Airline (WestJet) question

[MudBud]

I am 75% sure I'm going to book a family trip to Disney. Thinking of going in November. So I've been checking out flight prices for about a month now. The prices for the dates I'm thinking about going have gone from reasonable to high to reasonable again. Same days, same flight times but the price has fluctuated.

Is this normal? I'm worried that I'm going to get stuck with the high price but at the same time, not completely sure we can go yet so I don't want to book right now. The price difference was $300 x 4 people going = $1200 a big change in budget!

 

[MudBud]

I think I'm torturing myself - just checked Westjet again and the site says there's only 4 tickets left at the lower price. Aaaaaahhhhh!!!!

 

[AngelDisney]

Don't check airfares when your dates are not set. It would be a torture. I usually plan trips 12 months ahead and note similar flight info for my trip dates to determine what the lowest fare might be. But they don't follow any pattern at all! Just start checking prices when you are ready and book the flights with fares that are within your budget. As many others here would say, "don't look back after you have booked!"
Been there, done that. Pixie dust!

 

[starvenger]

I feel your pain here. I was doing this dance until about a month ago looking for flights to FLL.

Like the pp mentioned, if you don't have set dates (or at least a fairly specific date range) it might not be best to check now. Doesn't hurt to do so, but it is a bit easier when you have a clear set of parameters to operate from.

Prices will likely fluctuate until 6 months out - in your case, April. So you really do need to keep checking. A price tracker like google flights or kayak will help you out with that.

And it's sounds like you do have a price point in mind to buy tickets but the "reasonable" price doesn't hit it. The way I see it, you have a couple of options:

1) Buy at the "reasonable" rate. No more worries. Also, no more looking for flights.

2) Wait. There is still time before that hypothetical 6 month window starts and prices get higher. So there is still a chance that you will get the price you want.

 

[grantclaire]

Hi, we fly a lot on WestJet, I find that the earlier you book the lower price. I think they use a tier pricing meaning they might have 8 seats available at the lowest price when they are sold they move to the next price level. They do have seat sales and you could wait for one. I agree with the PP just book at a rate you feel is reasonable then move on to the part of planning. Good luck!

 

[ottawamom]

MudBud, OT, I thought your litter of puppies where Samoyeds when I first saw your picture on the main page (really small photo). Are they blonde Golden Retrievers?

 

[MudBud]

Thanks everyone!

 

[MudBud]

MudBud, OT, I thought your litter of puppies where Samoyeds when I first saw your picture on the main page (really small photo). Are they blonde Golden Retrievers?

They're yellow labs - very similar to goldens.

 

[ottawamom]

Too cute!

 

[RipperSB]

I am 75% sure I'm going to book a family trip to Disney. Thinking of going in November. So I've been checking out flight prices for about a month now. The prices for the dates I'm thinking about going have gone from reasonable to high to reasonable again. Same days, same flight times but the price has fluctuated.

Is this normal? I'm worried that I'm going to get stuck with the high price but at the same time, not completely sure we can go yet so I don't want to book right now. The price difference was $300 x 4 people going = $1200 a big change in budget!

When considering booking, you should also check the "Flexible Dates" box and it will give you the calendar view so you can see that travelling on different days leads to different pricing (Tues-Tues is usually the cheapest). You have WestJet in the thread title but don't say where you are flying from... is WestJet your only option? We're in Moose Jaw, SK and we're flying out of Saskatoon on Delta for half the price WestJet or Air Canada wanted to fly out of Regina.

 

[MudBud]

When considering booking, you should also check the "Flexible Dates" box and it will give you the calendar view so you can see that travelling on different days leads to different pricing (Tues-Tues is usually the cheapest). You have WestJet in the thread title but don't say where you are flying from... is WestJet your only option? We're in Moose Jaw, SK and we're flying out of Saskatoon on Delta for half the price WestJet or Air Canada wanted to fly out of Regina.

I'm flying from Winnipeg. WestJet is lower than Air Canada & Delta by about $1000 (total) and has a direct flight. But if the prices go up to what I saw before on WestJet, they'd be about the same price as AC & Delta but they'd still win us over with the direct flight.

I also looked at driving into the States & flying from there but then it doesn't go into MCO (we want to use Disney's Magical Express) and we're thinking of going in November so we could run into a snow storm trying to get to the States.

I think I just need to stop looking until I know if we're going for sure Wish I could just book and not worry about the cost! haha

 

[ilovetotravel1977]

We are not going until this time next year, but since October, I have been tracking flights for 2017 just to see how low they might go. I have seen decent flights as low as $300 taxes in return from YHZ. Some have direct flights on Westjet, Air Canada, Delta, etc. I will likely wait to book our flights for 2018 until the fall of 2017.

 

[hawgwilld]

There's an app called hopper that you should check out once you have your approximate dates. It will inform you what the best rates should be and will notify you when you should book. It'll also give you search tips.

 

[MudBud]

Ok thanks, I'll check out the app.

 

[Frozen2014]

There's an app called hopper that you should check out once you have your approximate dates. It will inform you what the best rates should be and will notify you when you should book. It'll also give you search tips.

A bit of an aside from original post, but do you know how accurate hopper is (I realize it's just an estimate)? We are still 6-7 months out but it's informed me to buy tickets now.

 

[MudBud]

A bit of an aside from original post, but do you know how accurate hopper is (I realize it's just an estimate)? We are still 6-7 months out but it's informed me to buy tickets now.

I'd like to know too.

 

[TML2012]

If you are able to get the RBC WestJet MasterCard you can save ALOT on your flight. The sign up bonus is $250 Westjet dollars and each year you get a $99 (plus fees and taxes) companion fare. Also, when you use your card to book your flight, they include a free checked bag for each ticket purchased ( which is a savings of ~ $50 per person) and the card comes with travel insurance coverage. Keep in mind there is a annual fee of about $100.

 

[mbvisitor]

If you are able to get the RBC WestJet MasterCard you can save ALOT on your flight. The sign up bonus is $250 Westjet dollars and each year you get a $99 (plus fees and taxes) companion fare. Also, when you use your card to book your flight, they include a free checked bag for each ticket purchased ( which is a savings of ~ $50 per person) and the card comes with travel insurance coverage. Keep in mind there is a annual fee of about $100.

If I were to get this card asap, do you get to book the $99 companion fare right away? Or do you have to wait 1 year? Can I use the $250 WestJet dollars and $99 companion fare on the same booking for a family of 4?

OP- Another Peg city WDW planner over here!

 

[pf226]

I'm flying from Winnipeg. WestJet is lower than Air Canada & Delta by about $1000 (total) and has a direct flight. But if the prices go up to what I saw before on WestJet, they'd be about the same price as AC & Delta but they'd still win us over with the direct flight.

I also looked at driving into the States & flying from there but then it doesn't go into MCO (we want to use Disney's Magical Express) and we're thinking of going in November so we could run into a snow storm trying to get to the States.

I think I just need to stop looking until I know if we're going for sure Wish I could just book and not worry about the cost! haha

Fellow Winnipegger here! We are going in March and I started looking at flights back in October (it was kind of a last minute decision to go because I wasn't sure when I'd get time off work). I was checking multiple times a day for a few weeks and stumbled across a seat sale one night and ended up booking that night. We were able to get tickets (direct) for $479 each (which imo is a pretty good deal for a direct flight!) But in the time I was looking, that same flight was as high as $700 pp. It definitely changes. The lowest I have seen Winnipeg-Orlando is $390 through delta and the layover was terrible. Thought I'd share my 0.02 because I watched flight prices a lot!

I don't have the westjet mastercard but a few family members do and they saved a ton by using that! So if that's an option, definitely look into that. And you can use the $99 companion fare right away I am pretty sure! You get one each year I think?

In regards to flying out of the US ... not worth it imo. My friend did it and said by the time they paid for gas for the drive to the US, parking fee for their car at the airport, a cab/car rental to their hotel once they landed in Florida, it was the same price had they just flown directly out of Winnipeg.

 

[MudBud]

Hello Winnipeggers!
pf226 we went to Disney in 2015 and you're right - it's not worth the hassle of driving to the states first. I think at the time I would of saved $100 but then there was the time spent driving & that i would have been worrying about winter weather.