Airfare in Feb %*@!!!$$%@

[Enchantment 04]

I dont get why youre complaining about airfare when you decided to wait 4 monoths before the cruise to purchase it, especially when youre traveling at one of the most busiest times of the year.

[star10]

I've always waited until Sept/Oct to buy my airfare and never had this problem. I travel the same week every year!

 

This year, it just seems more stuff is going on down in Miami in Feb... thus the price hike.

 

I'm going to look into Amex Travel... at least that was under $400... I really wanted like $320, but it doesn't look like that is happening. :(

[serene56]

I dont get why youre complaining about airfare when you decided to wait 4 monoths before the cruise to purchase it, especially when youre traveling at one of the most busiest times of the year.

 

in the past few years I have cruised in February going to Miami/FLL/or Tampa- I dont recall ever paying more then 150pp round trip. Next years cruise in Fenruary is a tad over 400each.

I also want to state these prices were this high back when pricing became available 10 months in advance.. so it didnt matter if you got flights back then or waited til now.

[steve20832]

What is going on? I've always travelled the same week in Feb (President's Week)... I know that airfare is a bit more expensive this week... but I can't find any decent flight for under $450!!!

 

I've paid $320 at the most... or under. I keep checking everyday and it's the same.

 

I've tried different airports too. I'm in the vicinity of Phili, Newark, Atlatic City...

 

I'm getting nervous as by now I usually have the airfare booked. I have a family of 5, so I try my best to get the best rate.

 

Anyone else having trouble finding affordable airfare??

 

BTW, my husband and I are cruising Nov 2... the airfare is $151 RT!! How can they increase it so much!! ??:mad:

 

 

It would help if you gave us the dates you are flying, maybe someone here can find a good rate for you. Also, what port does your cruise go out of?

[star10]

Yes, that might be helpful! 2/17 - 2/25, I can leave from EWR/PHL or Atlantic City.

 

I just tried Amex... I see the $397, but the filght doesn't arrive until the evening.

 

Thanks!

[steve20832]

Yes, that might be helpful! 2/17 - 2/25, I can leave from EWR/PHL or Atlantic City.

 

I just tried Amex... I see the $397, but the filght doesn't arrive until the evening.

 

Thanks!

 

Here is what I found from Southwest Air

$155 from PHL to FLL on 2/17

 

going home was tricky but if you rent a car after the cruise and drive to Orlando (about 3 hours) the flight home leaves MCO at 6:30pm for $133 to PHL. You have plenty of time to make the flight from Orlando.

 

Just under $300 per person round trip.

[serene56]

Tuesdays AIRTRAN and USair have sales. I got my going down flight for 94.00 a few weeks ago.

 

To save 50 bucks that drive just is not worth it at all.

[star10]

Wow! Steve, thank you! What have I been doing wrong? I'll look into one-way prices.

 

:)

[hdawson]

I fly AirTran whenever I can.

[steve20832]

Tuesdays AIRTRAN and USair have sales. I got my going down flight for 94.00 a few weeks ago.

 

To save 50 bucks that drive just is not worth it at all.

 

Airtran is $188 from PHL to FLL and $220 from FLL to PHL which ends up being over $100 more per person than Southwest.

One way rental car from FLL to MCO is $45 through Budget on a Ford Taurus (plus gas which should be around $25 if the gas prices stay around $2/gallon)

If you have 4 people in your group, I think it is worth the 3 hour trip to save a couple hundred dollars. Keep in mind Jan and Feb are peak months for Florida tourism because it is warm there. Also, the Super Bowl is in Miami Feb 4 and the airlines and hotels know this so they can sock it to you.

[serene56]

www.usair.com has one way going down to FLL from Phl for 135.00 at 7:35am (non stop)

 

airtran has a non stop at noon and arrives at 2:48 (not enough wiggle room for me) but this flight is $74.00

 

if possible try to avoid the flights that have connecting flights since you are leaving the day of the cruise.

[Aloha Me]

Well I should have gone with my first instinct. After watching prices for four months and the flight I wanted never changing...I waited an hour or two too long. My the round trip on Spirit in February went up $44.50 pp, adding $400.50 to overall cost of our Xmas present to our family...Grrrrrrrrr!

[rjack22]

I am one of those cruising on Feb. 4, Super Bowl Sunday. I booked in the middle of September and didn't realize it was the Super Bowl. But I am lucky. I am staying with friends so no hotel room was needed.

 

But I did need airfare to get there. I planned on using my Delta Frequent Flyer miles for my flights. I had to wait until the first week of October to book. I was able to make reservations then and I chose to fly into Palm Beach as my friend lives between Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale in Boca Raton. Well....just for the heck of it I priced what my ticket would have cost had I had to pay for it. $914!!!!!!! Yikes! That is way more that the cost of my cruise!

[dis2cruise]

ggrrrrr today i just paid $1500 for a family of 4 out of islip to fll (southwest)

on feb 15 departing going back to islip on feb 27. I couldn't even imagain doing the saturday to saturday thank goodness we are kind of leaving and coming back on odd ball days lol!!

[star10]

Welp, I just booked.... I kind of got ripped off, because I was rushing.... I didn't realize the taxes & fees were so high on this site(cheop-o-air)!! So I got roundtrip for $390... not what I was hoping for, but the times are good.

 

But, I had 10 people to book for, the site only allowed me to do 6 at a time, so I was rushing... I got my immediate family booked, went back to book the rest, and it came up SOLD OUT!!

 

This is way too stressful for me. So I rushed again, trying to find something close to ours... I got them coming home with us (orbitz), but flying into West Palm Beach... they actually get there an hour earlier, but they probably have a longer drive to the port. But it was almost 40 more pp.

 

I do feel relieved that it's done. I'm just not happy about the prices. Oh, and they aren't straight flights either. A stop in Tampa on the way down and a stop in Atlanta on the way back. Urgh.....

[old manatee]

I booked cruise air due to the cost of trying to fly direct with us air during Preident's Week. I just checked today and us air is $100 less flying direct than what Princess air offered on a connecting flight with Delta.

 

I've got a call into my TA, but a month ago he said they weren't using usair. Can I still cancel the cruise air without too much penalty?

[serene56]

I've got a call into my TA, but a month ago he said they weren't using usair. Can I still cancel the cruise air without too much penalty?

 

I would think its too late to cancel since final payment was made a bit ago. what about air diviation-- is it too late for that?

[old manatee]

I talked to my TA yesterday. It is too late to cancel without a $300 penalty per person. I can get a deviation coming home for $100 each, but the flight wouldn't leave until 5:30. I'll just never book a cruise during a holiday weekend again. Live and learn.

[serene56]

I talked to my TA yesterday. It is too late to cancel without a $300 penalty per person. I can get a deviation coming home for $100 each, but the flight wouldn't leave until 5:30. I'll just never book a cruise during a holiday weekend again. Live and learn.

 

What you should learn is book your own flights to do whats better for you--- not what the cruiselines want you to do..

[old manatee]

I was going to book my own flight. At the time US Air was going to charge $1000 vs. $589 for cruise air (Delta and Northwest). I just happened to check the same US Air flight yesterday and the same flight is now $490. My TA say Princess doesn't have a contract with US Air.

[Chardo]

I had the same problem with President's Day week to Florida. My solution--we're cruising out of Galveston. ATA from LaGuardia to Houston Hobby was only $225 RT nonstop. Continental from Phila to Bush Intercontinental was even less.