Best way to book Southwest Flight??

[NikP]

Is it best to book tickets for one way only, incase an other promo comes along? (eg Buffalo to Orlando ressie, then a Orlando Buffalo ressie) I have no idea if anyone will know what I am trying to say.

 

[karliebug]

Yes, if you book one way flights it makes it easier to change later if one of the legs of your trips changes prices and you want to rebook that leg. Did that make sense?

 

[Rpsemont]

I not only book OW flights, I book each person separately, or in pairs. That way, if there's 4 of us flying, and a cheaper fare becomes available, but only will allow you to book for 2, I can at least book the lower fare for 2 or 4.
The main disadvantage to this is that on line check in takes longer cuz there's 3-4 itineraries.

 

[TDC Nala]

It is much better to book one way flights if you anticipate changing your flight to get a lower fare. They might offer a lower fare for one leg of your trip, but not for the other. If you have a round trip, it's necessary to change the whole reservation, and the other leg may not have the time or price availiability that you want.

 

[2Princes2Princesses]

Yes, I always do this. Because it is possible that one way will go down while the other goes up.

So, say I booked round trip when my dates came out and it was $69 each way. THen I get a DING for the trip home for $39. GReat! But when I cancel my round trip, I discover that yes, I get the DING for MCO-BUF, but when I rebook BUF-MCO, THAT flight has gone up to $149. Now I end up paying more round trip than I would if I never had a DING. KWIM?

Having one way reservations takes the math out of it!! Which is exactly how I like it.

 

[DoleWhipMom]

Even if you booked round trip, you can change one way of your flight if a lower fare comes up. I've done this before. Here's how you do it:

Got to southwest.com
Click on View or Change or your flight
Enter your confirmation # and name of the person the ressie was made by
You'll be directed to the Change Itinerary page
Click the check box of the flight you want to change
Click on the Change selected trips button
Change your flight information

Good luck

 

[Pumbaa_]

I haven't found a way though to do that with a Ding fare. I have only been able to cancel and rebook. Is there a way?

 

[DoleWhipMom]

I still think you can do it from a Ding fare by clicking on the Apply Travel Funds button once you go to reserve - it says you an use up to four unused Ticketless Travel reservations so I take it you can just pop in your existing ressies # (see below). I believe my friend did this by calling SouthWest and they did it for her. I'd call SouthWest though before trying.

From the SouthWest site:

Apply Travel Funds
You may apply funds to this reservation from up to four unused Ticketless Travel reservations, up to eight Southwest LUV Vouchers, and/or up to four southwestgiftcards. Funds must be entered one at a time. Electronic Funds are applied toward purchase in the order they are entered.

 

[NikP]

Thanks everyone, you have been a great help. Now I just have to wait till they release October.

 

[cmacf1]

I think this will probably seem like a stupid question (since I believe that I'm reading the answer in most of the replies to the original poster,) but I'm a Southwest neophyte. Here's my question: if you've already bought a one-way ticket on southwest and you see later that the price has gone down wither through a Ding fare or otherwise, you can cancel that reservation (even though you've already paid) and use the funds to rebook at the lower price???? If that's true, I wonder where on earth I've been! I've learned so much since I joined this site!!!

 

[DoleWhipMom]

Just a note: If you have extra $ from rebooking your fare, you have up to a year from the date you first book the fare to use the extra funds (or you loose it). The good thing about SouthWest is that don't charge you a fee to change things.

 

[iluvepcot]

You are more likely to profiled by booking ow fare. I booked my parents recent trip for them on SW. When we went to the website to get bp 24 hours ahead, they would not let us get them. I called and the sw agent said that they pick at random people to have to go to the airport to get bp in person. They also have to be singled out by security. She said they randomly pick people from all airlines, including sw. She said you are more likely to be picked if you are a ow fare.

Now I take numerous flights and never have had this happen to me. My parents maybe did because they have no children?? I don't know but it was not such a big deal for them. They did get C boarding passes because they had to wait until they got to the airport.

 

[DonnaL]

I think in the past the ow fares was a red flag to get pulled for extra screening, but, I don't think in today's travel environment that's so much the case. I don't really know what they base extra screening on, but, so many people book ow's today I can't see it as a good screening tool anymore. Also, another poster above mentioned about booking everyone individually or by two's ........I also do the same if we have more than two or three of us traveling together. I figure even if I can save on tickets for just a couple of us....it's better than nothing!! This is especially true for Ding fares......you may not be able to get six or eight Ding fares, but, you could get three or four if everyone is not booked on the same ressie.

 

[miss missy]

So much to learn!

 

[chasbos]

Here is how I do it for our family of 6.

I am always very, very keen to get to my destination! So when I see a fare that I am happy with for our trip to Florida I book it. Then I spend every day checking DINGS and internet fares to see if the price has gone down.

I never book our return flight until closer to our trip - that way if my original booking to get to Florida has gone down, I have a nice credit for my flight home.

This has worked for us for the past 4 years! And by the time I get around to booking our return airfare I have very little to pay because I have been watching our departing flight go down!

I am sure one of these times I am going to get bit in the you know what! But for now it is working.

 

[miss missy]

I am confused. Does SW credit you if your flight price goes down AFTER you purchased it? If so, how do they stay in business? Wouldn't they all be cheap at some point? Do you have to stay on it and call to get the new price?

 

[miss missy]

I still think you can do it from a Ding fare by clicking on the Apply Travel Funds button once you go to reserve - it says you an use up to four unused Ticketless Travel reservations so I take it you can just pop in your existing ressies # (see below). I believe my friend did this by calling SouthWest and they did it for her. I'd call SouthWest though before trying.

From the SouthWest site:

Apply Travel Funds
You may apply funds to this reservation from up to four unused Ticketless Travel reservations, up to eight Southwest LUV Vouchers, and/or up to four southwestgiftcards. Funds must be entered one at a time. Electronic Funds are applied toward purchase in the order they are entered.

What are travel funds? and what are Ticketless Travel reservations ?

 

[miss missy]

YAY I booked 59 one way for May! I did do them as one ways. The total was 274.80 YAY!! That rocks!

 

[dwnnp]

sorry to ask a lame question, but what are DINGS??

TIA for your replies!

 

[NikP]

sorry to ask a lame question, but what are DINGS??

TIA for your replies!

Dings are a notification thru Southwests free downloadable program. The program alerts you when there is special for the airports you have selected. The fares that are advertised thru the Ding application can only be booked thru the link provided.

My question is what are ow fares?