Last minute air tips??

[sunrise&set]

I hope this is the right place to ask. We decided to take advantage of a last minute deal and cruise on March 14. Only problem is that the air is close to $500/person! Any tips or advice on where to look for cheaper airfare? Any promo codes that I could use? We are flying from Providence to Fort Lauderdale and I actually picked the cruise with the lower airfare that I could find.

 

Thanks for your help! My parents might come too but I think the flight cost might change their mind.

[paul929207]

As you approach the date of the floght the fares go up. Many business travelers book late and they need to be somewhere, so they are less affected by price.

 

You have found the problem with last minute cruise deals. They savngs is often less than the higher airfare.

[6rugrats]

Lots of lower fares require a 21 day advance purchase, so you're out-of-luck for that.

 

Just doing a quick look for your dates and routing, I don't see anything much under $500.

[YXU AC*SE]

Your itin may require a little flexibility / ingenuity. Try flying out of alternate adjacent airports (BDL or BOS in addition to PVD) and check MIA - and maybe PBI, in addition to FLL for your arrival. Spirit, out of Boston is 428$. No screaming hell, but 75$pp is better in your pocket than your air carrier's.

 

Good luck!

 

Scott.

[klfrodo]

Take a closer look at the seating availablility. Some of those $500 flights might actually be for first class seats.

 

Not what your looking for but may make it more palatable.

 

Word of warning though: After taking my wife on a vacation and upgradeing to first class the first time, my travel expenses have dramatically increased since then. :D

[6rugrats]

Your itin may require a little flexibility / ingenuity. Try flying out of alternate adjacent airports (BDL or BOS in addition to PVD) and check MIA - and maybe PBI, in addition to FLL for your arrival. Spirit, out of Boston is 428$. No screaming hell, but 75$pp is better in your pocket than your air carrier's.

 

Good luck!

 

Scott.

 

Take a closer look at the seating availablility. Some of those $500 flights might actually be for first class seats.

 

Not what your looking for but may make it more palatable.

 

Word of warning though: After taking my wife on a vacation and upgradeing to first class the first time, my travel expenses have dramatically increased since then. :D

 

I saw the cheaper fares through Spirit if you left from BOS, but did not know if the expense to get there would result in any savings. If you could fly BOS-FLL, leaving 13 Mar and returning 21 MAR on Spirit, I see flight times that would work for you as low as $214.36 per person. These are both nonstop flights.

 

Flight #NK615 BOS-FLL

Flight #NK492 FLL-BOS

 

All the ~$500 fares I saw on other airlines were in coach.

[klfrodo]

I only posted my response because a couple of weeks ago I had to change my AS ticket from DFW back to SEA because I HAD to get home a day early.

Of course my business travel folks were NO help so I went to AS' website and modified my return flight.

 

All possible return flights (not all options were AS. Some were DL and AA) were going to cost ~$360 extra. All acceptable flights had middle row seats only. I kept scrolling and low and behold there it was. First class seat only available for $360. Same as all other flights with middle seats showing available. :D I couldn't click fast enough.