Airline Reservations to Seattle for cruise in July

[Scrapbookhappy11]

I have been looking at airfares for flights to Seattle from Greenville, SC and back. I am going on the Ovation of the Seas. The airfares are very pricey. Can anyone suggest when is the best time to book reservations? The lowest price I could find is $900 round trip. Suggestions are much appreciated! Happy Holidays! 

Edited December 8, 2023 by Scrapbookhappy11

[PIR8LUVR]

I'm in Greenville, NC, and we did an Alaskan cruise from Seattle last year. The best deal I found was on Alaskan Airlines out of RDU (American from RDU to Dallas Forth Worth, then Alaskan from there to Seattle). We flew home direct on Delta. It was actually cheaper for us to book one-way flights on different carriers, so check that out. I would wait until after the new year to book. Experts say that the best prices are about 6-8 weeks out.

[pcur]

I found, after much hunting and pecking on Alaska's web site, that they have nonstop flights to the West Coast for a very low price, from Newark, NJ.  My nonstops to/from SFO have been as low as $139.

 

So, if you can find a low cost flight up to EWR, it might work.  Right now from EWR in mid-July, flying on a Friday, the fare is $249 one way. 

 

Get a "MAIN" seat, which includes seat selection and refund options.  Also, get yourself an Alaska credit card, even it you only spend $5 with it. If you have it with you when you check bags, they are free.

[smokeybandit]

Did you look out of Charlotte or Atlanta? Or just Greenville?

[Husky1987]

You can get direct RT from Charleston to SEA around that time on Alaska for under $500.

[crzndeb]

Since I live in the Seattle area, my airline of choice is usually Alaska Air. I don’t normally book airfares until about 2 months out. Having that free bag with the Alaska card really is nice. I also like they have several non stops, which I prefer.

[Tree_skier]

Like @crzndeb said in and out of Seattle Alaska Airlines is always the best.  I'm a planner so I get nervous about waiting until 2 months out but I'm usually looking 3-4 months in advance.

[Zach1213]

$900 roundtrip per person does sound quite steep. But there is no magic time to book. I would head to Google Flights and look at your dates, as well as the alternative airports mentioned such as ATL and CLT. Be flexible, and also remember to look at alternative days...it can sometimes be worth it to fly a day earlier if the fare is low enough to offset a hotel/meals/car. 

[CruiserBruce]

Agree...there is no "best" time. At 6 or 8 weeks out you may find the selection much less desirable. Seattle is very busy in the summer...there definitely isn't excess supply during summer months.

 

You just have to do your research...should have started before the seats actually come available. There is a good chance the cheapest seats have already been sold.

[Gardyloo]

Assuming there are two or more of you, have a look at the Alaska Airlines-branded Visa card, which will not only give you a big bunch of Alaska miles on signup (very useful program) but which will also give you an annual "companion certificate" with which one passenger pays the going price and a companion pays $99 (plus some taxes, ending up usually at $122) for the same itinerary - one way, round trip, multi-city.  So if one ticket costs, say, $600, the price for 2 would be $722, or $361 each.  

 

Alaska Airlines Visa® Credit Card - Apply Today

[crzndeb]

55 minutes ago, Gardyloo said:

Assuming there are two or more of you, have a look at the Alaska Airlines-branded Visa card, which will not only give you a big bunch of Alaska miles on signup (very useful program) but which will also give you an annual "companion certificate" with which one passenger pays the going price and a companion pays $99 (plus some taxes, ending up usually at $122) for the same itinerary - one way, round trip, multi-city.  So if one ticket costs, say, $600, the price for 2 would be $722, or $361 each.  

 

Alaska Airlines Visa® Credit Card - Apply Today

I also like their BOGO sales. Nice way to get some extra miles.

Edited December 8, 2023 by crzndeb

[Zach1213]

4 hours ago, pcur said:

So, if you can find a low cost flight up to EWR, it might work.  Right now from EWR in mid-July, flying on a Friday, the fare is $249 one way. 

Even if OP were to somehow find EWR-SEA-EWR roundtrip for $498, and (hypothetically) a GSP-EWR flight for, say, $300 roundtrip (only UA flies that route, and not frequently, so fares usually aren't cheap from what I can tell), you're back up to almost $800 and have to now worry about going quite a distance out of the way via Newark, and the several hours minimum of buffer time between two separate tickets to, hopefully, avoid a mis-connection in EWR and the need to subsequently purchase a new last minute EWR-SEA ticket since you were a no show on the Alaska flight. Not worth it to me to save $100, but to each their own. Oh yeah, and baggage fees on two airlines instead of one, which might eat most if not all of that remaining $100. 

[Scrapbookhappy11]

Thank you all for the suggestions. I checked the app Hopper and Skiplagged. Their prices are way much cheaper than Delta. However, Hopper and Skiplagged have overnight flights (returning) which I am trying to avoid.  Delta has a noon flight back to Greenville, SC. I will wait a couple of more weeks to check prices.  I will check into Alaska Airlines. I am going solo. 

[6rugrats]

Please do not book through a third party.  Their prices aren’t usually live.  You may end up with very restrictive tickets.  I always recommend you book directly with the airline.

[FlyerTalker]

And be aware of potential issues with Skiplagged and airline fare rules.  Don't plan on checking luggage if buying one of their tickets.

 

 

[6rugrats]

9 hours ago, FlyerTalker said:

And be aware of potential issues with Skiplagged and airline fare rules.  Don't plan on checking luggage if buying one of their tickets.

 

 

And, good luck if you have to gate check that bag.  If you deplane at your connecting city, the bag is going to the final city, where it's tagged.  When you go to the baggage claim office to ask for it, you will be noted as having booked "hidden city ticketing" and reported.  

[pcur]

On 12/8/2023 at 12:26 PM, Zach1213 said:

Even if OP were to somehow find EWR-SEA-EWR roundtrip for $498, and (hypothetically) a GSP-EWR flight for, say, $300 roundtrip (only UA flies that route, and not frequently, so fares usually aren't cheap from what I can tell), you're back up to almost $800 and have to now worry about going quite a distance out of the way via Newark, and the several hours minimum of buffer time between two separate tickets to, hopefully, avoid a mis-connection in EWR and the need to subsequently purchase a new last minute EWR-SEA ticket since you were a no show on the Alaska flight. Not worth it to me to save $100, but to each their own. Oh yeah, and baggage fees on two airlines instead of one, which might eat most if not all of that remaining $100. 

I was trying to not regurgitate all that I found while looking a flights from the OP's local area, but I did, indeed find the fare that I mentioned.  I have flown Alaska EWR to/from the West Coast several times, and find it's pretty much the only East-West (and vice-versa) nonstop, and reasonably priced flight I could find.  Matter of fact, I flew that route just two days ago to LAX. 

 

Also, you must have missed the part about the Alaska credit card for free check-in baggage in your to post.

[FlyerTalker]

14 minutes ago, pcur said:

I have flown Alaska EWR to/from the West Coast several times, and find it's pretty much the only East-West (and vice-versa) nonstop, and reasonably priced flight I could find.

 

Then you really aren't seeing all pricing, routings and more.

 

 

[Zach1213]

20 minutes ago, pcur said:

I was trying to not regurgitate all that I found while looking a flights from the OP's local area, but I did, indeed find the fare that I mentioned.  I have flown Alaska EWR to/from the West Coast several times, and find it's pretty much the only East-West (and vice-versa) nonstop, and reasonably priced flight I could find.  Matter of fact, I flew that route just two days ago to LAX. 

 

Also, you must have missed the part about the Alaska credit card for free check-in baggage in your to post.

 

Oh I believe you that the $139 fare from Newark to West Coast is real (I fly Alaska a lot, they can have some crazy low fares), and the $298 EWR-SEA one way in July is real (assuming EWR-SEA what was $298 one way and not GSP-EWR, I guess perhaps I am confused), but assuming it's EWR-SEA, that's still almost $500 roundtrip not counting the flights to get to Newark in the first place. 

 

And the checked bag prices I quoted are to get up to Newark from Greenville, not to get from Newark to Seattle. Having free bags on Alaska is great, but it won't do anything to help you get free bags on the United flight to get to EWR. 

 

Regarding EWR-West Coast, United operates tons of flights as EWR is a major hub for them. Then, of course, there's the countless JFK-west coast flights if one wants to make the trek to JFK, or lives in between EWR and JFK. 

Edited December 12, 2023 by Zach1213

[pcur]

20 hours ago, Zach1213 said:

 

Oh I believe you that the $139 fare from Newark to West Coast is real (I fly Alaska a lot, they can have some crazy low fares), and the $298 EWR-SEA one way in July is real (assuming EWR-SEA what was $298 one way and not GSP-EWR, I guess perhaps I am confused), but assuming it's EWR-SEA, that's still almost $500 roundtrip not counting the flights to get to Newark in the first place. 

 

And the checked bag prices I quoted are to get up to Newark from Greenville, not to get from Newark to Seattle. Having free bags on Alaska is great, but it won't do anything to help you get free bags on the United flight to get to EWR. 

 

Regarding EWR-West Coast, United operates tons of flights as EWR is a major hub for them. Then, of course, there's the countless JFK-west coast flights if one wants to make the trek to JFK, or lives in between EWR and JFK. 

Thanks for clarifying............