I am going to Louisville for the Kentucky Derby the first weekend in May. Flights to SDF are usually pricey but they are particularly so for Derby weekend already.

Does anyone have any brilliant suggestions of routes or ways to get the price down? I'm told we HAVE to fly to SDF so that friends who are picking us up don't have to drive hours away to get us (too bad - flights to BNA and CVG are pretty cheap, relatively).

Any other advice? I'd use AA miles but there is zero availability for nonstops from NYC.