Cheapest Flight Ticket for Scuba Trip

[Garrobo]

BJohn: I went to Southwest's reservation/booking website.

 

[UWDoc]

You really have to check in on and keep an eye on these airlines to save any money the way the cost of oil is jumping back and forth.

I don't think oil price fluctuations affect ticket price that much - airlines lock in fuel prices, and I suspect it was back when barrels were more expensive which may be why they charge for baggage and don't give peanuts/pretzels anymore in cattle class. Flying sucks and it's getting worse. Although I'm told flights to Cozumel are much less expensive this year. Probably other destinations too.

 

[boulderjohn]

I don't think oil price fluctuations affect ticket price that much - airlines lock in fuel prices, and I suspect it was back when barrels were more expensive which may be why they charge for baggage and don't give peanuts/pretzels anymore in cattle class. Flying sucks and it's getting worse. Although I'm told flights to Cozumel are much less expensive this year. Probably other destinations too.

In general, oil prices skyrocketed during the great oil price hike last year. Southwest was able to avoid those price hikes because they had locked in cheap fuel prices, but most of the others had not. United thought they had learned their lesson and so they locked in prices when they were igh and then suffered when they dropped.

Prices to Cozumel are a perfect example.

Early last year my wife and I decided to treat our two sons, their spouses, and our grandson to a family vacation in Cozumel. When we discussed it, we wondered if we could afford it. We checked carefully, decided we could (barely), and made made all the travel plans with everyone except for the flights.

Then the oil prices started to rise, and with them the ticket prices. We figured we had better wait until they returned to normal. What a mistake! As the time drew more and more critical, prices continued to rise until they were simply horrendous. We finally bought, taking a real financial bath in doing so.

Oil prices have dropped again. I just went to Cozumel a few weeks ago, paying less than half of what I did last year.

 

[boulderjohn]

BJohn: I went to Southwest's reservation/booking website.

I'm not sure I see your point. Are you saying they wouldn't do that? If so, I believe they would. The report I saw was speaking specifically about airline sites.

 

[Garrobo]

I don't consider Kayak, Expedia or the other "cheap ticket" sellers as "airlines sites". They are a bunch of huxters who get a commission on the sales of the tickets. I also don't think that this "cookies" thing is valid. Just another urban legend. By going to the actual airlines booking and reservation desk you avoid all this BS and can usually get your ticket at a lower price by avoiding the commission.

 

[Hoosier]

That isn't only commission matter. Each airline company sold their ticket to the travel agency or INTERNET vendor 6 month~1 year advance to ensure their operating cost. So, that is the place how the INTERNET vendor and small agents are making money. The commission is very marginal and all money goes to the middle man between the airline company and small agents.

I watched CNN early this week and was told that the airline ticket price will go down dramatically this April and May due to the recession and fuel price drop. Even they are arguing that $300 for the coast to coast won't be cheap ticket anymore in this coming month. Let's see how it goes.....

 

[Garrobo]

As far as I am concerned the price of ailines tickets is a steal. I can put up with the inconvenience of waiting around till flight time. Any time I can fly to Ft. Lauderdale and back for $200-250 I'm happy. Beats driving or walking any day.

 

[AquaExplorer]

Only if you take a marginal cost perspective.

Compared with taking a commercial flight when needed, there is nothing convenient about engaging in and managing the process of learning how to fly a plane that will handle your travel needs, acquiring such a plane, acquiring a place to store such a plane, performing the required maintenance, dealing with refueling issues, paperwork, annual inspections, etc. etc. etc.

True...unless of course flying/aviation is a passion just as strong, or stronger, than diving is for most here (as it is for me, flying is my #1 passion).

So since we already have an airplane we intend on using it to fly from Atlanta to Fl/Bahamas as much as is practical/affordable. Of course even I must admit that the recent airline prices make flying commercial attractive.

However the ability to AVOID the hassle of the airlines/TSA/airports and to land in Key West on a direct flight from Atlanta with your own gear in the back compartment is incomparable to commercial flying!

 

[Garrobo]

tdager: Uh-huh, I fly too but considering the distance and fuel cost I'm not interested in beating it a thousand miles down to the Keys at 129 mph. Now if I had the bucks it would be a small business jet parked in my back 40. Another story altogether.

 

[boulderjohn]

I also don't think that this "cookies" thing is valid. Just another urban legend. By going to the actual airlines booking and reservation desk you avoid all this BS and can usually get your ticket at a lower price by avoiding the commission.

You should contact the Today show and tell them that the travel expert they had on is perpetrating a fraud.

I just got back from Cozumel. In my planning, I went directly to the Frontier web site and found the best deal I could, a flight and hotel package deal for a pretty good price. I then went to Orbitz and got the exact same flight and hotel package for significantly less.