San Juan Airfare Again

[schubes]

Do any of the experts out there know if the major airlines usually have a fare sale 4 months or less before a flight? I am a little over 4 months away from my cruise date (June 12, San Juan). The price for a ticket from Chicago at desirable times has gone up $200 each in ONE DAY (current $591). I have been watching the coach seats between mid December and today there are 15 less seats (remaining seats = 82 in coach). What does anyone know about the history of fare sales for June in the months prior? Thanks for your help.

[CruisinMatt]

Have you tried Midway as well? I got a good fare to San Juan on ATA.

[angie2003]

My husband and I have flown into San Juan twice from New England and I always booked about six months out. The airfare always went up after that. Hope this helps and have a great trip :)

[schubes]

Here is the big problem, our three children have seats on the flight I tried to book yesterday. These were FF mile seats. I should have booked my two purchased tickets right away but didn't (don't ask....just dumb...you would love winning against me in poker). Anyway that is why I am curious if there is any chance of a fare sale soon or should I just suck it up and buy the super inflated tickets. HELP.

[jezzdogg]

Do two things and see what happens,

1. Delete your cookies on your computer...( saw a fare from JFK to London, returned to website and it was gone.....deleted cookies and there it was again,

2. If tht does not help, wait until after mdnight tonight, as that is when for the week they may alter prices

Hope you find the orginal fare

[stuffic]

Schubes, I'm in the same boat as you. Also from Chicago, also leaving from San Juan (except in May!) and you're right about the airfare inceasing drastically over the last few weeks and why :confused: when there are over 80 seats available? I first looked at airfare in November and I'm sorry I didn't buy it then!

 

CruiseMatt as far as ATA, I am afraid to purchase their airfare because they have talked bankruptcy in the last few weeks and closing their Midway gates. Yeah, I know about the Southwest "merger", but I'd be afraid that come a week before the cruise they'll make the announcement that they're closing their gates...

[schubes]

Keep checking the prices...every day. The price for my flight and all of the flights that day and the previous day jumped around to all different fares and finally my flight went back to the $388 and I booked it immediately yesterday. I don't care if a fare sale happens because now I feel like I saved over $400 for two tickets.

[onevacationlover]

Scubes:

 

I just booked the Destiny for 6/12/05, too. I am also trying to find the best price on airfare, I suppose $340 - 370 is the average? I was hoping to still save on the price. Gosh, I could fly to Europe for that price. I may rebook on a different cruise if I can't get a better price on air. I would think I could fly from either Charlotte or Atlanta cheap but it's just as cheap out of Greenville/Spartanburg my hometown airport. Are you flying in the day of the cruise or before?

[Queenk2]

Scubes:

 

I just booked the Destiny for 6/12/05, too. I am also trying to find the best price on airfare, I suppose $340 - 370 is the average? I was hoping to still save on the price. Gosh, I could fly to Europe for that price. I may rebook on a different cruise if I can't get a better price on air. I would think I could fly from either Charlotte or Atlanta cheap but it's just as cheap out of Greenville/Spartanburg my hometown airport. Are you flying in the day of the cruise or before?

here is a suggestion...can you get a cheap seat to JFK? If so, then book on Jetblue...see if that helps

[badger71]

anyone have experience and advice re red eye flights can get 2 first classs tix with frequent flier miles boston to fairbanks arrives 1 a.m. fairbanks time and we return from vancouver arriving boston 7 a. m. haven't done red eye before

[schubes]

I am not sure what the pricing should be out of your area but Chicago is a hub for American and the price has been $388 for a while. It shot up to $591 for several days and then came back down to $388 so I booked it. There are many flights daily to San Juan on American yet the price is so high. All of the flights on Saturday 6/11 are around $600 so we are going early the morning of the cruise (6/12) at a price of $388. Ship (AOS) doesn't sail until 10:00 p.m. so there is ample time. Also to consider is that winter weather issues won't be a problem either. If you can get airfare for under $400 that gets you in to San Juan with ample time, I would grab it. It is just not worth the gamble.

[stuffic]

Thanks for the advice, Schubes. Actually I HAVE been looking everyday (since January 2) and the price never wavers. As far as that $591 price, it's the exact same fare I've been looking at (and trying to avoid). Its nonstop and desirable times on AA so I'm sure it's the flight you booked (your cruise is exactly 2 weeks after mine, so the flights/prices should be about the same).

 

Can you tell me when the price went down? Was it the weekend? Was it after midnight? Was it the American Airlines website? I even looked at 5:00 AM one morning to see if the prices are different than at 1:00pm and they werent! I'll keep looking of course, and I hope I luck up the way you did...just want to know any more specfic info you can give me. Thanks.

[schubes]

Stuffic, the fare went down last Thursday (2/3). The $388 fare was the fare for the last 5-6 months and then shot up to $591 for a few days and then went back down. That was really scary. AA is having a fare sale right now for travel to many destinations by May, ??, 2005. The other alternative was Spirit which is around $369 with one stop (last week anyway). Cannot believe air to San Juan is so high from a hub with lots of flights.

[schubes]

Stuffic, I just looked up the dates 2 weeks prior to mine. AA outbound on Sun 5/29, 6:56 a.m., gets in at 12:41, (ship does not depart until 10:00 p.m.) with a return on Mon 6/6 would be $388. The savings would more than pay for a hotel Sunday night after the cruise. (This is what we are doing) and you don't have to rush off the ship, hang with the crowds at the airport Sunday, and have a day to see San Juan. Just a thought.

[onevacationlover]

thanks!

[onevacationlover]

Schubes: Thanks for the advice I will try to see what the fares are to JFK on Independence air/Flyi.com. Then maybe I can get a good fare on Jetblue to San Juan. I just don't want to pay so much for air, if I do I will keep kicking myself for not booking Europe instead.

 

Thanks for the advice!

[stuffic]

OK. I have tunnel vision. It never occured to me to do the post-cruise thing. I only like nonstop flights, so this works best for us. There are 4 of us who don't mind sharing one hotel room (for about $150!) so this is the best solution. Thanks, again.

[ETyndall]

Schubes we are also on AOS June 12th. I am still trying to get fares under $400. I hope there will be a fare sale soon. I know I need to book soon. We are planning on flying in on Friday and spending a few days in San Juan.

[Leela]

One thing to think about when you are searching for airfares, especially if you are trying to get on the same plane as the FF tickets you booked -- at some point it doesn't matter what the price is if you can't get a seat on the day or at the time you want. Some web sites let you look at what seats are available when you search for fares. Take a look to get an idea of just how many seats are left on the flight. That way you can see if the flight is in danger of selling out before you make your decision.

[schubes]

If your departure city is not a hub, why not try pricing a flight to Florida (Miami, Orlando, etc) and then another flight from there to San Juan. That may come out cheaper and since you plan to leave a couple of days early, you won't have to worry so much about your arrival time in San Juan. Good luck.

[crisp1]

Last year from Newark to San Juan cost me over $400 pp flying in on Sat before Easter ( late arrival 10 pm and late return 10pm) this year for the same week 4/09 ( but not Easter) it was $290 (afternoon and 10pm return). I checked all the discounters ( I also need non-stops), ended up booking direct thru Continental ( guaranteed lowest web rates), the closest was cheapair ( good for being able to pick your flights instead of scrolling thru pre packaged times/rates)

[c u there hershdog]

schubes,

 

make sure you sign up for the meet and mingle party. We haven't seen you on our Royal Caribbean thread for the cruise Adventure of the Seas June 12th. We have 31 already signed up .

[VALENTINE CRUISER]

going on destiny 2/12/06. flying out of detroit on spirit on 2/11/06 for 308 roundtrip to san juan with one stop in fort lauderdale. if your in chigago and cant find a reasonable ticket its only a 4.5 hr drive to detroit.

 

good luck

[stuffic]

I bought my airfare too early. I paid $388 (I purchased it on 02/12) and now the exact same flight is $295! :( Oh, well.

 

Lesson learned: If you're able to, always check to see how many seats are available on the plane, and if there are PLENTY of seats available (which it was on my return flight), don't purchase yet, but continue checking availability regularly. If the flight does not seem to be selling well, then chances are they will eventually reduce their price! Make sure you do this far in advance (in my case it was 3 months) because if you wait too late and the flight is not selling, they may cancel that flight!

[Flip2cruise]

I bought my airfare too early. I paid $388 (I purchased it on 02/12) and now the exact same flight is $295! :( Oh, well.

 

Lesson learned: If you're able to, always check to see how many seats are available on the plane, and if there are PLENTY of seats available (which it was on my return flight), don't purchase yet, but continue checking availability regularly. If the flight does not seem to be selling well, then chances are they will eventually reduce their price! Make sure you do this far in advance (in my case it was 3 months) because if you wait too late and the flight is not selling, they may cancel that flight!

 

Did you call the airline? Many will give you a voucher for future travel if the fare drops. Its worth a call, the worst they can say in no.