Uggh...how much does it cost you to fly your (college) kids home for the holidays?

[Liz CA]

All of you who fly home your ds/dd from college or wherever, what is your best strategy? We used all kinds of "inexpensive" sites, etc. but the bottom line still cost us over $500 for a two and a half hour flight. :(

 

[AK_Mom4]

Gosh.... $500 sounds like a great deal!!

 

$800-$1000 usually. Christmas is the worst because DD21 never her dates until mid December. She is in the marching band and it depends on the Bowl situation for her team.

 

This year, we are still waiting to get her ticket because bowls weren't announced until today and she won't know until probably later this week if the band is going to the game. If they go, she won't be able to fly home until Christmas Eve at the earliest and it will be a short break - just 10 days.

 

DS24 is getting his own ticket but won't know his dates until the week of Christmas. $$$$$ ticket for sure!

[gardenmom5]

N-s is more expensive than e-w.

We could spend that much coast to coast. Off hours and red eyes.

[creekland]

It costs us approx $120 to fly our Rochester guy home (to PA) and about $110 to fly our St Petersburg guy home.  We use Southwest and I bought the tickets over a month ago - perhaps 2 or 3 months ago.  Those prices are one way, but it's still cheaper than we can drive, plus, with their frequent flier membership, they get a free trip every now and then.

 

Southwest also doesn't charge for checked bags, so that saves a minimum of $25 per lad.

 

Admittedly I wonder how airlines can stay afloat when it costs less to fly more than twice the distance.  :glare:

[PrincessMommy]

A little over $800.  We booked it over a month ago but she's coming back to the US from London.   If we had booked for the weekend before Christmas, when her classes are done, it would have been $1200-$1600.  She's sitting tight until Tues.the 22nd when the flights are cheaper.

 

 

[EKS]

$450 Boston to Seattle (and back), but there is also the transportation to and from the airports, so maybe $550-$600?

Edited December 7, 2015 by EKS

[Liz CA]

It costs us approx $120 to fly our Rochester guy home (to PA) and about $110 to fly our St Petersburg guy home.  We use Southwest and I bought the tickets over a month ago - perhaps 2 or 3 months ago.  Those prices are one way, but it's still cheaper than we can drive, plus, with their frequent flier membership, they get a free trip every now and then.

 

Southwest also doesn't charge for checked bags, so that saves a minimum of $25 per lad.

 

Admittedly I wonder how airlines can stay afloat when it costs less to fly more than twice the distance.  :glare:

 

Planning early would help us a lot. But my son never knows that his schedule is far in advance. Some of the problem is planning on his part. Right now we have a family member that is very ill and we all want to be there for Christmas. Then there is the issue of Idaho not being a major airport and we miss out on good deals like JetBlue, etc. Only a handful of airlines fly out of Boise.

[Liz CA]

$450 Boston to Seattle (and back), but there is also the transportation to and from the airports, so maybe $550-$600?

 

You can fly someone clear across the country for less than we just paid from Idaho to CA.

[Amira]

About $500 to our current location.  Next year it'll be a lot more expensive because we'll be in another country.

[Liz CA]

Gosh.... $500 sounds like a great deal!!

 

$800-$1000 usually. Christmas is the worst because DD21 never her dates until mid December. She is in the marching band and it depends on the Bowl situation for her team.

 

This year, we are still waiting to get her ticket because bowls weren't announced until today and she won't know until probably later this week if the band is going to the game. If they go, she won't be able to fly home until Christmas Eve at the earliest and it will be a short break - just 10 days.

 

DS24 is getting his own ticket but won't know his dates until the week of Christmas. $$$$$ ticket for sure!

 

Sorry that it's even more expensive for you. As if we needed an extra expense over the holidays...

 

[Guest]

Gosh.... $500 sounds like a great deal!!

 

$800-$1000 usually. Christmas is the worst because DD21 never her dates until mid December. She is in the marching band and it depends on the Bowl situation for her team.

 

This year, we are still waiting to get her ticket because bowls weren't announced until today and she won't know until probably later this week if the band is going to the game. If they go, she won't be able to fly home until Christmas Eve at the earliest and it will be a short break - just 10 days.

 

DS24 is getting his own ticket but won't know his dates until the week of Christmas. $$$$$ ticket for sure!

Yeah. For a round trip that is an absolute deal around here.

[EKS]

You can fly someone clear across the country for less than we just paid from Idaho to CA.

 

Probably because there is more competition on a popular run like that.

[Anne]

Alaska to anywhere is almost always $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

 

Anne

(who is glad (mostly) that her days of flying college students around the country are over....)

[snowbeltmom]

My son's ticket from Boston to Cleveland (one-way, non-stop) for Christmas break was $90.

[Amy in NH]

Somewhere around $200-250.  I usually get the tickets in November if they are coming home.  This year they aren't.  Last year they decided to take the train, instead (Amtrak Vermonter).  The airport is 2 hours away, and the train station only an hour, so although it was a longer day of travel for them it was less for us and the train was ~$50 cheaper. 

[vmsurbat]

1200-1700 EA and three kids in college.  Sigh. This is why we have no other vacations.....  FTR, We live overseas, and like others, they can't confirm dates earlier than their particular school's last final exam, so always flying in primetime.  I hate Christmas flights (but I love having them home!).

[Sarah CB]

All of you who fly home your ds/dd from college or wherever, what is your best strategy? We used all kinds of "inexpensive" sites, etc. but the bottom line still cost us over $500 for a two and a half hour flight. :(

 

For the year that we lived away from dd it would have been about $1900 for a Christmas time flight.  We opted to buy a flight pass instead - six one way tickets for $2800.

 

[Familia]

A friend recommended 'Google Flights', it has been a lifesaver for comparison shopping.  I can search many cities at once.  

We are driving 2'½ hours each way to pickup ds from a $125 round trip 1-½ hour flight.  

[creekland]

Planning early would help us a lot. But my son never knows that his schedule is far in advance. Some of the problem is planning on his part. Right now we have a family member that is very ill and we all want to be there for Christmas. Then there is the issue of Idaho not being a major airport and we miss out on good deals like JetBlue, etc. Only a handful of airlines fly out of Boise.

 

I just looked and Southwest flies in and out of Boise.  I'm not sure which other airport you need though.

 

To check on Southwest flights you need to do it on their website as they don't get involved with any of those group check sites (at least they didn't last I knew).  I think that's one of the ways they tend to stay less expensive.

 

Fortunately, my guy's schools all have their exam schedules printed at the beginning of the semester so they just have to know when their classes meet in order to know when their exam is given.  Not all classes give exams, so they could end up staying a little later (plus my RA guy has to stay to the bitter end), but it definitely helps with getting less expensive fares.

 

For Southwest, less expensive fares have to be purchased at least 3 weeks prior to travel, but if they sell out of their number of seats at that price, then it's earlier.

 

I plan to make spring break flight arrangements for everyone over Christmas break.

 

I hope you have a wonderful Christmas - esp consider health issues going on.   :grouphug:

[Kat w]

Alot!ol.

500 is a deal imo

[J-rap]

$530.  All the rest of the year, it's about half that. 

[fairfarmhand]

Can he take a bus?

[Guest]

I just found something else to be very thankful for...DD is in state, 2 hrs drive.

[TranquilMind]

All of you who fly home your ds/dd from college or wherever, what is your best strategy? We used all kinds of "inexpensive" sites, etc. but the bottom line still cost us over $500 for a two and a half hour flight. :(

It cost me a little under $700 this time. 

[Ailaena]

 

 

Airfare is literally the foremost reason dd chose to not attend school in Boston :/

[gingersmom]

It's usually around $400 which includes upgrade so she can board earlier.

 

We buy tickets months in advance.

[Liz CA]

Can he take a bus?

 

Would take nearly two days one way - at least on Greyhound.

 

[Liz CA]

I just looked and Southwest flies in and out of Boise.  I'm not sure which other airport you need though.

 

To check on Southwest flights you need to do it on their website as they don't get involved with any of those group check sites (at least they didn't last I knew).  I think that's one of the ways they tend to stay less expensive.

 

 

Just checked on their website. Would have been the same almost to the dollar as Alaskan where we booked.

Well, at least I don't have to bang my head on the wall right now mourning what I could have saved....:)

[creekland]

Just checked on their website. Would have been the same almost to the dollar as Alaskan where we booked.

Well, at least I don't have to bang my head on the wall right now mourning what I could have saved.... :)

 

But next time check before within the 3 week window if possible.  I agree that their "closer to flight time" flights don't tend to be as good of a value.

 

My youngest's freshman year I had to show him where to find his college's finals schedule.  Classes can offer their own in class final or paper or presentation, etc, before that time, but not have anything due afterward.  By knowing their class times at many colleges, one can find scheduled finals times very early in the semester.

 

I just checked on prices for both of my guys flights if I were to buy them today.  They've both at least doubled in price.

 

ETA:  Also, not sure about Alaska, but SW doesn't charge for up to two checked bags.  That's a nice little perk :hurray:  (that used to be normal for all airlines  :glare: ).

Edited December 7, 2015 by creekland

[Liz CA]

Creekland, thanks for the heads up: Alaskan charges $25 for the first two bags, then $75 per bag. Emailed ds to keep it down to one bag.  :)  What a rip off.

Last time I flew, checked baggage was free...

[Kari C in SC]

Another reason to continue the brainwashing... Errrrr... I mean suggesting to our just 11 year old that he wants to go to University of South Carolina just a half hour away. 😋☺ï¸ðŸ˜

[AK_Mom4]

Just thought I would update......

 

DD21 got her dates today. She has to go to a bowl game late on the 23rd, and the only way for her to make it home for Christmas is to fly home from the city where the bowl is - if she goes back to school with the rest of the band, she won't make it here until after Christmas.......

 

$650 to get her on a flight on Christmas Eve....on a flight that is already sold out, so she may not get a seat in coach. If she got bumped, she would be stuck there in San Diego overnight. And she was going to Alaska from San Diego via DFW....16 hours of travel.

 

For $700, I was able to fly her home First Class and she will get in at 2pm on Christmas Eve. So she gets to enjoy free wifi, free beer, and comfortable seats.

 

And, yes, that's just one way. I have her ticket back already and it only cost $400 bc I bought it 3 months ago. So final total is $1100 for winter break travel this year.

 

Ouch.

[MyThreeSons]

I am extremely grateful that my son will be catching a ride home with a fellow student.