What's with the airfare from Houston to Roatan?

[etexdiver]

Pricing a trip for next April to Roatan, Coz, or Bonaire, flying out of Houston. We went to Roatan September 2011, and the airfare was @ $620 round trip. Now I'm getting a cheapest fare of $820. That's a heck of a jump. I can do Coz for @ $415 and Bonaire for @ $605. Does anyone know why Roatan is so high? It's not that much farther to Honduras than Cozumel, and it's farther to Bonaire than Roatan. I'm wondering if there is some extra tax on flights.

 

[laurenceh]

it's all about ticket sales, the more passengers the cheaper the price. cozumel and bonaire are much more popular destinations, most americans have never heard of roatan. that said i still think you could get tickets for around $600 if you keep waiting, i flew from chicago via houston a few weeks ago and paid $680.

 

[flareside]

Consider flying out of Shreveport. $650 on Delta

 

[Mike]

Roatan's more expensive flight because it's farther distance to fly, there is smaller demand, and taxes, departure fees and airport fees vary from country to country, can be included in the ticket price or something you pay when you leave the country. The time of year also effects the ticket price, high season versus rainy season, holiday versus non-holiday.

$600-$800 is the average price range I've paid to go to Roatan. $820 isn't an exorbitant fare, you may do better and you may do worse than that.

When you say you can do Cozumel for $405, is that flying into Cozumel or Cancun? If that is flying into Cancun and doing the bag drag, then $405 isn't really what it costs.

 

[etexdiver]

Consider flying out of Shreveport. $650 on Delta

52 minutes between flights would be a real tight squeeze. Plus I've been burned before with flights in and out of Shreveport. Not Shreveports fault, at all. I like their airport. It's usually the connecting flights are either too close or way far apart. Guess I'll book another Cozmel trip. . Lol.

---------- Post Merged at 11:37 AM ---------- Previous Post was at 11:13 AM ----------

Roatan's more expensive flight because it's farther distance to fly, there is smaller demand, and taxes, departure fees and airport fees vary from country to country, can be included in the ticket price or something you pay when you leave the country. The time of year also effects the ticket price, high season versus rainy season, holiday versus non-holiday.

$600-$800 is the average price range I've paid to go to Roatan. $820 isn't an exorbitant fare, you may do better and you may do worse than that.

When you say you can do Cozumel for $405, is that flying into Cozumel or Cancun? If that is flying into Cancun and doing the bag drag, then $405 isn't really what it costs.

That's flying into Coz. I sometimes do the bag drag out to the circle to pick up a cab, but I sure won't do it from Cancun. Been there, done that.

My wife and I had been to Roatan 5 years running, up until last year, and we never paid more than $620. Couldn't make it this year due to our daughters wedding, but were thinking of going next year. We'll check it out for later in the year, next year.

Bonaire is farther than Roatan from Houston, so distance can't be the reason.

 

[Mike]

Do you use matrix to explore your flight options?

Matrix - ITA Software

 

[etexdiver]

Do you use matrix to explore your flight options?

Matrix - ITA Software

No, I didn't. Thanks Mike! I remember seeing that site on a thread before, but never saved it. That helps quite a bit.

 

[Blackmore75]

Bookmarked that one! Thank you Mike!!

 

[DandyDon]

Matrix shows several $678 RT dates from Houston. Cheaper out of College Station, but 2 connections. Got to start at Martix.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Don't book your flight yet. Wait . . . look again in early January. Last year flight from Calgary through Houston, was under $600 for Jan/Feb/Mar/Apr/May
but if I'd tried to book in the fall for those months, would have paid quite a bit more. Just a suggestion.