Anyone not cruising because of airfare cost?

[lljost]

Airfare costs are ridiculous and they do keep us from cruising more often. We use FF miles when we can but always have to keep some available for possible emergency flights as we don't live near our familes. We have definitely backed out of cruises we wanted to take as we simply couldn't find decent airfare. Also, it's not just the cost but there aren't nearly as many flights as there used to be, so that is always a challenge as well to find convenient flights. We will always continue to cruise, but getting there can be tough...

[kywildcatfanone]

Where are you flying from and what do you consider to be high?

 

We typically fly from either CVG or LEX to FLL. I would say we have averaged over several years paying around $325 per ticket. Anything I have looked at recently into FLL, MIA, or even PBI is over $500 per ticket.

[kywildcatfanone]

Probably a stupid thought...but would a flight into Orlando.then a rental car or shuttle bus to Miami or Fort Lauderdale..or Cape Canaveral?

 

We live in Jax. But when comparing plane fares.......Orlando is ALWAYS WAY better than most......don't know why.

 

I've been looking at ideas like this too, but by the time I factor in rental cars and such, I would probably spend the same amount as the flight itself...

[Mulege]

Friends are paying $1400 for 10 day Meditteranean cruise and air from SFO to Rome is $1300. Makes them think twice about a European cruise. Might stay on the W Coast.

[Nebr.cruiser]

I just priced air one-way from Omaha to LA, then home from Santiago, Chile. Prices were around $2700 pp! We could use FF miles, but would max out our miles for the one way from Santiago to LA--none available at any date near need that is less miles/or to Omaha. Then we'd have to buy flights to/from LA.

 

We are not taking the cruise because of this.

[philv]

Friends are paying $1400 for 10 day Meditteranean cruise and air from SFO to Rome is $1300. Makes them think twice about a European cruise. Might stay on the W Coast.

 

Yep, European cruising is definitly out until something drastic changes with airfares.

[luv2trvlnow]

We just drive because airfare is just outrageous for us.

 

We usually cruise in April or November. Next year we are going on the Carnival Breeze out of Ft Lauderdale. If we were to fly it would cost us $471pp. We could save $26pp if we flew American. But travel insurance won't cover you if you use American Airlines. For 3 people it is just too much.

 

We are thinking about the Emerald Princess for April 2014 and if we decide to do that we will drive again. We have enough vacation time to drive 2 days each way. Not too much more time considering it takes a full day each way to fly from Tulsa to Ft Lauderdale anyway.

 

When we look at overseas flights we just decide to cruise from domestic ports. Having to pay $1400pp to fly to most European cities just is not going to happen.

 

Sharon

[Treven]

I'd love to do a Med cruise, but $4k for a round trip flight from the Left Coast and $3500 for the cruise is just too high.

[SnowshoeCat]

We have not taken some cruises due to airfare. I would love to do the Western Coastal and Mexican cruise but our airfare from Ontario to LA is ridiculous! We did do a Hawaiin on the Golden out of LA a couple of years ago and got a super deal....$362/pp return for a direct flight from Syracuse, N.Y. It is a 2 hour drive for us so I always book out of that airport. Usually I can find a flight to Ft. Lauderdale for under $300 and I think that is terrific. Our flight next week is $311/pp return including taxes and a flight I booked last week for our January cruise was $238.80/pp return including taxes. Both have 1 stop. The big problem I find is the cheap return prices are for flights early in the morning and it is not worth it to stay over as there goes $100 or so for the hotel room and food so you are aren't doing any better. One problem flying out of Syracuse is that it is in a snow belt. Next week is okay but we do have to really watch the weather in January. Our taxes on flights in Canada are just so high. I heard last week that Canadians traveling out of U.S. airports is up 30%. No wonder. I looked at a flight to Ft. Lauderdale with one of our carriers and it was $375 for a direct flight out of our local airport. I thought WOW and went to book it. By the time all the taxes were added on it was over $1000 for the two of us. Now you see why we fly out of the U.S.

 

I work at the Syracuse airport and despite all the snow, we have very few problems. De-icing can take time, so I always recommend at least a 2 hour connection time (advice I take myself, although I usually give myself 3 hours). The bigger problem is the other airports that you need to connect through. If they're having bad weather, it slows down the whole system. If it's just our localized lake-effect, it's messy, but not too bad.

 

Since you're only 2 hours away, I'll assume you come down I-81 to get here. That will be the other problem since it's sometimes closed in the worst squalls.

 

To the OP: yes. The fares are making me think hard about my upcoming cruise. Honestly, I can afford it - it's part of the budget. But am I really getting value for my money? The airfare is the same price as the cruise (about $1200) and I'm just not sure. I can take a whole other trip with that money ;)

[caribill]

We could save $26pp if we flew American. But travel insurance won't cover you if you use American Airlines.

 

Why?

[klfrodo]

Why?

 

Because AA filed for bankruptcy, so travel insurance companies have placed AA in their exemption list for any losses due to financial default.

 

So, if you book a trip to someplace today, and AA is your airline and AA goes belly up before your trip, your insurance would not cover the air portion of your trip.

[cruisecritiquer]

We typically fly from either CVG or LEX to FLL. I would say we have averaged over several years paying around $325 per ticket. Anything I have looked at recently into FLL, MIA, or even PBI is over $500 per ticket.

 

Have you considered (I don't know how far this is)...flying out of Dayton International. They are quite a bit cheaper than CVG or LEX. I have a friend that lives equidistant between Dayton and Cincinnati and Dayton is always a few hundred bucks cheaper.

[Globaliser]

Yep, European cruising is definitly out until something drastic changes with airfares.

The only ridiculous thing about air fares is how low they've sometimes been over the last 5-10 years.

 

So I wouldn't count on anything changing much in the near future.

[Budget Queen]

I work at the Syracuse airport and despite all the snow, we have very few problems. De-icing can take time, so I always recommend at least a 2 hour connection time (advice I take myself, although I usually give myself 3 hours). The bigger problem is the other airports that you need to connect through. If they're having bad weather, it slows down the whole system. If it's just our localized lake-effect, it's messy, but not too bad.

 

Since you're only 2 hours away, I'll assume you come down I-81 to get here. That will be the other problem since it's sometimes closed in the worst squalls.

 

To the OP: yes. The fares are making me think hard about my upcoming cruise. Honestly, I can afford it - it's part of the budget. But am I really getting value for my money? The airfare is the same price as the cruise (about $1200) and I'm just not sure. I can take a whole other trip with that money ;)

 

 

I also fly frequently out of Syracuse. You're not an airline employee? (you mention high fares). With reading these many postings- it has affected a lot of people, which doesn't get mentioned much. I travel frequently and can't imagine having some of these hard decisions to make with not going on a cruise. :(

[frugaltravel]

We try to use our frequent flyer miles whenever possible. This December we will be returning from Floridai to LA after a Panama Canal cruise (San Pedro to Fort Lauderdale). A couple of years ago we got a Delta/American Express card. We were shocked that Delta required over 60,000 miles/passanger for FFL or MIA to LAX. And mot many flights to choose from. American required only 12,500 miles/passanger and had lots of flights. American even had a non-stop or a one stop-business class for 25,000/passanger. Our Delta miles will now be used for four nights in a hotel on Key West following the cruise!

 

We've also been checking on flights to Europe for a Baltic cruise. The airlines are now adding on a new fee of over $500/passanger. Even if you use frequent flier miles the fee has to be paid. From what I can find out this fee is from the airlines, not the FAA or airports.

 

I dont think Delta was "over" 60,000 miles. Very well might have been 60,000 even though. But it is partly your fault for not understanding how Delta's program works. One way awards are basically non-existent with Delta. One way and round trip awards cost the same number of miles. So I use Delta miles differently than I do AAs miles. Delta is great for stopovers and for other tricks not possible with other airlines' miles.

[frugaltravel]

If you have lots of miles, there are times when very high air fares can work to your advantage.

 

For instance this summer flights to London were sky high (no pun intended) because of the Diamond Jubilee and the Olympics. As a result cruises out of Southampton were ridiculously cheap--no Americans were booking these cruises.

 

About two weeks out, we lucked out and were able to snage saver award tickets and booked a Scandinavian cruise on the Caribbean Princess in a balcony for $799 pp. Of course most of the other passengers were from the British Midlands and we couldn't understand a word they said. One night we were having dinner with two couples from the midlands and a couple from London. We asked the Londoners to interpret but they said that they couldn't understand the Midlanders any better than we could. ;) Two countries separated by a common language.

 

Alaska miles, however, almost useless for flying British Air into London because BA imposes such insane fees on business and first-class tickets. We were quoted $1,400 each in fees for a first-class ticket from Seattle to London on British. YIKES! While we love the direct, it just makes a lot more sense to fly Lufthansa into Frankfurt and connect. That way the fees are only about $250 each.

 

Whoever mentioned the outrageous cost of Delta award tickets is right. That squares exactly with my experiences. American and United offer much more attractive options. My Delta miles just keep piling up because they are virtually unusable. Well, maybe someday I will find a good home for them.

 

Domestically, we often use Alaska Companion Certificates and just buy tickets, especially from Seattle to Long Beach where to don't offer first-class anyway. They do, however, serve free beer and wine in coach which isn't all bad. :)

 

You have Delta miles, live in Seattle and have a hard time using them? Another case of someone not doing enough homework to know how to best use Delta miles. You have SO many options - way too many to even attempt to explain here.

 

But if you want a nice home for your useless Delta miles I am all ears :-)

[FlyerTalker]

You have Delta miles, live in Seattle and have a hard time using them? Another case of someone not doing enough homework to know how to best use Delta miles. You have SO many options - way too many to even attempt to explain here.

 

But if you want a nice home for your useless Delta miles I am all ears :-)

FWIW, from my IRL knowledge, Punki knows the game well, and has played it for years.

 

I myself find that DL miles can be hard to use. Hard, not impossible. Hard in the sense that you have to do more than just make a few clicks on a website. Hard in the sense that you may have to piece things together on your own. Hard in the sense that you have to be willing to fly extra legs to make the trip happen. Not hard in the sense of "impossible".

[SnowshoeCat]

I also fly frequently out of Syracuse. You're not an airline employee? (you mention high fares). With reading these many postings- it has affected a lot of people, which doesn't get mentioned much. I travel frequently and can't imagine having some of these hard decisions to make with not going on a cruise. :(

 

Nope - not an airline employee. FAA.

[frugaltravel]

FWIW, from my IRL knowledge, Punki knows the game well, and has played it for years.

 

I myself find that DL miles can be hard to use. Hard, not impossible. Hard in the sense that you have to do more than just make a few clicks on a website. Hard in the sense that you may have to piece things together on your own. Hard in the sense that you have to be willing to fly extra legs to make the trip happen. Not hard in the sense of "impossible".

 

From what he said in his post Punki doesnt know the game well at all...or just likes to whine. Yes it takes work to use DL miles but I have used well over 500,000 DL miles this year, all using low award level. Delta miles are by no means "virtually unusable."

[waterbug123]

We try to use our frequent flyer miles whenever possible. This December we will be returning from Floridai to LA after a Panama Canal cruise (San Pedro to Fort Lauderdale). A couple of years ago we got a Delta/American Express card. We were shocked that Delta required over 60,000 miles/passanger for FFL or MIA to LAX. And mot many flights to choose from. American required only 12,500 miles/passanger and had lots of flights. American even had a non-stop or a one stop-business class for 25,000/passanger. Our Delta miles will now be used for four nights in a hotel on Key West following the cruise!

 

We've also been checking on flights to Europe for a Baltic cruise. The airlines are now adding on a new fee of over $500/passanger. Even if you use frequent flier miles the fee has to be paid. From what I can find out this fee is from the airlines, not the FAA or airports.

 

You say "the airlines" are adding on a $500 fee, as though they are ALL doing that, but that's absolutely not true. You seem to very disappointed in options for using Delta miles, but when I just did a dummy booking on DL for a flight to Europe using miles, the TOTAL of cash fees that must be paid was only $59 and change, and for domestic award tickets they only charge $10. So I guess it depends on what's most important to you... get a miles ticket for the fewest possible miles, but pay $500 out-of-pocket for fees/taxes, or use more miles but pay next to nothing in fees/taxes. Choices!

[frugaltravel]

You say "the airlines" are adding on a $500 fee, as though they are ALL doing that, but that's absolutely not true. You seem to very disappointed in options for using Delta miles, but when I just did a dummy booking on DL for a flight to Europe using miles, the TOTAL of cash fees that must be paid was only $59 and change, and for domestic award tickets they only charge $10. So I guess it depends on what's most important to you... get a miles ticket for the fewest possible miles, but pay $500 out-of-pocket for fees/taxes, or use more miles but pay next to nothing in fees/taxes. Choices!

 

And those are not the only two choices. I have often used Delta miles for international flights in the low level and with no fuel surcharge. You need to know each airline's partners and which ones require fuel surcharges.

[Anubi]

Added fees and taxes out of Toronto have become outrageous. I managed to find $196.00 each return from Toronto to Ft. Lauderdale. Once the taxes and fees were added on it turned into a whopping $800.00 for DH and myself. :eek: No wonder so many in southern Ontario go to Buffalo or Detroit.

Next year we're booked for the Baltics and are planning to fly into London pre-cruise. The price for the airfare was a bit of a shocker and knocked us for a loop but we picked ourselves up, dusted ourselves off and decided to go for it. Then DH's boss was taking his sweet time giving him the written permission for the trip and DH won't book airfare without the OK, long boring story why, and wouldn't you know it, the damn cost went up before we could book. :mad:

The cost of airfare won't stop us cruising but its nuts!!!

[greatam]

From what he said in his post Punki doesnt know the game well at all...or just likes to whine. Yes it takes work to use DL miles but I have used well over 500,000 DL miles this year, all using low award level. Delta miles are by no means "virtually unusable."

 

If the Punki Flyertalker is referring to is the same Punki I know, first, Punki is a SHE. And she has played the miles game for YEARS. If I am not mistaken, she is one of the original members of FT.

 

She was the one who came up with the VERY creative way about 6-8 years ago to get about 40,000 AA miles on one RT from LAX to MIA for about $160.00. AA was running some kind of promotion. IIRC, there were 11 segments and I KNOW it took 2.5 days to make the RT. But not a bad way to use a weekend. One plane was filled almost to capacity with people from FT-DFW to Little Rock. We all saw just about every little dinky airport in the USA.

 

Glad I don't have Delta miles. I have friends that do (one who participates a LOT on FT) and he finds it very difficult to use Delta miles without going on a mileage run.

[frugaltravel]

If the Punki Flyertalker is referring to is the same Punki I know, first, Punki is a SHE. And she has played the miles game for YEARS. If I am not mistaken, she is one of the original members of FT.

 

Then she shouldn't post such rookie sentences like Delta miles being "virtually useless" and "outrageous cost of Delta award tickets". She should know better. Many of us know that Delta miles can be very valuable in lots of ways, though as FlyerTalker said, it takes time to find awards. Just using delta.com is the first rookie mistake. Since one can earn DL miles much easier and much cheaper than most other airlines, occasionally paying more than the "low level" award level is tolerable. And tell me which other airline allows three domestic round trips using miles for as low as a total of 50,000 miles besides Delta. That is only 16,666 miles/trip. If earning Delta miles at twice the rate of other airlines (very easy to do), that is then just over 8,000 miles/trip (vs. 25,000 miles for other domestic airlines). Even if you had to pay double for Delta awards, you are looking at 16,666/round trip, still less than AA and UA. The same pertains to international flights and first/business class awards, just more miles obviously.

 

Glad I don't have Delta miles. I have friends that do (one who participates a LOT on FT) and he finds it very difficult to use Delta miles without going on a mileage run.

 

I am glad to hear this. When people keep saying they are finding it hard to use Delta miles, it means they probably give up (like Punki), which leaves more Delta award availability for people like me who know how to find the award seats.

[waterbug123]

And tell me which other airline allows three domestic round trips using miles for as low as a total of 50,000 miles besides Delta.

 

Ok you got me- at 25k per, how do you get 3 RT's for 50k?