Is airfare really going up?

Im sorry for all the people who were hurt with the bankruptcy of ATA and Aloha, it was a disaster for many.

I have been checking air for my ds honeymoon. SLC to OGG. The fares have been going up and down but they were still able to get under $600 for rt during September. That was the same price I paid 2 years ago for the same time of the year.

It was interesting and a little nerve-wracking the different changes in price with each airline. One day US Air would be lowest, then Delta, then United. Finally I threatened him with his life and my timeshare to book the darn flight.

Supply and demand are still the king of all pricing. (Until the airlines reduce thier flights enough)

I usually see fluctuation in pricing when I'm looking for a certain flight. But I've been monitoring flights for 2 vacations I've already booked this year. One is LGA - MYR. The price has steadily increased, and the current price is 2x higher than what I paid. I haven't seen any decrease over the past few months, just increase.
My other trip is JFK - AUA. I purchased the first day the flights were available on JetBlue. That was end of April. The price has gone up a LOT since, and is now over $1000 more than what I paid. CRAZY

UP

Airplanes use gas (actually jet fuel). Does that answer your question?

talkamotta said:

Im sorry for all the people who were hurt with the bankruptcy of ATA and Aloha, it was a disaster for many.

I have been checking air for my ds honeymoon. SLC to OGG. The fares have been going up and down but they were still able to get under $600 for rt during September. That was the same price I paid 2 years ago for the same time of the year.

It was interesting and a little nerve-wracking the different changes in price with each airline. One day US Air would be lowest, then Delta, then United. Finally I threatened him with his life and my timeshare to book the darn flight.

Supply and demand are still the king of all pricing. (Until the airlines reduce thier flights enough)

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Yes prices are going up. It's just that the airlines are a little deceptive about it. AA has started charging $15 each way for every piece of luggage. US Air was charging extra if you wanted an isle or window seat. Several airlines have started charging if you want to check more than one piece of luggage per passenger. Most airlines now have food for purchase and a few are charge for drinks. Alcohol is no longer free on oversea's flights and if you want to watch a movie, you have to bring your own earphones or purchase the cheap things the airline will sell you.

dougp26364 said:

Yes prices are going up. It's just that the airlines are a little deceptive about it. AA has started charging $15 each way for every piece of luggage. US Air was charging extra if you wanted an isle or window seat. Several airlines have started charging if you want to check more than one piece of luggage per passenger. Most airlines now have food for purchase and a few are charge for drinks. Alcohol is no longer free on oversea's flights and if you want to watch a movie, you have to bring your own earphones or purchase the cheap things the airline will sell you.

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Try flying NW for free alcohlic beverages on flights across the pond. They are the only US carrier still providing all of them free, although DL does give you one free drink with the meal. Movie earphones are also free.

According to this morning's paper, the fares just went up from $10 to $60 for just about all the majors. This is in addition to the normal yield management fluctuations.

Glad I still have about 1.5 Million FF miles left. I use them to travel off season and have been able to get where I would like to go (so far). Mothballing airplanes will definitely hamper future plans but as the USAF says, "Flexibility is the key to Air Power (and free tickets).

Cheers

No free drinks on our NW flight from Amsterdam to Detroit last summer

I just checked our flights from SLC to Cun for November. I paid $450 (booked in February) with Aeromexico of course flying on Delta. The kids decided to go a couple of weeks later and they paid $550 from Delta now the flight is $619 and Aeromexico is in $900's. Yeah, thats higher but Im sure its because its non stop and the plane is getting booked up.

So my guess is that flights will be lower until they are booked at the break even point. Of course the places Ive mentioned Hawaii and Cancun are top destinations, so less traveled airports or airports monopolized by only a few airlines would be a different game.

After all thats what we all are trying to do is adjust to the new game of the airlines.

Yeah, however some places not as obvious as others...

For example, my airfare 3 yrs ago to Hawaii was $720 pp and I purchased them in Jan for Jun. This year, Hawaii was $649 purchased in Jan. for this August, however when I check now the rate is $898 per person....yep its gone up, but it hasn't doubled, nor tripled. Its only gone up about 30% however, considering the fact that I didn't pay the same for my airfare that I did 3 yrs ago, I still don't think its all that bad. Also, friend going to Hawaii in Dec, checked on tickets this Jan. and they were $746 she recently checked last week and they were up to $980 ... she thinks she should let it ride, as she is hoping fares will come down in Sept. Me...I would have purchased them in Jan. for $746. So in a word, "yes" airfare is going up, however not so much that it will stop me from going where I want to go. I will just have to go less places, and spend less $$ while there.

Air Fares have increased a lot in a very short time. Apparently some locations have had less increases than others. Hawaii from Atlanta to Honolulu was $1200 round trip coach for 2 Feb 2008. Currently the same flights are right at $2000 for Feb 2009. Not double but real close.

I booked my parents a flight (Delta) from Atlanta to St Maarten this spring, and when I first checked round trip for two was $1150. They waited 2 days to tell me to lock in their reservations and the price was $1450 for 2 when I booked it. A couple of days before their flight left (less than 2 weeks later) the cheapest flight was almost $2600. I just checked Delta and the same flights for next April are $2526 over 300 days in advance. This is well more than double the price from a little over 2 months ago.

Aruba is another destination I can compare prices from a couple of months ago against the current prices. This spring round trip for 2 from Atlanta to Aruba was $940 coach. The cheapest price for the same flights April 2009(Sat to Sat departure/arrival) are $2280. This is also well above double the cost from what you could have booked it for a couple of months ago.

tombo said:

I booked my parents a flight (Delta) from Atlanta to St Maarten this spring, and when I first checked round trip for two was $1150. They waited 2 days to tell me to lock in their reservations and the price was $1450 for 2 when I booked it. A couple of days before their flight left (less than 2 weeks later) the cheapest flight was almost $2600. I just checked Delta and the same flights for next April are $2526 over 300 days in advance. This is well more than double the price from a little over 2 months ago.

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1. I got frustrated when my son was procrastinating with flight plans for his trip to Maui. When he finally booked I was much more relieved than he was. Its because they dont know pricing.

2. I will be paying more attention to the cost of flights for the certain areas that I fly more frequently. So I will know what a fair price will be and like others wont wait; just book it.

3. The obvious is that the average airfare will go up, thats a given. The people on this site, timeshare forum, flyer talk, etc arent average. I would hope all I have learn which is only 10% of what others know makes a difference.

So what are thngs we can do to lessen the cost of air;

1. Use FF miles whenever possible. Make your bis and cc points count. Flyer talk is still so confusing to me. Can only read for short amounts of time.

2. Higher airfare places should be visited for longer stays. Even though I offered 2 weeks in Hawaii for my ds honeymoon they are only going for one week. That makes me crazy. I will be going for 2 -3 weeks and when I retire for sure 3 weeks.

3. Every other year timeshares will become better bargains. Or finding other owners to do private exchanges should increase.

4. Alternative airports can work nicely. Or combining 2 trips into one. For example flying into Vegas for a few days or week, then flying from LAS to OGG for 2 weeks. Flights in and out of Vegas are generally cheaper.

We just need to fine tune our game plan.

Early book seems to work best now

I used to book early and watch for air fare sales especially with Southwest. I can get some refund most of the time. But we booked 12 tickets for the last week of Aug on Southwest(IAD->MCO) the day it opened the schedule. It has only gone up since then.

We also booked 23 tickets on United the day it opened schedule for our 2009 Spring break trip (IAD->FLL). The price has gone up 2-3 times already in the past two weeks. I hope they will have a sale some time in the future, but I am really not counting on it.

Airfare to Orlando has doubled for me from last year! I paid $150 rt nonstop on Delta last October, and right now for the same fall week it's running over $330. It used to be one of the cheapest destinations (from the northeast) but not this year. I could fly to Palm Springs for less!

I'm already eyeballing Spring Break 09(week before Easter). They are high.

I booked my Thanksgiving flights for MCO in Feb. I got 4 tickets for about $850. Friday before Thanksgiving to Black Friday.