Booking flights

[tawaik]

How early do you book your flight before your cruise date?

 

Im on the Valor 4/26/15 and found flights ready for booking. The price seems just OK but I

think I can do better.

[Viv0828]

I don't usually book cruises that far out. If I'm using airline miles I book air as soon as I book the cruise. If not, I use a website like kayak where i can track the airfare's ups and downs and I book when I think the fare has hit bottom. Of course I'm wrong most of the time. :(.

 

 

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[Dirkgun]

We are also doing the Valor... only in Jan of 2015. San Juan is more expensive to fly to but so worth it in how great the cruise is. We have sailed out of San Juan 4 other times now (5 in January) and love it there. We paid almost $700 pp R/T in 2012 and just booked for our upcoming trip in Jan at $477 R/T both on Jet Blue.... Usually we did not book until between 6-8 weeks out and just watched for fare prices all the time. Good luck and have a great time on your cruise.

[snc_cam]

I like to get all the planning done as quick as possible for handling the airfare for both land and cruise vacations. However, we mostly book SWA which is usually no more than 6-7 months ahead... So when the schedule pops up, I tend to grab the tix at that point since with SWA, you can change the tix at any time up to the day you fly with no extra fees. So, if the price drops, I either get a credit for a future flight or I get the miles put back into my account.

 

My thoughts on booking airlines go with the cruise. If I feel it is a good price, get it then and if the price drops, either not worry about it or get a price change if able. So far on three cruises that I booked far in advance (9 months, 13 months, 15 months), all three have gone "up" in price so I am doing good by booking early.

 

Steve

[JC1026]

We also book Southwest. We booked in April for our August 9th cruise and of course the flights dropped $25 there and $22 home so we now have a $94 credit but we will just use it to book our flights to Disney next summer :) one of the reasons we love SWA plus the free two checked bags per person!

Edited July 1, 2014 by JC1026

[tawaik]

We are also doing the Valor... only in Jan of 2015. San Juan is more expensive to fly to but so worth it in how great the cruise is. We have sailed out of San Juan 4 other times now (5 in January) and love it there. We paid almost $700 pp R/T in 2012 and just booked for our upcoming trip in Jan at $477 R/T both on Jet Blue.... Usually we did not book until between 6-8 weeks out and just watched for fare prices all the time. Good luck and have a great time on your cruise.

 

During my search found $355 round trip per person and did not think the price was bad but do think I can do better.

 

I like to get all the planning done as quick as possible for handling the airfare for both land and cruise vacations. However, we mostly book SWA which is usually no more than 6-7 months ahead... So when the schedule pops up, I tend to grab the tix at that point since with SWA, you can change the tix at any time up to the day you fly with no extra fees. So, if the price drops, I either get a credit for a future flight or I get the miles put back into my account.

I like SWA and will check their site as well and I also like to plan early. Not going to book until the fall. My mother told me I was born three weeks early so I guess that is why I like to get things done:D

 

My thoughts on booking airlines go with the cruise. If I feel it is a good price, get it then and if the price drops, either not worry about it or get a price change if able. So far on three cruises that I booked far in advance (9 months, 13 months, 15 months), all three have gone "up" in price so I am doing good by booking early.

 

I agree with you. Sometimes when the airlines have specials I tend to miss out on them out. Guess I will stick to Tuesday mornings as suggested by travel gurus.

 

Steve

 

Thank you all for your opinions.

[whtvrrob]

I'm on that cruise too. Booked airfare from Columbus, OH pretty much as soon as possible. Got for $361 RT so I felt comfortable paying that rather than waiting and risking it going up.

[kona_wahine]

We are travelling in April to miami from Portland. Anything in the $300 range is good so I will just keep watch. I would like to use ff miles this time but the flights showing are just not good. I'd like to get to miami early evening the night before. Stupid 3 hour time difference! :D

[firemanbobswife]

It really varies. I'm constantly checking/familiar with what fares generally run and if I see something that looks good, I'll go ahead and get it. You just never know what the future will bring.

 

I feel better knowing that I'm locked in if I think it's a good deal instead of stressing over about what if it goes up to where it makes it unaffordable.

 

FYI any airline tickets bought starting July 21 will have the TSA fees increased. Potentially by a lot depending on layovers, etc. No caps on the amount of fees, either. Just another way we are getting screwed.

[Ehpride]

Airfare for my November cruise has done nothing but go up since I booked it. And the times for the lowest priced flights are far from ideal.

 

I'm very happy I locked in when I did. I could have taken my chances and waited until right before, but that's too risky for me.

 

 

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