Let's say I'm buying a roundtrip ticket between Austin TX and Boston MA. I have a few websites where I'll scour for a good fare, and, inevitably, a pop-up window will appear, asking:
Create a price alert for fares between Austin and Boston?
In the past, I have generally dismissed this window, figuring that, as time inches closer to my departure date, fares usually go up, not down, as the less expensive seats are taken one-by-one. However, lately I've been wondering: Am I shooting myself in the foot by ignoring these prompts and buying whatever fare I can find while I'm looking?
Just to provide a bit more context: I usually am purchasing domestic flights within the continental U.S., and I usually shop three or four months prior to my planned departure dates. I usually have little to no flexibility in the dates that I travel.
Has anyone had repeated luck signing up for these alerts and then being notified of a true bargain fare? Or is this just a way to get my email address for future spam?