Are you a Planner or an Opportunist??

[Pembina]

I am so bummed out because I just checked air fare from Fayetteville, AR to Bonaire and for the same flight that I booked back in September for $790 person is now $440 per person. $350 * 2 = $700 that I have overpaid!!!

I called Contenintal and this is what I was told. I could pay $150 change fee plus a $25 agent fee and then they would issue me a Electronic Travel Certificate for the difference.
So, if I pay THEM another $350 then they will give me a $700 coupon. This would be fine if I did a lot of traveling but I don't and have no idea when/where my next trip will be and besides Contenintal doesn't fly out of our local airport so the chances of me flying them another time soon is probably not happening.

Do you plan ahead or wait until a deal comes along that you just can't pass up? I want to visit my son in Germany (Army) this fall but now don't know whether to book now or wait. With my luck, if I wait, gas prices will skyrocket again.

What to do. . . what to do??

 

[vanessar]

I am an Opportunist as i books a flight at the last minute on Sat due to an change of plans in traveling to FL Keys. I got Houston to Bonaire RT tickets for $354 and I had to pay the $150 for my ticket change.

However, I usually plan ahead and would have paid the higher price.

Vanessar

 

[flatwood]

I am so bummed out because I just checked air fare from Fayetteville, AR to Bonaire and for the same flight that I booked back in September for $790 person is now $440 per person. $350 * 2 = $700 that I have overpaid!!!

I called Contenintal and this is what I was told. I could pay $150 change fee plus a $25 agent fee and then they would issue me a Electronic Travel Certificate for the difference.
So, if I pay THEM another $350 then they will give me a $700 coupon. This would be fine if I did a lot of traveling but I don't and have no idea when/where my next trip will be and besides Contenintal doesn't fly out of our local airport so the chances of me flying them another time soon is probably not happening.

Do you plan ahead or wait until a deal comes along that you just can't pass up? I want to visit my son in Germany (Army) this fall but now don't know whether to book now or wait. With my luck, if I wait, gas prices will skyrocket again.

What to do. . . what to do??

What month did you buy your tickets for?

 

[vanessar]

I will be leaving for Bonaire on Friday Feb 28th and returning on Mar 7th. Purchased these on Sat Feb 21st.

Vanessar

 

[Pembina]

What month did you buy your tickets for?

I fly out on Friday, March 6th to catch the red eye out of Houston and arrive Bonaire on Saturday morning.

 

[DeputyDan]

If you want a specific destination you sort of have to be a planner.

If you are willing to jump on any good deal that comes along then you can be an opportunist.

I think a real problem is scheduling around work - most folks simply can't just take off when a good deal drops into their laps!

 

[driftin' by]

Vanesser, We're going the same dates... will be on the same flight out of Houston on Friday.

We booked about 6 weeks in advance... which is pretty much the norm or I guess you can call us opportunists. We generally plan to go places in May and September and just start looking for deals 4-6 weeks out. We always have places in mind- Bonaire, Roatan, Belize, Cozumel, Key Largo. In fact, every year we say were going to go to Key Largo but it usually ends up cheaper to go to Cozumel. We lucked out on this deal to Bonaire. A friend on SB mentioned that he was going and knowing I'd only find $700 PP RT tickets for his dates I was surprised to find them for $298. I always think it's best to wait especially on Tuesdays. YMMV

BTW, I'm a Razorback so it think it'd be worth it to change your plans and fly out of XNA.

 

[H2ODoc]

I had the same issue. Yapta - Track Airline Flight Ticket Prices and Airfares, Find Frequent Flyer Seats, Save Money is a site that will watch your fares for you and let you know if you should pursue a travel voucher from your airline, but like you, I wasn't going to pay more money for some stinkin' voucher.

I'm a planner, and as such, I overpaid for my tickets.

Driftin' by is an opportunist and saved a ton of money on the same flight.

But... that story about the ant and the grasshopper? I don't remember how that story works out, but I think planners are somehow rewarded.

I'm thinking Driftin' by is going to get strip searched at customs, get the hotel room next to the air compressor, and get seated near the kitchen at dinner, while I'll have the most fantastic vacation imaginable.

I'll get upgraded to first class... get seated next to a supermodel on the flight..... get a free room upgrade, and see a whale shark and a mermaid on the very first dive.

And then, and only then, I'll feel good about paying twice as much as the dude sitting next to me on that stupid Continental flight eating my free bag of peanuts.

 

[Pembina]

I'm thinking Driftin' by is going to get strip searched at customs, get the hotel room next to the air compressor, and get seated near the kitchen at dinner, while I'll have the most fantastic vacation imaginable.

I'll get upgraded to first class... get seated next to a supermodel on the flight..... get a free room upgrade, and see a whale shark and a mermaid on the very first dive.

And then, and only then, I'll feel good about paying twice as much as the dude sitting next to me on that stupid Continental flight eating my free bag of peanuts.

 

[vlkr]

for fun stuff in a down economy, i am an opportunist. for important matters like family, i am a planner.