Flight Reservations

I've been arranging hotels and flights out the yang for Lauren's graduation trip and Jeff's family reunion and several weekend trips, and I can tell you it has not been easy! I am picky about hotels and I can spend hours on Tripadvisor, researching lodging. Between looking for good value and good location and something with or near restaurants (you only do a hotel in the boonies once before you always verify food options), it's a process.

Tripadvisor is my favorite source for reviews on hotels, restaurants, activities, etc. I haven't gone wrong for years now, using contributors' helpful information there.

The hardest part of the planning so far was the flight to and from Boston for the reunion. Scott and Julie said Southwest Airlines to Providence is by far the cheapest and easiest way to get there. (Julie's family lives outside Boston and they go at least twice a year.) I checked prices Tuesday morning, and indeed, Southwest was the cheapest. Plus, bags fly free. $288 round trip per person.

I carefully chose flights and talked them over with Jeff. I hoped prices would drop with the industry-wide weekly Tuesday afternoon price changes. Instead, prices jumped significantly in the p.m., to $370 per person. So I took another look at the AA and United/Continental flights into Boston. They were cheaper- about $250 pp. It did seem odd, but I started booking it.

I do not like to take commuter planes, so add to the search time that I have to check all the plane types on each route. I also check layover times. I hate tight layovers, especially for vacations, when one wants to be relaxed. Plus, you never want a quick plane change to put you on a connecting Southwest flight last. Want a middle seat in row 23? That is one big drawback to their seating system.

I finally chose my flights and it turned out those had been one way prices. It was actually about $500 pp.  Huge DUH on my part there. See where my optimistic nature gets me?

So I went baaaaaack to SW and tried a trick I just read about in Consumer Reports. Search prices for one passenger, because if you try to book three tickets and they only have one or two at a lower rate, you will not see it. They will charge the higher price for all three. Sure enough, I could book two out of our three for $344 pp. Only the last ticket was $370. I just booked it separately. A $52 savings, thankyouverymuch! That's one dinner. Cha-ching.

My favorite thing on Pinterest yesterday:

Ha! I think I have an old photo of Lauren dyeing Easter eggs that looks very similar. Only she's doing more of an eye roll. Wonder where she gets that...