Need help from experienced flyers - airfare from Texas

[alecsmom]

Hi everyone - I'll try to keep this simple.

 

I need airfare from San Antonio, TX to Miami (or Ft Lauderdale depending on price) for September 1 and returning September 8, 2007.

 

The last time we flew - same place - was two years ago and we got $188 pp with Continental.

 

I have been checking prices online for several months and the cheapest I've found is around $365 pp for those dates.

 

I guess my question is - am I being unrealistic in expecting prices to be as low as they were two years ago? Should I book now or wait to see if they'll go down?

 

This is also during the Labor Day holiday, so I'm wondering if that might be why prices aren't going down. Any insight anyone can give me would be greatly appreciated. (By the way, RCI is charging $459 + tax pp for the flight).

 

Thanks!

[Nitra]

You wont get them at that price again most likely. I think you might get it a little less but remember gas and cost of doing business is much more now. Just remember it could go up more too.

[isujim]

I'm sure you have checked all your sources.........but check SW.......I just booked a roundtrip from OKC to Baltimore for $177 per person for September...........there are some deals out there (but not many anymore) but you have to almost check daily and jump on a good rate when you can.

[janrj7]

Hi Alecsmom!

 

We also fly out of San Antonio, and recently used Southwest to go to Ft. Lauderdale for a cruise. Although it sounds like your cruise is leaving from Miami, there are transportation options to get to MIA from FLL (see the ports of call board).

 

Southwest just today opened up its schedule through Nov. 2, so now would be a good time to price your flights, while the Internet specials are still available. I just booked an Oct. 31 flight for $94 (one way), SA to Seattle, so there are some good fares available. I did find, though, that fares varied greatly from one day to another; a Thur. fare was $180, but just changing it to Wednesday (a cheap day to fly) it went down to $94.

 

Good luck!

Jan

[Nitra]

Oh forgot about WN! They fly to FLL and have a fare sale going on right now.

 

Opps just looked and from SAT to FLL for the dates you want it is 381 per person.

[Sue L]

Check sidestep.com or kayak.com they list all the flights

[ccletzgo]

Check sidestep.com or kayak.com they list all the flights

 

 

You will only find SouthWest flights at Southwest.com. For everything else Kayak is great..

 

There is another site that is great for listing the time tables of every single flight to and from your destinations. Its http://www.nonrev.net Go to the time tables link. Put in your info and click get flights, "not fares" Get flights gives you a schedule list and every single flight available. If you click fares, it sends you to a expedia.

[alecsmom]

Thanks everybody so far for your advice. I checked Southwest just this morning as a matter of fact, which prompted my question here, because they weren't any cheaper either. I'll keep checking for a while.

[MikeinSA]

I have exactly the same problem for Aug 26th and Sep 2nd. I have been checking multiple sources every day for a couple of weeks and will continue to do so. Airfares are all about timing and acting quickly when fares go down. I have a target price in mind and will check daily until I find something close. It's hard to get anywhere from San Antonio, Miami seems to be one of the worst. I'll post any reasonable fare I get on this thread.

[cb at sea]

I think it's a little early to get good prices! They seem to drop about 45-60 days out--then start rising again the closer you get to departure date.

[MikeinSA]

your right cb - I've been checking American (we're frequent flyers) and checking depart Sat return Sun (8 days later) for every week between now and our real date. It's been as low as $200- 250 and as high as $414, but the lowest prices seem to be 30 - 90 days out.

[alecsmom]

Thanks guys.

 

MikeinSA - I'll continue to be on the lookout - will post here as well if I find anything!

[Cuizer2]

Hi everyone - I'll try to keep this simple.

 

I need airfare from San Antonio, TX to Miami (or Ft Lauderdale depending on price) for September 1 and returning September 8, 2007.

 

The last time we flew - same place - was two years ago and we got $188 pp with Continental.

 

I have been checking prices online for several months and the cheapest I've found is around $365 pp for those dates.

 

I guess my question is - am I being unrealistic in expecting prices to be as low as they were two years ago? Should I book now or wait to see if they'll go down?

 

This is also during the Labor Day holiday, so I'm wondering if that might be why prices aren't going down. Any insight anyone can give me would be greatly appreciated. (By the way, RCI is charging $459 + tax pp for the flight).

 

Thanks!

 

I flew from LAX to Orlando about one year ago for half the price it is going to cost me to fly to Miami this year. I don't think you will see prices as low as last year or two years ago ever again.

 

Good luck.

[Jim_Iain]

Just checked Kayak.com and find you can get AA or Delta SAT-FLL for $222 RT through CheapTickets.com

 

Jim

[alecsmom]

Jim - Thank you thank you! - I am up late tonight and was just checking myself - found Continental for 257 pp - I will check out Cheap Tickets.com right now!!

 

MikeinSA - hope you're checking your dates right now- good luck to you!

[flagger]

As of today, I am finding flights for $269 per person. Fares change EVERY single day, sometimes several times a day. I have noticed late night Thur night/Fri morning some lower fares get loaded. Also they can be cheaper on Sunday morning.

 

You just have to keep searching and searching. You are departing over a busy weekend, try and change your travel days just a bit and see what that does. But as you see from the time you posted until the time I looked fares had dropped by almost $100 per person.

[MikeinSA]

I just booked my air directly with Continental - It was $288 including all taxes and fees. I got the exact flights I wanted and good seat assignments. We leave at 9 AM and get into Miami at 2 PM. Leave Miami at 12 PM and back to San Antonio at 4:40PM. It may be cheaper later, but I thought I'd better book now since my return is over Labor Day weekend. American was still around $100 each more expensive. Hope this helps.

[alecsmom]

Just wanted to let everyone know I got a great deal - I booked with Continental direct too and got roundtrip airfare for $288 pp also - right around where I wanted to spend plus I got to choose the best flights - we'll be in Miami by 11:10 a.m!

 

It's funny because I had been checking these fares every day for probably the last several months with nothing - then the VERY DAY I post this thread - voila - the prices go down! I know it's just coincidence - but I could do a commercial for Cruise Critic - it works for me!

 

Thanks everybody.