Gamble...book now or wait?
May 17, 2016 | 9:06 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 4
Gamble...book now or wait?
I'm trying to book a flight for the ever-popular Christmas holiday season, and the SWA calendar to book doesn't go to December yet. A competing carrier has good prices and I am afraid to wait for SWA. . Any idea what average flights LAS to ECP were last year for Dec 22nd, or a way to find out?
May 17, 2016 | 12:13 pm
#3
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: YVR
Programs: UA Premier Platinum
Posts: 3,796
That being said, Christmas travel season is an exception, loads are very very high so yes, book as early as possible.
May 17, 2016 | 12:27 pm
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: IAH
Programs: UA Plat, DL Credit Card Holder, Hyatt Ist-iest, Stariott Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 13,491
I also generally agree with this advice, unless for some odd reason you actually need the 2 checked bags per person.
May 17, 2016 | 4:06 pm
#5
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 3,790
May 17, 2016 | 4:23 pm
#6
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: PDX
Programs: Nexus, NoLoyalty
Posts: 373
If you fly Southwest even semi-regularly, you can always book it as a backup then cancel the flight when/if you secure something else cheaper (or even rebook the same flight if its price drops). Even for a non-refundable cheap ticket, you'll get 100% credit that you can use on a future flight. If you pay for it with points, they're redeposited on cancellation with no fee.
May 17, 2016 | 9:33 pm
#7
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 179
I'm trying to book a flight for the ever-popular Christmas holiday season, and the SWA calendar to book doesn't go to December yet. A competing carrier has good prices and I am afraid to wait for SWA. . Any idea what average flights LAS to ECP were last year for Dec 22nd, or a way to find out?
if you go in ordinary dates it is better to wait because sometimes there will be promotional rate
May 18, 2016 | 7:49 am
#8
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Beaufort, SC
Programs: Delta, Alaska Air, & BA
Posts: 548
The best advice I ever received is would I more disappointed if the fare went down 15% after I booked or if I didn't book and it went up 15%. If it is what I consider a good fare I book and then I don't check again.
May 18, 2016 | 9:15 am
#9
Join Date: Jul 2011
Programs: AA Plat, UA 1K>Plat>moving to Silver
Posts: 2,279
I usually have an acceptable price in mind for the flight. If way in advance, I will often set a Yapta alert on a flight I really want. If I get a notice the price has dropped a lot, I then buy it. At some point I think the price is probably about as good as it will get and I go ahead and buy. For domestic that may only be a month before. International business class, on the other hand, can fluctuate from $2K to $8K in the space of a week. Usually the best price shows up about 3-6 months out. During that window, I watch and if it gets in the range, I buy it. Just got an IAD-CDG business class RT in the Fall for $2.2K that way.