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alwaysWright
Devoted October 2018

When to buy plane tickets?

alwaysWright, on April 4, 2018 at 2:58 PM Posted in Planning 0 33

Right now, round trip tickets to MCO (Orlando) from STL are about $450/pp for our dates (Oct 8-14). A lot of sites say the trend usually shows them being cheapest in September, but that's cutting it extremely close. With our honeymoon being in October, would you risk waiting til last minute for plane tickets, or suck it up and pay almost $1000 for a 4 hour flight ? Not really in our budget, but I wouldn't imagine it could get any more expensive. I just feel like it's going to fry my nerves waiting that long.

-Driving is out of the question, because we have brunch on the Sunday before, and it's about a 14 hour drive. We want to take some time and relax before the trip!

33 Comments

Latest activity by MrsRies&Love, on April 5, 2018 at 2:56 PM
  • Malei
    Super October 2018
    Malei ·
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    Normally for us the best time to buy tickets is 5-7 months in advance but this is to Hawaii. It might be different on the mainland. I'm trying to tell all of our out of town guests that this will probably be the cheapest they'll see the tickets for our October 6 wedding.

    I do think that September is definitely too late to be buying tickets for you in September, though! When is your actual wedding date? October 8 is a holiday (another reason why I'm advising for everyone to buy NOW) so prices around that time will only go higher. Trust me, the only way to get off this island is by plane! Haha!

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  • Kelly
    Champion October 2018
    Kelly ·
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    How much cheaper does it say it will get? I use Hopper and it usually says prices will vary over the next whatever amount of months dropping as low as x (a savings of x). If it’s going to be hundreds of dollars cheaper I would wait till 6-8 weeks before but if it’s an insignificant amount I would go ahead and book for peace of mind.
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  • MrsSnez
    Super October 2018
    MrsSnez ·
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    I've read roughly 2 months is the best time to book (I was reading in relation to flights from Minneapolis to Denver). I also downloaded Hopper and it says prices will rise after July 20th but our departure date is August 23rd so I'd definitely like to be booked before then. It does say how much they will likely drop to though which is helpful.
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  • alwaysWright
    Devoted October 2018
    alwaysWright ·
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    Our wedding is October 6, as well! So we were trying to leave early Monday morning and have the evening to enjoy in Florida. The Hopper app says they could be as low as $140 in September, but of course there's no way to guarantee that. Last year when we went to FL, we got tickets that cost us less than $500 for both of us combined round trip. Was hoping for the same kinda deal /:

    And jealous of Hawaii! I'll make it there, one day! lol

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  • alwaysWright
    Devoted October 2018
    alwaysWright ·
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    I'm on Hopper, too! Have been tracking this flight since like July of last year, it was around $350 for awhile but it just went up by $100. The app actually tells me they can be as low as $140 or so in September, that's why I kinda want to wait it out, but I am also an extremely anxious person and I don't think I could mentally put myself through that haha. I read somewhere else that flights tend to be cheaper 45 days out from when you want to leave. Our travel agent needs flight info too to coordinate when we get picked up.

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  • alwaysWright
    Devoted October 2018
    alwaysWright ·
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    Yeah, that's unfortunately the info i was given by Hopper, was to wait until September. I'm just praying for some miracle that it randomly decides to drop. I get notifications every time so...fingers crossed! paying almost $500 a ticket is robbery lol

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  • MrsSnez
    Super October 2018
    MrsSnez ·
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    Yeah that's crazy!! I'd wait til the 4-6 week mark and see where it's at.
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  • alwaysWright
    Devoted October 2018
    alwaysWright ·
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    I will try my hardest! I worry about it every day and have the past like 3 months, so I'll hold out as long as my sanity allows haha

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  • A
    Dedicated April 2018
    April ·
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    I personally would be a nervous wreck waiting so close. Last year I kept tracking a flight to Florida and waited 5 weeks out because they said it would be cheaper but it actually was almost $50 more but went on Priceline and got it for $80 cheaper.
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  • Mrs. Sponge
    Master April 2018
    Mrs. Sponge ·
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    The rule of thumb is the Tuesday, six weeks before your trip is when flights will be cheapest. FH and I almost never wait that long to buy flights and usually get them about six months out.

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  • rica
    VIP September 2018
    rica ·
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    I went on a short trip to Florida over the summer and was able to wait until about two months ahead for the cheapest tickets, maybe even less than that. However, I was flexible with dates and times and shifted my trip over a day. I was also looking at flying into two different airports. For less flexibility, I would book 3-4 months ahead.
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  • Sarah
    Master June 2016
    Sarah ·
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    The only thing I’ll add to what everyone is saying here is that you’re traveling on a holiday so it’s possible the price won’t change much regardless of when you wait until.
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  • Malei
    Super October 2018
    Malei ·
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    Date twin!! Wait, but you said your dates were Oct 8-14? Anyway, I've never used Hopper so I might have to check that out! I'd feel terrible telling my guests that they should buy now when they could get it for cheaper at another time! But I also wouldn't want them to wait until the month before just in case :/. What was your experience with that Hopper so far? I also think it's different flying continental US like it's different when to buy for flying to Europe, etc. so my 5-7 month suggestion may not apply.

    And when you do make it out here, now you know when to buy your tickets. Haha! Trust me, nothing to be jealous of when everything is priced higher, including weddings!

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  • alwaysWright
    Devoted October 2018
    alwaysWright ·
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    Yeah I'm trying to keep an eye out on all outlets but to be honest I completely scatter brained with everything else I just want to book it and be done with it. FH is the one that keeps my silly impulses at bay cause we do not have that kind of money for airfare haha
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  • K
    Expert May 2018
    K ·
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    My family and I booked our tickets for our DW Florida wedding about 4 months in advance. There was a 3-day sale going on with Southwest - so round trip was less than $300 for the two of us for May. Maybe keep an eye out for different sales? I see them quite a bit with Southwest and Jet Blue.

    As a PP has said, prices probably won't drop too too much for your dates as it's a Holiday.


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  • Carrie
    Devoted September 2016
    Carrie ·
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    Have you looked at Southwest or JetBlue? I find that sometimes these particular airlines don't show up on the travel sites an you have to actually search the airline website itself. I fly home to MCO all the time and always fly Southwest for about $200 round trip.
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  • A
    Dedicated April 2018
    April ·
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    I understand completely. My wedding is 24 days away and my mind is all over the place. Keep and open mind...something will come through. Have you tried Southwest. That is who I always fly with. There usually reasonable. Sometimes it is easier to book your flight leaving first and then book you returning flight later. Easier on the pockets for me. Good luck to you and you FH.
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  • Trista
    VIP September 2019
    Trista ·
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    Have you checked Google flights? That's how we find cheaper tickets. Good luck!
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  • alwaysWright
    Devoted October 2018
    alwaysWright ·
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    Oh, i'm sorry! I'm talking about honeymoon! haha Wedding is local to us in Missouri, and then we leave for Disney for a week (the oct 8-14), so it's just us that have to worry about the flight! But yeah I could only imagine what daily living costs there Smiley atonished . Thank you for the advice though!

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  • Preslee
    Expert May 2019
    Preslee ·
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    I live in STL and have a home in Orlando and I fly back and forth quite often; $450 is a good deal Smiley sad take it. I wouldn't wait! My fiance did this last time he was going to meet me in FL and ended up spending about $650. PS! Is your wedding in STL? So fun mines here next may

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