Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Huh? Let's see....5 hrs door to door and $140 ($280 w/ wife)or 20+ hrs straight driving plus cost of gas/food and maybe lodging. I think not.
I said a family of four (4+) or more. You can bang out a 20 hour drive if you do it in shifts. Also you can see the country too. I'm not saying this is the definitive way to go but its an option if you want to save a few $ and want to give the finger to the airlines.
I think airline prices & fees are like taxes, once they are in place they never leave even though the reason for their implementation is gone. Unfortunately you are trying to secure a flight on one of the busiest corridor routes this time of year. Too bad Eastern isn't around to saturate the skies with their Florida flights, good luck.
I'm not even focused on a particular time of year...that's the part which hurts!
My folks moved down there 20 years ago, and save for a few road trips, I've flown in February, November, April, May, July, August, November.
I've gone and cleaned out my cookies as someone told me to do. JetBlue has a Mon/Tues/Thurs/Sat deal that ends tonight which wasn't bad at all. Just have to complete travel by June 15. However, when I lay it over my daughter's schedule (ACT, SAT, Regents and finals) consider how many days of school she might miss (junior year), a family obligation, and factor in their black out dates, I am left with nothing. I realize that's my problem, not JetBlue's.
I considered Amtrak, which was no bargain to JAX. Twenty one plus hours each way on the train for about the same price as a plane ticket? No, thank you.
Last summer I flew ISP to MCO to catch up with my family in Port Canaveral for a cruise. Our airfare was under $200 pp RT. The same flights - same month, same week, same days of the week, same departure time (within 30 minutes) -- $653.96 for 'wanna get away fares!
Then there's the ISP factor: JetBlue:
no ISP service
JFK to JAX 5/19-5/23 (miss 3 days of school) $548.40 direct flights
(I wouldn't consider LGA with JetBlue for those dates as there are no direct flights and the flights they do list are more than the JFK flight.)
Southwest:
No JFK service
LGA to JAX same dates $471.92 with layovers/connections. ISP to JAX $853.92 with layovers. NOT a typo.
Delta:
LGA to JAX $347.70 with layovers/connections
JFK to JAX $538.40 direct flights
American Airlines:
LGA to JAX $540 with layovers/connections
As of right now, Delta appears to have the best airfare, but it is still higher than I've paid on Delta in the past. Frustrating.
All flights are more expensive this year despite the lower cost of oil.
Best I can suggest is to try Tue/Wed departures to help bring the cost down. JAX doesn't have a lot of airlift... unlike MCO. Less competition - higher seat yields.
Yes, I have looked those up as well. Cleared cookies from cache, checked on Tuesday afternoon when airfare is allegedly its lowest. I am open to all suggestions to try and get a lower priced flight.
The only way we can put a stop to this $hit is to stop flying. These SOB's implemented these rate hikes when gas prices were through the roof. Now that gas prices are low we should all collectively consider driving. If you do the math and you have a fuel efficient car it would cost a lot less to drive a family of 4+ down south than to get flights for everyone. Once you get out of the NYC area it is smooth sailing the rest of the way down.
I've done the drive in the past with my husband.
This trip is going to be me and a 16 year old (no drivers license) hoping to spend a few days with my mom and grandma for their birthdays 73 and 93, respectively. I can't do the drive straight through by myself. That means 4 days of travel, 2 hotel nights, and 1 day with mom and grandma.
the last few years I've noticed that flying anytime that would be considered a preferred time to fly (leaving NYC in the mid-morning, on a Friday/Saturday) is getting more and more expensive. And if you're trying to time it with school vacations it's even worse. It can get annoying.
And for quite some time my experience has been that flying out of ISP on Southwest has been a lot more expensive than JetBlue out of JFK/LGA (I typically fly to PBI).
Maybe consider leaving your daughter at home this time so you have more flexibility with your dates?
the last few years I've noticed that flying anytime that would be considered a preferred time to fly (leaving NYC in the mid-morning, on a Friday/Saturday) is getting more and more expensive. And if you're trying to time it with school vacations it's even worse. It can get annoying.
And for quite some time my experience has been that flying out of ISP on Southwest has been a lot more expensive than JetBlue out of JFK/LGA (I typically fly to PBI).
Maybe consider leaving your daughter at home this time so you have more flexibility with your dates?
I've contemplated that. As much as she wants to go, she might have to sit this one out.
Huh? Let's see....5 hrs door to door and $140 ($280 w/ wife)or 20+ hrs straight driving plus cost of gas/food and maybe lodging. I think not.
And tolls. Someone on the NC forum did the math for tolls between NY and NC - it was like $75. I think I've been blocking that out. No tolls between NOVA and FL (if I'm not mistaken) but still....it's a lot. However, the expense of driving is divided between however many people are in the car, whereas with flying you are paying for each person. Plus getting to the airport or parking.
When we go to NY I usually fly with one or more of the kids at least one way and DH drives so we have a car once we're there.
Travelling with older kids is a pain. Missing HS is difficult then throw in their sports/activities - my DS made the HS baseball team and we're trying to plan spring break around him...such a pain.
I'm not even focused on a particular time of year...that's the part which hurts!
My folks moved down there 20 years ago, and save for a few road trips, I've flown in February, November, April, May, July, August, November.
I've gone and cleaned out my cookies as someone told me to do. JetBlue has a Mon/Tues/Thurs/Sat deal that ends tonight which wasn't bad at all. Just have to complete travel by June 15. However, when I lay it over my daughter's schedule (ACT, SAT, Regents and finals) consider how many days of school she might miss (junior year), a family obligation, and factor in their black out dates, I am left with nothing. I realize that's my problem, not JetBlue's.
I considered Amtrak, which was no bargain to JAX. Twenty one plus hours each way on the train for about the same price as a plane ticket? No, thank you.
Last summer I flew ISP to MCO to catch up with my family in Port Canaveral for a cruise. Our airfare was under $200 pp RT. The same flights - same month, same week, same days of the week, same departure time (within 30 minutes) -- $653.96 for 'wanna get away fares!
Then there's the ISP factor: JetBlue:
no ISP service
JFK to JAX 5/19-5/23 (miss 3 days of school) $548.40 direct flights
(I wouldn't consider LGA with JetBlue for those dates as there are no direct flights and the flights they do list are more than the JFK flight.)
Southwest:
No JFK service
LGA to JAX same dates $471.92 with layovers/connections. ISP to JAX $853.92 with layovers. NOT a typo.
Delta:
LGA to JAX $347.70 with layovers/connections
JFK to JAX $538.40 direct flights
American Airlines:
LGA to JAX $540 with layovers/connections
As of right now, Delta appears to have the best airfare, but it is still higher than I've paid on Delta in the past. Frustrating.
I just priced this:
Air Section Modify your AIR reservation | Remove your AIR reservation
MAY 19
THU
Depart Flt 4052/2212
ISP
1:15 PM JAX
7:30 PM Adult Air fare
Wanna Get Away fare
MAY 23
MON
Return Flt 922/3153
JAX
7:35 PM ISP
11:50 PM Adult Air fare
Wanna Get Away fare Cost Breakdown Adult $276.96 x 2 $553.92 $553.92 Govt. Taxes & Fees (opens popup) We'll reserve the flight upon purchase completion. Trip Total $553.92
Not ready to book yet? Save
$553.92 total for two.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
