Dizneydaz
DIS Legend
- Joined
- Jul 12, 2005
- Messages
- 10,973
Yes, it's true! I'm having a love affair with Southwest! 
Besides allowing 2 pieces of checked luggage, per person, for free and now (actually started a few years ago) being able to do Airline Resort Check-in at our resort (such a pleasure not having to haul all our luggage around when we depart!
) I love how you can change your flight, at any time, without incurring any change fees! You only have to pay the increase (if there is one) or you get flight credit if the fare dropped.
This year I have already made 2 changes to our flights. Here's the scoop
Back in June SW was having a really good sale and at the time we were booked at POP for 9/24 to 10/3. The RT flights, from ONT (Cal.) to MCO were only $260, $283, with fees! It was an amazing deal and I jumped on it even though I knew there was a chance (a pretty big chance) that our schedule would change and we would be going later.
Turns out I was right, and when Disney announced more free DDP dates, I rebooked us for 10/8 to 10/18. DD11 is out of school in Oct. so this worked out perfectly-no missed school days.
Problem was now I had to look for great flights again (time and price-wise). Unfortunately I couldn't get any great fares out of ONT to MCO so I ended up booking SNA (O.C) instead. SNA isn't that bad though-probably about 10-15 minutes further from our home. It's just that we love flying at ONT. We can literally be home with in one hour of landing!
I actually haven't flown out of SNA since they expanded. Usually SNA flights are more than ONT. But I was looking at about $500 RT from ONT vs. about $350 (inc. fees) at SNA. Unfortunately there weren't any decent flights out of either airport on Sat, the 8th, so I ended up booking leaving Friday, the 7th, and arriving about 11 p.m. Drat, one extra day at WDW!
The new flights cost $354 RT, so I had to pay an extra $215 ($72 each) which was definitely not as great as the original $282, but still not bad.
However, I have been checking SW website daily (sometimes 2-3 times a day) to see if I could get a decent flight in or out of ONT and/or to see if I could get a later flight out of MCO.
Most of the time when I've looked the OW flights were running between $232-$272, which is just too much to pay (That's $500-$600 RT, each!)
Well today, just before 7 a.m., was my lucky day. A flight from MCO to ONT was only $189, OW. And almost as good as the small price was the time. This flight leaves at about 6 p.m. and gets home at 10:30 p.m. with only 1 stop in Denver. (This is the time we normally have flown home in the past). The flight into SNA had 2 stops, with one plane change through New Orleans.
When I checked the pricing the cost increase was a measly $6.90, total, for all 3 of us! That's only $2.30 per ticket. I verified with my DM71 that they change was okay with her and rebooked, paying the $6.90. When I went back to check the layover time in Denver (only 50 minutes) the flight had jumped back up to $232! In less than 10 minutes!
I'm so glad I jumped on it so quickly. Otherwise I would have lost out. That's why I have learned that you need to check SW frequently, if you want to change your flights.
I will keep checking to see if I can get us a flight out of ONT vs. SNA for about the same price, but if not I am totally happy with our flights!
BTW, we used to fly SW all the time, especially when DD was younger and we could pre-board. Then Delta prices started being about the same, or sometimes less than SW, so we switched. On Delta you can pick your seats. Also, WDW resorts, at that time, weren't doing Resort Airline Check-in for SW. Well then Delta started charging for the 2nd bag. We still flew them, we just had to pack smarter. But when Delta started charging for all bags that's when they lost us. By the time I factor in the baggage fees, it prices them right out of the market. And since our plans are pretty liquid at the beginning, I don't even want to think about the fees to change your flights on Delta.
Until things change with other airlines (if they ever do) I will remain a loyal SW flyer!
Besides allowing 2 pieces of checked luggage, per person, for free and now (actually started a few years ago) being able to do Airline Resort Check-in at our resort (such a pleasure not having to haul all our luggage around when we depart!
) I love how you can change your flight, at any time, without incurring any change fees! You only have to pay the increase (if there is one) or you get flight credit if the fare dropped.This year I have already made 2 changes to our flights. Here's the scoop
Back in June SW was having a really good sale and at the time we were booked at POP for 9/24 to 10/3. The RT flights, from ONT (Cal.) to MCO were only $260, $283, with fees! It was an amazing deal and I jumped on it even though I knew there was a chance (a pretty big chance) that our schedule would change and we would be going later.
Turns out I was right, and when Disney announced more free DDP dates, I rebooked us for 10/8 to 10/18. DD11 is out of school in Oct. so this worked out perfectly-no missed school days.
Problem was now I had to look for great flights again (time and price-wise). Unfortunately I couldn't get any great fares out of ONT to MCO so I ended up booking SNA (O.C) instead. SNA isn't that bad though-probably about 10-15 minutes further from our home. It's just that we love flying at ONT. We can literally be home with in one hour of landing!
I actually haven't flown out of SNA since they expanded. Usually SNA flights are more than ONT. But I was looking at about $500 RT from ONT vs. about $350 (inc. fees) at SNA. Unfortunately there weren't any decent flights out of either airport on Sat, the 8th, so I ended up booking leaving Friday, the 7th, and arriving about 11 p.m. Drat, one extra day at WDW!
The new flights cost $354 RT, so I had to pay an extra $215 ($72 each) which was definitely not as great as the original $282, but still not bad.However, I have been checking SW website daily (sometimes 2-3 times a day) to see if I could get a decent flight in or out of ONT and/or to see if I could get a later flight out of MCO.
Most of the time when I've looked the OW flights were running between $232-$272, which is just too much to pay (That's $500-$600 RT, each!)
Well today, just before 7 a.m., was my lucky day. A flight from MCO to ONT was only $189, OW. And almost as good as the small price was the time. This flight leaves at about 6 p.m. and gets home at 10:30 p.m. with only 1 stop in Denver. (This is the time we normally have flown home in the past). The flight into SNA had 2 stops, with one plane change through New Orleans.
When I checked the pricing the cost increase was a measly $6.90, total, for all 3 of us! That's only $2.30 per ticket. I verified with my DM71 that they change was okay with her and rebooked, paying the $6.90. When I went back to check the layover time in Denver (only 50 minutes) the flight had jumped back up to $232! In less than 10 minutes!
I'm so glad I jumped on it so quickly. Otherwise I would have lost out. That's why I have learned that you need to check SW frequently, if you want to change your flights.I will keep checking to see if I can get us a flight out of ONT vs. SNA for about the same price, but if not I am totally happy with our flights!
BTW, we used to fly SW all the time, especially when DD was younger and we could pre-board. Then Delta prices started being about the same, or sometimes less than SW, so we switched. On Delta you can pick your seats. Also, WDW resorts, at that time, weren't doing Resort Airline Check-in for SW. Well then Delta started charging for the 2nd bag. We still flew them, we just had to pack smarter.
But when Delta started charging for all bags that's when they lost us. By the time I factor in the baggage fees, it prices them right out of the market. And since our plans are pretty liquid at the beginning, I don't even want to think about the fees to change your flights on Delta. Until things change with other airlines (if they ever do) I will remain a loyal SW flyer!
