Best Southwest Airfare Strategy?

[2mickeys1minnie]

I need to book airfare for our trip - we are leaving 8/26 and returning on 9/2. I was wondering everyone's opinion on whether or not I should book as soon as flights are released or wait for a ding....I have a credit now because I booked early last year and several dings came out after...what is the best strategy? I really want to get cheap airfare LOL.

 

[Poorman]

I need to book airfare for our trip - we are leaving 8/26 and returning on 9/2. I was wondering everyone's opinion on whether or not I should book as soon as flights are released or wait for a ding....I have a credit now because I booked early last year and several dings came out after...what is the best strategy? I really want to get cheap airfare LOL.

Doesn't everybody...

A lot depends on how often you fly,and can you afford to pay for a trip now that you won't be taking for about a year?

I book it as soon as it comes out,and I book one way only. That way I can rebook if the price goes down on one way only. Last year I had well over $800.00 in credits that I used up in about a month. I have yet to book my August trip yet,waiting for the fares.

So like I said it is a personal decision, I would rather have the flights I want and get the credit later, since I fly to MCO about 5 times a year.

Good luck.

Rich

 

[Vivianne]

I've also found that the day of week, time and whether you're looking for a NS makes a difference. I'm flying at a reasonable rate on an Internet Special. I waited for a DING that never materialized. The only DINGS for my dates were for late times or flights with stops. In my case timing was everything. Still, I'm happy.

 

[Darcy03231]

I book as soon as its released and then if the fare is lower just take a credit. This year I booked our August trip the day fares were released at $69/each way. As of today they are still sitting at $160/each way.

 

[PolyHereWeCome]

It used to be true that opening prices were often quite good, but at least this year for our upcoming August trip, the opening day prices for our dates and location were very high. I finally booked as the fare was lower.

I don't like having credits, so I tend to not book Southwest until the fares come down a bit. Also then I don't have to lock in with Southwest as our carrier. Of course, if I had expiring Southwest credits, I'd be more likely to book earlier.

 

[WDWCPAlumni]

Last year I booked right away, then Ding knocked off $660....so I took the credit and used it to book this year.
This year when it was first released it was $160 per ticket each way.
About a month later it was down to $69 and that was internet special, not even ding.
I took them at the $69.
Then ding came out!
If we go on a tuesday or a wednesday it is $40 any other day it is $59
I didnt bother to rebook, since I already got an extension that expires in September and I can not use them.
Anyway.......in that case it is so clear!
However, you could wait and end up paying a very high price because you waited and the seats all filled.

You could do what we do, book right away, take the credit.........
Purchase annual passes
Then in 11 months your air is paid for and your passes are paid for, much cheaper second trip.
We are also vacation club members so when we go in June all it will cost us is food and spending!
I am so excited!!!!! (not that that is cheap)

 

[DonnaL]

We do pretty much the same routine at WDWCPAlumni...we're also DVC members, so we decide when we want to go and call Member Services and book our DVC ressies, buy AP's, book our airfare with SW, watch for sales and DINGS, take the ticketless credits for the next trip and then the second trip 11 months later is basically a freebie. Our trip this past January was one of those freebies (not really, but, very inexpensive for 6 of us!!) Airfare was $0 (we had $720 in ticketless travel funds and hit a great DING for $49 ow)
We already had AP's from our first trip and we had our DVC booked, so our only expense was food (about $175 at Publix and 1 Character breakfast and 1 Character dinner) and our car rental ($299 for a minivan which we could have done without, but, we prefer to have a rental car) Not bad for six people, huh?

 

[ddesousa323]

I am having the same issues. I am going with a group of 8. The SW flights have not opened up for 8/26-8/31. I am checking them constantly throughout the day and at night to catch it when it opens but now i am reading that sometimes its better to wait for a special but I am thinking that 8 tickets is going to be hard! (why does the disney groups grow so large!) Everyone has also set the expectation to pay around $200 round trip from PVD to MCO which makes my job a lot harder. I actually find this part stressful booking for everyone else. I already checked the board of the history of when dates are released but that still doesnt give us concrete information. So until i get the flights i will continue to check each night at mid-night, and throughout the night and during the day at work.

 

[jmpellet]

It seems like many of us are in line for the PVD flights on 8/26??? I'm also one of those in the waiting game!

Last year we went during free dining and the late September flights came out on 5/26 and we booked right away -- we are seasoned SWA travelers but feared they would go up and not down. Of course there was a fare sale on 6/6 which we took advantage of. We used the ticketless travel funds for our January WDW marathon trip. In my mind I have a cutoff price I am willing to pay when they open up. If not my guess is they will have a fare sale and I will wait.

 

[2mickeys1minnie]

Does anyone have any idea what time of day they release their flights or is it just random?

 

[cepmom]

Does anyone have any idea what time of day they release their flights or is it just random?

usually around 10:00 am CDT

to the OP ~ often times we book when the rate is low enough that I would consider paying that and then I hope for a Ding or other sale. When this last set of dates opened up, the first day our flights were $59 one way! Our dates weren't firm yet and I didn't book. The next day they went up and I missed out. I have been checking faithfully each day waiting for a sale. You never know what you're gonna get with SW when the dates are released.

If your dates are not flexible or are in a high travel period, I would book as soon as you can then hope for a sale.

 

[clkelley]

usually around 10:00 am CDT

On a Thursday.

 

[jmpellet]

Maybe today at 11:00 eastern?

 

[cepmom]

On a Thursday.

not always on Thursday though....last year in April it was released on a Wednesday

 

[jmpellet]

And for the end of September dates it was released Friday, 5/26 (the long weekend). The rates were really high... There is hope though since when they released on 2/8/07 through 8/24 there were 59.00 fares...

 

[2mickeys1minnie]

Someone else just posted that a SW agent told them the release date will be 4/26. Bummer! I was hoping for today!