booking Southwest when? help!

[gmt]

We are going to Disney World Dec. 5-12 and right now I can get SWA airfare for $109 each way from St. Louis. Currently SWA is also running a special for $69 each way from St. Louis if you book by the end of August and travel by Oct. 1. My question is for you SWA travel veterans, do I take the $109 now or hold out for another lower special to be announced after the current one expires Aug. 31. I am buying 4 tickets so there would be a nice cost savings to wait but I don't want to screw myself out of a good airfare now should the cost just go up.

Thanks for the help.
Garland

 

[speedyf]

GMT...

First off, Welcom to THE DIS

Southwest is different from most airlines. They allow you to change your tickets at any time with no penalty.

If you are happy with the $109 each way fare....I would book it now. If Southwest offers a lower fare, you can change to the lower fare and receive a credit for future travel for the difference.

For example....if you book at $109 each way right now....then, Southwest runs a special for $69 each way....you would get a credit of about $40 each way for each ticket. This credit can be used on Southwest anytime within 1 year from the date you booked the original ticket. So if you booked today...then received a credit at some point....you would have to use the credit to travel before 8/22/07.

If you don't think you will use the credit within the next year, you can sell it on ebay at about 85 to 90 cents on the dollar.

Hope this helps...
Speed

 

[**Tinker*Bell*7**]

We had this happen for our trip last spring. I booked in Jan. at $109 from JAN to MCO. Got a Ding! for $89 the week before our trip & called SWA. They changed the fare & refunded the difference to my credit card. I had expected the refund to be put into a travel voucher but got cash instead. No penalty for the change. Book the best rate & watch for a discount. Good Luck!!!

 

[DonnaL]

Some folks have been able to get the difference refunded to their cc if they didn't change anything (i.e. kept the exact same flights/times as originally booked ...only difference SW had a sale on those flights). Others haven't had the same luck. As for myself, I've never tried to get the difference refunded since we travel several times a year so I can always manage to use the credit on future travel. As a matter of fact, I'm sitting on $416.00 worth of credits now just waiting for SW to open up my dates in January. So, it really depends on whether you wish to take the chance of the particular flight/fares still being available at a lower cost or if you know you will be traveling again within 12 months and using SW you have nothing to lose by booking now at the higher fare and then probably getting a credit towards your next trip.