? About SW next opening dates and buying the tickets

[antree]

ON NO! I just saw SW is opening their next set of dates on Aug 4th. We are flying to Orlando on March 6th,and they are releasing up to the 6th on Monday.
What time do they release the dates? Am I better off buying the tickets when they are released? I never bought them when they came out. Since we are flying in March this time I figure we need to get the tickets early before they sell out. I am scared and confused what should I do?

TIA..HELP

 

[danjoan14]

They usually release them early in the AM. I would buy them early as I find that they block off a certain number of seats for a lower price. After the seats have been sold, then the prices usually start going up. However, they some time drop the prices again. It's just a game that you have to keep playing. The good news is if you book and the prices drop, you can get a credit to use on a future flight within one year of your purchase date. Good luck!

 

[JimboCh]

You have an advantage of some sort.

If it makes you feel better, yes book whatever flight you like time and price on August 4th for your March 6th one-way flight to MCO.

There is no guarantee the lowest price will be that very first day the flight is released, you should still keep checking to see if the prices come down but you will be aleast guaranteed a seat by booking on August 4th.

Then keep an eye on the price of flights for that day and if need be if the price goes down on the flight you selected change the reservation to reflect the new lower price.

You will then have some southwest credit to use when you book your return flight home from MCO when the next dates are released.

 

[antree]

Thanks, i will be on tomorrow, do yu know what time they usually release?

 

[JimboCh]

Generally been around 6 a.m. Central ,so I would start to checking around 7am eastern time.

 

[izzy25]

I bought our tickets the day that the schedule opened up and im so glad I did. I got our tickets for $240 a piece from Milwaukee to Orlando and the same day i booked it said that they sold out. They did end up opening up more tickets but they were money. Id recommend booking right away.

 

[antree]

Thank You Izzy25 I'll be on first thing Monday.

 

[antree]

In never bought tickets for March, The one and onkly time we went to Disney in March 10 yrs ago, we rove because of the prices and not able to get return flights. How has the tickets prices been running for that time of the year? anyone know?

TIA

 

[KayW]

Joining in this conversation. I am looking to book for February.

 

[antree]

This will be the first time I am gettting flights before I get the hotel..lol..I can't book the hotel until Wed. hope I get the same dates as the flight now..lol

 

[LisaS]

Thanks, i will be on tomorrow, do yu know what time they usually release?

It's usually shortly after 6am eastern time. Sometimes it takes until 6:15 am (eastern) or so before you are able to book. I just keep refreshing the page and keep trying until their system will accept my travel dates.

Sometimes the price I get on the first day of the schedule extension is as good as it gets and other times it goes down, months later. Since I book with points, I lock something in on the first day and then use the "change flights" option to reprice the flight if the fare goes down.

 

[antree]

Thanks Lisa, I think I will do that better early then late and miss it.

 

[amomma23]

It's usually shortly after 6am eastern time. Sometimes it takes until 6:15 am (eastern) or so before you are able to book. I just keep refreshing the page and keep trying until their system will accept my travel dates.

Sometimes the price I get on the first day of the schedule extension is as good as it gets and other times it goes down, months later. Since I book with points, I lock something in on the first day and then use the "change flights" option to reprice the flight if the fare goes down.

I agree, around 6:00 Eastern. When I bought our tickets for December, I think they showed up about 6:10am Eastern. Like Lisa said, just be online at 6:00 and refresh until they show up.

 

[Joan S.]

Hi, I wanted to say THANK YOU to those that took the time to post about SWA opening p at 6am this morning and refreshing the page till the dates came up. I was able to help my daughter get tickets for February school vacation. She got the flights down and I got the flights home. Prices were increasing while we were trying to book!! The site was telling us to purchase 1 ticket at a time.(we were trying to do all 3 at once) But we ended up with first flight down on Monday and 1pm flight home on Saturday. She originally wanted Sunday flight down BUT prices were too high to begin with. Flights to MCO from PVD were $130.flights home $235. Joan

 

[KayW]

I missed all of the deals. Nothing left for me out of Hartford, Providence, or Boston at a reasonable rate. Oh well, there is always April.

 

[antree]

Thank you everyone for the help, of course my alarm didn't go off this morning. I jumped up at 6:30am. I was able to get 11:10am to MCO from PHL for $148.00 a ticket for March 6th. I am pretty much happy with it. I know we payed more then that last Nov.
We usually take the first flight out but that was $168.00, and I still have to buy 5 tickests coming home. I don't know if prices were cheaper at 6am, but by 7 am I had bought a total of 8 tickets for 148.00 ea.

I'll keep an eye open and hope the first flight goes down.

Next schedule release is Aug 25th. So I'll be up again to get our return flight. Hope this time I get up on time.

 

[Delphinus317]

Thank you everyone for the help, of course my alarm didn't go off this morning. I jumped up at 6:30am. I was able to get 11:10am to MCO from PHL for $148.00 a ticket for March 6th. I am pretty much happy with it. I know we payed more then that last Nov.
We usually take the first flight out but that was $168.00, and I still have to buy 5 tickests coming home. I don't know if prices were cheaper at 6am, but by 7 am I had bought a total of 8 tickets for 148.00 ea.

I'll keep an eye open and hope the first flight goes down.

Next schedule release is Aug 25th. So I'll be up again to get our return flight. Hope this time I get up on time.

That's exactly what I paid at 6:15am when it opened, so it seems you got the best deal they were offering for those tickets this morning. Right after I booked, the same tickets were $168.