Do travel prices change through out the day?
Dennis M asked:
I’ve been looking online for trips to Hawaii and every time I check back the prices seem to keep going up.
I’ve been looking online for trips to Hawaii and every time I check back the prices seem to keep going up.
I realize they are usually less expensive the farther out they are booked, but I’m talking about hourly changes. This morning I found a package to a Hilton for $800 a person, with the cheapest hotels being around $550 a person. This afternoon the cheapest were around 650, and now (7pm) prices are at 710 a person.
Just for comparison I looked a week beyond when I want to go and the prices were within a few bucks, so it seems as though the prices change hourly.
Is this the case or did prices just go sky high all the sudden? If they do change hourly, when can I expect to find the lowest prices?
I have been looking at the usual travel sites such as expedia, orbitz, and yahoo travel.
Caffeinated Content
February 26th, 2010 at 6:43 pm
Caffeinated Content
The best way to book a trip to Hawaii is to call or visit a travel agent. You will get a better deal rather than doing it your self..
February 28th, 2010 at 3:39 am
Caffeinated Content
Normally its the airfare that is changing, and yes that can change in an instant. Its hard to say w/ airfare how far out or how close to book. I booked a trip back in Feb to Cancun for 3 ppl at a particular price. At that time the price was comparable to every other airline. but Just last week it was down by $400 off the total price I paid! So booking far out isnt necessarily the best or vice versa.
February 28th, 2010 at 6:30 am
Kansieo.com
It can. These sites usually work one of two ways. Some buy x amount of tickets/rooms whatever it may be. They buy for a certain amount then have a fixed price on their website, usually inflated but can be lower than the source depending on what they buy it at and the time period. The second and way and most common is the way you have described. Its the law of supply and demand, it will rise and fall and theres not much you can do about it.
EDIT: also dont go to a travel agent as suggested above. its pointless when you can easily do it yourself and always works out cheaper. I’ve traveled through 5 continents on my own and have never used a travel agent in my life, far cheaper. When ever you check the price, on say expedia, after you find the cheapest you want then look directly on the carrier website, sometimes its cheaper sometimes more expensive
March 1st, 2010 at 5:26 am
Caffeinated Content
Yes, it is common for the prices to fluctuate like this. You can sometimes have the price change while you’re doing the booking - usually upwards. Pretty much, you need to find something you can live with and then book it. If you’re further out, you can wait for a better price, but it may or may not happen.