Travel: Just keep checking! (Flight seats, Car Rental Prices)

[audreyh1]

"just keep checking" has saved me just over 50% on my car rental in Newark!

Audreyh1 - we'll spring for beer with the savings the next time you & your DH are passing through Denver.

LOL! Maybe! - no visits scheduled yet.

Wow - great savings!

 

[audreyh1]

"just keep checking" has saved me just over 50% on my car rental in Newark!

Audreyh1 - we'll spring for beer with the savings the next time you & your DH are passing through Denver.

You don't owe us anything, because you just saved us $43!!!

On a lark, after your post, I thought, what the heck I'll check one more time even though we're picking up the car next Wednesday!

And gosh - if it isn't the lowest price I've seen yet by a ways.

So rebooked and canceled the old one. Just surprised because there haven't been great deals lately, but here less than a week before our rental starts and prices dropped big time.

Had trouble canceling the old one (Costco Travel), but online chat CSR was able to take care of it.

 

[Chuckanut]

I just found a nicer hotel and saved $100. I went from a 7.6 rating to an 8.7 with a hot breakfast. ️

 

[WoodM]

Really useful sites. Thanks! I'll definitely be checking them out for some upcoming trips I have planned!

 

[audreyh1]

Well - I have been following my advice, and checking often! On car rentals I have found that a week or two before the trip prices often drop significantly, so I rebook.

Last Friday, I took a look at the flights I have been tracking. I have already purchased our round-trip tickets to Amsterdam. I did that just under the 60 day mark which is on average the point where international flight prices have dropped about the most, and then start going up. The price had been holding pretty steady, they dropped a few dollars.

But, based on something RunningBum had mentioned in the thread on the seat encroachment thread, I decided to check my options on upgrading to first/business class. My eyes just about popped out of my head when United offered upgrade fees to lie-flat business class of $948 outbound and $969 return per person each way - far lower than the original business class prices and the quickie upgrade offer made to me when I first bought the tickets. We took the offer for the trip outbound as that is the overnight flight. Note that using miles to upgrade costs $550 per person plus 20,000 miles each direction. And this usually puts you on a waitlist where folks who have higher status get priority on upgrades.

I did end up in some kind of online system error although my credit card was charged for the upgrade and had to call reservations and get it straightened out, which took over 50 minutes on the phone - mainly because they had to escalate to the person that could fix it which took some waiting, but they got our upgrade straight.

We've been tiptoeing into the first class flights by taking advantage of quickie (cheap) offers either at ticket purchase time or at check-in. We've lucked out with some sweet ones, like the $128 upgrade for SFO to Maui on our anniversary trip - the trip I mentioned in the OP!

But this will be our very first time ever flying international business class. It's a 777-200, 2-2-2 configuration.

 

[Gotadimple]

I decided to check my options on upgrading to first/business class. My eyes just about popped out of my head when United offered upgrade fees to lie-flat business class of $948 outbound and $969 return per person each way - far lower than the original business class prices and the quickie upgrade offer made to me when I first bought the tickets.

My observation on a Delta flight to Amsterdam at the beginning of May was that Delta also offers upgrades at online check-in. My recollection was $50 each way to upgrade to Delta Comfort which was far more reasonable than the $150 each way offered at booking. I would have done business class but apparently those were sold out.

- Rita

 

[athena53]

But this will be our very first time ever flying international business class. It's a 777-200, 2-2-2 configuration.

Oooh, this is very bad. You're never gonna want to fly Coach on a transatlantic again.

Your post is making me think about a strategy to get to Edinburgh next year in Business Class. I'm pretty flexible- can travel in the middle of the week, not tied to a particular time frame so it doesn't have to be the summer months. Maybe I'll book Coach and look for a paid upgrade as I get closer to the date.

 

[audreyh1]

My observation on a Delta flight to Amsterdam at the beginning of May was that Delta also offers upgrades at online check-in. My recollection was $50 each way to upgrade to Delta Comfort which was far more reasonable than the $150 each way offered at booking. I would have done business class but apparently those were sold out.

- Rita

Delta Comfort I guess is similar to Economy+ on United, except that more perks are offered and it is treated as a separate fare class, from what I can figure out. Economy plus is usually at least $100 on an international leg with United. I don't think United usually offers cheaper economy+ upgrades on check-in. I've never seen that. From a quick web search doesn't look like others have either.

The way it works on United, is that passengers with Gold status or higher can select economy+ as soon as they book their flight. Silver status (the lowest) can select economy+ at check-in. The tough thing for the silver flyer is that at earliest check-in time all the best economy+ seats may be taken, and you had better check in as quick as possible to make the best of what is left.

I notice business class is always full on our Amsterdam flights. I think there must be a lot of competition for upgrades. I suppose most folks do it with miles (plus a cash fee as is required on United for international flights) and keep their fingers crossed that they get cleared.

Actually - the entire plane is usually completely full.

 

[audreyh1]

Oooh, this is very bad. You're never gonna want to fly Coach on a transatlantic again.

Yeah, I'm a little afraid of that. Actually - it will be DH who will remark on this I'm sure.

We're flying economy+ on the return. I hope we won't be crying. But at least we won't be trying to sleep (other than nap). We've done it before - it ain't so bad even though it's > 10 hour flight.

 

[RunningBum]

I'm more likely to upgrade on the outbound too. I don't want to start my vacation worn out from a cramped flight, especially if I'm going to a running race. Coming home, if the upgrade price is too steep, I figure I can always take it easy the rest of the day and the next day at home after a bad flight.

 

[audreyh1]

I'm more likely to upgrade on the outbound too. I don't want to start my vacation worn out from a cramped flight, especially if I'm going to a running race. Coming home, if the upgrade price is too steep, I figure I can always take it easy the rest of the day and the next day at home after a bad flight.

Right - for us it's all about being able to actually sleep on that overnight. This will be our 4th overnight on this IAH-AMS flight in the same plane (9.5 hours), so we know exactly what it is like. And we know how tough the next day is with the jet-lag and trying to not fall sleep during the day once you arrive in Europe (otherwise you will really be messed up). We never expect to accomplish anything the next day besides check into our lodging. Thankfully, we have family in Amsterdam, so we pretty much go to their apartment until time to check in.

And we've flown several Europe returns - and we usually don't sleep on the return anyway. We end up watching a bunch of movies!

 

[Fedup]

I wonder if I should waste my money or miles on business class on my flight back to USA. But maybe it's nice to put my feet up for 9 hours. I have free miles and free companion ticket, I only have to pay taxes.

 

[exnavynuke]

I've only upgraded to 1st class once so far. That was St. Louis -> Vegas, which wasn't a "long" flight by any means but it was $50/seat at check-in. If I could find that kind of rate (adjusted for flight time) I'd be happy to do it frequently. However, my last trip (ATL->Vegas) they wanted ~$850/seat....

Don't get me wrong, I hate the tiny seats, but I can't justify $200+/hour to sit in a comfortable seat vs a moderately uncomfortable seat..

 

[Nemo2]

Don't get me wrong, I hate the tiny seats, but I can't justify $200+/hour to sit in a comfortable seat vs a moderately uncomfortable seat..

This is basically the philosophy we apply to booking cabins aboard ship.....if the oceanviews are marginally more than the insides we'll take an oceanview........otherwise, otherwise.

 

[nwsteve]

In preparation for a trip to Amsterdam and return from Budapest for this Oct, I google best time to purchase international and was surprised to find times at approx. 270 days for Europe and 330 for Asia. I was way past the 270 for our Oct trip so ended with taking flights on BA which were still a 1-2k less than anyone else for one stop travel.
We have a similar (headed to Rome instead of AMS) trip in March 2018 and fares nearly 1.5-2.0 times what I was seeing for this Oct.
It seems the airlines really want to push you into a two stop itinerary if you want to save any bucks.
Nwsteve

 

[athena53]

It seems the airlines really want to push you into a two stop itinerary if you want to save any bucks.

This is especially true for reward travel, at the "Saver" redemption level. AA/BA wanted to give me a routing from Delhi to London with a connection in Helsinki when there's a Delhi-London nonstop. I juggled my plans a little, but got the nonstop. A few years ago DH and I had to use double the mileage to get the nonstop from DFW to Madrid instead of DFW to Miami to Madrid.

 

[audreyh1]

In preparation for a trip to Amsterdam and return from Budapest for this Oct, I google best time to purchase international and was surprised to find times at approx. 270 days for Europe and 330 for Asia. I was way past the 270 for our Oct trip so ended with taking flights on BA which were still a 1-2k less than anyone else for one stop travel.
We have a similar (headed to Rome instead of AMS) trip in March 2018 and fares nearly 1.5-2.0 times what I was seeing for this Oct.
It seems the airlines really want to push you into a two stop itinerary if you want to save any bucks.
Nwsteve

Nwsteve - my research a few years ago indicated that just under 60 days for international is the best time to purchase, and that has been confirmed by my personal experience. If a great airfare sale shows up earlier, as happened last year (half price!!!), I'll book then. Otherwise, I am confident that I can wait until 60 days for prices to drop, and my experience is that they don't start going up again until a few days after the 60 day mark, and slowly at first.

I confess, however, that I rarely look at a flight more than 6 months in advance. And frankly, I don't make my plans so far out. But according to my research a while back I didn't need to book months in advance.

If you are trying to use reward miles to pay for a flight, then yes, you do need to book well in advance.

I'm also often buying tickets from US to Amsterdam. Sometimes open-jaw, sometimes not. I bought my current RT tickets to Amsterdam around 60 days out, and just after 60 days they actually dropped $10. I started watching at 120 days out.

One of the biggest determinants for airfare prices in Europe is whether the flight is in high season or not. High season starts late in May, and goes to something like August 23. If your outbound or return flight is outside of that window you can often find tickets a few $100s cheaper.

 

[Lsbcal]

Our SFO to Amsterdam KLM flight has gone up a lot since we booked it. We have some specific flight time choices and wanted nonstop going to AMS.

Booked on 12/14/16: $1184
Currently for same dates starting August 20: $1577

 

[audreyh1]

Our SFO to Amsterdam KLM flight has gone up a lot since we booked it. We have some specific flight time choices and wanted nonstop going to AMS.

Booked on 12/14/16: $1184
Currently for same dates starting August 20: $1577

Interesting - that is at 60 days out.

I was seeing around $1286 round trip for mid-July from our local airport which requires a change in Houston. No Europe non-stops available for us! Looks like I started tracking about 115 days out. It has stayed around that price give or take a few $ (actually dropped $10 at at 70 days) until about 55 days out when it went up $80, and yesterday, just under 30 days out has jumped to $1490.

At 115 days American had a cheaper offering around $1152, that went up to match the United prices at about 100 days out. Looks like AA added a direct DFW to AMS flight this year, but it's only May-Sept. Prior to that you went through England first on partner BA (London layover) which is why we hadn't flown on American to AMS before.

For our AMS route over the past several years prices have ranged from $1100 to $1600 depending on the time of year and the specific weekdays and timing preferred. The higher end is during the peak summer months. We managed to get out of part of that window by returning late August. But our arrival is smack in the middle of high season so I was quite happy to find options under $1300.