Flights out of Ohio

[linanglab]

Okay....DH has not given me the TOTAL okay to go to WDW this summer, but also said he would not be totally against it. So...in my mind...unless something happens...I am planning on going.

I have been lookin - at this point for fun - at flights for July. My dates (can be adjusted slightly) are July 17-22. I found Airtran for a total of $294 for 2 of us to fly. I thought that was pretty good. that is about $150 per person. Usually we can't find much below $200.

Those of you who are around this area, is that a good rate? Could I find something cheaper. In order for me to get that rate, I would have to book today (they are running a special) and my take off date would be the day before - July 16. (Ahhh man.... I would have to leave a day earlier....:angel: )

Southwest is always an option, but I get nervous with the waiting-just- in- case- they- have- a -Ding thing.

I know there is a luck factor to flying. We just do not fly very often. This will be my 4th time flying out of 36 years, so still a little new at this. Any input would be great.

[m 'n c]

What about skybus? Isn't that the cheap airline out of ohio? (or is it spirit?) I would check into that one as well because if the airports they service aren't that far away it would be worth the drive.

[m 'n c]

oh and yeah that is a pretty good airfare that you found IMO. Mike and I got $188 each out of Houston 2 years ago and that was the cheapest we could find.

[linanglab]

Oops...I lied :angel: It was Spirit and not Airtran that I found the deal. Once I get DH's say so, I will book. However, he has been pretty sick lately, so now is not the best time to discuss this. That upsets me a little bit (not mad, just nervous that I won't find THAT good of a deal) because I can get THAT particular price only until midnight tonight.

I will keep my fingers crossed that next week there will be equal or better deals. I like the thought of going SW because I can cancel or move my dates around without penalty, plus the possibility of getting credit if my fare goes down. But they are pretty expensive right now.

[JillyFish]

Angela,

I'm in Northeast Ohio. Last January we flew AirTran out of Akron and our fare was $79 one way. So with fees it wound up being about $360 for two of us.

This year we flew Southwest out of Cleveland and during a sale I got $49 one way with a total of about $240. That was a sale not a ding and I got it only about 8 weeks before our trip. They actually have another sale going on now with the same fare. I know that doesn't help you right now since you won't be going until July. And I don't know what sale prices would be in July....maybe higher?....not sure.

Thinking about AirTran.....I get their emails and quite honestly their sale prices don't fluctuate that much. So if you really think you don't want to mess with Southwest, I would go ahead and jump on the AirTran fare.

Does that help at all???? :confused:

[Magical JenK]

Okay....DH has not given me the TOTAL okay to go to WDW this summer, but also said he would not be totally against it. So...in my mind...unless something happens...I am planning on going.


LOVE it!! Yay!!

I know I'm not in OH, but I think that's a really good deal!! Good luck!!:sunshine:

[wilsonfamily4]

no words of advice on airfare but I wanted to say WOOHOO!!! So glad you may get to go!!!

[linanglab]

no words of advice on airfare but I wanted to say WOOHOO!!! So glad you may get to go!!!

I know!!! I want to keep talking about it, but I don't because my boys are not going, and I don't want DH to get annoyed with me. I cannot act too excited. But with you all I can go WOOHOO!!!!!!! over and over again and you all will understand!

You have got to try and go sometime with your little one! I never thought it would happen for me (still not 100 percent a go, but almost). Jillyfish - by reading her report, just got me to REALLY want to go that much more.

[JillyFish]

You can go ahead and tell DH it's ALL my fault. I'll take the heat for 'ya!! :rotfl:

[linanglab]

You can go ahead and tell DH it's ALL my fault. I'll take the heat for 'ya!! :rotfl:

Nah....can't do that! If we ever have a SR meet, he would ask "Is that fish girl that did the trip report going???" I will just blame my DSis for starting the whole thing in the beginning! LOL

[LuvMyBoys]

Yeah Angela!! :party: I hope that it all works out and you two have a wonderful trip!!

The best we did last May for airfare out of DTW is $165 each on Airtran. Southwest we have got before for $125 each but it was a Ding fare. Spirit we got on an incredible $9 club fare for like $40 each but those are rare, you have to be very flexible on dates, and you have to book them immediately.

My parents got Northwest in September for about $160 each.

So your rates are pretty good I think. Remember that Spirit charges for all checked luggage and all food/drinks on a plane. Don't know if that matters to you or not. Good side is that if you book on their website then you can pick your seats immediately.

Good luck!! :)

[linanglab]

Oh.. I don't like the charging of luggage....

When you got the $9.00 fare club, do you belong to that ALL the time, or sign up for it when you find tickets you like? I have thought about when/if I should purchase the $9.00 club.

I know SW is not a particpating airline for ME, but I don't think that it would matter too much. As long as I do not have to deal with luggage ON my way there, then I can deal with on my way back.

[JillyFish]

Nah....can't do that! If we ever have a SR meet, he would ask "Is that fish girl that did the trip report going???" I will just blame my DSis for starting the whole thing in the beginning! LOL

:rotfl:

Oh yea, blame it on DSis. That's what sisters are for! I know....I have one too!

[LuvMyBoys]

Oh.. I don't like the charging of luggage....

When you got the $9.00 fare club, do you belong to that ALL the time, or sign up for it when you find tickets you like? I have thought about when/if I should purchase the $9.00 club.

I know SW is not a particpating airline for ME, but I don't think that it would matter too much. As long as I do not have to deal with luggage ON my way there, then I can deal with on my way back.

We joined when we found a set of dates that worked for us. You get charged the $9 to join for 3 months. Then you can decide if you want to keep it for the year or not.

If you buy the checked bags online then it is supposed to be $5 per bag/each way. And you get 1 carry on and 1 personal bag each free of charge.

[bs4free]

Angela, were you able to get the deal and the tickets yesterday?

I am so glad that it looks like you will get to go to Disney World this summer...
BTW i hope your DH is feeling much better today as well :)

[linanglab]

Angela, were you able to get the deal and the tickets yesterday?

I am so glad that it looks like you will get to go to Disney World this summer...
BTW i hope your DH is feeling much better today as well :)

No, not yet. I am hoping to find a deal as good in the next few weeks. I need DH to tell me to just do it. Since he has been sick, so I haven't sat down with him to ask him if I can go ahead and start making ressies, etc. I don't want to look overly excited about it (that is killing me!) because DH and my boys are not going. I need to be patient. But let me tell you... I CANNOT WAIT TO START BOOKING THINGS!!!!!

DH broke his fever last night. Drenched 3 sets of pajamas and blankets and sheets and pillow. YUCK! I am doing lots of laundry today! The meds are upsetting his stomach, but he did manage to go to work today (doesn't surprise me. He would go if he was on his death bed...) Hoping tomorrow he will start feeling a little more like himself.

[bs4free]

Sorry you have not been able to book yet, I can see the excitment in your eyes that you SO WANT TOO!!!

I do hope DH gets better soon, and glad his fever has broken.

[pbhall13]

Angela......

this is exciting.........the southwest thing always pans out for me........sometime a great sale and sometimes a ding combo.......check out the other board and under Transportation they have a history of Southwest fares....

good luck.

Pamela

[Magical JenK]

DH broke his fever last night. Drenched 3 sets of pajamas and blankets and sheets and pillow. YUCK! I am doing lots of laundry today! The meds are upsetting his stomach, but he did manage to go to work today (doesn't surprise me. He would go if he was on his death bed...) Hoping tomorrow he will start feeling a little more like himself.

ooh, sorry to hear that, but I hope that he's getting better everyday!!

[chipndale]

We fly out of Pittsburgh and have always been able to get a good fare with SW and sometimes a great fare with DING. I usually try to book the flight as soon as the dates open up for the days you want to travel. Then I watch to see if you can pick up an internet special. About 8 weeks before your travel date, I watch and listen for a DING. We have been able to get the DING for $49.00 through $56.00. The only DING fare we haven't been able to get was for you return trip home in December. We wanted to take the last flight of the day and they never offered a DING on it - plenty of DING fares for earlier in the day. It was sooo tempting but we stuck with our origional plans.

[linanglab]

Now....If I booked SW and a cheaper fare came up, you could get either refunded or get a voucher, is that right? We would not fly again until the 1st week of July of 2009. Does it have to be a year from when you book, or a year from when your 1st flight is.

Would you suggest booking ONLY my departing flight now and then waiting. That way, if I get a cheaper rate for that, I can use my voucher for my returning flight? What is the best thing to do.... Never booked SW before.

[ligrumpygirl]

I had no problem getting my SW credit back to my credit card. I just called and asked nicely. No problems!

If you are unable to do that (and according to people on the DIS if you get a no try again) you are able to give your credit to anybody to use it. So you can give the credit to a friend and they can give you the money.

[linanglab]

I had no problem getting my SW credit back to my credit card. I just called and asked nicely. No problems!

If you are unable to do that (and according to people on the DIS if you get ano try again) you are able to give your credit to anybody to use it. So you can give the crediit to a friend and they can give you the money.

Thanks for the quick reply. I have always wanted to try SW, but always afraid to wait. Since it is just 2 of us this time, I think I might TRY to book them. Right now their fares are higher than others, but it is still pretty far out. Maybe I will book one way and then wait for some specials.....I will talk to DH about it and see what he thinks.

[spring]

My daughter books with SW when she gets a reasonable fare, then watches for ding fares. If she gets a better fare, she books it and receives credit for the balance. I think you can use the credit for up to a year from the time you originally booked the flights. That way, it gives you another reason to go to Disney within the year!:rotfl: You just HAVE to use you credits up, you know. LOL

[chipndale]

Angela, if you are booking with SW I would book the trip as 2 seperate trips. I am have found out that there is more DING fares on our return trip home than on the way to Orlando. If you book the trip as one trip and a DING fare is available then you must rebook the whole trip(you may not get as good of a rate on the other leg that is not a DING) As for getting the credit back- I have never had trouble getting SW to credit my credit card - as long as it is the same exact flight. Idid call one time and was told by a SW rep that she didn't know if she would be allowed to do it so I thanked her, hung up, and called back again. If you book you DING and change from your origional flight than you will have a credit which can be given to anyone. Hope that helps. What are the fare costs? On the origional booking I usually hope for around $100 range per person per leg of trip.

[m 'n c]

Angela - I found that they (SW) usually do specials about 4 months out and then the price will go up again and then the ding specials will start about 6 - 8 weeks out.

[linanglab]

chipndale and Catharine, thanks for the tips. Right now SW is at $109 from Detroit. That is a bit high. Airtran is at $79. Tonight I will discuss the trip in TOTAL to DH so I can start making some ressies. Hopefully he will not have any takebacks. You are NOT allowed to have takebacks on Disney trips, right? Isn't that illegal or something???LOL

[chipndale]

Hopefully he will not have any takebacks. You are NOT allowed to have takebacks on Disney trips, right? Isn't that illegal or something???LOL

Tell him 1 takeback will result in 2 more additional trips to Disney.... :rotfl:

[JillyFish]

chipndale and Catharine, thanks for the tips. Right now SW is at $109 from Detroit. That is a bit high. Airtran is at $79. Tonight I will discuss the trip in TOTAL to DH so I can start making some ressies. Hopefully he will not have any takebacks. You are NOT allowed to have takebacks on Disney trips, right? Isn't that illegal or something???LOL

Is Detroit really the closest airport to you???? :eek:

[linanglab]

Is Detroit really the closest airport to you???? :eek:

Actually I am fairly in the middle of airports. We are 1 1/2 hours from Detroit, 2 hours from Columbus, 1 1/2 hours from Dayton, 45 minutes from Toledo.

[JillyFish]

Actually I am fairly in the middle of airports. We are 1 1/2 hours from Detroit, 2 hours from Columbus, 1 1/2 hours from Dayton, 45 minutes from Toledo.

Well at least you have a lot of options! :)