Flights to AK

[Irrelevant]

We're doing a family trip to Alaska this fall, early September, meeting my parents in Willow for a week. We tentatively set the dates this last summer, so I started watching flight prices. Late August they started to plummet, down to the 200-250 range for anchorage (I even saw 160 for a specific date range). Google Flights won't let you track flights over a year in advance so around January I started watching for this fall for actual flights. The prices keep climbing every week or so. It's up to 339 for our dates. Now to the point. Do I gamble and wait until last minute for the flight hoping in that last week or two the prices drop again, or do I buy now which is probably the cheapest "planning" stage ticket I'm going to get? Thoughts?

 

[mdhunter]

Buy now...just make sure you understand the luggage rate component before you do...

 

[Dave N]

No help on waiting or not. One thing I WILL suggest is get an Alaska Airlines credit card. You will get the initial bonus miles, every year you get a companion fare for CHEAP, and a free checked bag for up to 6 people. Be flexible on your dates. Prices vary wildly from one day to the next.

It would help if you take me along! We have friends in Willow and tried to buy a house there. Bank hosed us...

 

[brownbear932008]

I've always got burned by waiting myself. Got burned last year to newfie when I knew better than waiting.

 

[7Bartman]

X2 on the Alaska Airlines card. Using points for travel and airfare has helped me so much over the last several years.

 

[pointingdogsrule]

Went there last summer. Seems like 6 months out is the best price, as I watched very close. After that it seems to stay the same or go up.

good luck to all
the dog

 

[Irrelevant]

damnit guys not that answer I wanted to hear

I was hoping everyone would agree to wait and I'd be guaranteed to pay under 300. Google Flights just sent me an update this morning, it's jumped up again.

 

[cedahm]

It's very doubtful to go lower than $339. Loads are very high and stable on all the US airlines these days. I'd jump on it as that's already a very good deal.

And concur that if you're based in SEA, the Alaska Credit card is a good deal. If you have more aspirational uses of miles, then there are others that are transferable to different programs (e.g. Amex Membership rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, et al), but if you typically fly Alaska or their partners, it's a good one.

 

[MThuntr]

damnit guys not that answer I wanted to hear

I was hoping everyone would agree to wait and I'd be guaranteed to pay under 300. Google Flights just sent me an update this morning, it's jumped up again.

many online searches will remember your flights and magically be more expensive on your next search. Clear your cookies and browsing history and maybe the price will drop but I'd wager now is the time to buy

 

[JDMickTX]

I’m flying up in August and have also been watching rates. I was told there’s typically little savings until about 150 days before the flight, with prices climbing again in the final month. I’ll likely buy my tickets in late March/Early April and be done with it. I don’t fly often so I’m an amateur, so take it for what it’s worth.

I’ll definitely look into getting an Alaskan Airlines card, thanks for the tip.

 

[RyanT]

many online searches will remember your flights and magically be more expensive on your next search. Clear your cookies and browsing history and maybe the price will drop but I'd wager now is the time to buy

+1 on this. If you haven't already pulled the trigger on this, make sure you clear your cache (or just open a new "incognito" window that doesn't remember your past searches).

Bon Voyage! Shot a Caribou on the north slope of the Brooks back in 2012... haven't been back since.

 

[Irrelevant]

Definitely true that a "tracked flight" cost more than the going rate. That's definitely a good tip. However, the prices kept climbing slowly so I just locked in at 365. I may regret it a little in the future, but I hope not by too much. I'm going to try to continue to track the costs and update this thread for others. I didn't go with the Alaska Airline CC because we just don't hardly fly, and the difference in rewards back to us with it vs our current rewards CC was less than the annual membership cost of the AK Air CC.

 

[Bambistew]

Flying out of SeaTac to Anch? $365 RT? If so I'd book it every day of the week. It's a rare day that I can get any sort of airfair from here for less than $500pp RT. Anchorage to SeaTac is usually $150-250 one way, plus tax.

I would keep watching for now. Doubt it will go up much more.

 

[archer wapiti]

Now stop looking at the price changes and you'll be happy!
That seems like a great price.

 

[Irrelevant]

And the price just dropped to 275. Fudge. Amazing, had I just gotten side tracked for a few days I could have saved $400

 

[480/277y]

I always booked as far ahead as I could and never fretted the small stuff. Win some lose some, but you're going to Alaska, be happy.

I would worry more about leaving my rifle home if I was back in AK in sept !!!!

 

[Dave N]

Hey, at least you're going! I just punched in September out of O'Hare and the cheapest RT was $480. Not horrible, but we're headed elsewhere then. Still trying to find another house to look at before we go back up. The fall colors should be in full force when you get there! The drive over Hatcher Pass was pretty cool! It took us 3 trips to Alaska before the road was open for us. Denali in September SHOULD be visible unless it's raining. Been there 4 times now, NEVER not able to see it. Pretty awesome driving up Parks Highway then getting past Willow and having it show up ahead of you!

 

[Irrelevant]

I always booked as far ahead as I could and never fretted the small stuff. Win some lose some, but you're going to Alaska, be happy.

I would worry more about leaving my rifle home if I was back in AK in sept !!!!

No rifle. Just a fly rod. I'm not sure if I actually want to hunt AK. Part of me thinks "It'll be AEWSOME!", and part of me doesn't want to burst that bubble.

 

[Irrelevant]

update on flights, last week they were $340.5 today they dropped to $302.

 

[glass eye]

No rifle. Just a fly rod. I'm not sure if I actually want to hunt AK. Part of me thinks "It'll be AEWSOME!", and part of me doesn't want to burst that bubble.

At the very least buy a small game license for $60 NR and hunt some grouse and ptarmigan.