Travel

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The Secret Date When Airfares Skyrocket

With many people cutting back on vacation plans this year due to the economy, you should know that there is an almost magical date before which you can save a bundle, and after which you could get soaked on airfares.

Here is part of an advertisement for Alitalia (and hats off to them for being possibly the only airline to advertise complete fares with all taxes and airport fees included).  Note the dramatic jump in prices:

alitalia2

Summer rates are nearly $500 higher than spring airfares. What is the magical date when fares turn from rockbottom to ridiculous? The valuable answer is buried in the mouse print:

*MOUSE PRINT:

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May 25 this year for some airlines is the last day to fly before higher summer rates begin, particularly for international flights.

On other airlines, for example, fares between NYC and Madrid are nearly $400 more expensive on May 26 than they are on May 25:

alitaliaco1

Of course, there are dates when the fare comes down again, but generally not to the level they were in the spring.

If you can’t plan your trip to end by May 25, you might be able to still save some money by starting the trip before May 26 and ending it in June.  A friend who was flying Continental from New York to Madrid, and then returning from London could have lowered the price of his June trip from $715 to $490 merely by starting it on May 25 — two weeks earlier than planned.

How much could you save by being flexible in your travel dates? Use Kayak.com’s new fare calendar to see at a glance what the lowest airfare is between point A and point B on any day in any month.

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Spirit Airlines: Buy One Ticket, Get One Free (Eventually)

Spirit BOGONothing draws attention like a “Buy One, Get One” free offer from an airline. Recently, Spirit Airlines ran a two and a half day sale, from December 22 -24, promising just that.

The asterisk leads to the inevitable phrase:

*MOUSE PRINT: “Additional terms and conditions apply.”

One expects there to be rules such as registering for the promotion on their website, being a member of their frequent flier program, etc.  What travelers may not have expected was lurking in the fine print.

*MOUSE PRINT:

On or about 7/15/2009 Spirit will e-mail qualified vouchers.

[Spririt will] issue a voucher in the name of the passenger that traveled in the amount of the reservation purchased less taxes and fees (please note that for domestic tickets the base fare includes 7 ½% Federal Excise Tax which will also not be included in the created voucher). 

Translation: You have to wait until seven months from purchase — next July 15th — to get your voucher!  It is not for the full price you paid. And further down in the fine print is the notation that the “free trip” is only good Sept 9, 2009 through November 18, 2009 — nine to eleven months after purchase.  The voucher will also be sent in your name and is not transferable.

Who knows if Spirit Airlines will even be in business next fall?

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Delta is Ready with New Fees for Frequent Fliers

Over the past few weeks, some airlines announced new fees and policies for members of their frequent flier programs. Delta’s new charges for Skymiles members somehow seemed more obnoxious than most:

*MOUSE PRINT:

— Awards booked less than 21 days before travel will incur fees of $75, $100, or $150; while booking 21 or more days in advance is fee-free.

— There will be a $25 fuel surcharge for domestic flights, and $50 internationally.

— Miles needed for a domestic coach roundtrip will now be 25,000, 40,000 or 60,000. (Funny how the cheap 25,000 point seats always seem to be unavailable.) The site cleverly makes you think they lowered the number of miles needed by displaying the number for a ONE-WAY trip rather than the traditional (and still required) roundtrip:

— If one segment of your trip is on a partner airline, there is an additional $25 partner fee.

— Miles will now expire two years from the date of the last qualifying activity in your account.  Previously, they gave you until December 31st of the year two years after your last activity.  The effect of this to further shorten the life of your miles, so they can wipe out your account sooner.

Remember the good old days when a free ticket really was a free tickert? Well, at least as the New Times says, the airsickness bags are still free.