Airfare tracking

[SnuggleBuggles]

Update in 7 Like many of others in this group, I like a good deal and hate leaving money on the table. I haven't bought our plane tickets to Europe yet because I feel overwhelmed with getting the best fare. Our dates are totally flexible as is the airports we fly in and out of. It's so variable on my end that I have just been frozen. How do you know when to pull the trigger? Do you monitor prices for a set amount of time and look at trends? Or just use things like SkyScanner or Google Flights? Or hire an agent? Our flexibility is probably good overall but I just don't have a great starting point.

[gatorsmom]

Like many of others in this group, I like a good deal and hate leaving money on the table. I haven't bought our plane tickets to Europe yet because I feel overwhelmed with getting the best fare. Our dates are totally flexible as is the airports we fly in and out of. It's so variable on my end that I have just been frozen. How do you know when to pull the trigger? Do you monitor prices for a set amount of time and look at trends? Or just use things like SkyScanner or Google Flights? Or hire an agent? Our flexibility is probably good overall but I just don't have a great starting point.

I think you just have to keep an eye on the prices. That's what we do. We know where we are trying to get to then try different routes with layovers and such. Keep looking at the prices every few days to see if they are going up or down. Keep in mind though, that as you get closer to your dates the prices will go up (usually) so don't wait and watch for too long.

After you have booked your tickets, keep checking to make sure the airlines don't drop one of your kids or switch seats around, or change connection times. We have had that happen to us so many times, even flying first class, so it's always a good idea to check every few months to make sure your seats and layovers are exactly as you arranged them.

If you are going to Europe next summer, now is probably a good time to get serious about watching airfares.

[vludmilla]

I think that you said that you were planning to go to Italy next summer. We did 3 weeks in Italy 2 years ago. The best prices for us were to fly into Milan (this worked as we wanted to do a few things up north Lake Como/Varenna, Milan, Venice) and then we worked our way down south via Florence, Siena, and eventually to Rome which we flew out of to go home. I bought our flights early in January which is what I had done for previous summer trips to Europe. I watched prices in the Fall for a bit and got a sense of what a "good" price would be and then when I spotted it, I purchased quickly. For us, it was nonstop both ways and for 4 people we paid about $2100 which is a great price historically (10 years ago it as $900 to $1000 per person r/t to Europe).

[SnuggleBuggles]

Thank you, both. I started tracking today. We are flying into London and out of somewhere else. I used Google Flights to switch around departure cities and dates. I guess I will track a few weeks and see. I would hate for today to be the low day and miss out. I think there are some tools that show historical prices. I should dig one of those up.
I asked dh today what his priorities are- cost, duration, number of stops (we obviously know fewer/non is better but if the price is significant is that his tipping point??). He had no answer. Well, I guess I'll prioritize it as duration, number of stops then price. He likely will never even see how much the tickets cost anyway.

[vludmilla]

I think skyscanner gives historical prices (or at least they used to).

I don't usually mind a layover if it means a very significant discount on the price of a flight but for Europe, I have prioritized evening flights that are nonstop and have us arriving in the morning. On the way home, I don't mind a layover. Just my take but others, including you, may feel differently.

[Twin Mom]

I use google flights but recently saw this article.

https://www.self.com/story/how-to-save-on-flights-and-lodging

[SnuggleBuggles]

Ok, I’m not sure how I feel about price tracking. The first day I priced was the cheapest so I’ve instead been sad every time I’ve checked since then. So, today I just booked. We could have saved about $300/ticket but I’m glad to just be done. And, we got non stops so I’m happy with that!
If we’d had both kids we would have left them in economy and sat elsewhere (the price difference was reasonable enough) but ds2 would be by himself. I still might upgrade my dh later because he’s tall and would appreciate more space.

Turns out that when presented with straight up facts on price, duration, times and stops that dh has prioritized stops.

Thank you all for the help!



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[mmsmom]

Ok, I’m not sure how I feel about price tracking. The first day I priced was the cheapest so I’ve instead been sad every time I’ve checked since then. So, today I just booked. We could have saved about $300/ticket but I’m glad to just be done. And, we got non stops so I’m happy with that!
If we’d had both kids we would have left them in economy and sat elsewhere (the price difference was reasonable enough) but ds2 would be by himself. I still might upgrade my dh later because he’s tall and would appreciate more space.

Turns out that when presented with straight up facts on price, duration, times and stops that dh has prioritized stops.

Thank you all for the help!



Sent from my iPhone using Baby Bargains

If we get 2 upgrades we sometimes let the kids switch 1/2 way through the flight. We have also had adults in 1st and kids in premium economy but I understand that is hard with 1 kid. Prior to Covid DH had a lot of upgrades and kids were younger so DH would have 1 kid with him in first then they would switch mid way through the flight. Of course one wouldn’t get the meal but we would try to even it out on the return. I have flown first often so didn’t mind staying in Coach with the other kid. Now that DC are teens I would have no problem leaving them in Coach while I enjoyed first!