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Holidays fare to Mexico (seem high currently - buy or wait?)

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Holidays fare to Mexico (seem high currently - buy or wait?)

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Old Feb 24, 2016, 6:51 am
  #1  
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Holidays fare to Mexico (seem high currently - buy or wait?)

Currently see Y/F fares for about $750/$950 to Mexico over the Christmas/New Years Holidays.
Anyone with experience can tell me whether these fares are great/good/meh?
Never considered buying fares this much in advance, but two years ago I waited until June and hardly anything was available at all anymore. Don't want to repeat that mistake.
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Old Feb 24, 2016, 6:54 am
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Y sounds meh. F/J seems like a decent deal (comparable to what one would pay during off-peak times). If you can afford it, go with F and forego the upgrade anxiety.
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Old Feb 25, 2016, 8:56 am
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As someone who flies to Cabo every Christmas, I can tell you that's pretty ordinary for that time of year. About the only airline cheaper than that is Spirit (save about 2/3) but you have to pretty much spend the night in a connection airport both ways to get it.
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Old Feb 25, 2016, 9:08 am
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You're talking about reduced capacity and very high demand. The high season in Mexico begins on or about 15 December, evidenced in part by Tourism Department's price increase authorizations that kick in at that time.

Airline pricing is based on predicted demand, the lowest price buckets get taken up early. You risk buying now or paying more / being left out.
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Old Feb 25, 2016, 9:13 am
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As someone who has never bought a paid F ticket in his life...under a grand for revenue F from BOS to anywhere warm over Christmas/NY sounds like a relative steal.

And $200 for an RT guaranteed* upgrade sounds like beyond a no-brainer.

Heck even if I was an EXP I'd probably buy the F ticket.



*With the caveat that this is probably one of those weirdo fake F fares and in the case of IRROPs you'll possibly be flying Y.
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Old Feb 25, 2016, 9:30 am
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Buy now. As someone who owns a house in, and thus travels to Cabo quite frequently (where I'm typing you this response right now), those are as good as it's going to get ESPECIALLY if you're going to Cabo and want business class. Not sure about Cancun or other destinations, but holiday travel to Mexico is busy, busy, busy. I have my holiday tickets booked already if that shows you how much confidence I have in waiting.
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Old Feb 25, 2016, 9:34 am
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Bought late yesterday evening for $947 ai. There were some cheaper options routing via ORD ($880 ai), but I don't like connecting at that airport.

Originally Posted by arlflyer
As someone who has never bought a paid F ticket in his life...under a grand for revenue F from BOS to anywhere warm over Christmas/NY sounds like a relative steal.
And $200 for an RT guaranteed* upgrade sounds like beyond a no-brainer.
Heck even if I was an EXP I'd probably buy the F ticket.
Back when I was a student, I couldn't fanthom ever flying upfront. "Who would have that amount of money"?? Or "What a waste of money"!!
But now, I don't blink plopping down thousands of dollars to fly J or F. In fact, it dreads me flying at the back of the bus

With the caveat that this is probably one of those weirdo fake F fares and in the case of IRROPs you'll possibly be flying Y.
I don't know about weirdo fake F fares. The fare codes AA displayed to me were "A" and "I".

Last edited by Dieuwer; Feb 25, 2016 at 9:41 am
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Old Feb 25, 2016, 9:42 am
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Hint: for cheaper fares - cheaper everything - go to Mexico in November, also referred to as "Novihambre" ("Novhunger") in Mexico because there are few tourists, little money, low competitive prices before the ~15 Dec price hikes hot and many working in the lower echelons of the industry are furloughed between September and December.

I know not everyone can, or wants to, do that, but that's something to file away if prices are the nut of "go - no go" decisions.

And if Interjet joins oneworld ultimately, flying to DFW, IAH, JFK?, LAS, LAX, MIA, SAT and connecting to MEX and onward may save money as well.
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Old Feb 25, 2016, 9:59 am
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Originally Posted by Dieuwer
Back when I was a student, I couldn't fanthom ever flying upfront. "Who would have that amount of money"?? Or "What a waste of money"!! But now, I don't blink plopping down thousands of dollars to fly J or F. In fact, it dreads me flying at the back of the bus
Oh, me too. I fly plenty of F, just selectively, as I don't do a ton of miles each year. Work travel is regional/mid-con domestic, maybe once a month, and almost always in Y with the occasional complimentary or selective 500-mile sticker upgrade when I get lucky. I don't do any long-haul for work. Personal is a couple international trips a year, long haul in J or F with miles, and some domestic weekend/weeklong trips, either Avios Y (less of a good deal these days), paid Y, or AA redemption Y/F. I was just saying that I don't buy F fares off the shelf.


Originally Posted by Dieuwer
I don't know about weirdo fake F fares. The fare codes AA displayed to me were "A" and "I".
I was referring to the -UP fares: Y with instant upgrade. I'm not an expert because I don't buy F (or purported F), but I thought the "I" code was one of these?
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Old Mar 6, 2016, 11:15 pm
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Originally Posted by Dieuwer
Bought late yesterday evening for $947 ai. There were some cheaper options routing via ORD ($880 ai), but I don't like connecting at that airport.
Damn. Just checked fares again and now the price for F is $783 ai. Should have waited with buying until today.
I'll make a note in my international airfare spreadsheet for next time.
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