Airfare prices are killing me - just want to vent...

We are cruising out of Miami in Dec. I checked flights from Detroit and it will be cheaper to drive and that's with gas and lodging for 2 nights. The only thing we will lose is time.

This air fare pricing is getting out of hand, with consolidating of airlines they all fly nearly full planes so why should they lower prices. Maybe the Congress should look at this problem (Yea sure).

J.

Isn't spring break that week in the metro NY area

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This is why we now cruise off peak school holidays. Going to Fll week after thanksgiving coming home 4 days pee Xmas. Cruising is cheapest beginning of December. RT airfare from NY to Fll 190pp. The only thing a little pricey was the car rental at the end but I found one I could live with

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I'm Canadian and we've been flying out of the US since about 2007. Prices at home in that time were about $1000 a person for us to fly to Florida while prices in the US in Portland Maine usually hovered around $300. I even recall grabbing a return flight for $220. Even with the 5 hour drive and hotel stay flying out of the US was ALWAYS cheaper. Not anymore. We had a cruise booked for February of 2018 that we recently cancelled partly because of airfare. Its just become too expensive. So much so that Canadian airfare is about the same now once you take into account the difference in the US dollar and Canadian dollar.

As an aside, DW had a conversation with a cruise rep on NCL. They claim that Canadian bookings are down almost 50%. There's a lot going on right now that is negatively affecting the cruise market from an external (to the US) point of view. High USD, high airfares, cruise prices constantly rising and the perception of political upheaval in the US. Its all affecting how many non-Americans are viewing travelling to the US these days.

We are cruising out of Miami in Dec. I checked flights from Detroit and it will be cheaper to drive and that's with gas and lodging for 2 nights. The only thing we will lose is time.

This air fare pricing is getting out of hand, with consolidating of airlines they all fly nearly full planes so why should they lower prices. Maybe the Congress should look at this problem (Yea sure).

J.

tough to drive to San Juan ;p

tough to drive to San Juan ;p

Not if you have one of those Aqua Cars :p

J.

We are cruising out of Miami in Dec. I checked flights from Detroit and it will be cheaper to drive and that's with gas and lodging for 2 nights. The only thing we will lose is time.

This air fare pricing is getting out of hand, with consolidating of airlines they all fly nearly full planes so why should they lower prices. Maybe the Congress should look at this problem (Yea sure).

J.

What do you want congress to do, they deregulated the airlines back in 1978. It's supply and demand, over spring break and Christmas flights to places warm are sky high. Prices will come down when the planes leave the gate with empty seats.

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I hear you.

 

Airfares can be a significant deterrent to additional cruising. Sometimes, you can book a TA for less than the airfare to Europe.

Ain't that the truth!:D

What do you want congress to do, they deregulated the airlines back in 1978. It's supply and demand, over spring break and Christmas flights to places warm are sky high. Prices will come down when the planes leave the gate with empty seats.

 

 

 

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Someone can at least look into the theory that consolidation leads to lower or higher prices. There are anti-monopoly laws that have been looked over as that theory has been presented.

Yes! I can't get to FL from Boston for less then $450 in April, that's just crazy. Thinking of booking out of Galveston where I can at least use my miles.

What do you want congress to do, they deregulated the airlines back in 1978. It's supply and demand, over spring break and Christmas flights to places warm are sky high. Prices will come down when the planes leave the gate with empty seats.

 

 

 

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Prices for airfare has remained pretty consistent for 30 years. If the government got involved prices would triple in 5 years.

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Yes! I can't get to FL from Boston for less then $450 in April, that's just crazy. Thinking of booking out of Galveston where I can at least use my miles.

That's a good price from Boston to FLL. Is your price on one of legacy carriers. I paid a little over $400 for April 1 travel to FLL, and had to leave out of Philly. Booked when AA schedules initially came out.

Agree....

 

Prices for airfare has remained pretty consistent for 30 years. If the government got involved prices would triple in 5 years.

 

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I'm not sure about that. As recent as a couple of years ago, I was able to fly on United for $240+ from Newark to FLL. When we traveled on Easter '16 on Delta out of LG to FLL we paid less than $250. First class that my daughter & SIL paid $450 for a first class. When I priced this time around --it was price shock. In future booking(s) will first look to sail out of Bayonne.

I'm not sure about that. As recent as a couple of years ago, I was able to fly on United for $240+ from Newark to FLL. When we traveled on Easter '16 on Delta out of LG to FLL we paid less than $250. First class that my daughter & SIL paid $450 for a first class. When I priced this time around --it was price shock. In future booking(s) will first look to sail out of Bayonne.

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We are booked on the AOS leaving San Juan 3/31 to 4/7. We were on AOS in 2015, and are looking forward to this different itinerary (ABC's plus St. Martin). However, I've been checking airfares since I booked in May 2017, before flights were even available, and you have got to be kidding me with the prices from NYC to SJ. I can't get a flight under $650 (and I need 4). Friggin Jet Blue is like 1500 per ticket! We've been to SJ many times in the past, and the average airfare was $350. I just can't justify spending 3k in airfare (yes, we have some miles, so one, maybe two of the flights would be free - the only up side to my wife's credit card spending habits) just to get to SJ.

 

I keep checking, and trying different options (Stewart, even Philly). Southwest's return date only extends to 4/6, and I need 4/7, so maybe that will work. Sigh...

We've noticed that flights out of Houston and/or DFW are pricey to SJ. So for our next Southern Cruise (ABC itinerary) we decided to fly to Miami and cruise on the Navigator for 9 days for a tad less money than cruising out of San Juan for 7 days. More days, less money!

I'm not sure about that. As recent as a couple of years ago, I was able to fly on United for $240+ from Newark to FLL. When we traveled on Easter '16 on Delta out of LG to FLL we paid less than $250. First class that my daughter & SIL paid $450 for a first class. When I priced this time around --it was price shock. In future booking(s) will first look to sail out of Bayonne.

same with DR - went several years ago, paid 350 a ticket. Cant find a ticket under 800 now. consolidation of carriers and routes

AA now lets u open a new credit card two years after closing a previous one. It used to be every year then changed to 18 months and now is every 2 years.

When my wife opened an account last summer it was 18 months, so that was what I was going on. Thanks for the update.

This air fare pricing is getting out of hand, with consolidating of airlines they all fly nearly full planes so why should they lower prices. Maybe the Congress should look at this problem (Yea sure).

J.

Why should Congress do anything?? It's supply and demand, as it should be.

I hear you.

 

Airfares can be a significant deterrent to additional cruising. Sometimes, you can book a TA for less than the airfare to Europe.

We are looking at a Med cruise for next May. It is cheaper to take VOS out of Galveston for 16 days TA then to fly to Barcelona from Chicago. The only "downside" if you can call it that, is we will be gone >28 days.

Sue

I just booked Spirit for $260 RT for two people with bags and insurance included. I flew them earlier this year and the worst that happened was we were delayed 3 hours coming home. Not something I would fork another $500 out for.

Why should Congress do anything?? It's supply and demand, as it should be.

Have you never heard of a Monopoly? I can fly from NJ to Los Angeles for only slightly more than it is to fly to Pittsburgh, because the LAX flights have much more competition. 85% of the overall US market is governed by four airlines. "Supply and Demand" is meaningless when supply is allowed to be consolidated by more and more Government-approved mergers.

We're looking to do the same week on Freedom in 2019 out of SJU and had a bit of sticker shock when checking flights as well. Nearly $1000 per from SDF, last I checked, a couple of weeks ago.

Our international from the uk out to anywhere in the USA is ridiculous. Our government often charges more in taxes than the flight is. We've gotten lucky for Christmas as Expedia were selling the virgin Atlantic flight for $1200 less than virgin, we couldn't work out why but jumped on it.

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Have you never heard of a Monopoly? I can fly from NJ to Los Angeles for only slightly more than it is to fly to Pittsburgh, because the LAX flights have much more competition. 85% of the overall US market is governed by four airlines. "Supply and Demand" is meaningless when supply is allowed to be consolidated by more and more Government-approved mergers.

Yes, I have, and 4 airlines isn't a monopoly. But if you want the government to get involved and regulate prices, expect to see things get worse. Prices were far higher (taking inflation into account) before airlines were deregulated. People bitch and moan enough about airlines as it is (seats too cramped, no meals or bag meals, not a big enough baggage allowance, poor service, long wait times on the phone and on and on and on), but if airlines were somehow forced to lower prices you can count on ALL of that getting even worse.

We are 4/7 to 4/14 on AOS and running into the same issue out of Hartford with $2700 for 3 on Jet Blue direct!! I'm seeing JFK at $1820. Southwest opens flights to these dates on the 28th so I'm hoping for a downward trend.