So we are planning several trips out west this year: Steamboat (early Feb), Big Sky (early March) and Copper April 8-15 (Spring break) are all on our list. For you veterans of flying out that way, do you have any recommendations for the best time to buy the tickets? We are very close to Dulles, but DCA is OK too. Right now, Steamboat (Hayden airport) seems to be about $550, Big Sky is $800 (!) and Denver is $500.
It seems like a good time to lock in Hayden/Steamboat, I don't see it going much below that. But I'm considering going to SLC instead of Big Sky if it is really that expensive.
I don't have any specific tips, but I can tell you I bought tickets yesterday on United from Dulles to Denver (direct) for MLK weekend for $383. If I was more flexible on timing, or had booked a week before, they were more like $316. I'm headed on to Steamboat with a group of 8 guys, but everyone else is flying into Denver (and has booked rental cars), so I decided to do that rather than fly into Hayden.
eggraid wrote:
So we are planning several trips out west this year: Steamboat (early Feb),
Our group has Steamboat "on the radar" from Feb 8 - 12. We already locked down tix from PIT - DEN on Southwest for under 300. I see they are even cheaper from IAD.
Small group this year so we have a ton of flexibilty on final destinations.
Keep in mind the drive to Steamboat is very doable (unless you need to drive back to DEN on Sunday afternoon). Also very scenic. Once you get through the tunnel and head north on Highway 9 you are driving through flat semidesert shrublands (you are actually in a valley) until Rabbit Ear's pass. You can cruise 75 no prob. Of course you could have bad timing and have stormy weather at Rabbit Ears, but if that is the case the flights in and out of Hayden could be affected too.
It looks like the date in April is just more expensive; Frontier has a direct flight for $250, but everyone else (United) is $500. I've heard a lot of people complain about Frontier, I may have to bite the bullet on that one, considering we have 5 people flying. That would save a lot, even after they tack on bag fees.
It would be kind of nice not to need a car in Steamboat, I'll have to weigh the savings to fly into Den ($400) with the hassle of driving and the cost of renting a car.
eggraid wrote:
It looks like the date in April is just more expensive; Frontier has a direct flight for $250, but everyone else (United) is $500. I've heard a lot of people complain about Frontier, I may have to bite the bullet on that one, considering we have 5 people flying. That would save a lot, even after they tack on bag fees.
It would be kind of nice not to need a car in Steamboat, I'll have to weigh the savings to fly into Den ($400) with the hassle of driving and the cost of renting a car.
If I were you, I'd leave out of BWI. Southwest has $320 RTs for the first 4 months of next year into DEN.
For Frontier, you're looking at extra charges to pick your seat in advance, paying for drinks, paying for both carry on and checked luggage.
I NEVER fly Spirit, and only fly Frontier when I have to.
FYI, Southwest has 2 real fare sales a year. One in August for travel in late August thru about December 15.
The other was about 4-6 weeks ago for travel next year January thru about the third week of February. Fares were LOTS cheaper.
Look for this sale in September, 2017 for your 2018 travel.
bob wrote:
eggraid wrote:
It looks like the date in April is just more expensive; Frontier has a direct flight for $250, but everyone else (United) is $500. I've heard a lot of people complain about Frontier, I may have to bite the bullet on that one, considering we have 5 people flying. That would save a lot, even after they tack on bag fees.
It would be kind of nice not to need a car in Steamboat, I'll have to weigh the savings to fly into Den ($400) with the hassle of driving and the cost of renting a car.
If I were you, I'd leave out of BWI. Southwest has $320 RTs for the first 4 months of next year into DEN.
For Frontier, you're looking at extra charges to pick your seat in advance, paying for drinks, paying for both carry on and checked luggage.
I NEVER fly Spirit, and only fly Frontier when I have to.
FYI, Southwest has 2 real fare sales a year. One in August for travel in late August thru about December 15.
The other was about 4-6 weeks ago for travel next year January thru about the third week of February. Fares were LOTS cheaper.
Look for this sale in September, 2017 for your 2018 travel.
Thanks for sharing your experience, I think I will avoid Frontier for ski trips because it looks like their baggage fees would be $50 per bag plus $75 on top of that for having an over-size ski bag. I'll keep my eyes open for Southwest's Sept sale in 2017. I found something similar at Jet Blue, $85 round-trip Dulles to JFK for a trip in Jan.
bob wrote:
eggraid wrote:
It looks like the date in April is just more expensive; Frontier has a direct flight for $250, but everyone else (United) is $500. I've heard a lot of people complain about Frontier, I may have to bite the bullet on that one, considering we have 5 people flying. That would save a lot, even after they tack on bag fees.
It would be kind of nice not to need a car in Steamboat, I'll have to weigh the savings to fly into Den ($400) with the hassle of driving and the cost of renting a car.
If I were you, I'd leave out of BWI. Southwest has $320 RTs for the first 4 months of next year into DEN.
For Frontier, you're looking at extra charges to pick your seat in advance, paying for drinks, paying for both carry on and checked luggage.
I NEVER fly Spirit, and only fly Frontier when I have to.
FYI, Southwest has 2 real fare sales a year. One in August for travel in late August thru about December 15.
The other was about 4-6 weeks ago for travel next year January thru about the third week of February. Fares were LOTS cheaper.
Look for this sale in September, 2017 for your 2018 travel.
Thanks for sharing your experience, I think I will avoid Frontier for ski trips because it looks like their baggage fees would be $50 per bag plus $75 on top of that for having an over-size ski bag. I'll keep my eyes open for Southwest's Sept sale in 2017. I found something similar at Jet Blue, $85 round-trip Dulles to JFK for a trip in Jan.
bob wrote:
eggraid wrote:
It looks like the date in April is just more expensive; Frontier has a direct flight for $250, but everyone else (United) is $500. I've heard a lot of people complain about Frontier, I may have to bite the bullet on that one, considering we have 5 people flying. That would save a lot, even after they tack on bag fees.
It would be kind of nice not to need a car in Steamboat, I'll have to weigh the savings to fly into Den ($400) with the hassle of driving and the cost of renting a car.
If I were you, I'd leave out of BWI. Southwest has $320 RTs for the first 4 months of next year into DEN.
For Frontier, you're looking at extra charges to pick your seat in advance, paying for drinks, paying for both carry on and checked luggage.
I NEVER fly Spirit, and only fly Frontier when I have to.
FYI, Southwest has 2 real fare sales a year. One in August for travel in late August thru about December 15.
The other was about 4-6 weeks ago for travel next year January thru about the third week of February. Fares were LOTS cheaper.
Look for this sale in September, 2017 for your 2018 travel.
Thanks for sharing your experience, I think I will avoid Frontier for ski trips because it looks like their baggage fees would be $50 per bag plus $75 on top of that for having an over-size ski bag. I'll keep my eyes open for Southwest's Sept sale in 2017. I found something similar at Jet Blue, $85 round-trip Dulles to JFK for a trip in Jan.
Everyone is jumping on Frontier, but I'm a big fan IF you buy their "THE WORKS" package. Adds $150 to your round trip fare, but the fares are cheap to begin with and the most important thing is that it makes your fare fully refundable. Given how fickle the snow conditions can be in different parts of the country, that's a huge perk. I've taken advantage several times to either cancel or reschedule flights.
THE WORKS also means you get one checked bag and one carry on for free, and you get to sit in a stretch seat at the front of the plane. Frontier just joined the TSA pre-check program, so one of my big complaints, that you had to wait in long lines at Denver aiport is now resolved.
Base round trip non-stop to Denver (3 flights/day out of National, not Dulles, yay) is $200. Then add $150 for THE WORKS and you're looking at $350 round trip with the right to cancel your flight.
One final note--if you do decide to cancel, Frontier made it slightly more complicated to get a refund. It used to be automatic straight back to your credit card--now it gives you flight credit instead (which expires at some point). But getting a cash refund back to your credit card is pretty easy--you just have to take the extra step of actually requesting a refund on their web site. It's easy, but it is an extra step that you have to remember.
Good luck!
bob wrote:
FYI, Southwest has 2 real fare sales a year. One in August for travel in late August thru about December 15.
The other was about 4-6 weeks ago for travel next year January thru about the third week of February. Fares were LOTS cheaper.
Look for this sale in September, 2017 for your 2018 travel.
Corraborating Bob's input, in early Oct 2016 I got in on a Southwest sale for rdtrp Wash (DCA) to SLC for a Sat to Sat in late Jan 2017. Cost was $239. That was about $150 less than my average cost flying out there three times last winter. It could have been as low as $204, but I went for later departure time on final Sat in case I try to ski part of that day.
tkaiden wrote:
Everyone is jumping on Frontier, but I'm a big fan IF you buy their "THE WORKS" package. Adds $150 to your round trip fare, but the fares are cheap to begin with and the most important thing is that it makes your fare fully refundable. Given how fickle the snow conditions can be in different parts of the country, that's a huge perk. I've taken advantage several times to either cancel or reschedule flights.
THE WORKS also means you get one checked bag and one carry on for free, and you get to sit in a stretch seat at the front of the plane. Frontier just joined the TSA pre-check program, so one of my big complaints, that you had to wait in long lines at Denver aiport is now resolved.
Base round trip non-stop to Denver (3 flights/day out of National, not Dulles, yay) is $200. Then add $150 for THE WORKS and you're looking at $350 round trip with the right to cancel your flight.
One final note--if you do decide to cancel, Frontier made it slightly more complicated to get a refund. It used to be automatic straight back to your credit card--now it gives you flight credit instead (which expires at some point). But getting a cash refund back to your credit card is pretty easy--you just have to take the extra step of actually requesting a refund on their web site. It's easy, but it is an extra step that you have to remember.
Good luck
Thanks for letting me know about that, I hadn't looked into that program at all. I wonder if the one free checked bag could be a ski bag?
