Airline Ticket Prices- any chance they will drop before Christmas?

[TranquilMind]

I've never done this before, but I need a one way ticket for one out of Chicago (to a city within a couple hours) on December 18.  The prices have risen since two days ago, when I started looking. 

 

Will I possibly find a price drop between now and December or will they simply rise the whole time?  I read once that two months before a trip is the time you might find the lowest prices.  I've not booked a lot of domestic flights. 

Anyone traveled domestically enough to know if prices will drop before Christmas or only rise?    Or because it is so close to Christmas, will they just sell out so I I should buy now regardless? 

[Lanny]

Prices go up and down. That is PEAK season, to put it mildly. The airlines do not have any incentive to offer their lowest fares at that time of the year. That said, I suggest that you set up an "Agent" with 1 or 2 OTAs (Online Travel Agencies, like Expedia) to alert you of fare increases/decreases.  Also, I would sign up for the mailing lists of 2 or 3 major airlines. If Jet Blue serves the route you are interested in, I would check them out.  In general, the "lowest" fares are offered approximately 30 to 45 days before departure, but again, we are talking PEAK season here, so that probably won't apply, because of the date.  I try *never* to be "greedy". Someone might pay more, someone might pay less. When there is a fare we are happy with, we buy our tickets, immediately, knowing that yes, possibly it might go down lower, but that it could go up and it could go way up.  The aircraft cabin will be full of passengers who are paying wildly different fares. Your task is to try to be  on the low end of that spectrum.  GL

[TranquilMind]

Prices go up and down. That is PEAK season, to put it mildly. The airlines do not have any incentive to offer their lowest fares at that time of the year. That said, I suggest that you set up an "Agent" with 1 or 2 OTAs (Online Travel Agencies, like Expedia) to alert you of fare increases/decreases.  Also, I would sign up for the mailing lists of 2 or 3 major airlines. If Jet Blue serves the route you are interested in, I would check them out.  In general, the "lowest" fares are offered approximately 30 to 45 days before departure, but again, we are talking PEAK season here, so that probably won't apply, because of the date.  I try *never* to be "greedy". Someone might pay more, someone might pay less. When there is a fare we are happy with, we buy our tickets, immediately, knowing that yes, possibly it might go down lower, but that it could go up and it could go way up.  The aircraft cabin will be full of passengers who are paying wildly different fares. Your task is to try to be  on the low end of that spectrum.  GL

That's what I was wondering about, since this is peak time.   Thanks for the suggestion of Jet Blue, but it won't work in this case, nor will my other go-to, Southwest. 

 

This ticket isn't that expensive so I might as well just purchase.  The more expensive one has already been secured. 

 

I hate paying more and then finding out that if I had waited three days, it goes down.  But then, I'm the kind of person who checks the selling price of a car or house I already bought for weeks after the purchase, just to be sure I got a good deal.  ;)

[Um_2_4]

Kayak, there is an app. It will show you historical trends for routes/dates.

[Lanny]

Certainly, the price you pay on any given day or time of the day might go down, and then, had you waited, you would have saved a few dollars. The inverse is that it can also go up and I mean WAY UP.   I always try to get a fare we are happy with and if someone can purchase it for a few dollars less, a day or 2 later, they were lucky. However, I can tell you that for our trip tio Orlando the last week in April, that I watched the fare go up and I mean WAY UP.  There were some people in the cabin with us who paid 2 or 3 times what we did. 

 

That is one week before Xmas Day and it is on a Sunday. Everyone will be beginning their Christmas vacations that weekend. 

 

I would suggest that you have this ticket purchased ASAP.  Certainly by mid October.

 

If you can share with us the Destination Airport, possibly someone here (me or someone else) can give you an idea.  If there is an alternate airport near the Destination, sometimes the fare can be much less to a nearby city.

 

If  the Destination is in FL or CO, I  suggest you buy the ticket ASAP. as in today...

 

ETA: You are very lucky because there is only one passenger involved. It is easier to get one seat at a very low price than to get 4 seats at a very low price. When the system shows you that there are 3 or 4 seats available, or less, that is what they have at that fare at that time for that flight.  

Edited September 29, 2016 by Lanny

[Arcadia]

My hubby spent an hour on Travelocity last night for one way tickets to BWI and the prices were going up and down. In the end we got four United Airlines tickets at a lower price and we just take it since it was below what we were willing to pay. We aren't risking that the non-stop 5hr red eye flights sold out before we book.

 

Schools here let out around Dec 23rd for Christmas break so you might still be able to get good price later, especially when you only need a ticket.

[Lanny]

The prices can change in minutes. For one trip from Cali to Bogota, for a reunion, a friend of my wife wanted to go with us.  I found the right fare. By the time my wife got the friend on the phone, the seats at that price were gone.  She ended up not going to the reunion.

 

@Arcadia I'm glad you got tickets at a price below what you were willing to pay. That's the ideal case.   

[TranquilMind]

Certainly, the price you pay on any given day or time of the day might go down, and then, had you waited, you would have saved a few dollars. The inverse is that it can also go up and I mean WAY UP.   I always try to get a fare we are happy with and if someone can purchase it for a few dollars less, a day or 2 later, they were lucky. However, I can tell you that for our trip tio Orlando the last week in April, that I watched the fare go up and I mean WAY UP.  There were some people in the cabin with us who paid 2 or 3 times what we did. 

 

That is one week before Xmas Day and it is on a Sunday. Everyone will be beginning their Christmas vacations that weekend. 

 

I would suggest that you have this ticket purchased ASAP.  Certainly by mid October.

 

If you can share with us the Destination Airport, possibly someone here (me or someone else) can give you an idea.  If there is an alternate airport near the Destination, sometimes the fare can be much less to a nearby city.

 

If  the Destination is in FL or CO, I  suggest you buy the ticket ASAP. as in today...

 

ETA: You are very lucky because there is only one passenger involved. It is easier to get one seat at a very low price than to get 4 seats at a very low price. When the system shows you that there are 3 or 4 seats available, or less, that is what they have at that fare at that time for that flight.  

Everything you say is right, I know!

 

I have seen the same seats that I purchase for around $700 most of the time (Once I had to pay $900) going for $3500 on another airline!  Who would take that airline?  Ahh!

 

The destination is not nearly so interesting, so I was hoping to get a deal. 

 

I wondered why they always asked how many passengers and usually look for one.  I'm wondering if one could buy several tickets for one cheaper than for a group. 

 

 

[Arcadia]

I wondered why they always asked how many passengers and usually look for one. I'm wondering if one could buy several tickets for one cheaper than for a group.

When you buy a single ticket and miss the connecting flight due to landing delay, the airline usually can get you a seat on the next flight to the same destination. When we buy as a family of four, the airline had to put us in their business lounge for the night when our flight landed late due to typhoon and provide meals and such because it is hard to find seats for four on the next flight out, especially when they try to get seats such that a young child is with a parent.

 

When I was traveling alone on business, it was so easy for me to change to an earlier or later flight.

[LJPPKGFGSC]

It matters if you are buying a ticket for one, or a ticket for a group, because sometimes they have a certain number of fares for that price.  My mom and I were trying to coordinate buying plane tickets for our vacation.  She was looking for two tickets, I was looking for five tickets.  She was seeing better rates than I was.  When she entered five passengers, let alone all seven of us (since we wanted to be on the same flight) those fares vanished - not enough for sale at that rate.

[creekland]

I'm betting on prices going up.  I've already booked my two college boys' flights (16th and 23rd).  Fortunately, Southwest works for us (free bags is a huge plus), and I'm satisfied with the fares we got.

Edited September 29, 2016 by creekland

[Arcadia]

When she entered five passengers, let alone all seven of us (since we wanted to be on the same flight) those fares vanished - not enough for sale at that rate.

A neighbor is a freelance travel agent WAHM. When it is seven people, going through a travel agency might end up being cheaper. The bigger travel agencies usually can hold on to a block of airfares, cruises and hotel rooms for low prices for a certain amount of time.

[The Governess]

I have an iPhone app called Hopper. If you put in your travel dates, it will find the cheapest fare and let you know if you should buy your tickets now or wait.

[Lanny]

Everything you say is right, I know!

 

I have seen the same seats that I purchase for around $700 most of the time (Once I had to pay $900) going for $3500 on another airline!  Who would take that airline?  Ahh!

 

The destination is not nearly so interesting, so I was hoping to get a deal. 

 

I wondered why they always asked how many passengers and usually look for one.  I'm wondering if one could buy several tickets for one cheaper than for a group. 

 

Buying for the entire party, is, IMO, the best way to do it.  When we went up to Orlando in April, we went on Avianca. In our very very very low fare basis, they allow seat reservations to be made 24 hours before departures.  When I looked on their web site, 24 hours before departure, their reservations computer system had assigned us some of the best seats in the cabin. They split us up, 2 in one row and 2 in the row behind that row. We had 2 Window seats and 2 middle seats. Had I booked the seat assignments, I would have gotten 4 seats in the same row, and we would have had 1 Window seat, 1 Middle seat  and 2 Aisle seats.  

 

However, on the return from Orlando, I didn't like the seats their computer assigned to us and I changed them for better seats.

 

NOTE:  If something were to go awry, and everyone is in the same "PNR" (Passenger Name Record) then the group can be rebooked onto another flight.  If the passengers booked separately, they might end up going on different flights.  Also, if there is checked luggage, it can be shared within the group and that can avoid charges for excess baggage.  

[TranquilMind]

I have an iPhone app called Hopper. If you put in your travel dates, it will find the cheapest fare and let you know if you should buy your tickets now or wait.

 

Thanks!  Downloading it now. 

 

[Lanny]

We always print two (2) copies of the Boarding Passes and we do that as soon as the airline web site permits Web Check in.  Why 2 copies?  I assume that we will leave one copy with the Gate Agent. Sometimes they don't take it, but sometimes they do.  And, if there is any confusion in the cabin, we have a coy of our Boarding Passes.  We needed that last April. I think it was on the flight from Bogota up to Orlando.    A woman thought my wife was sitting in the seat she had been assigned.  that woman was wrong.  My wife had her Boarding Pass. The other woman was assigned to a different row.  Also, for Frequent Flyer Miles, the only proof the passenger has is the Boarding Pass.

Edited September 29, 2016 by Lanny

[Farrar]

I've also read that you should clear your cookies every time you search. The search engine knows you looked again and thinks it can hike up the prices. No joke.

[LJPPKGFGSC]

A neighbor is a freelance travel agent WAHM. When it is seven people, going through a travel agency might end up being cheaper. The bigger travel agencies usually can hold on to a block of airfares, cruises and hotel rooms for low prices for a certain amount of time.

 

Arcadia,  Thanks for your advice.  We did book the vacation itself through an agent.  I was the only one of the four adults who wanted to fly, so I have been overruled anyway.  But I will pass on this information and we can check one more time.  But both my husband and my father travel often for work and have hotel points that can be turned into free nights, so it seems that no price is lower than free!  At least we will be travelling in two cars and attempting to keep together and they have offered to take a different kid each time we stop.  That might make the drive a bit more interesting.