Airfare is too high! Miami!

[iancal]

We do not get hung up on the price of air.  And certainly not in relation to a cruise price.

 

It is market driven.   Understand the prices, decide whether you are willing to pay.  Then book accordingly.

 

We have had some fabulous air prices in the past.  But that was the past.  This is now.   So it is either accept the price or stay home and complain.  Pick one.

 

Just booked return air to Portugal for May/June.  Prices were fine but increasing for premium economy.   It was to advantage pricewise and scheduling to book two one way trips on different airlines. 

 

We were also monitoring flights to Athens at the same time.  Those fares are definitely up for us.   But....London is still very competitive.  If anything, the costs are lower for cattle class.  Premium and business have taken a price jump.

Edited March 22, 2022 by iancal

[firefly333]

On 2/23/2022 at 8:00 AM, Zach1213 said:

 

While I definitely think it's a good idea to keep an eye on flights straight from the start (be it 330 days out or whatever), it's rarely a great idea to book the moment they come out. Fares often are higher then as airlines work to feel out market demand, and there's also a near 100% chance of (sometimes significant) flight time/equipment/route changes that far out. So while I don't think last minute is your best bet, nor is 330 days out. But, it's always good to start looking later this year if you absolutely know when you'll be going. 

I just bought the day fares came out for spring break 2023. While I agree times could change, I'm not sure you are right about fares dropping. We will know if I'm wrong between now and next mid march. 

 

Paid over $500 to fly into miami mid afternoon, fly home out of ft Lauderdale. The flight to miami arriving mid afternoon I've been getting 1 or 2 cabins left messages, right now not available again at the same price. Prices were released 8 days ago, I waited to book round trip. 

 

I kinda agree with the guy who said we are in a whole new ball game post covid and old rules might not apply. It will be interesting to revisit this thread 6 months ago and see if airfares are still going up or dropping. Interesting thread. 

[FlyerTalker]

6 hours ago, firefly333 said:

I just bought the day fares came out for spring break 2023. While I agree times could change, I'm not sure you are right about fares dropping. We will know if I'm wrong between now and next mid march.

 

There are a few times in the year that are known exceptions to a cyclical flow of pricing.  Thanksgiving, Christmas and Spring Break are times of extremely high demand - for those dates, the lowest buckets sell out early, and they are rarely filled in with more inventory because of the known demand that will happen.

 

Zach's advice is solid for times without the extraordinary demand.  Or for routes that have limited lift, such as to Tahiti or Fiji.

[firefly333]

On 4/23/2022 at 1:14 PM, FlyerTalker said:

 

There are a few times in the year that are known exceptions to a cyclical flow of pricing.  Thanksgiving, Christmas and Spring Break are times of extremely high demand - for those dates, the lowest buckets sell out early, and they are rarely filled in with more inventory because of the known demand that will happen.

 

Zach's advice is solid for times without the extraordinary demand.  Or for routes that have limited lift, such as to Tahiti or Fiji.

So I might have bought right since I bought for spring break and prices are already going up for the flight times I wanted. Hope you are right. Paid more than I wanted. 

[firefly333]

On 4/23/2022 at 1:14 PM, FlyerTalker said:

 

There are a few times in the year that are known exceptions to a cyclical flow of pricing.  Thanksgiving, Christmas and Spring Break are times of extremely high demand - for those dates, the lowest buckets sell out early, and they are rarely filled in with more inventory because of the known demand that will happen.

 

Zach's advice is solid for times without the extraordinary demand.  Or for routes that have limited lift, such as to Tahiti or Fiji.

This is what I'm tracking dfw to miami. Dfw is headquarters hence why 4 planes, all leaving at 830 am and getting into miami at 250 pm. When these were released about 10 days ago, this first leg, all 4 were priced at $247 one way. All 4 have gone up, one only slightly, the other 3 you can see by hundreds. I waited until round trip came out to buy. Lowest round trip miami said $657. I went into shock. I'm flying home from ft Lauderdale.. flying into miami on one of these,,the first leg, stops in new orleans ..the one that hasnt jumped much. ..and this is just 10 days jump. Will it come down? Who knows, saw the other legs going up, 1 seat left on my leg, bought, now it went up.

 

I'll look again in 6 months. ..as I said all 4 flights leave dfw 830, arrive miami 250 pm, with one stop, all priced the same 10 days ago. I wanted to arrive in the afternoon. 

 

 

[CruiserBruce]

@firefly333, please give us the dates involved...being headquarters of AA doesn't matter, being a hub, and flying to another hub (MIA matters a lot). Maybe I am not clear on exactly what you are looking for?

 

I randomly picked a date in Feb 2023, and found 7 non-stops DFW-MIA, all just under $400.

[firefly333]

2 hours ago, CruiserBruce said:

@firefly333, please give us the dates involved...being headquarters of AA doesn't matter, being a hub, and flying to another hub (MIA matters a lot). Maybe I am not clear on exactly what you are looking for?

 

I randomly picked a date in Feb 2023, and found 7 non-stops DFW-MIA, all just under $400.

Not sure why you would pick a random date since I specifically said spring break. Oasis friends of bellas in my signature is the only spring break cruise. I thought it was obvious from the dates in my signature.

 

First I got round trip $657 to miami, then found a flight home from FLL brought it down to $518. I was looking for if I should buy or not and this thread didnt say ..these rules except if it's a busy time to fly. I found this thread confused me more lol.

 

Yes I see $498 cheaper price, .. either a flight in the evening to miami or cancel miami hotel and fly into fll. I paid $20 more for the flight above that says it's now $570 round trip. 1 stop. Arrives 2:50 pm so I can call for the hotel shuttle. I came to this thread should I buy now or wait. Lol I also called friends in calif on this cruise also looking at fares trying to find something. 3/11/23 to 3/19/23. They said buy. They didnt think it would get better.

 

Time will tell if I bought right or not .. I bought nonrefundable or i wouldnt have been looking for advice will it go up or down. Its $100 more to be refundable.  Doesnt matter now, I've bought. 

 

If the price had been under $400, it would have been a easier yes. Not sure why quote me a random date in feb. I said spring break. The flight home 3/19/23 out of miami is the highest I've seen. That made it a hard decision. Price suddenly jumped for this week. We can revisit this in 6 months as I said. See if I should have waited. My first impulse I was so mad at the price jump I considered cancelling. It's a group cruise from float away lounge here on cc we talked thru covid and decided to meet. I sure considered cancelling the price made me so mad.

 

Nonrefundable..no point now, decision made. 

[CruiserBruce]

@firefly333, Spring Break is not just one week...its several weeks, typically 3.  Also, many people turn off seeing poster's signatures because it clutters up the screen, so like others, I can't see your signature.

[FlyerTalker]

8 hours ago, firefly333 said:

Nonrefundable..no point now, decision made. 

 

"Nonrefundable" is a term with many caveats.  For some airlines, that means use it or lose it.  For others, it means that you cannot get your money refunded to your form of payment, but that you can change/cancel your flights with any balance put into a flight credit with that airline.  And for others, it's a mix-mosh depending on the specifics of the fare rules for your ticket.

 

If you have the "change at no fee" rules for your ticket, you can change to a lower priced ticket and have the balance for use on other flights on that airline.

 

Don't be so hasty to jump to a possibly incorrect conclusion.

[firefly333]

1 hour ago, FlyerTalker said:

 

"Nonrefundable" is a term with many caveats.  For some airlines, that means use it or lose it.  For others, it means that you cannot get your money refunded to your form of payment, but that you can change/cancel your flights with any balance put into a flight credit with that airline.  And for others, it's a mix-mosh depending on the specifics of the fare rules for your ticket.

 

If you have the "change at no fee" rules for your ticket, you can change to a lower priced ticket and have the balance for use on other flights on that airline.

 

Don't be so hasty to jump to a possibly incorrect conclusion.

Funny you should mention this as I now do see a lower fare on my first leg I posted above due to a quirk I found on american site last night. $11 cheaper, 507 instead of 518.

 

When I search for dfw to miami, it gives me 33 choices.

 

When I search for dfw to miami (all airports) it also gives me 33 choices. This is what I used to book.

 

When I search just miami I now see 6 of those flights leaving from 830 and arriving at 2:50 pm. Each of the 6 I got last night has 1 stop. The 2 new ones stop at Atlanta and nashville. I'm booked on the one to new orleans which is less flight time but arrives exactly the same time. It's a good time for me to arrive to shuttle to my miami airport. I like that arrival time. 

 

Not sure if it's worth calling about to see if I can fly thru atlanta and save $11. 

 

I didnt notice american site searches give me 33 choices and some are missing when I search more airports to fly into. ..something to remember if there is a next time.

 

I havent flown since pre covid and used to have a SW card I cancelled so this is all new to me. I'm learning. It didnt occur to me I wouldnt be able to see lower priced choices by search MIA, all airports, including ft Lauderdale and west palm. I wonder if I'm seeing all now? Those 2 flights are hidden with the search I used. Odd to me they wouldnt let you see all choices.

 

Probably those 2 are  cheaper and not getting as many bookings just because they are hidden with some searches on their site. I dont plan on flying again for a long time. I am happy cruising out of Galveston and driving to the port. Sorry if I sound like a ninny.