Passengers, Prepare for Higher Air Fares
Experts suggest booking travel now to avoid higher prices later
If you're trying to pinch pennies on a plane ticket, better book it now.
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Major airlines have raised fares twice in the last two weeks, leading travel experts to declare an end to months of plummeting ticket prices.
"I don't know if it's the end of the bargains,” said Rick Seaney of FareCompare.com, a Web site that tracks airline fares. “But it's the end of what I would consider to be a free fall on airfare prices the last six months."
Fares started dropping last November, Seaney said, and hit decade lows in mid-May.
Two weeks ago, Delta hiked prices followed by other major airlines, including Fort Worth-based American.
Even Dallas-based Southwest, which doesn't often follow other airlines' hikes, raised fares by $20.
Experts say prices are still low by historical standards, but urge travelers to book the bargains now, before they disappear.
On Wednesday, for example, United offered a round-trip ticket from DFW Airport to Honolulu, Hawaii, for just $235, Seaney said.
But it lasted just 20 hours before nearly tripling to $650.
On Wednesday, for example, United offered a round-trip ticket from DFW Airport to Honolulu, Hawaii, for just $235, Seaney said.
But it lasted just 20 hours before nearly tripling to $650.
Pam Carson, an unemployed human resources manager from Euless, left DFW Airport Thursday for a vacation in Dublin, Ireland.
She paid $502 for a round-trip ticket, but could have saved about $50 if she had booked it a week earlier, she said.
“I’m not complaining,” she said.
Posted Thursday, Jul 16, 2009 - 9:04 PM CST
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