So, I'm trying to squeeze in a week's vacation in November, preferably starting the week before Thanksgiving. The cheapest flights seem to be $1221. Can it be that high? Most people on these boards seem to be speaking of $6-700 tickets. Where else can I look for an affordable ticket? Thanks!

yapta.com
kayak.com

From the west coast anymore, I would be happy with $800 to $900.

Here are a few other tricks/options (all have their drawbacks):
a) Try booking to AUA (lots of US service) and then taking another airline to BON
b) Same for CUR (less US service -- may require an overnight in CUR)
c) Try CO via IAH or via EWR.
d) Try leaving from another home city
e) Know anybody who can gift you miles on AA or CO (or NWA or Delta)?

where are you flying from? remember, tickets near a holiday will be more expensive.

oh yeah...where are my manners???? welcome to bt.

ME too pat - my bad - welcome to BT. Hey - I have a great photo of us at Cactus Blue - now to find where it is....

thanks all.. bonaire sounds great!

i'm now looking into flying to aruba and then to Bonaire. i'm flying from the d.c. region so many airports around here. (i hope the flights from aruba to bonaire are reliable:-))

I have been a "BT Lurker" for sometime and have been to Bonaire four times and counting. My next trip in schedule in 3 weeks time - whoo hoo!

Mary, we have been able to obtain relatively cheap tickets ($650) to Bonaire (via Buffalo and NJ) through Continental.

Good Luck...

Using www.Kayak.com you'll get a much better price then you mentioned.

You might find a good deal heading north. I think one of the budget airlines (Spirit, Jet Blue?) has good fares from IAD (Dulles) to EWR (Newark). Then connect to Continental's non-stop, EWR/BON on Saturday night. I'd do that before going via Aruba (flights to/fm Aruba hover around $200, plus taxes-not exactly cheap). However, your timing may be the source of the high prices. The week after T-day usually has better fares, but the week before-ugh.

The 22-30 Nov. is T'giving week. The week before is VERY well priced. Try to move things around? I priced the 22-30 for clients and saw 1k plus. The week before it was 500's.

From Aruba to BON, you pretty much have to use DAE, which runs about $220 RT. It is NOT the most reliable airline, and you need to allow plenty of connection time, especially on the return, since you have to clear US customs in Aruba.

I found the Delta Saturday flight from Newark worked best for us, coming from Rochester, NY. We're paying almost $800 in January (no holiday...)
Good luck. Bonaire is well worth the effort to get there...
Josie

Mary
I found Airjamaica (free rum punch and red stripe) from BWI to Curacao for 11/8-11/15 for $817 (tax included), on AJ website. Smarter peeps than me can tell ya how to get CUR to BON.

cheeze it

joe

So, here's the update. I am indeed flying into Aruba. That turned out to be the cheapest option. I got tickets for about $650 per person to Aruba and another $200 round ticket for Aruba-Bonaire. We're flying out on a 6:00am flight out of Bonaire on the day of the departure and our flight from Aruba is not until the afternoon. Hopefully that's enough time!

I hear y'all about the earlier week being cheaper but the same reason everyone else wants to fly out Thanksgiving week is the reason I'm stuck with that week.

On to reservations for lodging! Hopefully that can be cheaper:-) The flight was more expensive that we had hoped for but Bonaire sounds so wonderful! Thanks for all your help!

If you dont mind a drive or a train ride, you can look into a flight from Newark direct with Continental. I know it seems like a hassle, but a train ride or drive might be a little easier than flying into Aruba. I have been stuck in Aruba and in Curacao many times while waiting for DAE to have a flight. Continental is direct form Newark, and there rates are very reasonable. Best of Luck, I am there from the 30th of Nov, to Dec 7th flying continental, cant wait!!!!!

Thanks for the suggestions. Next time, hopefully, I will fly in when the rates aren't so high. I priced the Newark flight for my dates and it was $1400 PER PERSON. Yikes! (The week before was reasonable. ::sigh: So, Aruba it is for this time.

Mary,
With a long Aruba layover, I suggest renting a car for a few hours and touring around Aruba. Makes that travel day seem like a vacation day.