SJO Price Volatility Around New Year
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 25
SJO Price Volatility Around New Year
Hi All - first time posting here. If anyone can offer their opinion on the following issue I'd be very grateful.
Short version: Roundtrip prices for a 90-day trip to Costa Rica (BOS-SJO) seem to be highly inflated if I set the return date in the first week of the new year. It being still a ways in the future, does anybody know if more flights typically get added and the price typically goes down? Is it worth waiting?
Long version: I fly BOS-SJO a couple times a year, normally on American Airlines, and the prices are typically $450-550 roundtrip - very reasonable. Normally I'd go down at the end of Sept and come back to the states for Christmas. This winter I'd like to delay my southbound trip (limited to 90 days on the tourist visa) in order to be there for Christmas and the New Year with my girlfriend. I was thinking something like Oct 4 - Jan 2.
But when I've searched on all the typical places (Google Flights, Vayama, Kayak, etc) the only 'normally'-priced options are on the crappy airlines like Spirit. I'd like to fly Delta or American (being Alaska Air partners for my mileage) but the prices for having my return date in the first week of the New Year are all about $200 or more higher than the typical $500 average.
I'm wondering if anyone knows how those prices might typically change, if at all, over the coming months. Do they end up adding flights and do the prices come down? As an example, a trip on Delta from Sept 30 - Dec 28 is only $478 but if you made each date a week later (Oct 7 - Jan 4) it jumps up to $887 - seems ludicrous.
I'd appreciate any helpful info, including letting me know if this would be better posted elsewhere.
Thanks!
Short version: Roundtrip prices for a 90-day trip to Costa Rica (BOS-SJO) seem to be highly inflated if I set the return date in the first week of the new year. It being still a ways in the future, does anybody know if more flights typically get added and the price typically goes down? Is it worth waiting?
Long version: I fly BOS-SJO a couple times a year, normally on American Airlines, and the prices are typically $450-550 roundtrip - very reasonable. Normally I'd go down at the end of Sept and come back to the states for Christmas. This winter I'd like to delay my southbound trip (limited to 90 days on the tourist visa) in order to be there for Christmas and the New Year with my girlfriend. I was thinking something like Oct 4 - Jan 2.
But when I've searched on all the typical places (Google Flights, Vayama, Kayak, etc) the only 'normally'-priced options are on the crappy airlines like Spirit. I'd like to fly Delta or American (being Alaska Air partners for my mileage) but the prices for having my return date in the first week of the New Year are all about $200 or more higher than the typical $500 average.
I'm wondering if anyone knows how those prices might typically change, if at all, over the coming months. Do they end up adding flights and do the prices come down? As an example, a trip on Delta from Sept 30 - Dec 28 is only $478 but if you made each date a week later (Oct 7 - Jan 4) it jumps up to $887 - seems ludicrous.
I'd appreciate any helpful info, including letting me know if this would be better posted elsewhere.
Thanks!
#2
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: San Jose, Costa Rica
Programs: AAdvantage Platinum
Posts: 1,890
No. I doubt you'll find more flights added between now and then.
Jan. 4 is the first Monday of the new year. Of course, it's going to be a busy travel day. Anyone who comes to Costa Rica for the holidays is probably not going to fly home Dec. 28. I bet that's why you're finding such good prices. It'll be a slower travel day.
You know, $478 is a bargain. If you can find a fare like that and it means late Sept.-late Dec (It's still three months in Costa Rica!), grab it.
Jan. 4 is the first Monday of the new year. Of course, it's going to be a busy travel day. Anyone who comes to Costa Rica for the holidays is probably not going to fly home Dec. 28. I bet that's why you're finding such good prices. It'll be a slower travel day.
You know, $478 is a bargain. If you can find a fare like that and it means late Sept.-late Dec (It's still three months in Costa Rica!), grab it.
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 25
No. I doubt you'll find more flights added between now and then.
Jan. 4 is the first Monday of the new year. Of course, it's going to be a busy travel day. Anyone who comes to Costa Rica for the holidays is probably not going to fly home Dec. 28. I bet that's why you're finding such good prices. It'll be a slower travel day.
You know, $478 is a bargain. If you can find a fare like that and it means late Sept.-late Dec (It's still three months in Costa Rica!), grab it.
Jan. 4 is the first Monday of the new year. Of course, it's going to be a busy travel day. Anyone who comes to Costa Rica for the holidays is probably not going to fly home Dec. 28. I bet that's why you're finding such good prices. It'll be a slower travel day.
You know, $478 is a bargain. If you can find a fare like that and it means late Sept.-late Dec (It's still three months in Costa Rica!), grab it.
Thanks for your response - I appreciate it!
#4
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Chicago
Programs: AA, UA
Posts: 38
I book about 30-40 clients a year into and back from SJO, and a $200 premium for returning at the end of Christmas break is not that much at all. Wait and the price will go up, probably by a lot. That fare will be $1000 r/t by September.
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 25
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 25
I thought I'd update this thread incase the information helps anyone else in the future. I bought my ticket that day for $576 and by some stroke of extreme luck that was the best day to buy, by a long shot. I'll include an image showing what the price has done in the 70 days since then - shot up to $1369 at one point!
Last edited by FincaEstrellita; Sep 20, 2015 at 9:36 pm Reason: fix link