If I had a nickel for every time I was asked “do you think airfares will go down,” I’d be a millionaire. We spend hours upon hours looking for the best airfares. We wait weeks just to see if airfares will drop. Sometimes someone will get lucky. But more often, we end up booking an airfare pretty close to the airfare we originally found before we invested our time and energy into trying to beat the rate. So, what’s the secret to getting the best airfares when you’re traveling to Mexico and the Caribbean?

The major airlines (Delta, American, United) release their flight schedules 331 days in advance of travel. This means you can start looking for airfares 331 days prior to your flight home. However, some smaller airlines (Southwest, Jet Blue, Sun Country) only release their flight schedules within 6 months of travel. So, for about 5 months, the major players have less competition, and airfares tend to be higher. We always recommend looking, and of course if you see something good, book it. But if airfares are high, wait until all of the airlines have their schedules released, then get serious about booking.

If you’ve already passed the 6 month mark and airfares are still high, pay closer attention to doing your price checks on Mondays and Tuesdays. We tend to see airfares climb as the week goes on, then drop off after the weekend as Monday rolls around again.

If you’ve been diligent about watching and airfares still are not budging, there is a very good chance that they just won’t. If you are 2-3 months before travel and still haven’t booked, just book it! It is costing you more in time and effort at this point, and any potential savings more than likely won’t make up for your time investment. If you’re 2 months from travel, do yourself a favor… book your flight, and move on to planning the FUN parts of your trip!

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[Originally published on  01-01-17]
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​P.S. Be sure to pin this post so you can refer to it later!

1. Keep it on you
Although some brides are fond on the idea of shipping their dress to their wedding location, no amount of insurance could take the place of your gown should it arrive damaged, or worse –missing! We recommend you carry the dress along with you, as it’s far too important to entrust to anyone else.
 
2. Check your airline
It’s highly suggested to contact your airline prior to your departure to ask for specific carry-on requirements and restrictions. One tip we’d like to point out is to NEVER pack your wedding gown in your checked bags. The risk of it getting damaged or lost is too much of a gamble.
 
3. Befriend your flight attendant
Okay, okay – so technically, no one should get special treatment on a flight (unless your first-class, of course). But let’s be honest, most people have a soft spot for brides, so use it to your advantage! Politely ask the flight attendants if they’d mind stowing your dress away in a first-class closet. If that option doesn’t work, consider laying your gown flat on top of your bags in the overhead compartments nearby.
 
4. The WallyBag
Have you heard about the wonderful ? This 66-inch portable carrier has become increasingly popular among destination brides. Not only does it come in a variety of sizes to accommodate how much dress you have, but it also has various pockets to store a few accessories, or even your veil. The WallyBag folds up 3-ways, and is secured with side-release buckles – perfectly compact to store in the overhead compartments with your other luggage.
 
5. Use the extra hands
With all the airline restrictions these days, you might realize your carry-on bag just doesn’t cut it. Perhaps you’ll want to ask your fiancé or maid-of-honor to pack your garment or accessory bag as their carry-on to free up some space. You’ll also want to make sure your jewelry is on you at all time... you’d hate to lose your precious wedding bling, right?
 
Be sure to follow these tips to ensure your destination wedding travels are as effortless and stress-free as possible (and also pin this article for later 😉).
 
For any questions, please contact us at hello@romancetravelgroup.com, or read the full-article here.