I've been looking at flying Delta CLT to ATH departing July 17, there are several that day. There were basic economy, main cabin, main cabin+, and so on. It was $850ish. Today only Main Cabin Refundable and higher are suddenly available for all of the ATH flights, and the fare is $3100. Should I wait and see if regular main cabin comes back for any of the flights, or just go with a different airline? I've never seen them all disappear like this.
Posted by
Twin Cities of MN
5581 posts
You might check dates around your dates and see if the situation is the same. You could also call Delta and see if they could provide insight or ideas.
Posted by
Charleston & Birmingham
4322 posts
When you see a fare you like.book it immediately. Air fares often don't follow discernible patterns.
Posted by
Austin, TX
1925 posts
I am flying round trup Austin to Barcelona next October.
Last week the fare for both Delta and American was about $1,000. Today it is $1,700 for both Delta and American.
I am going to wait.
Posted by
Twin Cities of MN
5581 posts
I agree with Cala. Plus, by Federal law, you can cancel any booked flight within 24 hours. Beyond that, if you book main cabin, flights can always be changed for a credit to be used within a year.
Posted by
Denver, CO, USA
1556 posts
Just give it some time and the fares will likely come back down. I’ve noticed a trend that fares tend to rise on the weekends because the airlines know that folks have more time to search and book and then come back down in the early part of the following week.
You have plenty of time till July - don’t panic
Posted by
WA USA
1083 posts
I had a similar situation on Delta for an upcoming trip where it only showed 1 seat available for the main cabin. A few days later, multiple main cabin seats became available for the exact same flight. I thought it was odd since the flight was far in advance. I put it down to a computer thing since it was for winter travel and I couldn't imagine all the seats selling out.
I've also noticed the price having large swings up and down. I've since bought my tickets on one of the down swings and am glad to be done watching.
Posted by
Los Angeles
4412 posts
Their computers are smarter than your computers, and they never rest. Anyone who has used the fare tracker on Google has seen the Alps-like peaks and valleys of fares. And they are always looking at other airlines and comparing and contrasting.
July is a long ways away, any numbers you are seeing at this point are really just placeholders.
Also realize they're trying to create a sense of urgency, many websites have countdown timers and similar to make you think you are going to miss out. FOMO can happen but when it comes to airfares, it's not common.
Posted by
OP
2 posts
You are all very helpful, thanks so much for all the replies! Much appreciated!