Disappointed in Southwest prices

[blondietink]

So, here I was waiting until Southwest released their flights today into September and beyond to book our trip to the Bahamas. Wow, was I ever disappointed! With the price of oil so low, you would think that the prices would be lower than currently. However, there weren't any good deals, so I booked our flights on American instead which actually cost a lot less, plus I also get free luggage on American, free food now and the seating on the Airbus has more leg room. Also better selection of flight times.

I checked prices to Orlando just for the heck of it and they are also higher than anticipated. Not feeling the love Southwest!

 

[MuppetBaby]

I could not agree more!!! I've been waiting for this day for months to book our October flights .... So disappointed. And and and!!!! Southwest killed the nonstop flights from RIC to MCO so now we HAVE to connect in ATL which means more time and more cost.

What the hell Southwest? If I hadn't already done the whole Swagbucks to Walmart Gift cards to Sam's Club for Southwest gift cards thing, I would have booked JetBlue.

 

[tasha99]

I never find good sw deals, and they would have to be good to make up for their unreserved seating arrangements. I've gotten better deals on jetblue lately.

 

[LizzyS]

This is not about Southwest, but I just booked airfare through Delta, who had the best times/routes for this journey, to go from Las Vegas, NV to Knoxville, TN and I have NEVER paid so much for this exact trip before, which I've made many times. Just over $2,000 for two people! The price of oil should have some sort of effect on these prices, but it surely hasn't.

 

[LizzyS]

I never find good sw deals, and they would have to be good to make up for their unreserved seating arrangements. I've gotten better deals on jetblue lately.

The only place I can fly to on a good faire on Southwest so far that I've tried is from Las Vegas to Denver. Other than that, I've only flown to Portland from Las Vegas on Southwest and that was expensive!

 

[SMD]

This week Jet Blue raised their prices $6 per segment and Delta, United and AA followed. SWA already had a fare increase in January when Delta raised theirs, so for some of these airlines that's 2 price hikes in 6 weeks. At this point I'm just happy that SWA is keeping them where they are. Actually, a flight I was eyeing for April went down $5 for the return, so I booked it. The outbound is, of course, more than twice as much, but hey, I saved $5. I need to check a back on this trip, so I'm pretty much only eyeing SWA right now since no one else is going to beat them by $25 or more to cover that fee. Except maybe Spirit, but I'm not going there.

 

[afan]

The airlines have fuel contracts that aren't based on the gas or oil prices we see today, unless they are doing a new contract. This is part of how some airlines were able to avoid fuel surcharges for awhile they had contracts with a lower cost for longer.

I don't see prices for oil staying this way for too long, not that it should have gotten so high. But I also don't see the airlines reducing prices because of it. We aren't spending money on gas like before so we have more money to spend etc.

 

[RooRach0906]

Southwest killed the nonstop flights from RIC to MCO so now we HAVE to connect in ATL which means more time and more cost.

What the hell Southwest?

We leave from RIC. I agree that is now bites we have to connect in ATL as we do not like that airport but it was $9 more a seat then our flight in September 2014 so I don't think it is really costing us more.

We decided to do Jetblue down to MCO (nonstop) and southwest back because the time were better and it was the cheapest.

 

[JenB1104]

Usually sales are released on Tuesdays. I'll check and see what that brings.

 

[disfanforlife]

When will the next dates be available? I am looking to book the day after the last day that is out now.

 

[jiminy14]

I have never paid more than $250/rt per person in the past on SWA. I finally bit the bullet and bought our tickets for May about a month ago even though the tickets were over $300/rt. My DD's ticket was over $400 since she has to leave on a Sunday because of work. The tickets have only gone up in price since then. SWA has also decreased the number of non-stop flights from Philly to less than half of what they offered in the last couple of years.
We are flying down to Orlando this weekend to go on a Disney cruise. I actually purchased the tickets on American this time because the price was $100 a ticket less than SWA even with paying for bags. American also offers significantly more non-stop flight between Orlando and Philly than SWA does.

 

[ThisIsJason]

When will the next dates be available? I am looking to book the day after the last day that is out now.

As of right now, June 2nd.
https://www.southwest.com/html/travel-tools/

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Prices for our October trip went up just over $150 if we fly out of GRR from last time we flew with Southwest (and now have to connect in MDW). Might just drive to MDW and fly from there. Still cheaper than Delta or United for the same time frame either way.

 

[disfanforlife]

As of right now, June 2nd.
https://www.southwest.com/html/travel-tools/

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Prices for our October trip went up just over $150 round trip.

Thanks, I am looking to book November 5-12. We were down in January and had a great price for that trip. Originally had planned to go in March, but when I saw the price of tickets for March I changed our dates back two months!

 

[sheetz]

The main reason to book SWA is for their relatively lenient ticket change policies. Pricewise other airlines are often cheaper. Sometimes much, much cheaper.

 

[cjnix29]

I have never found southwest's prices to be lowest when they release them. October is a long way away, I would just keep checking on them.

 

[starry_solo]

I have never found a R/T flight for less than $500 from ONT (or LAX) to MCO.

 

[DebbieB]

With all the mergers (Northwest/Delta, America West/USAirways/American, Continental/United, AirTran/Southwest), the competition is less so they can get away with charging more. Looks like Southwest is continuing to cut flights in former AirTran cities - I read Grand Rapids non-stops to MCO were also eliminated with this schedule change.

 

[deide71]

Yep, high here too. MSP to MCO running $350-$450 in October...and not round trip. Will keep an eye open, I would bet they will come down a bit.

 

[ThisIsJason]

With all the mergers (Northwest/Delta, America West/USAirways/American, Continental/United, AirTran/Southwest), the competition is less so they can get away with charging more. Looks like Southwest is continuing to cut flights in former AirTran cities - I read Grand Rapids non-stops to MCO were also eliminated with this schedule change.

Since Southwest came into GR the flight wasn't offered from early August to sometime in December/January. If it is permanent I don't blame them. We took it this past May and each way the flight wasn't even half full. Friends said the same thing in June after school was out, and in mid-July the flights had over 30 empty seats each way. I know that is only 6 flights total but they had to have lost money on 4 of those flights, have too many of those and I see the point of dropping it.

 

[blondietink]

Southwest flights from Buffalo are always jam packed. If you don't reserve them early, you are often out of luck and/or the prices just continue to climb. The Canadians love to come over the border and get cheaper flights, even with the poor exchange rate they have right now. I checked Rochester (also packed with Canadians), Cleveland and Pittsburgh prices too and they were all high. We are always willing to drive to another airport to save money if it is advantageous to our family of 4, but not this time.