Pre-buying Airventure tickets

[RickFE]

Just wondering if anyone flying in, is pre-buying their tickets for the week at OSH?

It seems that for a $5 savings off a week pass and considering all the things that might preclude you from getting there, that it doesn't seem prudent to buy before you get there.

During 2010 we didn't stay because we couldn't camp at OSH.

Just wondering if I am missing something? :confused:

[Floatsflyer]

Yup, the $5 saving is not an incentive to pre-buy(used to be a better discount in the past). However, not standing in very long lineups in heat and humidity on Monday morning is definetly an incentive to pre-buy. That's why we do it and I'm sure thousands of others.

[Kyle Boatright]

The obvious question is "What is the refund policy?" If my airplane breaks 500 miles away from Osh or the weather turns sour and I don't make the show, can I recoup the cost? If not, purchasing the arm bands early makes no sense at all.

[Floatsflyer]

The obvious question is "What is the refund policy?" If my airplane breaks 500 miles away from Osh

If your airplane breaks 500 miles away from Osh, then you've got a much bigger problem than being worried about a $105 refund.

[Joe Delene]

Just for the heck of it I bought one daily pass with the prebuy. Now I just have to remember to bring it with me.

[Sawdust]

I always take the risk and pre-buy my weekly ticket, and my camping at Scholler. Then we just breeze right through when we arrive. It 's convenient, and buying ahead just makes me feel like now I have to get there, one way or another!

[RickFE]

Floatsflyer, I have always showed up on a Saturday and got my tickets PDQ while registering to camp in the N-40. If I arrive Monday something was probably up.

Kyle, the refund policy is as follows: All online admission ticket sales are non-refundable, similar to any ticket you might purchase for a baseball game, concert, etc. However, tickets may be transferred

If the plane breaks 500 miles away. I think I would be happier knowing my $100 or so was still in my pocket than I would be saving $5 at the time I arrived, keeping in mind I still have to get in line to arrange for my camping etc.

Sawdust, if I was close enough to drive I would probably pre-buy too.

I guess I just was wondering if I was missing anything by not buying ahead of time besides a $5 savings, which in the big scheme of things doesn't amount to much of an incentive. I just started wondering because EAA kept sending me a lot of e-mails about pre-buying.

See you all up there...$5 short but still happier than all get-out!

[Mike Berg]

I tend not to prebuy as I either drive (200 miles west) or fly in and camp and I want to avoid bad weather and/or rain.

[Sawdust]

Sawdust, if I was close enough to drive I would probably pre-buy too.

I live in Houston, so my drive is about 1300 miles. :) My son got his Private this year, working on his instrument, so maybe we'll fly in some future year.

You're right - there's not a lot of incentive to save $5 compared to the risks with a non-refundable ticket.

[RickFE]

I hope you and your son get an opportunity to fly up. The trip itself has to be half the fun for me.

I guess every year I flew I did at least some part of it IFR, even if it was just to get a local IFR clearance. Even if you could go VFR it would be worth it.

I did coast to coast VFR in my Colt one year. Always seem to get where I was going sooner or later.

[dbgrey]

I pre-bought weekly tickets for the wife and I and go figure, likely won't make it up now (Maybe for the last couple days). But you can transfer them easily via the internet (Hoping to find a buyer to recoup part of my cost at least). At least I didn't have to worry about flying up and my plane breaking. That would be a negative.