www.CostaRicaTicas.com

I don't know what's up as of recent, but flights from ATL to SJO via Delta Airlines is running a whopping $700+ for the rest of the year! I tried looking at Labor Day weekend, the first weekend of August, Halloween weekend, the weekend after Thanksgiving, and I get the same thing... Jeeze, just this year in January, I got a ticket just three weeks out for only 285 (more or less)!!

I admit it, I paid $780 to go there for the Zona Blue Cigar Bar party, but I can't pay that exhorbant price everytime!

This is rediculous... TACA, start up in ATL!!! The monopoly is killing me!

Ruffnutz

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EVERYONE'S A ROCK STAR IN C.R.!!
"Just when I thought I was out... They pull me back in." -- Ruffnutz on trying to quit CRT

Delta has decided to raise its prices due to the costs of jet fuel and financial troubles. Other airlines are said to be following suit.

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Would the savings be worth the time and hassle to use Value Jet to West Palm Beach or Miami and then on to San Jose. Raw

Value Jet?

Raw, Value Jet closed shop in 1996.

Dildo Man

No.

They changed their name to AirTran.
This was presumably done to avoid the stigma of the FL Everglades crash, which was not their fault.

Ted Turner (CNN), a Atlanta guy, owns stock in Delta.
At every opportunity CNN reports on them as "AirTran, the airline previously known as Valuejet".

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It is cheaper to pay now and get it over with.
It is also easier to get them to leave.

Thanks for the correction. I will be returning to Costa Rica in september or october. I call a local Carlson/Wagonlite travel agent for ticket prices. The one time I bought a ticket online, I screwed it up and had to pay to correct it. I fly out of Atlanta and hate to hear about those airfares.

For Sept 2 ATL to SJO and
return Sept 6,

I get $773 on Delta and
$586 on USAir thru Charlotte.

US Air is in deep financial trouble so use a credit card if you select them.

Yes I know this hurts the wallet. I am using FF miles for my next trip for the Labor Day celebration and anniversary party.

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PacoLoco: "You pay for it one way or another."
Ace: "Rent everything, do not buy in Costa Rica"

US Air out of FLL Ft Lauderdale keeps showing this 140+ (182 w tax) fare, so it shouldn't cost 400-500 to get there from ATL, should it?

I'm tempted to use a FF coupon just to get there (overnight in FL) and use this one. Yes, any US -- do it by credit card so you don't get stuck.

And get this.

First I get a message from Travelocity about a month ago saying it could save me money to fly out of Athens, 77 miles away. I check and now it is near a thousand dollars. US Air must have had a brief sale out of there.

Next I check out of Charlotte, NC and it is $350 on US Air nonstop and if you choose Delta out of Charlotte it is $ 419, cheaper than out of Atlanta and they fly you from Charlotte down to Atlanta and then on the same flight out of Atlanta that cost Atlantans $ 770.

In years gone by you used to be able to buy a ticket from a starting gate like CLT, tear off the first part of the ticket and walk on in ATL with a carry on bag. But now controls are in place so that if you do not board in the starting city, they void your reservation.

A local Atlanta consumer travel advisor used to advocate driving to Birmingham to save money on airfares but now it looks like CLT is the hot city until USAir goes under.

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PacoLoco: "You pay for it one way or another."
Ace: "Rent everything, do not buy in Costa Rica"

We allways had it so good in Atl. with direct flights everywhere. The only way I see is to try to make your trips 7 to 10 days. No more 3 or 4 day trips untill the fairs get bettor.

Don't fell alone.Fares have been high out of Dallas all summer as well though if you really watch you can get lucky.I caught a flight just over $300 through Charolette but will be a pain.I hope it gets better in low season for US tourist travel.More Americans than ever have to be going to Costa Rcia this summer. rbc100

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In Search of Fine Kittens,
Please... Bring back the Muff

Right now, Delta's charging $618 out of NYC thru Atlanta. OUCH! USAir is still under $400.

TACA is only $355 (for a 5 hour non-stop flight) through Travelocity right now. I will probably use them when I fly out later this year.

I flew Delta on my trip in June. I paid $475 which was already overpriced. I later found out that I could've paid about $350 on USAir.

The reason is for these ridiculous price increases is that most airlines don't hedge well (or at all) against oil prices. A few airlines have really good analysts and finance people who are really good at forecasting oil prices and have the ability to protect them. The best airline for this is Southwest. This year, they are 85% hedged, meaning 85% of the oil they buy is @ only $23/barrell (current market price is over $60), saving about $200 million dollars per quarter. The way they do this is by buying futures contracts for crude oil (there are no futures for jet oil) to lock in a price in the future and also call options for oil (so they have the option) to buy oil at a pre-determined price if oil prices increase.

This is why their prices have remained steady. From what I read, Continantal is not hedged at all, and the other major carriers hedge little or none.

Sorry to ramble on, but this is close to my field of work, so I have read a lot about it.

-Orange

I just did a Travelocity check out of Fort Lauderdale.
Delta to Atlanta to SJO for $483 RT

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It is cheaper to pay now and get it over with.
It is also easier to get them to leave.

To Whom It May Concern:

I can do Thailand for $750. The price of the rooms are about the same and the price for the girls well there's just no comparison. I have been thinking about going back there may be the right time.

Lee

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PS: DO NOT SEND MONEY!

My problem with Thailand is 24 hours of travel one way, plus the time needed to recuperate.
I can do CR for the day (or overnight)

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It is cheaper to pay now and get it over with.
It is also easier to get them to leave.