Originally Posted by DCA writer

I'm planning on going to Dublin for Web Summit in November, but UA isn't making that too easy. On the logical travel days for a Nov. 3-5 event, the 1st and the 6th, it's only offering a $900-ish U fare each way. That also seems to be the case for departures on the 2nd and the 3rd. But if I depart on Oct. 31st--my Halloween costume will be "loser traveling for work"--and return on Nov. 6, it's a perfectly reasonable, sub-$400 T fare each way.

Meanwhile, EI only wants $800 for its IAD-DUB and DUB-IAD nonstops on the 1st and the 6th. And UA's seat maps look wide open for all of these dates. How long should I wait this out?

(I'm told there's a decent chance that I will be asked to moderate a panel there, in which case the organizers would cover my travel costs. But I don't want to gamble $1,000 on that happening.)