Finally used my Hershy promo SWA gift certificates!

[denisenh]

Remember those?

Here is my "cheap" last minute trip:

SWA from Hartford to Tampa: Friends fly free: $354. for 4 R/T tickets (after $150. in gift certificates)

6 days rental: Avis $230. for a intermediate incl taxes and fees (was $400. and something without a code)
One night at Hyatt Regency West Shore Tampa for $68.33 incl taxes (priceline bid of $56.)

Two nights at Renaissance World Gate for $84.35 incl taxes (priceline bid of $35./nite)
We have 6 day parkhoppers left over from a trip 2 years ago. The main park days are used but the pluses remain. So we will go to Typhoon lagoon one day basically free. And do "I don't know what yet" on our second full day in WDW area.

Two nights at the Hilton Clearwater Beach Resort for $138.39 incl taxes (priceline bid of $60./nite)

So that is $875. for R/T air for 4, 5 nights at really terriffic Hotels, and car rental for 6 days!

Thank you SWA, biddingfortravel.com, Priceline.com and mousesavers.com but mostly the DIS for introducing me to all of those!!

 

[Mickey0330]

Sounds great! Have a great time. We used to live outside of Clearwater in Palm Harbor, FL & miss it!!

 

[shefor24]

Clearwaters Hilton is beautiful!! Have a blast and enjoy yourself. We really liked that hotel when we were there in October.

 

[denisenh]

Mickey and Shefor: I am so glad that you posted! Nothing helps to get rid of the "hope I didn't goof" jitters better than a couple of thumbs up from the "been there" crowd!

 

[zurgswife]

WOW!!! great savings...congrats

 

[leslieh]

Denisenh, I just used part of mine last week for the BOGOF on SW. I paid 224.00 for two BWI-MCO. Great Price. I still have $300.00 in GC left. The travel agent doesnt seem to happy when i use them. I left her a $25.00 check for all her trouble. Any more hershey deals? I dont think theyll do that promo again.

 

[chris1gill]

Great DeniseNH!!!

How easy was it to use the certificates? We have 600.00 in 4 certificates... I was going to use them for November, but since I really wanted to come home the day after Thanksgiving we booked Delta for 189.00 subtracting out a 90.00 credit... it was 99 each... so we'll be using those Southwest Certificates for a year from November... they don't expire right? We can use them anytime?

 

[denisenh]

leslieh...I would love to see another promo that offers SWA gift certs. That would be great! And good for you to still have more to use!

Chris1gill, hi ya! You still have a great deal with delta, not bad at all.

What I did to use the GC's was I found the flight that I wanted on the internet and called the toll free SWA # and put a 24 hr hold on 2 RT tix.
Then I booked 2 RT's on line and paid those with a CC.
Finally, I drove to MHT airport and paid for my 2 held tix with the GC's and a check. They were very easy to use and the SWA service agent was really great.
This way I still get a rapid rewards double credit for my internet booking, and I was still able to keep the cost of the trip within budget by using the GC's. We should have at least one earned rapid reward ticket for our next trip, so that will be good too.

 

[chris1gill]

Hi DeniseNH,

Thanks for the info!! If I wasn't so set on coming home the Sunday after Thanksgiving (a blackout date), I would have waited for SWA to release their dates... that way we could have used our certs.... but the agents didn't give you any trouble about any sort of expiration date or anything? I don't know about yours, but ours did not come with our names or any expiration date, I assume yours were the same?

Thanks again, sounds like a great trip for you!

 

[denisenh]

Oh yes, chris1gill, I meant to add that they don't expire and when I went to use it I didn't have to fill anything in, ours were blank also. What a great deal that Hershy promo was. It was hard for us to collect the UPC's for just one GC but it was a family effort thing so we enjoyed it.

 

[chris1gill]

Thanks for the info DeniseNH, it sets my mind at ease, I've been a bit worried about them expiring or something!!! I would love if they offered this promotion again by the way!!!