Air fare price: What would you do? (vacation, airlines, airports)
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Location: Montreal -> CT -> MA -> Montreal -> Ottawa
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So, I've been searching for a flight from Boston to Ottawa (Canada) on September 24, returning September 25.
The price, up until today, has been a steady (and alarming!) $823.
Today it dropped to $674.
And my jaw dropped.
I was about to book it, thinking that this is as good as it will get, but now I'm not sure if I should hedge my bets, and hope that it drops some more.
What would you do? Book it now or wait to see if it drops some more?
Location: Montreal -> CT -> MA -> Montreal -> Ottawa
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Reputation: 28903
Done!
I have to promise myself not to look on Orbitz or any of the other sites between now and the end of September, because I'll knock my head against the wall (hard!) if it drops further in that window of time.
I also deleted my Yapta alert. That's all I need -- to be told without my even asking that I lost out on another price drop.
Keep on top of the prices...if the price drops significantly more, most airlines will give you the difference in vouchers (minus any ticket change fees).
Location: Montreal -> CT -> MA -> Montreal -> Ottawa
17,330 posts, read 33,055,877 times
Reputation: 28903
Quote:
Originally Posted by mels
Keep on top of the prices...if the price drops significantly more, most airlines will give you the difference in vouchers (minus any ticket change fees).
The fear got to me. I booked the sucker. Watch it drop some more -- I'll slap myself silly.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MrRational
In the last year I've needed to book flights on short notice 3 times.
Using Expedia and *within days of the flight itself** I did very well.
One of these was 2 coach seats from Honolulu to LA for $300 each.
That's the thing with this flight. I have to go the morning of September 24 and I have to return the morning of September 25. And I absolutely HAVE to make this trip.
I booked it in hopes that I got lucky today, and it won't drop anymore.
My God man, what's that, a 3 hour drive? It seriously takes you longer to fly when considering check-in and security, then driving.
By the way a quick ITA search shows a $513 for a round trip, exact dates, exact airports (appears to have a stop however). If I wanted to be flexible with airports and dates I could probably get that rate down to $200.
Round trip: Boston to Ottawa, Sep 24-25Complete tripsIndividual flightsTime bars
$513
$0.395 per mile Porter 9:00am 12:56pm 3h 56m BOS to YOW YTZ Details
10:25am 2:05pm 3h 40m YOW to BOS YTZ
Location: Montreal -> CT -> MA -> Montreal -> Ottawa
17,330 posts, read 33,055,877 times
Reputation: 28903
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dd714
My God man, what's that, a 3 hour drive? It seriously takes you longer to fly when considering check-in and security, then driving.
By the way a quick ITA search shows a $513 for a round trip, exact dates, exact airports. If I wanted to be flexible with airports and dates I could probably get that rate down to $200.
Round trip: Boston to Ottawa, Sep 24-25Complete tripsIndividual flightsTime bars
$513
$0.395 per mile Porter 9:00am 12:56pm 3h 56m BOS to YOW YTZ Details
10:25am 2:05pm 3h 40m YOW to BOS YTZ
If it were a 3-hour drive, I'd be driving it. It's an 8-hour drive. IF there's no traffic.
And, you're right, I could have gotten a cheaper fare if I took a flight with stops. But a nonstop flight is 1 hour 15 minutes in the air, which gives me -- on this VERY short trip of ONE DAY -- more time with my family. Those flights with stops are very roundabout and take 4-6 hours, which is ridiculous.
Few thing to keep in mind. about $200 of the fare is taxes, they will not change (much). BOS -> YOW is a small market pair, AirCanada (Jazz) run regional jets as the only non/stops on this city pair so the seats are limited (50?) pre flight x2 a day. To take a connection make almost faster to drive with the connection times. The Change fee is ??150?? I dont think you will see it go down that much
LA -> HNL is a heavy leasure market flown by many airlines, with big planes with lots of seats, the 'last minute' booking are not big on this pair, most people plan there vacation months in advance. and there is Not to much biz travel (and most company will allow biz tickets for that lenght flight). so the airline will do fare special just to unload the seats to make a few $'s off them as last minute fares.
Location: Montreal -> CT -> MA -> Montreal -> Ottawa
17,330 posts, read 33,055,877 times
Reputation: 28903
Quote:
Originally Posted by flyonpa
Few thing to keep in mind. about $200 of the fare is taxes, they will not change (much). BOS -> YOW is a small market pair, AirCanada (Jazz) run regional jets as the only non/stops on this city pair so the seats are limited (50?) pre flight x2 a day. To take a connection make almost faster to drive with the connection times. The Change fee is ??150?? I dont think you will see it go down that much
LA -> HNL is a heavy leasure market flown by many airlines, with big planes with lots of seats, the 'last minute' booking are not big on this pair, most people plan there vacation months in advance. and there is Not to much biz travel (and most company will allow biz tickets for that lenght flight). so the airline will do fare special just to unload the seats to make a few $'s off them as last minute fares.
That's exactly why I took your (and my husband's) advice to just book it(Danno ).
I might well be the only person on the plane! I mean, really? Who wants to go to OTTAWA?
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