When to book airfare for Dec 2002 trip from MSP

[zulaya]

With Sun Country going bye-bye up here in MN, I am faced with only Northwest as my choice of non stop airline to MCO. We are going Dec 4-10 in 2002. In your opinion, when am I more apt to fine the best deals on airfare? 6 months out? 4 months out? Earlier? Later? Any suggestions appreciated?

 

[Beverly Lynn]

around oct of the year you want to travel. Possibly even nov.

 

[hercamore]

Yeah, but isn't sun countyr still going to have charters from Mpls to Orlando. That's got to be a big momey maker for them.

Hercamore

 

[travelcoupons]

2-4 months out.

Don't look for many deals from Northwest now that they've eliminated some of their competition.

 

[zulaya]

Supposedly Sun Country is going to do charters, but they are still looking for a buyer to bail them out of the 70-odd million they owe hotels, etc. What I heard was that the charter business is limited at this time. Besides, I want to stay on-site and MLT and Trans Global seem to be the only chartering companies and they won't book just air I don't think.

And I knew that NWA wouldn't offer a lot of discounts with Sun Country not being their main competition anymore. I never fly NWA unless I have to, and I am not a travel agent, so I don't know NWA's airfare patterns. Just thought I'd ask here to see if I can get a better fix on that timeframe.

 

[CarolMN]

Originally posted by zulaya
Besides, I want to stay on-site and MLT and Trans Global seem to be the only chartering companies and they won't book just air I don't think.

In the past, I've booked air only (RT to MCO from MSP) on both MLT and Trans Global. Perhaps they have changed the way they operate in the past year or so, but I think it is definitely worth a check. The charter companies do/did limit the number of "air only" seats, though. I much prefer flying on the scheduled airlines to the charters - the charters have even LESS leg room. Of course, if the price is right - LOL!

We are in the same situation - wanting to go early December, 2002 and stay on site. I plan to start checking airfares as soon as NWA begins selling them for our time frame. I think that is 330 days out. I'll be checking at least once a week. IF I find something I think is reasonable, I'll grab it as soon as I see it. I'm willing to pay up to $250 per person for a non-stop flight with convenient times. I'm hoping for something around $200/person, though.

Good Luck to all of us!