Ding! Question- Yes, another one!!

[Ness2289]

I have been reading a lot of Ding! conversations using the search engine. I want to make sure I have something straight. As of right now, I'm confused! Some responses make with think one way, and other responses another way.

If I purchase tickets using an internet fare or other for, let's say, $300 for two round trip tickets and then I get a Ding! for $59 both ways- Have I now actually paid $536 for both sets of tickets? My credit is the whole $300 from the first purchase and NOT the $64 difference? Or is it just the difference which I can then put toward a future trip?

I have to say, it's kind of funny reading all the past postings. It never fails after about 5 to 7 replies to a thread, someone chimes in with "What is a Ding?"

 

[Taja]

If I remember correctly--and if nothing has changed!--you will be booking new airfare with DING! and cancelling your old reservations.

So you will receive credit for the full fare/taxes/fees of the cancelled reservation to apply to future travel within 1 year of the original booking date of the cancelled reservation.

Haven't dealt with DING! fares recently, so it's a big IF!

There is the possiblity of cancelling your current reservations, then using the credits to book the DING! fare, but if your holiday is depending on specific flights, that can be a risky move. I've done it in the past without problems, but no guarantees!

 

[tink2dw]

Ding is a download from Southwest Airlines. Which only really works really well if you live east of the Mississippi River. IMHO
You check it when it makes a weird ding. THEN if you see a $59.00 one way fare you like to a place you want to go, you buy it from the Ding Page. Because it is a certain flight number, leaving at a certain time, you can't change anything about the flight.

I was looking for a flight to Salt Lake City, Utah. This is how Ding would have worked, One Way Flight to Boise $59.00, Buy another One Way Flight Boise to SLC $89.00. Ok, that gets me to SLC but I have no return flight, Add SLC to Ding, now I see a One Way Flight from SLC, $89.00 flight to Boise. Still need a One way Ticket from Bosie to home $59.00 = $296.00
A regular Southwest ROUND TRIP Flight to SLC = $297.00. Is it worth buying 4 one way tickets? Not for me! A $1.00 saving doesn't make up for all the Aggravation of boarding and unboarding 4 times!!

If you have already purchased round trip tickets from
Southwest Airlines Reservations page $300.00 rt trip tickets. Ding won't help you. It will neither add or subtract to the cost of those tickets.

 

[DonnaL]

Just keep in mind........if you initially purchased round trip ........sometimes you can only get a DING for one leg of your trip and are unable to cancel just one leg of a reservation.....you can change things on either leg, but, are unable to cancel the reservation without cancelling the entire ressie and then can only get higher fares or worst case scenario, there are no fares left on the flight you need for the portion of the flight that's not a DING. For this reason, I always make two one way reservations.......currently, on the SW website two one ways are running about $30 more than a rd trp, but, in the long run as we get closer to my trip dates it has worked to my benefit in the past and I've always managed to have a credit left for my next trip due to getting DINGS at different times for both legs of the trip.

 

[Ness2289]

There is the possiblity of cancelling your current reservations, then using the credits to book the DING! fare, but if your holiday is depending on specific flights, that can be a risky move. I've done it in the past without problems, but no guarantees!

So this must go along with what I read about starting the payment process for the Ding! all the way until you have to do the payment transaction. Open a new window and cancel the original ressie, and then use the credit from that cancellation toward the Ding payment. Am I correct here? And if I am, then that means I don't necessarily have to be out of money for both sets of tickets.

 

[pooch]

my original flights for 2 round trip BLD-MCO $437.00

got a Ding for $64 each way per person. Cancelled original ressies, got a $437.00 credit. Used THIS credit to buy new Ding tickets at $297 leaving a credit of $140 for future use.

I did not pay for the Ding tickets OOP and then have a full credit for the original. I got the credit (for future use) for the original purchase and used IT to buy the new tickets.

 

[Ness2289]

my original flights for 2 round trip BLD-MCO $437.00

got a Ding for $64 each way per person. Cancelled original ressies, got a $437.00 credit. Used THIS credit to buy new Ding tickets at $297 leaving a credit of $140 for future use.

I did not pay for the Ding tickets OOP and then have a full credit for the original. I got the credit (for future use) for the original purchase and used IT to buy the new tickets.

Yes, Pooch, that helps! I finally "get it!"