Rick Seaney, co-founder of FareCompare.com - is a world-class air travel expert.
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And all of Rick's data is updated continuously - in real-time.
No wonder he's the media's go-to guy for all things air travel. He's got the answers. And he loves to share his knowledge.
That's why Rick and the team created FareCompare.com - to help everyone become an air travel expert, and get the best deals first -- every time they fly.
If you’ll be jetting in for Super Bowl XLIV in Miami on Feb. 7, better get there before the FAA establishes its 10 mile Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) around the Sun Life Stadium*.
This will be in effect from approximately 4pm until midnight EST (depending on when the Colts and Saints quit pummeling each other).
In case you’re keeping score of the aircraft, the FAA figures between Jan.22 and Feb. 8, there will be as many as 700 extra general aviation flights (for Super Bowl prep, the Pro Bowl and Super Bowl Sunday).
*Stadium: I know, I know – the proper name is Sun Life Stadium (or it has been since Jan. 18 – let me know if it’s changed) but the FAA in its wisdom called it “Dolphin Stadium” in its press release. Fans will recall that was its name from 2006-2009 and for a brief time this year (in 2005 it was known as Dolphins Stadium. And who can forget Joe Robbie?
FareCompare – we help you find the best deals ever – plus, SportsTalk!
But perhaps U.S. Sen. John Kerry wants everyone to know he’s flying commercial in the wake of the UK Telegraph story that details how 140 private jets and 1,200 gas-guzzling limos have arrived for the conference (said a Denmark limousine company manager: “We haven’t got enough limos in the country to fulfill the demand. We’re having to drive them in hundreds of miles from Germany and Sweden.”)
So the question remains: which commercial carrier will Kerry fly? SAS, Lufthansa, United? And, more to the point – will this help him reach “elite status” in his miles program before the end of the year?
I was just perusing an article — almost total doom & gloom – about how tough it is for air travelers today what with the fees and security and surliness – how flying is an endurance test – complete with Stockholm Syndrome (that’s when we bond with our enemies – the cabin crew!)
Alright, I grant you – some of this is true. Flying isn’t a lot of fun-unless you travel like rock star (can’t say, like a CEO anymore) on a humongous private plane.
But I think the author is missing the point – the REAL point about air travel today, and it is this:
Flying is Fast – and Cheap
Is it still the best way to get yourself from Point A to Point B? You better believe it. I travel a fair amount – and I know the hassles – but I also know the joys of heading to a favorite destination or a brand new adventure.
Queen Elizabeth has decided to put a new private jet “on hold” for now – at least until the economy improves.
She’ll still travel – but it’ll be aboard charter planes and RAF aircraft.
The point of the private jet was to improve security for the monarch – and her family – and senior government officials who would have access to the plane. But it’ll have to wait for awhile.
What I found most surprising about thisstory is the size of the private plane in question – it seats just 12 – hardly the ultimate in luxury, at least compared to some of the corporate aircraft used by high flying U.S. CEO’s – until recently, anyway.
Certainly doesn’t allow for much of a royal entourage.
Remember the flying cars that were all over the Jetsons TV show?
When you consider the Jetsons debuted way back in 1962 – frankly, I thought we’d all be driving/flying these things ourselves by now.
Well now, there IS a flying car – from the Massachusetts-based Terrafugia company. Not sure how practical it is, though – it costs about $200,000 – plus, where are you going to take-off and land the thing? But – see for yourself…
Here’s something you should know: this seemingly endless round of airfare sales will not last forever. It can’t.
But I believe this crazy environment will last a little longer. But for now, why pay retail? The airlines are tempting us with too many “wholesale” prices to do otherwise.
Eventually though, a couple of things will happen – one or the other, or in combination:
Airlines will cut capacity again (it’s coming)
More people will fly
The result: higher airfares. But if fliers balk at that – watch for more fees. After all, Spirit Airlines is now charging customers for the privilege of making reservations online – who’s next?
There have been so many drastic changes with airline ticket pricing behavior in the past few months that I figured it was about time I decided to put out my daily analysis of the airfare filing activity – concentrating on the cheapest prices for flights across the globe.
Reviewing last night’s 8pm domestic U.S. airfare filing activity I see the following:
AirTran filed a system wide airfare sale with new lows in 773 city pairs with average roundtrip price drop of $80 roundtrip. Biggest winners in the sale are Atlanta (their hub with 53 city pairs is down an average $127), Branson, Missouri (48 city pairs down an average of $123 roundtrip) and Newport News (41 city pairs down an average of $133 roundtrip). AirTran seems to have this sort of filing activity every few Mondays, so your best time to shop for airline tickets on AirTran is Tuesday morning
United Airlines readjusted airfares in numerous small cities like Helena, Kalispell, and Casper, dropping its cheapest prices an average of $43. The biggest winner cities averaging over a $100 average price drop were Springfield, Wausau, Traverse City, Peoria, and Greenville
There was a ton of filing activity related to Canada as almost all the remaining legacy airlines dropped prices to several Canadian cities. WestJet and Air Canada have both been very active recently and prices for flights between the U.S. and Canada have been very volatile, swinging hundreds of dollars roundtrip each week. If you are buying in these markets, you need to sign up for our airline ticket price drop alerts so you don’t get caught in the up cycle
On the international side, in the last 4 airfare feeds (of 5 daily), pricing activity was very volatile with some unbelievable deals – here is a brief rundown:
8pm 23-February-2009
o US Airways drops prices from 155 cities to Tel Aviv by an average of $132 roundtrip, with new service this summer from Philadelphia and code shares with Lufthansa – you can get some real steals right now
o American Airlines dropped prices to Helsinki by an average of $70 roundtrip from 33 cities
o Continental dropped prices to Seoul by an average of $400 from 7 cities including Austin, Baltimore, Charlotte, Las Vegas, Orlando, Pittsburgh and Providence
o Delta dropped its price on Charlotte to Rome for travel through mid-May by $226 roundtrip ($605 including all taxes/fees)
11pm 23-Feb-2009
o US Airways knocked off $100 roundtrip from 23 cities to San Jose, Costa Rica for travel through the end of May
o AeroMexico dropped Washington to Cancun by $260 roundtrip ($340 all included)
1am 24-Feb-2009
o Continental matched US Airways’ drop of $400 on average to Seoul
o American dropped prices from a dozen cities to Beijing by several hundred dollars (San Francisco is its largest departure city)
A senator from Kansas makes a good point: we seem to have made private jets (and the people who own them and ride in them) a sort of “poster-child” for everything that’s wrong with the economy.
Remembers those howls of protest when the automakers came to Capitol Hill in “personal aircraft”?
But, according to Sen. Sam Brownback, the general aviation industry “contributes $150 billion to the U.S economy and employs 1.2 million people” – and, as is happening in many industries, a lot of those people are being laid off. Cessna, for example, is laying off 4,600 employees next month — and Hawker Beechcraft has already chopped 2,300 from its work force.
This is not a brief for the private jet – no, just a gentle reminder that, the working stiffs most affected by all the flak probably travel just like you and I do — in coach.
