<p>Thanks so much M2CK! I was thinking that would probably be the answer, but just wasnt sure!</p>
<p>The cheapest flight from here just went up $50, and it’s far from a non-stop. Price is the same with a Saturday night stay. It’s still within the reimbursement limit, but no telling what it will be by next week. But again, D will be so happy if she’s invited that she’d probably be willing to drive 11 hours each way to go.</p>
<p>Okay, M2CK…you have an amazing memory…Try booking flights Tuesday nights online using the individual airline websites. Clear your cookies to get the best rates. Late night works best! Otherwise the earlier you book the better.</p>
<p>Beth’s mom…what major airport would you be departing from? Ohare? Midway? Another?</p>
<p>Ohare has a one-stop for 389.00…expedia</p>
<p>^^^ Yes, that’s the one that was $50 less expensive earlier today. That’s a perfectly manageable fare; I’m just worried that by the time we hear we’ll be within 2 weeks and the prices will be higher (and seats at that price might be gone). Seeing some of the other fares is frightening, especially when we paid barely $200 when she visited last year (of course, those tickets were booked over a month in advance). At least she wouldn’t be coming from the place where fares are already over $700! Thanks for the help! And honestly, this ticket would be a good problem to have, because if she needs it, it means she’s a finalist!!</p>
<p>Dad2ILD- Thanks for the advice. We were waiting until this decision to decide when to visit. If he was invited to interview, we were going to come in on Friday morning, do tours, see the town, and then have DS do the interview Sunday and Monday. We were considering coming back Sunday, and having him fly back on his own Monday evening or Tuesday morning. With flights becoming more scarce, and expensive, we may have him go alone. There are positives and negatives to that. Like momatron, this would be our first opportunity to visit the campus as well. IF (big IF) he is invited to interview, we may send him alone, then schedule a different “family” visit to campus after interview weekend but before Bama Bound. Maybe during spring break. </p>
<p>We will just wait to see what we can arrange. And keep popping the antacids until then!</p>
<p>For those traveling a great distance (we live 800 or so miles from T-Town), the people with CBHP will do their level best to accommodate your flight schedules. If you must fly on a Saturday, someone will be there to pick you up at the airport and deliver you to the Capstone. If you have a mid-to late afternoon flight Monday, again, someone will get you to the airport. </p>
<p>Dad2ILD is correct about not seeing your student during that visit. Three years ago when my son was selected, we flew down a day early, rented a car and stayed together that first night in town. That Sunday, I dropped him off at the Capstone and found other things to do for the next day or so. Last summer, we were cleaning out a folder in my son’s room when I found his packet from that weekend. What gave him a good laugh was that it contained the seating arrangement for dinners/lunches at the Capstone. One of the young men at his table is now his current roommate. The two had been selected for a national youth senate program from their respective states but never talked about it that weekend. </p>
<p>After all the meals and interviews, my son had one request, and Dr. Sharpe helped to honor it. We had toured the campus two months earlier, but did not see a dorm room. So he had one of the young ladies who worked in the Honors College take him to see Lakeside West (he lived there his freshman year). So for those who have not seen something particular on campus, do ask if you can. Dr. Sharpe told us that the dorms often sell students on the school. For my son, that certainly played a big role in getting him to go to Alabama.</p>
<p>^^^Robotbldmom, you are awesome! You already were, but now you’re for sure my travel guru!</p>
<p>I strongly encourage those who can to use Southwest. Get wanna get away fares if you can. We did this for potential scholarship weekends at a couple of son’s choice schools. When lo and behold, they conflicted with either big tests or CBH, we had to cancel, but we had the travel funds, good for one year.</p>
<p>After son took the full scholarship to Bama, we used those unused travel funds to take a very nice trip to Seattle for a graduation present. This was when you could share travel funds.</p>
<p>Now, travel funds are limited to the original booker, but if your child does not make CBH, you can perhaps use those travel funds for a trip to and from whatever college they choose during Thanksgiving or Christmas break. You have a year to use the funds, and they’re at a very discounted rate, so sometimes worth the risk.</p>
<p>That is a good thought, Motegut. And yes, SW would be who we planned to use. I’ll discuss that option with the family today.
Do you know what the cancellation policy is? How far in advance you have to cancel to be able to get the credit?</p>
<p>You can cancel any time before you check in for full credit to your account. We do it quite often, never any kind of issue, all online.
For that matter, if you are a rapid rewards member (free) you can always pull up your existing reservation and make changes to it to see if you get a better fare, then either discard or confirm it and get credit for the difference. Again, since we travel only on SW, we do it all the time.</p>
<p>that may be the way to go then, thanks AL34!</p>
<p>Southwest is the best! We have used the cancellation policy quite often. I don’t think there are restrictions to when the cancellation must be done. I need to cancel spring break tickets. My daughter and I were going to visit a school up in the NE but she likes UA so much that we are going to hold off and see how everything pans out. And if D is fortunate to be selected for CBHP finalist, we will just be counting our blessings!</p>
<p>Mommatron, Seattle-Birmingham is often priced at $400-450 roundtrip, but that is for the cheapest tickets that have a 14 day advance purchase requirement. Three years ago, $230 was the going roundtrip price and $175 was the sale price.</p>
<p>Saturday night stay requirements to Birmingham are generally a thing of the past due to competition with Southwest, which sells fares on a one way basis. </p>
<p>robotbldmom is correct that airfare is usually cheaper when purchased during the week as pricing and capacity analysts generally work Monday-Friday, so fares and fare availability aren’t updated as often on the weekends. That said, when you find an acceptable fare and flight times, purchase it. However, unless flying Southwest, make sure you have confirmation that you are invited to the CBHP finalist weekend before purchasing your ticket.</p>
<p>For those students not used to flying alone, it will soon become second nature. Once you know the procedures, flying becomes much less stressful and can be seen more as an adventure that serves the dual purpose of getting you where you need to go.</p>
<p>You may want to look at Google flights. It’s a newer google product that I think works better than kayak. I’ve just used it extensively to book 4 sets of flights & I found prices on airlines that I wouldn’t have considered. It might be too late for the interview weekends, but it could be helpful for those of you who will have to deal with flights on a regular basis: [Flights</a> - Google Search](<a href=“http://www.google.com/flights/]Flights”>http://www.google.com/flights/)</p>
<p>Definitely join Southwest Rewards so you can earn free flights. As for cancellations, I do it quite often when I travel, getting inexpensive web only wanna get away flights for consecutive days. If I get finished with what I have to take care of early, I can still fly home cheaply, and save a hotel room night. I travel at least four times a year for business or family, so I usually don’t have a problem using my travel funds. On occasion, I have used those unused travel funds for a “fun” trip, making it painless, as the ticket is already paid for. On that note, I also am Marriott Rewards member. There are many Mega Bonus promotions where you earn a free night after two consecutive stays in a time period. I earn free rooms that I either use for family or business or just plain fun.</p>
<p>Do you stay in a Marriott in Tuscaloosa?</p>
<p>^^^Yes, I stay at the Fairfield Tuscaloosa. It is right next to the Courtyard and Hilton Garden Inn. Inexpensive rate and free breakfast. Has high rates for football weekends, but we’ve been able to get in there for move in and non event weekends. For Family Weekend last year, we stayed at Residence Inn Hoover. Not too far a drive, and a very nice hotel. We’ve also stayed at the Fairfield Bessemer when we couldn’t get in at Fairfield Tuscaloosa for some reason. I think that’s where we’re staying for Move Out Day, which is close to graduation, so all the Tuscaloosa hotels were booked. There are plenty of Marriott properties in the Tuscaloosa to Birmingham area, so plenty of opportunities to earn those Marriott Rewards, even on gameday and special event weekends.</p>
<p>Emails are out!!! :d</p>
<p>Just checked D’s account…nothing … no email yet!</p>
<p>Finalist! Thanks met for telling me because I check mybama 20 mins ago and it wasn’t there 
I assume you made finalist too?</p>