So..............my wife and I are having a discussion about when is the best time to book airline tickets for our trip to SXM next April. I know we have a lot of seasoned travel schedulers here so I'm asking how far in advance of the trip (in general) are you most likely to get the lowest fares.

I start looking as soon as possible after I know my dates. When it gets to a price you can live with, buy it.

And, sometimes when I am looking at air and if the price is right, I work around planning a trip if I am pretty confident I can get reasonable lodging.

Since we have fixed timeshare weeks we know our dates and book our one way flight the day after they break. Somewhere around 330 to 331 days in advance. We've already booked our flight for May.

For BOS-SXM on JetBlue, I book about 325 days out. The flight is overpriced on the day it is released (330 days out) but usually drops down within a few days. From what I’ve seen it usually only gets more expensive from there.

Yes. That's the way it's with American too.

Same for us.

One thing that I have learned recently with regard to American in particular is as follows. If you book MAIN CABIN, if the price for your flight goes down, you can get a flight credit for the difference. NOT a cash refund, but a flight credit. The credit is only good for a year, but if you fly on AA fairly often, it's a good deal. Recently we were able to get a $150 credit for our upcoming flights to St. Croix. Main Cabin costs more than economy, but you get a seat assignment included. You can also book Main Cabin Extra. That costs more than Main Cabin, but if the price goes down, you can get money back to your original form of payment, as compared to only AA flight credit.

SO--to address your original question--I would check prices as soon as possible and book Main Cabin, at a point where the price is acceptable to you. Then do an automatic price check online and if the price goes down, call and get a price credit.

I also like to book as early as I can. We almost always fly American and take the Main Cabin Extra (exit row if possible). I have cancelled flights, taken the credit and then immediately rebooked the same flight for a lesser cost. The problem I have found is that they don't automatically credit back the upcharge for MCE. I have always got it, but usually have to file a claim or complaint to get it.

Exact info.

Mikel--I'm not sure I understand what you mean about them not crediting back the upcharge for MCE. If you cancel and re-book, your credit should be whatever the difference is between the current fare and what you paid?

I subscribe to Going (formerly Scott's Cheap Flights). They have people and programs that scour the internet for discount and "mistake" fares, and email their paying customers.

They recommend booking 2-8 months in advance for international flights (calling it the Goldilocks Window).

FWIW, I consider the expense of Going well worth it. Subscribers can select which departure airports they want to have info on. I've seen some very tempting fares to every part of the globe, including SXM.

Bill--I have never heard of that company. (Which doesn't mean anything, just making that statement.) The question is, do you then book THROUGH that company or directly through the airlines? To me, I would never book air through a third party anymore, as there is just too much uncertainty in the whole industry, with cancellations, delays, etc. If you book through the airline, you have some control. If booked through a third party, you are at their mercy.

Going, FlightAware, Expert Flyer and sites like these you don't book through. They only let you know when the upgrades come available, when the flight prices drop, and other info that benefits the traveler. I always book direct with the airline.

I am not as good with these apps as many are, but they are very useful and can really help improve your travel. Loyalty also pays well, may cost more at times but you make it up with other benefits.

Todd-thanks, I just never heard of Going before.

Based on this conversation I’m tempted to book my January trip now. Just checked DTW-SXM first class on AA and Delta. Once again AA is about $1000 cheaper than Delta at around $1,600 RT.

Not that I book first class, but I see that there is also a full refund to travel credit on that, if the price changes. For American, you do have to watch it, as their prices seem to change all the time.

I travel AA and do what Scubaman does. I book not the day the flight is first available, but within a week after, after the ridiculous prices have disappeared. My outbound flight to SXM in late May is booked. For my return in early July, I need to wait until early August for availability.

When going to SXM we are not using miles as I want FC and I want the status miles, which with AA if booking FC you get 150% towards status, note that we earn the miles on their One World Partner Alaska Airlines. Not the same as earning miles, you get those as well but towards airline status levels. I book the least expensive that I can stand the routing while fully expecting that my flights will change and then we tend to get much better routing. Sometimes we have to go days early or late, we can live with that with a smile on our face.

IF booking using miles, we do that the first day that route allows us to book with miles as we would if going overseas where BC or FC is way more expensive. We save our miles for those overseas trips, great value most of the time.

Carol, I had never heard of Going either. I had heard of Scott's Cheap Flights but have never used them. I use Expert Flyer the most, but pay good attention to the actual airline websites as well.

Todd - Scott's Cheap Flights is now known as Going. Same people, same company.

Carol - Todd is correct. Going recommends using Google Flights to select your itinerary (and fare), and then booking directly with the airline (you're not able to book through Google Flights if you wanted to, so moot point, I guess).

I'm travelling to SXM in May, and I have not yet purchased my air travel.

Carol, the charges for MCE are billed separately from the fare. The flight credit is for the fare only. I looked back a few years and it appears that sometimes the MCE charge is refunded to the credit card within a week or so but other times I had to request a credit. Not really sure why it works that way.

Oh, ok. Thanks.

It's a cat and mouse game for months, is the airlines going to drop the price, should we wait a little longer??? And this goes on for MONTHS until we see the price in the budget that we are accustomed to paying!! Then we "pull the trigger"!!!