Questions about Flying to DisneyWorld

[Genie1953]

We will be flying to Orlando in April and have a few questions for you experts out there. I have heard that it is cheaper to fly out on Thursdays, however we will be unable to do that. We have to fly out from Kansas City on Saturday 4/10/10 and return home on Sunday 4/18/10.

1) When is the best time to book flights...far in advance or wait until closer to the departure date?

2) We want to fly out early in the morning so will this make a difference in when we should book our flights?

3) Any preferences on specific airlines? You can send a private message if mentioning specific airlines here on the message boards is against the rules.

4) What if I book our flight and then a better deal comes up...is it possible to rebook at the lower price?

Any tips will be much appreciated. I did some checking a few minutes ago and it appears that right now most tickets at the various airlines are going for around $250 to $350 per person each way so will cost us in excess of $1000 total depending on baggage costs. Just looking at trying to save money.

[faline]

The airline industry has been in a bit of flux over the last few years. The best time to book is when you find a good deal - sometimes that's far in advance - sometimes that's closer to when you plan to go. I'd start watching flight prices as soon as possible so you get a baseline and know when a better price pops up. If you see a really good price, book. Otherwise, I usually set an arbitrary date such as 3 months prior to travel and then book at the best price I can get.

Early morning flights can be pretty popular and may cost a bit more - particularly if they are direct flights. You'll need to weigh which is more important to you - early arrival or better price.

Every area of the country has airlines that may offer better prices than others. Being from the Northeast, I don't have any specific recommendation for your area of the country.

Many airlines charges fees to change flights - in many cases, these fees outweight the savings that might be realized from switching to a less expensive flight. For example, an airline may charge $50 per person to make a flight change that saves you $20 per person??!! Guess you'll stick with your original flight! Clearly, in most cases, it is set up to benefit the airlines rather than you.

Also, check out the fee policies of the airlines that fly out of your area. A good price can quickly become a bad price after you realize that they charge you "x.xx per piece of checked luggage and $x.xx to reserve a seat etc. etc. Airlines are now in the business of charging extra for almost everthing they can. Unless you know what all these "hidden" fees will be, you won't be able to figure out whether or not you are getting a good rate for your flight!

[gueli]

Check what airlines are at the nearby airport.
direct flights are best (but not always possible from every airport).
Southwest has a very liberal baggage policy, but check other discount airlines in your area. (airtran, jetblue)
As the PP said- book a flight when the price seems right to you, then don't worry about it.
As far as the days of the week, when I booked my flights- the major difference I found was the cost from weekday to weekend. Check different dates, etc., don't lock in on a date unless you see a good airline price.

As a comment- it would be what about a 20 hour car ride ? is that an option ?

[AvaNellMouse]

I booked our tickets to Orlando the day SWA made our dates available. Since then, they have not been cheaper - I check often!:blush:

We found less expensive tickets on other airlines but by the time we paid their baggage fees, it was much more.

We are going in December and goodness knows we will need all of our baggage allowance - it is Disney World, afterall!:mickey:

[TheRustyScupper]

1) When is the best time to book flights...far in advance or wait until closer to the departure date?
. . . as early s possible
. . . the best day to buy/book is Wednesdays
. . . unfortunately, Kansas does not have large metro markets
. . . there is not a lot of competition
. . . if you see a price you like, grab it

2) We want to fly out early in the morning so will this make a difference in when we should book our flights?
. . . yes
. . . early morn and dinner time are business fliers
. . . thus, you want to get in before good deals are over

3) Any preferences on specific airlines? You can send a private message if mentioning specific airlines here on the message boards is against the rules.
. . . just look around
. . . all can be cheaper on any given day

4) What if I book our flight and then a better deal comes up...is it possible to rebook at the lower price?
. . . some airlines will give you credit for price differences
. . . other will not
. . . definitely not between different airlines

[peemagg]

Something else that airlines do when you change your flights is that they don't give you the money saved back. They apply it to a credit to be used within a year from the original booking date. Not the date you fly out, but the day you booked the flights. Unless you know you are going to be flying again, then it will cost you more in the long run.