American Airlines has just put up a fare sale from a bunch of US cities to SJO, including LAX, ORD, and EWR. Looks like fares are valid for early September through January, with some blackout dates around Thanksgiving and Christmas, as can be expected.

Sadly, BOS is not included. I'm going to wait to see if other airlines match the sale. (I'm planning to go in January and the fare appears to be valid for my planned travel dates.)

Of interest to me is EWR - SJO for $384. However that may not be workable as all the departures are at 6:00am and there's no feasible way for me to get from Boston to Newark Airport for a 6:00 departure that I can figure out, without paying for a hotel that'd obviate most of the cost savings.

ETA: Whoops, looks like there's a 9:29 departure. If I take a redeye bus out of Boston and a NJ Transit train out of Penn Station, I can get to EWR by 6:30-ish or so. $28 for bus, plus $25 for train round trip from Penn Station to the airport, plus $10-ish for various subway fares in Boston and NYC...this could work. Net savings would $130-ish that I'd rather spend elsewhere on my trip. Question is, is the PITA worth it? That's for me to ponder, I guess.

Good to see flights outta MIA in October holding at a steady 4 hundo


Cujo

Good to see flights outta MIA in October holding at a steady 4 hundo


Cujo

I know the story w/ Spirit, but I always check w/ them and not always, but sometimes FLL is a better option vs MIA

Do agree that for a flight months away it could be a better idea to book 4 - 6 weeks ahead, especially if fuel prices are stable or lower than today (hey, it could <should> happen )

Your gf sounds indeed wise (at least she did not call you a putz )

Seriously - too much could go wrong in all the connections you posted; even if it does not, the last thing you want to do when you get off the plane after the return trip is face that nonsense.

"Not ruling them out....just mentally adding $50 per leg for bag fees".
Should not be that much unless you plan to check more than one (and if you do, you are likely overpacking - laundry service is available, and as a general rule, you need less than you think you do - My rule: take more $$ and less clothes

And I could be wrong (its happened once or twice in my life ) - but I think Spirit charges 1 fee for the trip down and one for trip back, not per segment - I thought the same as you did, but someone corrected me, so maybe check directly w/ them - but my rule of thumb re Spirit is not to fly them if you have to change planes (FLL to SJO is non stop), which I believe you do flying out "up north" - I think you have to change planes, likely in FLL.

According to this Spirit charges a fee for carryon bags as well as for checked bags. I'm figuring 1 carryon + 1 checked bag, with a total of $58 in bag fees. And I could have sworn it was per-leg, not per-trip. They have more stupid rules, but check them b/c a SMALL carry on as per their measurements is free - a "regular" size they will charge you for - go to their website and look up the exact measurements

Yes, originating in Boston I have to change at FLL. Some of the routings on NK had me staying overnight in FLL. NFW. Also some of the routings had stops in Myrtle Beach as well as FLL; I think those were stops, though, with no change of aircraft, rather than changes. Good to know to avoid Spirit if I have to change planes. I do want my luggage to make the trip, too.You know, chances are all will be well - but if not the reasons (some of them ) you want to avoid Spirit are they will not do much for you in the event of a problem, they really don't the the extensive schedule of say, AA, so you are SOL - more stops, more change of planes equal more potential for problems - where you are traveling and where you are returning should not be an overnight proposition unless you want it to be - you are not going to Australia, for god sakes - CR is 2:20 +/- flying time from S FL

I made it through just short of a week in Amsterdam with what I could stuff into a 20" hard-sided carryon and an overstuffed backpack as my "personal item". Contents were pretty much one outfit per day plus a spare, plus one semi-dressy outfit for nightclubbing since there was a place walking distance from the hotel I wanted to go to. Plus toiletries, reading material, electronics, etc. Both bags were pretty well stuffed full, so I think for a full week in SJ I'm going to check a bag. Skip the dressy outfit, that'll save some space. *shrug*

Spirit is annoying on many levels, starting with the way they have refined fees into an art form Still in the quarter ended in March, they made millions, whereby almost every other airline lost and lost big - so I'll respect them for their financial success, but not for their business practices or corporate philosophy.

i went to aa.com and check rates from LAX.. they even had a "sale" link posted which i followed showing a $253 rate to SJO from lax. When all was said and done, that was untaxed and one way.. still worked out to over $600 from LAX.. no deal.. unless I'm doing something wrong. Damn it's just not cheap from the west coast..