elisabet

I need to fly from Portland, Maine to Sarasota, Florida during the February vacation week, preferably 2/18-2/25. The airfare shopping game is starting to make me crazy.
Do any of the more experienced February vacation fliers think that the fares will ever go below $400? I should add that I am trying to avoid very early departures or very late arrivals. Maybe I should just sell my first-born and pay the current prices, mostly over $400.
Truly, I think I could get a better deal to Europe and could tolerate the cold there. But I need to see elderly parents, so I am trying to be a dutiful daughter.
Thanks for your thoughts.
elisabet

OO

It is generally less expensive flying into Tampa than into Sarasota. Have you priced it that way? Depending where in Sarasota they are, it's about an hour drive down from Tampa, all interstate.

E

I was going to suggest the same thing, check airfares to Tampa instead. Orlando would be a 3 hour drive--more in traffic--so I would consider that truly a last resort, and only if the airfare is downright cheap. Good luck!

amwosu

We go to Sarasota to visit relatives and enjoy the beaches at least once a year and have been flying into Tampa for cheap direct flights post 9/11. A quick and easy drive will get you from Tampa to Sarasota and its certainly worth the savings!

rb_travelerxATyahoo

You're trying to travel at a PEAK travel period. Teachers (who can't take a vacation whenever they want) alone can put a large demand on travel resources and of course many families want to head south as well.

I doubt you'll see fares go lower. My last boss's wife is a f/t teacher, and he a p/t, and I remember them following airfares closely. Good luck and enjoy your Boston vacation!

bamakelly

We used to travel between South Florida and other places all the time in the winter. I'd say $400 range is about right. Tampa was always cheaper than Sarasota. Ft Myers is an option, but still quite a drive, and may be more expensive, may be less. The closer you get to the holidays the higher the rates will go. I'd probably not wait much longer or you may see fares get even higher.

gail

As a regular Feb. or April vacation traveler to Florida, I can say that past experience has shown fares will go up if anything - except perhaps at last minute if something is leftover (like Delta's last minute deals we keep getting emails about).

JetBlue and Southwest have been advertising more flights to Florida - but your airport choices are more limited. Manchester or Logan might have somewhat better deals - I would go to itasoftware and choose flexible date option and "airports within xxx miles" option on both ends and see what turns up.

But when you add into mix wanting to travel at peak travel times (not early AM, late PM), $400 is, in my opinion, about the best you are going to do.

You probably could get a better deal to Europe at that time of year!

elisabet

Huge thanks to all who replied.
I am one of those folks who work in public schools and feel the need to leave town during the scheduled breaks. School calendars allow for a good work schedule, but higher fares during school breaks are a reality.

Gail, your itasoftware suggestion was most helpful. I had been using bookingbuddy.com and was feeling quite discouraged.
Here's what I got with itasoftware info, using automated phone ticketing for United Airlines:

United Airlines, $408.29, both departures and arrivals within the reasonable* range. 2/18-2/24-- I flexed a bit on the dates, which gives a nice margin for possible bad weather on the return.
*Truly, I am not a reasonable creature before 8AM or after 11PM.

My sister from Chicago will be joining me and was finding RT fares under $125, so I appreciate the reality check, putting to rest my anxiety that I was being unreasonably ripped off. Maybe she will buy me dinner!

elisabet