Is there any way to predict one day fare sales?
Jul 8, 2011, 7:39 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: New York suburbs
Posts: 4,210
Is there any way to predict one day fare sales?
Is there any way to predict when I'll get an e-mail from JetBlue on some apparently random day, announcing a fare sale for travel purchased only on that day, for travel on what seems like relatively short notice?
I understand this can work very well for people looking for a quick getaway anywhere they can find a cheaper ticket. But this can be a problem for people who are planning a more complicated vacation in advance. Do I buy the airfare now and lock in my other travel plans, or wait? If I wait, hotels, car rentals, and other vendors' inventories will likely decrease, and their prices may rise. JetBlue may or may not decide to drop their price, and it may or may not work for my travel dates. If the price does drop, JetBlue will issue a travel credit, but that may or may not work well with my travel plans in the future.
I understand this can work very well for people looking for a quick getaway anywhere they can find a cheaper ticket. But this can be a problem for people who are planning a more complicated vacation in advance. Do I buy the airfare now and lock in my other travel plans, or wait? If I wait, hotels, car rentals, and other vendors' inventories will likely decrease, and their prices may rise. JetBlue may or may not decide to drop their price, and it may or may not work for my travel dates. If the price does drop, JetBlue will issue a travel credit, but that may or may not work well with my travel plans in the future.
Jul 8, 2011, 7:49 pm
#2
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: MSY
Programs: Bonvoy (Titanium) . Delta (Platinum)
Posts: 531
If you are paying for a "more complicated vacation in advance", you pay for it. You don't wait for a fare sale. Otherwise you'll likely be disappointed. If you can't pay for it without a fare sale, you probably can't afford a complicated vacation to begin with.
Jul 9, 2011, 8:52 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: New York suburbs
Posts: 4,210
To be fair to JetBlue, last year I had a similar issue with Delta. Delta tends to release more award seats at the last minute. That time I got lucky.
I didn't know my exact schedule until shortly before I wanted to go. This vacation was not as complicated as some others I had taken. The other airlines had no more low award inventory left. Delta had what I wanted at 40k SkyMiles. The hotel I wanted had glowing reviews, good prices, and amenities that made it the best value. However, it was sold out online. When I called them, they said it's on short notice, they're officially sold out, and they only have a few rooms left, at a very high price. So I paid more than I could have for a lesser-quality, less popular hotel.
But for more complicated itineraries, possibly involving another airline for one leg, that releases award inventory early, I have to plan ahead of time.
I didn't know my exact schedule until shortly before I wanted to go. This vacation was not as complicated as some others I had taken. The other airlines had no more low award inventory left. Delta had what I wanted at 40k SkyMiles. The hotel I wanted had glowing reviews, good prices, and amenities that made it the best value. However, it was sold out online. When I called them, they said it's on short notice, they're officially sold out, and they only have a few rooms left, at a very high price. So I paid more than I could have for a lesser-quality, less popular hotel.
But for more complicated itineraries, possibly involving another airline for one leg, that releases award inventory early, I have to plan ahead of time.
Jul 10, 2011, 9:55 pm
#4
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: rdu and nyc
Programs: US silver, DL exGM, UA ex1K (now GM), B6, WN, AA
Posts: 125
Is there any way to predict when I'll get an e-mail from JetBlue on some apparently random day, announcing a fare sale for travel purchased only on that day, for travel on what seems like relatively short notice?
I understand this can work very well for people looking for a quick getaway anywhere they can find a cheaper ticket. But this can be a problem for people who are planning a more complicated vacation in advance. Do I buy the airfare now and lock in my other travel plans, or wait? If I wait, hotels, car rentals, and other vendors' inventories will likely decrease, and their prices may rise. JetBlue may or may not decide to drop their price, and it may or may not work for my travel dates. If the price does drop, JetBlue will issue a travel credit, but that may or may not work well with my travel plans in the future.
I understand this can work very well for people looking for a quick getaway anywhere they can find a cheaper ticket. But this can be a problem for people who are planning a more complicated vacation in advance. Do I buy the airfare now and lock in my other travel plans, or wait? If I wait, hotels, car rentals, and other vendors' inventories will likely decrease, and their prices may rise. JetBlue may or may not decide to drop their price, and it may or may not work for my travel dates. If the price does drop, JetBlue will issue a travel credit, but that may or may not work well with my travel plans in the future.
At least you get to call in and get credit for lower fares here, as opposed to many others, who charge a change fee to get their new lower fare!
Jul 11, 2011, 11:59 am
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: New York suburbs
Posts: 4,210
I know about Cheeps. I was referring to the one-day fare sales that tend to randomly pop up on weekdays, usually for Tuesday and Wednesday travel on relatively short notice.
The problem is for something more complicated. Ex, let's say next July I want to do a roadtrip on I-90 from Boston to Seattle. EWR->BOS on JetBlue earns AA miles. It also can come nicely at $39 when it's on sale. It's even better coupled with my $18 travel credit from my PWM-JFK flight from my smaller roadtrip this year.
But that credit expires in mid-Feb. JetBlue fare sales for July may pop up in May or June. Also, AA flights SEA-JFK for July tend to start having few award seats by late winter/early spring already. Boston and Seattle hotels, at the beginning and end of my trip, tend to get very expensive in their peak season summer, especially if I don't book in advance.
So waiting to see if/when JetBlue comes through with another fare sale when I need it poses a planning problem.
The problem is for something more complicated. Ex, let's say next July I want to do a roadtrip on I-90 from Boston to Seattle. EWR->BOS on JetBlue earns AA miles. It also can come nicely at $39 when it's on sale. It's even better coupled with my $18 travel credit from my PWM-JFK flight from my smaller roadtrip this year.
But that credit expires in mid-Feb. JetBlue fare sales for July may pop up in May or June. Also, AA flights SEA-JFK for July tend to start having few award seats by late winter/early spring already. Boston and Seattle hotels, at the beginning and end of my trip, tend to get very expensive in their peak season summer, especially if I don't book in advance.
So waiting to see if/when JetBlue comes through with another fare sale when I need it poses a planning problem.
Jul 11, 2011, 8:55 pm
#7
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 24
I know about Cheeps. I was referring to the one-day fare sales that tend to randomly pop up on weekdays, usually for Tuesday and Wednesday travel on relatively short notice.
The problem is for something more complicated. Ex, let's say next July I want to do a roadtrip on I-90 from Boston to Seattle. EWR->BOS on JetBlue earns AA miles. It also can come nicely at $39 when it's on sale. It's even better coupled with my $18 travel credit from my PWM-JFK flight from my smaller roadtrip this year.
But that credit expires in mid-Feb. JetBlue fare sales for July may pop up in May or June. Also, AA flights SEA-JFK for July tend to start having few award seats by late winter/early spring already. Boston and Seattle hotels, at the beginning and end of my trip, tend to get very expensive in their peak season summer, especially if I don't book in advance.
So waiting to see if/when JetBlue comes through with another fare sale when I need it poses a planning problem.
The problem is for something more complicated. Ex, let's say next July I want to do a roadtrip on I-90 from Boston to Seattle. EWR->BOS on JetBlue earns AA miles. It also can come nicely at $39 when it's on sale. It's even better coupled with my $18 travel credit from my PWM-JFK flight from my smaller roadtrip this year.
But that credit expires in mid-Feb. JetBlue fare sales for July may pop up in May or June. Also, AA flights SEA-JFK for July tend to start having few award seats by late winter/early spring already. Boston and Seattle hotels, at the beginning and end of my trip, tend to get very expensive in their peak season summer, especially if I don't book in advance.
So waiting to see if/when JetBlue comes through with another fare sale when I need it poses a planning problem.
what are the dates you are looking at? these sales will pop up sporadically, but if you are searching for deals around Thanksgiving or Christmas, the sales will 100% be blacked out.
Jul 12, 2011, 10:35 am
#9
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: rdu and nyc
Programs: US silver, DL exGM, UA ex1K (now GM), B6, WN, AA
Posts: 125
I know about Cheeps. I was referring to the one-day fare sales that tend to randomly pop up on weekdays, usually for Tuesday and Wednesday travel on relatively short notice.
The problem is for something more complicated. Ex, let's say next July I want to do a roadtrip on I-90 from Boston to Seattle. EWR->BOS on JetBlue earns AA miles. It also can come nicely at $39 when it's on sale. It's even better coupled with my $18 travel credit from my PWM-JFK flight from my smaller roadtrip this year.
But that credit expires in mid-Feb. JetBlue fare sales for July may pop up in May or June. Also, AA flights SEA-JFK for July tend to start having few award seats by late winter/early spring already. Boston and Seattle hotels, at the beginning and end of my trip, tend to get very expensive in their peak season summer, especially if I don't book in advance.
So waiting to see if/when JetBlue comes through with another fare sale when I need it poses a planning problem.
The problem is for something more complicated. Ex, let's say next July I want to do a roadtrip on I-90 from Boston to Seattle. EWR->BOS on JetBlue earns AA miles. It also can come nicely at $39 when it's on sale. It's even better coupled with my $18 travel credit from my PWM-JFK flight from my smaller roadtrip this year.
But that credit expires in mid-Feb. JetBlue fare sales for July may pop up in May or June. Also, AA flights SEA-JFK for July tend to start having few award seats by late winter/early spring already. Boston and Seattle hotels, at the beginning and end of my trip, tend to get very expensive in their peak season summer, especially if I don't book in advance.
So waiting to see if/when JetBlue comes through with another fare sale when I need it poses a planning problem.