TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Ticket prices for late July

Hi all. I'm doing the ticket dance for the last week in July/1st week in August. They are pretty high from DC right now (yes, I know West Coasters, we're lucky, stop complaining, etc etc etc <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" />). Question for your ticket savvy people - I usually purchase a few months out, but I'm wondering if I should keep waiting until tickets drop down to a price I'm happy with? Or are they going to go up from here? I know no one knows for sure, but would like to hear your opinions.

I remember when summer tickets in the $480 range was considered expensive. LOL

Thanks!

they will probably drop down a bit but that is not a high season so flights are not as abundant. That being said, i started looking for tickets to go in mid april in early december and the prices were around 650pp. nervously played the game and booked them in late january for 430pp so saved a good amount of change. Big gamble though.

Check out an iPhone app called Hopper-they are pretty good at predicting prices

On Jan. 8th, I could have purchased non-stop from/to PHL for $575.
I decided to wait (After all of these years, what was I thinking? Actually, I wasn't sure how long I could stay, so didn't want to book.)
Anyway, the prices have now gone to $775 for the same flights.
So, I'm still waiting <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" />

We are looking at over $800 from Colorado in April.

We watched and bought at $550 out of Hartford the week before you are going. I just checked and there's now a Delta for $500. That could dry up by the end of the week. Not freaking out over it.....used to be sub $500 meant go for it. Now, sub $600 seems to do it.

A very wise person once told me: "When it gets to a price you can live with...BUY IT!"

I agree with rural. Pretty stressful the way I did it. Checking prices every day.

I don't think there is really any rhyme or reason as to when prices go up or down. For the 2014 Feb/March trip to SXM I booked in May 2013. For the upcoming trip (2/26) I did not book until Nov. 2014 and paid slightly less than the previous year. I watched prices and they ran about $200 higher than what I last paid and then all of a sudden they dropped. I watched for a week or so as prices seem to bounce a little and then settle and made the decision.

I have also found that days of the week seem to matter little, at least in my case and from where I travel from. It has been reported that Tuesday at 2:00am (or something like that) is the "best" time to buy. I have never found that to be the case either.

Check prices often (but don't obsess) and when it gets close to a price you can live with, perhaps check more frequently but don't hesitate too much. Using a flight price tracking tool is a good idea also but I prefer to just check frequently directly with the airline.

one thing i forgot to mention is we are going down on Fri and coming back on a fri. That dropped the ticket price by about 70 buck a piece. with the cost of the room for an extra night still saved a bit over 100 bucks. Now when i am down there i am going to see if we can change flight out to sat at no cost and stay the full 2 weeks in our timeshare.

I am going Thursday to Thursday versus Friday to Friday last year and it made a big difference also. It never hurts to ask.

we are going last weekend July to Aug 1 from JFK $477 per person, I booked in November through Delta. Right now same flights $561.

Wondering if you've booked yet?

We are getting nervous about finding our July tickets....without them being a mortgage payment! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Yikes.gif" alt="" /> I keep a spreadsheet of the fares we've paid historically for our twice a year trips....this year is crazy. We've joked about flying to France and then coming in on an Air France or KLM for less.

I am going same week as you are, I purchased Delta in December for $ 437. Same flight now $715. I find if I look for flights on a Wednesday night around 11pm they are cheaper.

Sorry i leave from JFK

I was just checking flights today, I am leaving on July 23rd-Aug 1st. Airfare from JFK is now $597 which is a good price. But Saturday to Saturday is up there $796. I hope you can get a good price Good Luck!!