Airfare Advice for Mardi Gras?? (1 Viewer)

Mr. Blue Sky

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Hey Guys- Just thought I'd post to see if any of you have any tips or advice when it comes to securing airline tickets from Los Angeles to NOLA for Mardi Gras... I'm a native, but haven't been to MG in over 5 years. Going with a buddy, we're thinking of leaving Thur or Fri Feb 15 or 16 and returning Sun or Mon 18 or 19. The ticket prices I've seen so far make it undoable- Was thinking of going for the first weekend- 9th-12th, but from what I understand the Carnival season has been shortened and it wouldn't be worth our while; maybe someone could enlighten me on that, and any airfare info.... Thanks.
 
Your best bet would be to come on Saturday and leave on Wednesday or Thursday to avoid all the college kids coming down for the weekend.

If you come those days you mentioned you miss Bachus Sunday, Lundi and Mardi Gras.
 
Los Angeles to New Orleans total distance 1898 miles.

3 guys taking 8 hour shifts going 80 mph could make it in less than 24 hours.
If you split gas both ways that's about $120 a piece.

Plus you could pick-up ra at the Chevron along the way. Hell, give him some kind of stimulent (legal or otherwise) and he'll drive the whole way I betcha.
 
have you looked at fares into baton rouge? I know that might swound crazy but after the storm the BR airport has been trying to build up their flights and they now have carriers they didnt before. Its only an hour drive or so (depending on how fast you drive) and a straight shot.

I am sure ya'll tried orbitz and cheapflights, etc. maybe try to contact the NOLA carriers direct and see what they have also:
American
Delta
Jet Blue
Ted
United
United Express
US Air
Northwest
Southwest
Continental

and also maybe try the smaller carriers sometimes they provide deeper discounts

just a thought!
 
Sounds like your only question concerns tryign to find lower fares. I haven't checked, but these general rules apply to airfares in most situations.

1. If you try to buy a ticket too far in advance, you can pay too much.
2. If you wait until too late, you pay way too much.
3. Flights filling up for a popular time, and having less discount seats available is one way prices can be high, but it is not the only way. Airfares rise and fall all the time based upon the season you are trying to purchase them, fuel prices and other factors. So, there is some chance prices might go down after Thanksgiving, after the airlines quit bringing in lots of cash. There could be a time where the airlines offer sale prices in early December or after January 1, when demand goes down . However, at some point you risk price could go up as planes fill up to New Orleans. However, on plus side, that time of year is not usually a high demand time for country as a whole, which might be a slight help.
4. All the airlines except Southwest can be priced through using something like expedia or travelocity. Sometimes you can save 10$ or so by going through airline's own website, but to get general idea of prices expedia is fine. You have to price Southwest on their website. There are options on expedia or maybe travelocity or orbitz, or all 3, to find out what the cheapest fare is if you can fly whenever. That can give you some idea of the best you can ever do. If the fare being offered around Mardi Gras is close to that, you may just have to pay that much.
5. You can consider hotwire or priceline to take an un-named airline at an unspecified hour for less money, or to bid on a flight.
6. Expedia and all give option to price nearby airborts, but they are rarely much cheaper from what I've seen.
7. Airline prices are higher that what they were a few years ago when they were all losing lots of money and few people were flying. Absent a disaster, I wouldn't expect those prices being available again in near future.
8. Wait until after Thanksgiivng and keep chcking places like expedia and Southwest.
 
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