Air Fare Rate Woes:(

[Trip]

Has anyone used Priceline for airfare? I am trying to book air for March to Florida for the Epic cruise,and I am getting apoplectic with prices over $800.00, and flight times, not the best! I bet I could fly half way around the world for that price!!

If you have used it, pro's and cons? Were you happy?

[fun2cruiz]

Priceline for airfare to join a cruise...... Unless I was flying in a MINIMUM of 1 day early and staying 1 day after the cruise..... Princeline would not be a good suggestion.

That being said..... Many times priceline rates for air will not be too much lower regarding bids accepted than what the current prices are running at each airlines websites.

Spring Break is the culprit here along with rising airfare costs.....

Perhaps try flying out of a nearby airport from your home or another airport in Fla. would help find some lower fares or try to fly in 2 + days earlier than the cruise and the same on the return.

I would suggest using www.kayak.com as a tool for research that allows you to check 1 - 3 days before and after cruise and alternate airports for flights.

FWIW.... I have used priceline for air when I did not have to be anywhere at a specific time, but in the end, the savings were not that great or worth it IMHO.

[Trip]

I was looking at 2 days prior and alternate airports as well, while using PL for hotels in the past, using it for air is scary

[anniegb]

Originally Posted by Trip

Has anyone used Priceline for airfare? I am trying to book air for March to Florida for the Epic cruise,and I am getting apoplectic with prices over $800.00, and flight times, not the best! I bet I could fly half way around the world for that price!!

If you have used it, pro's and cons? Were you happy?

Trip

Something does not add up - I was checking TA fares today and I can fly from Scotland to FLL for less than that. I suppose it may depend on the grade of cabin you are booking.

Try Kayak.com - I think they are quite good and even then I sometimes find a lower price.

Annie

[Trip]

Annie, I have looked all day, & Bruce is looking now...I was on Kayak & more sites earlier, and we always look at coach.

[anniegb]

Originally Posted by Trip

Annie, I have looked all day, & Bruce is looking now...I was on Kayak & more sites earlier, and we always look at coach.

Trip

I plugged in some dates and on Kayak with AA -coach was coming up at $500 (£330) pp unless I was doing something wrong ;

Annie

[AR]

Geez, I don't know what your exact dates are, but I just punched a couple random March dates into one major airline's site and got BOS-MIA for $108 each way on a super saver.

[anniegb]

On Kayak booking Delta, non-stop is approx $400 pp; $300 with one stop.

Annie

PS I have no feel if that is high or low.

[Trip]

Ar, we are looking at 3/15 ~3/24...I just checked Air Tran, it was $999. 60..YIKES

If I saw $108, anywhere, I would have booked it, & I would not have posted We have been looking for a few days now. I am off to look more..thanks

[AR]

Quick look indicates $358 pp rt for those dates on AA.

[Moiraine]

cheapair.com

[Trip]

Been there, done that;(

[Moiraine]

Sorry Trip. It's all I could think of.

[Trip]

No worries..I'm just venting. Since Boston to Fla is a major snowbird route, the increase over time just amazes me. In the good old days, we used to be able to get $199.00 to $250.00 day in /day out....I do realize that's never going to happen again....but the prices I am seeing are just crazy. The lowest I have seen is just shy of seven.....along with the high prices,and cutbacks, the flight times can be trying as well.

I am getting fare watchers, but, at the moment the return date is a few wks off...as I said, I'm just whining...

[Moiraine]

Have you considered the train or driving?

[Donna]

Trip,
Don't forget to keep checking the major airlines and don't panic yet. Same thing happened to me for my last cruise, I ended booking $500 round trip and ended up getting it for $249, two months before the cruise. Of course they charged me $150 service fee and I ended up getting two $84 vouchers which I most likely will not be able to use....

Keep us posted...

[Mike M]

Trip:

Delta:

Boston to FLL: $335

Thu, Mar 15

Delta Air Lines 1501

Depart: 7:15am Arrive: 10:07am Boston, MA (BOS)
Atlanta, GA (ATL)

1 stop

• <LI class=first>Economy
• 2hr 52min
• Boeing 757
• View seats

Change planes. Time between flights: 0hr 53min



Delta Air Lines 1827

Depart: 11:00am Arrive: 12:54pm Atlanta, GA (ATL)
Fort Lauderdale, FL (FLL)

• <LI class=first>Economy
• 1hr 54min
• Boeing 757
• View seats

Total duration: 5hr 39min






Choose this return

Return
Sat, Mar 24

Delta Air Lines 1644

Depart: 12:30pm Arrive: 3:25pm Fort Lauderdale, FL (FLL)
New York, NY (JFK)
1 stop

• <LI class=first>Economy
• 2hr 55min
• Boeing Douglas MD-88
• View seats

Change planes. Time between flights: 0hr 40min



Delta Air Lines 2856
operated by COMAIR DBA DELTA CONNECTION

Depart: 4:05pm Arrive: 6:05pm New York, NY (JFK)
Boston, MA (BOS)

• <LI class=first>Economy
• 2hr 0min
• Canadair 900
• View seats

Total duration: 5hr 35min

Close on the connection time but doable.

You can do a roundtrip, direct flights, good times on a combination of AA and Jet Blue for $441.

Don't use Priceline.

Take care,
Mike

[Mrsrocster]

Hi Trip......please check your msgs...I think I found a good airfare for you.

Michelle

[AR]

Overall I think your best bet is just to move to Florida.

Air fares generally will not be going down any time soon, unless something else happens to this country that none of us want to happen.

[ship2shore]

Try a smaller airport, both in Mass and Florida.
Got cheaper fares flying into St-Pete/Clearwater and Orlando/Sanford.
Try also West Palm Beach airport.
Airlines were JetBlue and Allegiant

[Trip]

Thanks so much for your ideas and help. Michelle, I messaged you back....This happened last fall for the Epic, but, we were able to finally find a comfortable fare on Spirit. Spirits was $781.80!! Ar is right with spring break. I do live in Florida in my mind, so, we just drive to the airport in our Bentley

Getting seats at a price that's palatable is tough, even with widening our airports, but, today is another day......

[LisaK]

the Delta air that Mike found looks really good. Have you looked into flying out of Worcester, Manchester or Bradley in Ct?

[Trip]

Last night, I bit the bullet,and booked air. For the two of us, we found $608.60. That's really good considering, I saw almost a $1000.00 fare

So, we fly into Cincinnati, on the way,and into JKF, on the way back..JFK, is the killer for me, after my May experience, but, it's done..Now, on to the hotel and car!

[Donna]

YEA! Glad you found something you can live with, even though it is high, what can you do?

[Phil&Liz]

Trip, too bad I was gone the week you were posting. Looks like you found something already.

[Trip]

Hi Phi; & Liz....I know, right? I almost sent a carrier pidgeon to the Magic, with my dates, so you could HELP

Thanks to all who offered help...this was THE cheapest I have seen, since I started looking....xo

[TruckerD]

Originally Posted by ship2shore

Try a smaller airport, both in Mass and Florida.
Got cheaper fares flying into St-Pete/Clearwater and Orlando/Sanford.
Try also West Palm Beach airport.
Airlines were JetBlue and Allegiant

St-Pete/Clearwater is on the other side of the state. The main airport there is TPA (Tampa). and Orlando is not really close enough to Miami/FLL either to make it cost effective.