Before or after May half term?

[Hula Doola]

Have booked 21/5/22-4/6/22 with wdw direct for hotel and txts which means 5 days out of school for kids. Am stressing about flight prices as I didn't book on ba release day when they were around £2600 as had top budget of £2500 in my head and now they have climbed to more than £4000 in less than a week ☹️
It has occurred to me I could swap the week before half term to the week after (shifting whole trip back a week) and the new flight release date would be this Tues which gives me a second bite at release prices.
But this means missing week at start of school term instead of end which I feel is more impactful, & weather may be hotter/crowds bigger 2nd week of June instead of last week May AND flight prices may come down to sub £2500 (2a,1ya,1c) for current dates if I can be patient. Might they go down when other airlines release?
We are really trying to avoid indirect flights and travelling anything other than Sat-Sat means additional days off school which we are also trying to avoid.
Would love to hear your thoughts?

[Claudette]

I have never booked a flight on release day, didn’t know that it was a thing so don’t beat yourself up about it.

I have found BA flights on your dates for £2900 for four people or £2300 if you move by one day (I have picked the rate with luggage in both cases).

[Hula Doola]

Thanks Claudette that has made me feel better, have been kicking myself!

Wow, where have you seen those prices? Are they direct?

On BA website LHR is coming up as just shy of £4000 and LGW at £3315 for standard economy (with luggage), which admittedly is better than last night but still significantly more than £2900, and the release day price.

[ziggyzag]

BA usually have a sale in September, always got decent prices then

[Pascaltimon]

i'm booked for 3 weeks, a week either side of half term. Booked as a package though so not 100% sure how much we paid for flights

[fluffychicken]

Could you do a few days either side of half term flying midweek is always cheaper.

[Hula Doola]

Originally Posted by fluffychicken

Could you do a few days either side of half term flying midweek is always cheaper.

See more...

Thanks, we may have to look at this, but it means an extra day off school or reducing the holiday by a day because of the overnight flight back. If we go over the 5 days off school we're much more likely to get fined, and so any saving would have to take this into account!

Have been discussing this with hubby as if we can save £££ by reducing the trip by a day then its got to be worth it. However amazing WDW is I can't justify £? for a day - interesting to know what number to put in here, how much is one extra day worth?

[loldis]

Either week has moderate to heavy crowds (6-8/10) but the May week should have more days on the moderate side than the week in June. So I would leave the dates as is and keep looking for flight prices. They fluctuate all the time, so you haven't necessarily missed the best price just because they went up this week.

[MrsEgg]

We've been 2 years around the 21st May time as our son has 2 weeks for the May Half Term, we haven't paid more than £600 each direct (2 adults 1 child) with Virgin once was from Gatwick and the other Manchester, you will easily be able to get Circa ££600 from one of the London airports.