Best Time to Buy Airfare?

[Annefran]

Hi All,

 

My daughter & I are booked 8 Apr 2007 (Easter) on AOS out of San Juan, PR. I decided to make my own airfare reservations because we are going the day before. I have been checking airfare prices for about 2 months now and prices are very high. My question is when do you think prices will go down,if at all? I am just not sure if I should wait a couple more months in hopes of prices dropping or not.

 

Any thoughts?

[bouhunter]

What prices are you finding? San Juan is usually pretty expensive to fly to depending on your departure airport. If Spirit flys there, try them. 500-600.00 to SJU is not unusual on the major carriers:(

[Dockman123]

I am not sure if there is a better time to book airfare or not. We booked ours in March for a January cruise out of Miami and since then the cost has jumped $230. If you are going at Easter time there might not be any bargains around the holiday.

[Annefran]

Bouhunter,

Hoping to get fares from Newark, NJ to San Juan, PR for about 300.00. Will try Spirit.

 

American has the best prices so far but really bad times, too early going out and too late coming back. Will keep checking.

 

Thanks!

[lvtotrvl1]

I would not recommend waiting too long. Easter will sell out very quickly and the fares will increase very quickly.

[KandMGIn]

Price Summary

Price includes all taxes and fees based on e-ticket. Prices are not guaranteed until purchase is complete.

 

 

 

Total Trip Price:$535

Per Person Price: $267

tickets left at this price

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Departing Flight Information - Saturday, April 7, 2007

 

 

Flight 769

3h 45m, 1601 mi

New York City - John F Kennedy Intl (JFK)

New York City, NY

Departs: 6:00 AM

To San Juan - Luis Munoz Marin Intl (SJU)

San Juan, PR

Arrives: 9:45 AM

Aircraft

Airbus Industrie A300-600 (Jet)

Economy/Coach Class

Returning Flight Information - Sunday, April 15, 2007

Flight 1732

4h 05m, 1601 mi

San Juan - Luis Munoz Marin Intl (SJU)

San Juan, PR

Departs: 2:50 PM

To New York City - John F Kennedy Intl (JFK)

New York City, NY

Arrives: 6:55 PM

Aircraft

Boeing 757 all models (Jet)

Economy/Coach Class

 

 

I found this info at lowestfare dot com. Leaving from NY on April 7th at 6am and returning on April 15th at 2.50pm will cost you 535.00 TOTAL for BOTH tickets. This is actually a very good deal as we paid 400.00 each to go from Chicago to SJU a couple of Januarys ago. Good luck.

[KandMGIn]

Just saw your other post about time. On lowestfare dot com, you can choose to depart at 6am, 7am, or 8am for the same price.

[Stacylee]

Typically the best prices on airfare are 30-60 days out. Unfortunately, that is not safe for you to wait to book in this case. However, for my last cruise - I found an incredible airfare sale, then found an incredible last minute cruise to match. 4 night cruise, air from Norfolk to FLL - less than $600 total for 2.

 

You have to be very flexible, but you can save a TON of money this way.

[Imasealuvr]

I purchased ticket from PHL to SJU in early June for 9/3 flight with USAIR. RT pp with ALL taxes and fees was $240 non-stop.

7:30am out, 2:35 PM return. (flights 763 out and 1024 return) 3 1/2 hrs flight time each way.

[Annefran]

Thanks for all the great info. I check daily for airfare, I'm really hoping to get 2 fares between 300-400 each. I'll give it one more month since fuel prices are going down and should affect the price. We usually fly out of Newark since it's only 40 minute drive. Philly is about 1 1/2 hrs and NYC airport are further and would rather not use them. Will check lowestfares website, never heard of that one. I'll usually check the airline websites and Kayak too.

 

Thanks again for the all help and great info..CC members are great!

[gkrebs]

Bouhunter,

Hoping to get fares from Newark, NJ to San Juan, PR for about 300.00. Will try Spirit.

 

American has the best prices so far but really bad times, too early going out and too late coming back. Will keep checking.

 

Thanks!

 

Look at Philly, prices for your dates are running 385 on Us. Airways. You are an hour and half to Philly. I lived in Howell and Tinton Falls was 20 minutes away, and used Philly alot for the better prices (vs 561 from EWR). You can also go to Travelocity and set up a fairwatcher and it will email you when there is a price drop. However, as you know, you can still get a snowstorm in April there. I would suggest flying in a day ahead. But the flights Im looking at have execellent times.

[TennisLover]

A group from my town is cruising out of San Juan in February (Presidents Week); they got great rates from Newark on Continental -- I think about $300 roundtrip. That's about half of what it would have cost from JFK.

 

I wouldn't wait on booking airfare for a holiday week, especially from anywhere in the Northeast to a southern location.

 

You might want to check out how you can get a better price if it does drop. For example, on Southwest, I can re-book on-line and get the lower price. Then I get a credit on the cancelled fare (also on-line). This works for me because I use Southwest all the time.

[Annefran]

Will definitely consider flying out of Philly too since I like that airport better than NYC airports. Plus I want to wait at least one more month to see if the airfares go down because of the fuel prices going down. But YES I know I have to book soon because of it being Easter Week. Plus I may fly out the day of the cruise and then stay a day after the cruise. My daughter & I like to go to the day before and I already have the Marriott booked for a free night's stay with my points earned.

 

Thanks everyone!

[Larryhnj]

Anne,

 

Another good search engine for finding prices is www.kayak.com . You do not book with them but you can really search out prices. Good luck and have a great cruise.

 

Larry

[Imasealuvr]

Try www.bookingbuddy.com. It connects you to a lot of sites to easily compare, and is easy to change departure dates and locations.

[cb at sea]

I'd start checking prices in January-- Another poster stated that 30 -60 days out, the prices lower--they're right!!!! You have plenty of time! We never book more than 2 months in advance for any trip! Highest prices are well in advance and last minute.

[Annefran]

Do you think I should give myself a cutoff date to book my flights? Some say book now because it's Easter week but I think the prices will go down over the next few months. I just don't want to pay 500+ for the prices to go down to 300 possibly.

 

Ahh this is nerve-wracking! I feel like I'm on "Deal or No Deal", :rolleyes: .

[Queenk2]

I am doing NYC to Mia spring break...leaving April 8 return April 15. I got 218PP rt on Delta out of LGA. I got the last 2 seats at that price. If you check, the planes are almost full. Unbelieveable at the prices they are asking. Remeber every student and teacher is looking to leave that week! Good Luck! By hte way, I used Kayak and then booked direct with the airline.

Karen

[Sue L]

Did you check Jetblue, we did SJU last year for 79$ each way out of JFK

[jtonra]

Hi Anne. For what it's worth, I don't think it will go down very much. Last year, I had originally booked on the AOS for Easter week. I ended up changing to the Radiance (with you) because I couldn't find a decent fare to San Juan for that week. Out of curiosity, I watched the fare all year and it never really dropped below $400 (out of Boston). You may have better luck than I did but prices never really did drop for that week last year.

 

jim

[roe2ship]

How are you? I am in the same boat. I have been checking fares also for next July out of Newark into FLL...and the times we need are over 260.00pp......almost as much as we paid for our Easter cruise. I did notice yesterday that American dropped their fares but they do non-stop only into Miami. San Juan is usually more expensive to begin with and we both know those Easter prices.......good luck!

 

Hi Anne. For what it's worth, I don't think it will go down very much. Last year, I had originally booked on the AOS for Easter week. I ended up changing to the Radiance (with you) because I couldn't find a decent fare to San Juan for that week. Out of curiosity, I watched the fare all year and it never really dropped below $400 (out of Boston). You may have better luck than I did but prices never really did drop for that week last year.

 

jim

Hi Jim! I agree, especially when flying out of San Juan.

[ilandlvr]

I'm booked on the Serenade on March 24 2007. Anyone have any experience with airfare from Indianapolis to San Juan in mid march?

[dmndlil]

Bouhunter,

Hoping to get fares from Newark, NJ to San Juan, PR for about 300.00. Will try Spirit.

 

American has the best prices so far but really bad times, too early going out and too late coming back. Will keep checking.

Thanks!

 

Anneran -

 

We have been looking at airfare rom Newark to San Juan or Feb 07. We found COntinental to be about $300.00 p/p. Did not book yet, though. BTW, I'm from Neptune- hi neighbor!

[Annefran]

Hey (neighbor) dmndlil, Roeship & Jtonra!

 

I could kick myself because back in July Continental was only 298 pp, now it's up to 538 pp. AA does have the best prices from Newark to SJU but only have one non-stop each way (6:45 am outbound & 5:50pm inbound). Could live with the 6:45am if I have to but not liking the 5:50pm. Plus I have some major points on Continental that I could upgrade to First Class not enough to buy a ticket. So I just have to weigh everything before I decide.

 

Lots of great info from everyone that I truly appreciate. I'll keep you posted on what I finally do.

 

Thanks!

[Annefran]

I continue my daily vigil of looking at airfares for our Easter Cruise next year. We live the closest to Newark, NJ airport (40 minutes) but they have high prices right now. Philly is about 1 1/2 hrs and NYC airports are further away.

 

I can't help but feel that prices will drop in a month or so because of fuel prices going down too. Plus I look at the available seats on these flights and they aren't even half full yet. We are still 6+ months away. Has anyone waited until after the holidays to book their Easter airfare and got a good price?

 

Playing the waiting game.....:rolleyes: