airfare in december?

[d56nut]

Hi All,

Well, I think I messed things up!!! We are going to be in Cozumel from December 4th - December 11th. It will be our 3rd trip this year. On the first two trips I felt like we got totally shafted on our airfare when we heard people talking about the 300.00 flights they got because they waited til it was closer to their time to leave. I was so excited because funjet offers a direct flight from Chicago to Cozumel. I was just waiting for the price to drop. The flight is on ATA. Well, ATA has pulled many of it's gates from Chicago so the time of the flight got changed. Originally it landed in Coz around 2:00 (I think). Now, it's not scheduled to arrive until 5:30 in the evening! YUCK! That totally blows the whole first day. Okay...now on to my question! Does anyone in the Chicago area have a good travel agent that always gets good flight prices? Or, where do you all go on the net to find your airfare? I did a little searching on my own and the best I can seem to do is around 600.00. I don't mind a connection if the connection is in the U.S. I don't really want to change planes in Mexico City. My other request is to land in Cozumel by 2:00-ish...preferrably a little earlier. Any suggestions? Chicago has two airports....Midway and O'Hare...either is fine! Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[ggunn]

Hi All,

Well, I think I messed things up!!! We are going to be in Cozumel from December 4th - December 11th. It will be our 3rd trip this year. On the first two trips I felt like we got totally shafted on our airfare when we heard people talking about the 300.00 flights they got because they waited til it was closer to their time to leave. I was so excited because funjet offers a direct flight from Chicago to Cozumel. I was just waiting for the price to drop. The flight is on ATA. Well, ATA has pulled many of it's gates from Chicago so the time of the flight got changed. Originally it landed in Coz around 2:00 (I think). Now, it's not scheduled to arrive until 5:30 in the evening! YUCK! That totally blows the whole first day. Okay...now on to my question! Does anyone in the Chicago area have a good travel agent that always gets good flight prices? Or, where do you all go on the net to find your airfare? I did a little searching on my own and the best I can seem to do is around 600.00. I don't mind a connection if the connection is in the U.S. I don't really want to change planes in Mexico City. My other request is to land in Cozumel by 2:00-ish...preferrably a little earlier. Any suggestions? Chicago has two airports....Midway and O'Hare...either is fine! Thanks in advance for any help!

Funjet flies to Cozumel pretty cheaply out of Dallas, and their flights get there early in the day. Waiting until the last minute isn't that great an idea in the high season, IMO.

 

[Christi]

Hi All,

Well, I think I messed things up!!! We are going to be in Cozumel from December 4th - December 11th. It will be our 3rd trip this year. On the first two trips I felt like we got totally shafted on our airfare when we heard people talking about the 300.00 flights they got because they waited til it was closer to their time to leave. I was so excited because funjet offers a direct flight from Chicago to Cozumel. I was just waiting for the price to drop. The flight is on ATA. Well, ATA has pulled many of it's gates from Chicago so the time of the flight got changed. Originally it landed in Coz around 2:00 (I think). Now, it's not scheduled to arrive until 5:30 in the evening! YUCK! That totally blows the whole first day. Okay...now on to my question! Does anyone in the Chicago area have a good travel agent that always gets good flight prices? Or, where do you all go on the net to find your airfare? I did a little searching on my own and the best I can seem to do is around 600.00. I don't mind a connection if the connection is in the U.S. I don't really want to change planes in Mexico City. My other request is to land in Cozumel by 2:00-ish...preferrably a little earlier. Any suggestions? Chicago has two airports....Midway and O'Hare...either is fine! Thanks in advance for any help!

Hobbit Travel
(612) 338-8880
(800) 916-0000

But $600 from Chicago to Coz in December is a pretty fair price. It costs me over $900 to fly from Coz to Houston in December.

 

[divenut2001]

Hi All,

Well, I think I messed things up!!! We are going to be in Cozumel from December 4th - December 11th. It will be our 3rd trip this year. On the first two trips I felt like we got totally shafted on our airfare when we heard people talking about the 300.00 flights they got because they waited til it was closer to their time to leave. I was so excited because funjet offers a direct flight from Chicago to Cozumel. I was just waiting for the price to drop. The flight is on ATA. Well, ATA has pulled many of it's gates from Chicago so the time of the flight got changed. Originally it landed in Coz around 2:00 (I think). Now, it's not scheduled to arrive until 5:30 in the evening! YUCK! That totally blows the whole first day. Okay...now on to my question! Does anyone in the Chicago area have a good travel agent that always gets good flight prices? Or, where do you all go on the net to find your airfare? I did a little searching on my own and the best I can seem to do is around 600.00. I don't mind a connection if the connection is in the U.S. I don't really want to change planes in Mexico City. My other request is to land in Cozumel by 2:00-ish...preferrably a little earlier. Any suggestions? Chicago has two airports....Midway and O'Hare...either is fine! Thanks in advance for any help!

Hi Michelle,

I'ld try searching the net first. Try all the usual discount sites. You can get them on Yahoo, just click on airlines and they'll all be listed.

When I find one I like I usually go to that airline's web site to see if I can get the same deal and maybe a better flight, .i.e early morning flight instead of red eye... Then check with a travel agent to see if they can get you a better deal. You might find you can get a good rate on your own...

Personally though I prefer booking way in advance to insure I have a seat and I can usually get a pretty good rate too. Hopeing that the rates will go down and if they'll have any seats left at the last minute is TOO much of a gamble for me. If when I'm searching prices seem too high, I just keep checking back until they go down and they always do...

P.S. Fly out of Midway. Flights are a little less and shorter i.e. 3.5 hrs (MDW) vs. 7.5 hrs (ORD) Sure miss those White Castles...

 

[DandyDon]

Your dates are before winter break for school students, but still high season. This looks about as good as you can get:

$588.42


5:45 am Depart Chicago (ORD) Arrive Cozumel (CZM) 11:28 am Sat 4-Dec
Duration: 5hr 43mn Continental 747 / 1937
Connect in Houston (IAH)

4:40 pm Depart Cozumel (CZM) Arrive Chicago (ORD) 10:36 pm Sat 11-Dec
Duration: 5hr 56mn Continental 1938 / 646
Connect in Houston (IAH)

I checked Cancun, and you wouldn't save enough to justify it.

3 times to Coz in one year, though? Don't you want to try different diving? I'm doing NC wrecks next week, St.Lawrence wrecks last month, Key Largo wrecks in Nov, and Bahamas reefs in Dec. I like it all. Calf kelp beds in the summer!

 

[Natasha]

I've been to Cozumel twice this year so I understand.

I also was a Chicago travel agent for 15 years.
If you would like me to work on this for you, I have a few ideas that might work.
Send me a PM if you're interested.

 

[divenut2001]

Your dates are before winter break for school students, but still high season. This looks about as good as you can get:

$588.42


5:45 am Depart Chicago (ORD) Arrive Cozumel (CZM) 11:28 am Sat 4-Dec
Duration: 5hr 43mn Continental 747 / 1937
Connect in Houston (IAH)

4:40 pm Depart Cozumel (CZM) Arrive Chicago (ORD) 10:36 pm Sat 11-Dec
Duration: 5hr 56mn Continental 1938 / 646
Connect in Houston (IAH)

I checked Cancun, and you wouldn't save enough to justify it.

3 times to Coz in one year, though? Don't you want to try different diving? I'm doing NC wrecks next week, St.Lawrence wrecks last month, Key Largo wrecks in Nov, and Bahamas reefs in Dec. I like it all. Calf kelp beds in the summer!

Hey Don,

You're right about the diving in the Keys. I usually go every other year in Nov to visit my daughter in Ft Laud and dive off Key Largo. This year though I'm only stoping for a couple of days and then I'm off to Little Cayman. They should be back up to speed by then (I hope)...

When you coming out to Ca? I know of some "great" 2 and 3 day liveaboard trips to the Channel Islands that I'm sure you'ld like! Are you going there to dive the wrecks and kelp beds in SD?

 

[fdog]

We do all our bookings over the web. We usually shop around at all the web sites (Expedia, Orbitz) but make a point of buying from the airline. This has saved us more than once, like when flights change.

For us, the "sweet spot" has been from 4 to 3 weeks prior.

Too early, and you get the "rack price", because the airline figures they still have time to fill the aircraft.

Too late, and the aircraft is full, and you pay extra to be on it.

We start looking at 4 weeks, and buy when the price bottoms out and flattens.

Be aware also that prices go up at 7 and 14 days prior to departure.

All the best, James

 

[Moodiejeff]

Hi All,

Does anyone in the Chicago area have a good travel agent?

http://vacationhotline.net (Fullerton near Ashland)

Got my cheap airfare through them (Felice was my agent)... it was ATA as well, so I guess that won't help you as far as getting there any earlier. As you know ATA only does Sat. flights through Funjet from Midway.

Apple also had charter flights in the spring, don't know if they do for Dec. You may want to try them as well.

I also remember hearing that American will soon be starting non-stop flights to Coz sometime soon... it may be worth looking into them.

Non-Stop rocks! but getting in after 5:00 does kinda suck. When I went in May our flight got in at 11:00, that was sweet!

Keep us posted, I'd love to get back down there around then myself!

 

[DandyDon]

Hey Don,

You're right about the diving in the Keys. I usually go every other year in Nov to visit my daughter in Ft Laud and dive off Key Largo. This year though I'm only stoping for a couple of days and then I'm off to Little Cayman. They should be back up to speed by then (I hope)...

In Nvv '05, maybe. Cayman got bombed by Ivan so badly, I wouldn't think about it for a year. Little Cayman wasn't hit as badly maybe, but still?! I'd do a lot of research.

Got trip insurance? I always do when I leave the country, but you'll still be in hurricane season for the southern Carribean. You may want to cancel when you see the weather forecast that week?

When you coming out to Ca? I know of some "great" 2 and 3 day liveaboard trips to the Channel Islands that I'm sure you'ld like! Are you going there to dive the wrecks and kelp beds in SD?

Yeah, I went on the Great Escape for 3 days Memorial Day Weekend. Super diving, super food, etc. Just need to bring a a foam pad for the mattress next time. I'm looking into a Singles Group Trip for next summer sometime?

You know, if you'd upate your Dive Info, you'd get better quality answers, and be more useful in giving answers to others. Use Quick Links above. :shades:

We do all our bookings over the web. We usually shop around at all the web sites (Expedia, Orbitz) but make a point of buying from the airline. This has saved us more than once, like when flights change.

Roger that. Shop the shoopers, then buy from the provider!

For us, the "sweet spot" has been from 4 to 3 weeks prior.

Too early, and you get the "rack price", because the airline figures they still have time to fill the aircraft.

Too late, and the aircraft is full, and you pay extra to be on it.

We start looking at 4 weeks, and buy when the price bottoms out and flattens.

Be aware also that prices go up at 7 and 14 days prior to departure.

I'm afraid to do it that way. By 4 weeks out, I'm really counting on going, and if the price has gone up because of good sales, I'll cry and buy.