Domestic airfares within the US - prices and advice

[I love to travel]

Have been looking at airfares for June next year and they seem very high for any day apart from Tues and Wed 3 hour flights are often over $300. Checking google flights, they don't seem to change too much throughout the year. Any advice/input whether this is normal, when is the best time to book etc? Thanks

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Re: Domestic airfoares within the US - prices and advice

What is your entire routing for this trip? It could be more economical to combine a domestic sector on the international ticket and sometimes you can even score a 2 piece baggage allowance if the flight us on the same ticket as your tranpac flights.

If I'm looking at flights within the US I'll generally checkout Priceline.com or ITA/Matrix sites then when I see the cheapest airline I'll then book direct on that airline's own website.

 

[I love to travel]

Re: Domestic airfoares within the US - prices and advice

What is your entire routing for this trip? It could be more economical to combine a domestic sector on the international ticket and sometimes you can even score a 2 piece baggage allowance if the flight us on the same ticket as your tranpac flights.

If I'm looking at flights within the US I'll generally checkout Priceline.com or ITA/Matrix sites then when I see the cheapest airline I'll then book direct on that airline's own website.

Unfortunately am piecing together award bookings from Asia to US and then US to Aus so not possible to tack on additional legs. I have been using priceline and then checking the individual airline sites. Thanks for the advice anyway

 

[serfty]

To provide the best advice we need to know where you need/want to go, from where, to where and time frame.

Otherwise it is all too nebulous.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Re: Domestic airfoares within the US - prices and advice

Unfortunately am piecing together award bookings from Asia to US and then US to Aus so not possible to tack on additional legs. I have been using priceline and then checking the individual airline sites. Thanks for the advice anyway

Sounds s bit like our upcoming trip. QF Classic award BNE QF HKG in whY (X), HKG CX YVR in J (U), YVR/PTY/LAX (via a few places each way) on AA paid fare, LAX/SJO/LAX ditto, LAX/LAS on DL paid cheapie USD49.00.

Coming back to Oz we have a QF partner award on AA LAS/xPHX/HNL in whY (T) then HNL/SYD/BNE on the return leg of a ticket that we flew outbound on in July but returned on a one way award HNL/BNE on HA using Velocity points courtesy of a transfer from Amex.

What sectors/dates are you looking at and for how many people?

Do you have any elite status with airlines that would get you free baggage, lounge access etc?

Any credit card points or freq flyer points at your disposal to burn?

 

[Jurahn]

Re: Domestic airfoares within the US - prices and advice

Unfortunately am piecing together award bookings from Asia to US and then US to Aus so not possible to tack on additional legs. I have been using priceline and then checking the individual airline sites. Thanks for the advice anyway

Don't forget to check out Southwest's website (southwest.com) as well. They don't/won't pay commissions to third-party websites so their fares don't appear on those sites - you can only book directly with Southwest. Note: They usually only release their schedules around 6 months in advance - this page https://www.southwest.com/air/flight-schedules/index.html shows which date fares are currently available to, and when the next part of the schedule will be released.

You get two checked bags included with any Southwest fare, so their fares usually stack up pretty well against other airlines where you have to pay for checked bags. Have used them for domestic flights on several trips to the US and have been quite happy with the service/schedules/prices.

 

[I love to travel]

To provide the best advice we need to know where you need/want to go, from where, to where and time frame.

Otherwise it is all too nebulous.

June 19 2017 MSP to SAV

June 21 SAV to MIA

June 23 MIA to CHS

By this time I will have dropped to Qantas Silver OW Ruby which gives me a free bag and I have Qantas Club so will be access AA lounge. But from what I have found often AA is quite a bit more

Thanks for any help

 

[wandering_fred]

If the prices get too outlandish, and you have OneWorld flights in and out of the USA, you might consider the Visit North America fares. They are not particularly inexpensive but on certain routes they "work". Minimum two flight segments, maximum ten.

Happy wandering

Fred

https://www.oneworld.com/flights/single-continent-fares/visit-north-america/

 

[Mattg]

If you can't find any reasonably-priced AA flights, one option could be to redeem Qantas points. MIA-CHS should only be 8,000 QF points the taxes on any AA domestic flight should only be around $6.

Personally I'd also be looking at Southwest - much cheaper and you also get a free bag. But as others have said you'll need to wait a little while before their (and other LCCs') schedules are released.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

The cheapest option seems to be start on DL with a cost of USD548.00 or AA starting at USD551.00 with a really late arrival into SAV at 2339 but it really depends what time you need to leave or depart the next cities. You can also put in nearby cities so there are options of FLL or PBI as well as MIA.

https://matrix.itasoftware.com/