hotel) and I feel much more comfortable spending the extra money for a little peace of mind.

 

Thank you all for your help and suggestions.

Your decision sounds like that of a traveled cruiser. I, myself, always struggle with the airfare. We are leaving from Fort Lauderdale in February and coming from Washington state. We ended up taking two days to get there, on Southwest, with an overnight stay in Austin, TX. Simply for peace of mind not having to fly through the winter cities. Still arriving early the day before our cruise.

Unfortunately (or fortunately) our return flight leaving at noon was cancelled and we will now have to stay in Fort Lauderdale one night after our cruise...aw...so sad..NOT!

Enjoy your cruise stress free.

I ended up booking with Southwest Airlines. I was able to snag what I think is a good deal of $285pp round trip USD. I'm not a frequent flyer so not sure how good that price really is. We're still flying in the day before (already booked that hotel) and I feel much more comfortable spending the extra money for a little peace of mind.

 

Thank you all for your help and suggestions.

With the CA$ difference, that rate is about the same as flying out of YYZ.

I ended up booking with Southwest Airlines. I was able to snag what I think is a good deal of $285pp round trip USD. I'm not a frequent flyer so not sure how good that price really is. We're still flying in the day before (already booked that hotel) and I feel much more comfortable spending the extra money for a little peace of mind.

 

Thank you all for your help and suggestions.

Congratulations. IMO you did really god and $285 pp rt is a good fare especially if it is non stop. We always fly in the day before the cruise and it is now part of our cruise experience.

Enjoy your start in leisure and also your cruise.

I ended up booking with Southwest Airlines. I was able to snag what I think is a good deal of $285pp round trip USD. I'm not a frequent flyer so not sure how good that price really is. We're still flying in the day before (already booked that hotel) and I feel much more comfortable spending the extra money for a little peace of mind.

 

Thank you all for your help and suggestions.

Good choice.

Regarding prices out of Canada. Since it is an international flight there are lots of extra government taxes for Immigration, US Agriculture, a 9-11 tax (what ever that is for these days) that do not apply on domestic flights. The customs people do not charge those taxes when driving across the board but do when flying.

Your decision sounds like that of a traveled cruiser. I, myself, always struggle with the airfare. We are leaving from Fort Lauderdale in February and coming from Washington state. We ended up taking two days to get there, on Southwest, with an overnight stay in Austin, TX. Simply for peace of mind not having to fly through the winter cities. Still arriving early the day before our cruise.

 

Unfortunately (or fortunately) our return flight leaving at noon was cancelled and we will now have to stay in Fort Lauderdale one night after our cruise...aw...so sad..NOT!

 

Enjoy your cruise stress free.

Just asking but why didn't you fly Alaska non stop SEA - FLL? 5 1/2 flight

Your decision sounds like that of a traveled cruiser. I, myself, always struggle with the airfare. We are leaving from Fort Lauderdale in February and coming from Washington state. We ended up taking two days to get there, on Southwest, with an overnight stay in Austin, TX.

 

....

 

Just asking but why didn't you fly Alaska non stop SEA - FLL? 5 1/2 flight

When I read that post I wondered the same thing. We've taken that Seattle to Ft. Lauderdale flight twice this year already and find it so handy.

I think is a good deal of $285pp round trip USD

That is pretty good, in line with our hometown Southwest terminal to FLL.

$285rt & 2 free pieces of luggage per traveler. You did great! Love SW

My husband and I are booked on a cruise that leaves January 16th, 2016. I'm trying to find the best price (which is Spirit) but I'm a nervous person and they fly in at 5am the day of the cruise. I've read horror stories about them having delays, cancellations and not putting you on another flight. I'm terrified we're going to miss our cruise ship. Especially considering it will be the dead of winter and there could be snow/ice from any of those locations causing delays. Leg room, and being nickelled and dimed are not worries of mine.

 

Flights on all the other major airlines are more than double the price. Plus the cost of hotels if we have to stay either before or after.

 

We can leave out of either Detroit, Buffalo NY, Niagara Falls NY or even Toronto and fly into either Miami or Ft. Lauderdale. I just can't find anything that is a decent price at a decent time besides Spirit.

 

I'm totally lost and don't know what to do. Any help or tips would be much appreciated. Please!!

Spirit is what it is....ultra low cost carrier. They abandoned me in Las Vegas a few years ago due to equipment malfunction. Offered to rebook me on a flight in 48 hours. Scrambled and got the last seat on Delta headed back to DTW. Received a refund for that flight 2 weeks later after 3 phone calls.

With that being said, I would fly down the day before with them. If something happens you could always request a refund and buy another ticket and have time to scramble still.

Safe travels, enjoy your cruise.

I ended up booking with Southwest Airlines. I was able to snag what I think is a good deal of $285pp round trip USD. I'm not a frequent flyer so not sure how good that price really is. We're still flying in the day before (already booked that hotel) and I feel much more comfortable spending the extra money for a little peace of mind.

 

Thank you all for your help and suggestions.

That is an excellent price. We paid that for Delta MONTHS ago...we are cruising on the Breeze the same day as you.

Honestly, for us, as much as we like to save money on airfare, there's just only so much you can do. With it being the middle of winter you're in so much trouble if a major storm rolls through over night or something. Last time we cruised in the winter it had just started snowing when we arrived to Chicago Midway. We watched from the gate while they plowed and salted the runway. We made it out just in time. My sister messaged me after we landed and said the delays started right after we left..

This is why we book early morning flights. If there are delays you have the first dibs on the open seats.

It's risky to fly in the winter, we'll be flying on the 15'th and we're hoping for good weather!