airfare

[jhun421]

We are booked to come home again April 2013. Now need airfare. Does anyone know when is the best time to book? I heard if you book some days are cheaper to book than others. I mean not the travel date but the booking date on line. any ideas? We will be going from Monday to Monday. Also, is it best to book early like now? or wait til a couple months before we leave? HELP.

[Stacie & Chris]

Well, not all airlines have their schedules this far in advance. I say, as a matter of general practice, that when you see a good price, book it.

Also, if you go to priceline.com and sign up for an account, you can sign up for their price drop alerts from your city to MoBay. They will email you with good deals.

[Chris]

Timing your purchase of airfare is a crapshoot... always. I don't know that there is a good day... although I've read any number of articles that claim otherwise.

I don't know when you plan on going home, but the earliest that you can book airfare is normally 333 days out from your RETURN trip (that is, to the your REAL home).

We are booked for late April ourselves.... we'll be looking at airfare when we return from our late May visit home.

[sandpspry]

We have played the game every year and found that there is no logic. What has worked is booking our trip on odd days. I found the cheapest fares mid week. So now we tend to go Wednesday and return on Friday of the following week. An additional plus is you breeze thru the airport. I was told by customs last year that Tuesday-Thursday arrivals are best. Departures any day except the weekend.

For 2013 I just booked air at $357 versus the $495 I paid last year waiting until a few weeks before. I also use Orbitz which has a price match guarantee. One year someone else booked the same flight that I had at a lower price so they sent me the difference.

[kjc5032]

It might have been a fluke, but we booked for our April 2012 trip in May 2011 immediately when the airfare was released and got a great price $288 roundtrip on Continental (now United) from BWI to Montego Bay with a layover in Newark.

[Wally]

Like Chris said, getting a good price for airfate is a crapshoot. We always book the resort (for the resort only) far in advance when the early bird specials are the best. Then we watch the airfare by checking it every week (on different days) until we get a feel for the rates and then jump when they are good. We have paid as little as $600 and as much as $900 for each ticket.

[ironranger]

We are booked to come home again April 2013. Now need airfare. Does anyone know when is the best time to book? I heard if you book some days are cheaper to book than others. I mean not the travel date but the booking date on line. any ideas? We will be going from Monday to Monday. Also, is it best to book early like now? or wait til a couple months before we leave? HELP.

I use Kayak.com they send me price alerts when it drops to a point that I select. I just bought tickets based on the alert I received. Saved me 10%....the rate dropped for only 3 days.....11 months and counting! CSS 4/13 CN 4/3

[rachlm927]

Agree with Ironranger...use kayak...you can see on there site history of rates to determine how low it could possibly go.

[me]

We booked as soon as we could. We didn't shop around. I kind of figure if we are spending a few grand for a trip another $100 to $150 isn't going to break the bank. Direct flights from Philly is what we did.

[jamaicajeff]

They say the rule is book air mid week. Don't think that applies anymore, our last vacation we found the best rate on a Sunday morning. Can't book next Aprils yet, too far away!