Cost Savings to Cozumel from Houston - Is it worth it?

[diversteve]

Spirit has one direct flight. It shows up on May 31st(SU) for $404 - returning on June 14th(SU).
But they charge fees for everything so United might be cheaper with carry-ons and checked bags.

 

[jake11]

Will do! Thanks!!!

Wow!! this is great to know!!

---------- Post added January 17th, 2015 at 09:34 AM ----------

Double check but I'm pretty sure those prices are one-way, not round trip......

---------- Post added January 18th, 2015 at 11:02 AM ----------

A great way to look at upgrading!! One of these days I would love to sit up front with the rich and famous or even up front with the not so rich and not so famous as long as I was not back in the cattle car where we usually are!!

in response to the title "is it worth it" i claim you have your priorities backwards.

i try to cut costs in my normal life so that i do not have to cut costs on my vacations. one or two fewer beers each week goes a long way. my divebuddy (who does our travel arrangements) even considers $ per hour for upgrades. getting there and back is part of the vacation. our last trip was long enough that we sat up front and hobnobbed with the rich and famous.

there was another pair of divers up there that figured out the upgrade to business class was cheaper than the extra luggage fees they would have to pay (at least that was their excuse, i think they were rich, waiting to become famous)

a vacation is something to spend money on, not save money on.

 

[Charles2]

OK -------- I went back to the United Website to make my reservations today and the price is now listed at $846 each person round trip from Houston. What is the deal? That's just nuts!

 

[redacted]

OK -------- I went back to the United Website to make my reservations today and the price is now listed at $846 each person round trip from Houston. What is the deal? That's just nuts!

Some airline sites leave cookies on your computer and raise prices each time you go back. Either clear cookies or use a different computer

 

[Charles2]

Some airline sites leave cookies on your computer and raise prices each time you go back. Either clear cookies or use a different computer

That didn't work. Although I have my browser set to automatically delete cookies, etc. I went into settings and manually deleted. Same result - $846 round trip. Oh well, back to trying to find a bargain.

 

[DandyDon]

Some airline sites leave cookies on your computer and raise prices each time you go back. Either clear cookies or use a different computer

Yep. Some don't believe that, but it's true. Except they can still ID you even after clearing cookies now. Use Matrix to price, then if needed - Orbitz to book.

OK -------- I went back to the United Website to make my reservations today and the price is now listed at $846 each person round trip from Houston. What is the deal? That's just nuts!

From where to where when? You said $846 in post one, but you may mean another plan?

For the last few weeks, I have been planning a trip for two to the Playa del Carmen for a few weeks of diving and relaxation. I always try to find the lowest cost travel, but tend to prefer major airlines. On all these scenarios, I am assuming that the leg from the airport to the resort will cost about the same, whether it is cab from Cancun or cab-ferry-cab from Cozumel; therefore, I am not including this cost in the analysis.

Round Trip airfare from Houston to Cancun - $846. Total cost for two $1,692.

That was just wrong anyway. Houston to Cancun is easy for under $400 round trip. Houston to Coz runs more than $500, but not $846.

I'd give more info if you did. From where to where do you want to fly, what dates & times?

 

[Oldbear]

Some airline sites leave cookies on your computer and raise prices each time you go back. Either clear cookies or use a different computer

I didn't know that.

 

[DandyDon]

I didn't know that.

It's worse. Clearing cookies used to derail that, but they have sneaky ways of tracking your without cookies now. Always price fares at Matrix first. I have had occasions when Matrix would give me a lower fare with flight numbers, etc. - but the airline site hide those. Orbitz doesn't, but price shop on Matrix first, book on Orbitz if needed, then log into the record on the airline site to change seats, register you email and cell number, etc.

 

[Charles2]

Thanks for the help, DD. The exact dates are leave IAH on June 4 to CUN and return on June 16. I really would like to find direct, non-stop flights. That pretty much limits me to United if I leave from Houston. Driving to San Antonio and flying on Southwest helps with the price - $434.65, but the drive adds a couple of hours to the trip.

I usually search for flights on Matrix and then go to the particular airline recommended to make the reservation. Often I find that same flight is $5 cheaper on the airlines website. I've never used Orbitz.

I am really hoping that flights to the Caribbean will be so much easier and cheaper when Hobby airport gets its international terminal and Southwest can offer flights from there.

 

[DandyDon]

OK -------- I went back to the United Website to make my reservations today and the price is now listed at $846 each person round trip from Houston. What is the deal? That's just nuts!

Thanks for the help, DD. The exact dates are leave IAH on June 4 to CUN and return on June 16. I really would like to find direct, non-stop flights. That pretty much limits me to United if I leave from Houston. Driving to San Antonio and flying on Southwest helps with the price - $434.65, but the drive adds a couple of hours to the trip.

I usually search for flights on Matrix and then go to the particular airline recommended to make the reservation. Often I find that same flight is $5 cheaper on the airlines website. I've never used Orbitz.

I am really hoping that flights to the Caribbean will be so much easier and cheaper when Hobby airport gets its international terminal and Southwest can offer flights from there.

:laughing: Still claiming that Southwest is cheap?! They must be good at brainwashing as that is just no longer true. Driving to San Antonio airport from Montgomery would add more than 3 hours each way, so I'd want to avoid that - yeah. I have driven that far to catch a plane cheaper than I would closer, but it's risky and tiresome.

If you're using Matrix correctly, you should find many good options. Orbitz is a good booking site when you need help working around an airline's tickery, except that American doesn't let Orbitz book their tickets anymore I think.

For those particular dates, Spirit has decent non-stop flights of Dep: 11:45 am, Arr: 1:51 pm and Dep: 2:40 pm, Arr: 5:05 pm for $348 RT to CUN. No one wants to fly them tho, and the checked bag fees are extra. See How Terrible Is Spirit Airlines, Really? - The Atlantic

Those particular dates not being flexible does indeed run your cost up on non-stop flights. The more restrictions you put on your needs, the more likely the costs will go up. American can take you for $518 on those dates, but not non-stop. United will for $746 now, but that will vary on when you check. AeroMexico does have fares in the $300 range from San Antonio, but no non-stops and no one wants to return at 6am! Non-stops for those dates to Cozumel are even worse - $1200+!!

I see your challenges now, insisting on non-stop for those dates - first week of vacation season. Mostly you are shopping too early. The best fares are usually offered one to two months before date of travel, but - I know, you want to plan & book. Maybe you should rough it on Spirit, but they would probably change their flights between now & then - and all airlines do that.

And yeah, SWA does have competitive fares San Antonio to Cancun those dates, but you'd have to drive thru the night to catch a 5am plane, and it's not non-stop.