Buying airline ticket to Fort Lauderdale???

I will be on the Conquest out of Fort Lauderdale on May 23, 2015. I have not taken a plane in like 25 years. I keep telling myself I will fly this time instead of Amtrak. I get scare thinking about it but I am conviencing myself as of now.

My questions is when would it be a great time for me to purchase my plane tickets. My cruise sets out the weekend of Memorial weekend. I live in NYC. Anyone with info would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks...

We typically buy approximately four months in advance.

It's never too early to buy airline tickets. Prices will only go up

When you see a price that meets your perceived value and you can justify paying. Airfare is capacity controlled based on yield management. There is no set time or date that airfare is cheaper, as it is constantly changing multiple times each day. The cruise industry adopted this practice from American Airlines. Think of it as supply and demand. Also, take into consideration the airline, class, non-stop versus connecting and direct from your home airport to your port of embarkation.

Legacy carriers typically begin accepting reservations 330 days in advance, whereas some of the smaller, discount (but sometimes the same price or more expensive) or regional airlines only begin taking reservations a few months in advance.

Thank you all for your quick response..

I find cheaoest airfare on Tuesday or Wednesdays. I check on no other days now

Check flights into fll and Miami we saved over 700 after paying the round trip ride to the cruise port. Make sure the savings is worth it

Use yapta. Or kayak and track certain flights. You will get notified when prices get cheaper

Check out near airports

We live in Phil a but saved 1200 round trio out of bwi

We pretty much only fly Southwest so as soon as the date becomes available for purchase which I believe is about 6 months we book our flights. I've received an adjustment before in the form of a credit when the rate dropped. Southwest policy "Receive the fare difference as credit for future travel if you find a lower fare on swa.com after you book."

Since it is a holiday weekend- I would book early. However...most of the time I try to book around 6-9 weeks out for best prices! We scored on some great tickets to Miami and had we bought right when we could we would have been paying over $200 more PP. For holiday weekends typically earlier is best though!

Since you live in NYC you are very lucky. You have multiple airports and multiple airlines that offer direct flights. SW is a good carrier to book early. Ordinarily I tend to book two months or less from the time I plan to travel. Since your cruise is Memorial Day weekend, you have little to gain by waiting until March or April. Airlines frequently post their new sale prices on Tuesday and Saturday. Checking early on those mornings may give you a lower price.

Also, as another poster said, use Kayak. They have a fare viewer that works for major routes like NYC to FLL. You can get a very good idea what airfare is normal by watching for a few weeks. That way, when you get into December or January you will know what a good deal looks like.

Remember, when you fly Southwest your first bag is included in your airfare. Most other airlines (if not all) have baggage fees in addition to the posted airfare. Take that into account when you compare prices.

If you are flying the day the cruise depart, which I don't recommend, try to get on the first flight out of NYC and arriving before 1 to 1:30. This will give you time to be delayed if necessary.

I have do this is the past and found no problem. But now we fly out of Pittsburgh a day early and so much less stressful and more worry free.

Flying into Ft Lauderdale (FLL) is cheaper than Miami.

Flights home are best bet after 12 noon but if you let the info desk know on the ship, 11:00 can be done or sometimes early, but for worry free travel, 12 noon is the best bet. We have been know to just stay a day in town and fly out the day after.

Also check out lastminutetravel.com for the cheapest hotel rates. AND don't book online through last minute travel, call the number, they can get a better rate than advertised on their website and tell you what hotel you are looking at. Now last year I got a 4 1/2 star hotel that books for $149 everywhere else like expedia, kayak, and orbitz for $97 including taxes.

I also agree that Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the best day to book airfare.

I hope this gives you some good information.

 

Remember, when you fly Southwest your first bag is included in your airfare. Most other airlines (if not all) have baggage fees in addition to the posted airfare. Take that into account when you compare prices.

Southwest 2 bag per person fly free, jet blue one bag second bag is $50

Don't book the cruise air program offered by Carnival. Be the master of your own fate and book your own air.

Not only is Memorial Day a national holiday it also marks the end of term for school systems in many areas of the country so don't dally booking your flights.

Once you book your reservations do monitor your reservation from time to time for any of the legacy carriers. There is always the possibility of a schedule or equipment change. The legacy carriers will rebook if a flight change is substantial - usually 90 minutes. An equipment change could realign the seats you have chosen.

Do join the frequent flyer program for the airline you choose even if you have no plans now to fly every month for pleasure. Having a frequent flyer number makes access to your reservation easier and the airlines are more willing to assist their frequent flyers than the general public.

Ditto on your return flight after noon. Airline and airport hassles for an infrequent flyer can be daunting.

I would book non-stop either FLL or MIA. I would buy early because of the holiday weekend. I would go to the on-line sites for American/Southwest/Jet Blue/United/Delta and the others that you can think of. Find times that work for your schedule and if at all possible go in at least one day prior to the cruise. Tuesday and Wednesday are the cheapest days of the week to fly. Buy direct from the airline company -- you are in a better position to get another flight if you are their direct customer. Check your credit cards. There are some wonderful bonus sign up and you might be able to get a ticket for credit card points. Post your starting point and ending point and the price you have found on cruise air forum and the good people there will help you with advice on pricing and booking.

Good luck and remember it is only a few hours in the air and then a wonderful vacation begins. If you can learn to fly, it opens up some wonderful places to go and see. You can do this! The most dangerous part of your journey is not the flying -- it is the driving to the airport:)

I bought my plane tickets 9 months out. I found a great price from New York to Ft. Lauderdale for $279.00 non stop on Jet Blue. Check prices everyday as they change and when you see a good price jump on it. Check the prices out of Newark, LaGuardia or Kennedy.

I will be on the Conquest out of Fort Lauderdale on May 23, 2015. I have not taken a plane in like 25 years. I keep telling myself I will fly this time instead of Amtrak. I get scare thinking about it but I am conviencing myself as of now.

 

My questions is when would it be a great time for me to purchase my plane tickets. My cruise sets out the weekend of Memorial weekend. I live in NYC. Anyone with info would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks...

I've always found best pricing for airfare is 6-8 weeks from departure. Too early they are high, then drop, then go up again. I am in PA and can always get airfare $225-$260 direct flights to FLL and MIA. Check for "HACKER FARES" not just roundtrip tickets. Hacker fares are two one way tickets. You sometimes can find two cheaper ONE-WAY fares on separate airlines saving you money.

- PRICES are always lowest on a TUESDAY between 12:00-3:00.

- Also (price adjustment credits) I have done this more than once.

If you book directly through the airline & airfare drops you can call them and they will give you a credit on your ticket for the difference. It doesn't get refunded, but kept on your conf# for your flight. You would simply use that conf# like a coupon when you book your next flight.

- Certain airlines also have ONLINE-WEB discounts for non-refundable bookings. May be just a $ or two, but its something.

- Living in NYC you have options. JFK, LAGUARDIA & NEWARK. If you can be dropped off or willing to hop a train to Newark could also save you some $.

Southwest 2 bag per person fly free, jet blue one bag second bag is $50

Yes, but the cost for that bag is already factored into the cost. So technically you are just paying for it upfront.... not really free. You also need to watch the weight limits on those "discount airlines". Some lower the limit to 40-45lbs and can be an additional $50-99 for over limits.

There is no best time to buy, anyone who claims certain days, times or a certain number of weeks/months beforehand is just kidding themselves.

In the often mysterious world of airline ticket pricing people try to spot patterns that don't really exist. This is perpetuated by ridiculous news segments and articles such as the Brian Williams segment from a few weeks ago.

In reality airlines have very sophisticated yield and revenue management models that track sales, pricing and demand. If there was a guaranteed cheapest time to buy why would anyone bother booking at any other time? :rolleyes:

I've always found best pricing for airfare is 6-8 weeks from departure. Too early they are high, then drop, then go up again. I am in PA and can always get airfare $225-$260 direct flights to FLL and MIA. Check for "HACKER FARES" not just roundtrip tickets. Hacker fares are two one way tickets. You sometimes can find two cheaper ONE-WAY fares on separate airlines saving you money.

 

- PRICES are always lowest on a TUESDAY between 12:00-3:00.

- Also (price adjustment credits) I have done this more than once.

If you book directly through the airline & airfare drops you can call them and they will give you a credit on your ticket for the difference. It doesn't get refunded, but kept on your conf# for your flight. You would simply use that conf# like a coupon when you book your next flight.

- Certain airlines also have ONLINE-WEB discounts for non-refundable bookings. May be just a $ or two, but its something.

There is so much misinformation in this post.

1. Prices are not always lowest on a Tuesday between 12:00-3:00 (by the way, to what time zone are you referring?). If they were, wouldn't everyone wait to purchase tickets then? This is absolute nonsense.

2. Southwest will give you a voucher to be used by the originally ticketed passenger within one year of your ticketing date if the price drops. No other airline will do that in the US unless you pay the change fee (now about $200 for most airlines for a domestic ticket) and re-ticket at the new price. I have never seen a domestic fare drop so much that I would get any voucher back by doing this.

3. I don't understand what an "ONLINE-WEB" discount is? Most nonrefundable tickets are cheaper than refundable tickets, but prices are the same whether you call the airline (though calling may result in a ticketing fee) or book yourself on line.

There is so much misinformation in this post.

 

1. Prices are not always lowest on a Tuesday between 12:00-3:00 (by the way, to what time zone are you referring?). If they were, wouldn't everyone wait to purchase tickets then? This is absolute nonsense.

 

2. Southwest will give you a voucher to be used by the originally ticketed passenger within one year of your ticketing date if the price drops. No other airline will do that in the US unless you pay the change fee (now about $200 for most airlines for a domestic ticket) and re-ticket at the new price. I have never seen a domestic fare drop so much that I would get any voucher back by doing this.

 

3. I don't understand what an "ONLINE-WEB" discount is? Most nonrefundable tickets are cheaper than refundable tickets, but prices are the same whether you call the airline (though calling may result in a ticketing fee) or book yourself on line.

Oh gosh thank you. I am glad this thread came over to Cruise Air. The whole Tuesday thing is just so ridiculous.

I have many, many personal stories about the Tuesday/Wednesday thing being wrong. Most recent was about two months ago when I was looking for a flight from Kansas City to Amarillo for a colleague. Prices on Tuesday were $174 for a one-way, but we didn't have approval to book yet. It came on Friday and the price was $150. This is one of many, many examples I've come across personally.

The time zone thing always cracks me up. Like they only release some fares at 12pm for the east coast crowd, then another release at 12pm for the midwest crowd, another at 12pm for the mountain crowd, etc etc. Makes zero sense.

I find cheaoest airfare on Tuesday or Wednesdays. I check on no other days now

Well if you only check on Tuesday and Wednesday and no other days, you'll only find lowest airfare on Tuesday and Wednesday and no other days...

Oh gosh thank you. I am glad this thread came over to Cruise Air.

It's pretty easy to spot the threads that get transferred here versus the ones that originate here :D

Well if you only check on Tuesday and Wednesday and no other days, you'll only find lowest airfare on Tuesday and Wednesday and no other days...

I have done that for the past decade or two- its not going to change at least for me- best days of the week to check and book air fare is Tuesday and Wednesday and I ALWAYS track a flight

There is so much misinformation in this post.

 

1. Prices are not always lowest on a Tuesday between 12:00-3:00 (by the way, to what time zone are you referring?). If they were, wouldn't everyone wait to purchase tickets then? This is absolute nonsense..

it depends on the hub that you are looking. No matter where I am looking to go- flights are always-- and i mean ALWAyS cheaper on Tuesday and Wednesdays. (be if for a cruise out of Florida or disney or aruba or some other island.)

Everyone else is not as travel savvy as some other people. Most people on that plane just booked tickets not realizing prices fluctuate

it depends on the hub that you are looking. No matter where I am looking to go- flights are always-- and i mean ALWAyS cheaper on Tuesday and Wednesdays. (be if for a cruise out of Florida or disney or aruba or some other island.)

 

Everyone else is not as travel savvy as some other people. Most people on that plane just booked tickets not realizing prices fluctuate

Most people know prices fluctuate. There are threads every week (at least) here on Cruise Air about "when should I book to get the lowest price??", which automatically means they know prices can vary. The key is to figure out when prices fluctuate. And as far as I know, there's no way to figure that out. And I travel A LOT. I book plane tickets, on average, once a week, either for myself or (occasionally) others. On all days of the week. And I've never seen one day different than another on any consistent basis. So I'm sticking to that, and you're sticking to yours.

Prices also fluctuate on things like rental cars and hotels too, which people rarely think about. I always check my rental car reservations between booking and pickup and the price is often different (either higher or lower, but often lower).

Everyone else is not as travel savvy as some other people.

You don't say! :D