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Did I Blow It - did not purchase & fares are increasing - will they decrease?......

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Did I Blow It - did not purchase & fares are increasing - will they decrease?......

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Old Aug 4, 2016 | 9:43 am
  #1  
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Did I Blow It - did not purchase & fares are increasing - will they decrease?......

Have been watching the fares for multi city/open jaw International for a January 2017 trip

Outbound TUS (flexible) 2 SJO
Return PTY 2 TUS

When I first started looking, about 2 months ago, fares were $600. They have steadily gone upwards.... Sigh. Today, restricted tix $750

The outbound is pretty cheap; it's the return from Panama that is the challenge

We aren't leaving for 5 1/2 months.

What are the chances (ha!) the rates will go down again?

Thanks for your feedback
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Old Aug 4, 2016 | 9:47 am
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It's never too late! Did you try more creative routings? Booking as two one-way tickets? Other *A carriers? Google Flights?
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Old Aug 4, 2016 | 9:56 am
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There is no universal answer to this.

There are a few sites that will do future fare estimates -- like Kayak, Skyscanner, AirfareWatchDog, Farecompare, ....

A lot depends to future sales: if seats don't selling as the airline would like, then fares may drop; if sales are doing good, prices may raise further.

Basic supply and demand (well a bit more than "basic" but similiar).
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Old Aug 4, 2016 | 10:25 am
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Are you trying to return to the USA around MLK Day weekend? That's a heavy travel period most years.
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Old Aug 4, 2016 | 11:18 am
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Originally Posted by transportprof
It's never too late! Did you try more creative routings? Booking as two one-way tickets? Other *A carriers? Google Flights?
I do use Google flights. I am not (forgot this word!) 'married' to United; they just have the better (sorta) fares for these flights. I will look at one way flights again. Thanks

Originally Posted by WineCountryUA
There is no universal answer to this.

There are a few sites that will do future fare estimates -- like Kayak, Skyscanner, AirfareWatchDog, Farecompare, ....

A lot depends to future sales: if seats don't selling as the airline would like, then fares may drop; if sales are doing good, prices may raise further.

Basic supply and demand (well a bit more than "basic" but similiar).
Just curious - would you buy or continue watching and wishing...

Last edited by service1010; Aug 4, 2016 at 12:58 pm Reason: merging consecutive posts by same member -- please use multi-quote
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Old Aug 4, 2016 | 11:21 am
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So the first question to ask here is whether the fare has increased for your return due to inventory being sold as opposed to a general increase in the fare on that route. If the former, the fare is likely to keep rising as inventory continues to go down. If the latter, there's a reasonable chance the fare will come back down
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Old Aug 4, 2016 | 11:22 am
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Originally Posted by MSPeconomist
Are you trying to return to the USA around MLK Day weekend? That's a heavy travel period most years.
Yikes. I had not even thought about it possibly being a holiday! MLK bday is 1/16/17. That week.

I am returning the Sunday after though

Originally Posted by Kacee
So the first question to ask here is whether the fare has increased for your return due to inventory being sold as opposed to a general increase in the fare on that route. If the former, the fare is likely to keep rising as inventory continues to go down. If the latter, there's a reasonable chance the fare will come back down
Interesting! How do I determine?

That certainly would suggest that I (sob) buy now

Last edited by WineCountryUA; Aug 4, 2016 at 1:15 pm Reason: merging consecutive posts by same member -- please use multi-quote
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Old Aug 4, 2016 | 11:28 am
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Would it be cheaper to do a simple TUS-SJO round-trip, and purchasing a separate PTY-SJO one-way positioning flight?

I'm also shocked there is enough demand for four SJO-IAH flights. 2am, 7am, 1:30pm, 3pm.
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Old Aug 4, 2016 | 11:30 am
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Originally Posted by service1010
... Just curious - would you buy or continue watching and wishing...
If the fare is acceptable, I book.
I typically book known schedule trips 6-8 weeks out for domestic and 3-4 months out for TATL/TPAC.

The question for you is the risk of $X of price increase worth the chance of $X price decease. I prefer to avoid higher prices versus the chances of a lower price. I prefer a known situation to an unknown.

Last edited by WineCountryUA; Aug 4, 2016 at 1:17 pm Reason: grammar
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Old Aug 4, 2016 | 12:59 pm
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Originally Posted by WineCountryUA
If the fare is acceptable, I book.
I typically book known schedule trips 6-8 weeks out for domestic and 3-4 months out for TATL/TPAC.

The questions for you is the risk of $X of price increase worth the chance of $X price decease. I prefer to avoid higher prices versus the chances of a lower price. I prefer a know situation to an unknown.
Thank you

Originally Posted by pseudoswede
Would it be cheaper to do a simple TUS-SJO round-trip, and purchasing a separate PTY-SJO one-way positioning flight?

I'm also shocked there is enough demand for four SJO-IAH flights. 2am, 7am, 1:30pm, 3pm.
Amazing that the 1 1/2 hour flight from Panama to San Jose is almost $300 (right now)

Last edited by WineCountryUA; Aug 4, 2016 at 1:16 pm Reason: merging consecutive posts by same member -- please use multi-quote
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Old Aug 4, 2016 | 1:12 pm
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Originally Posted by service1010
Amazing that the 1 1/2 hour flight from Panama to San Jose is almost $300 (right now)
Would this be a good use of miles?
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