Help needed from Southwest Pros...

[Dizz42]

Bought Internet Special tickets on SW for trip 11/23 - 11/28. Not exactly the times I wanted but good low fare. The other day, I was just fooling around and, lo' and behold, there was an Internet Special fare for a time coming home that I really had wanted. Since my original reservation was made on the phone, I quick called and was able to change it. About two minutes later when I checked, that flight said "unavailable" again. It was just a fluke that I got the better one.

Now I would like to get an earlier flight for our trip down. It is available at a higher rate but not under Internet Special. How often should I check to see if that little red "unavailable" is gone and I can quick get in there and snag it? Any tips or advise would be greatly appreciated as we have never flown before. I am devouring all things Southwest and learning alot. I'm all ears!

 

[DonnaL]

If you haven't downloaded "Ding" from SW's website by all means do.......the airline runs Ding specials sometimes several times in one day. I started back in May purchasing our fares for our October trip....at that time, the price was $241 pp rd trp. Between internet specials and Ding fares those tickets are now down to $117.10 pp rd trp. The rest is credited in ticketless travel funds being held for our January trip (as soon as SW releases our dates!!!). Just go to the SW website and follow the instructions for downloading Ding and putting your favorite airports in.

 

[Dizz42]

Thank you, DonnaL. I have downloaded the Ding and love it! Hopefully something will come up but so far, everything has been for September travel. I wouldn't even mind if the fare didn't go down, I just really would like to leave at the crack of dawn. Right now we don't fly out until 12:45 PM. Would love to get a 7, 8 or even 9 AM flight. We were due to leave for home at 11 in the morning then I snagged that suddenly available 2:30 PM flight. Now if one of those AM flights for our departure would suddenly lose that red "Unavailable", I'd be overjoyed. And a Ding would be icing on the cake!

 

[MiaSRN62]

How often should I check to see if that little red "unavailable" is gone and I can quick get in there and snag it? Any tips or advise would be greatly appreciated as we have never flown before.

Hi Dizz42 ~
I check for DING's daily (often a couple times a day) as well as check the website and emails for sales daily at least once. I even have my kids checking for me
For instance, there was a DING fare for PHL to MCO the last weekend in August for our Oct 4-8 dates. I missed that one on 8/26 (was at an all-day birthday party !). But I did get a DING PHL to TPA the following day (Aug 27).
I have been checking the SW site daily for cheaper flights PHL to MCO r/t. They have been $79 to and $99 return. I got $39 each way PHL/TPA. Anyway....just got an email this morning, 9/8, (make sure you subscribe to them on the SW site) for $59 each way PHL/MCO.
So my experience is, that the DINGS and sales seem to be anywhere from 4-6 weeks prior to your flight times.....at least that's when they seem to start. Depending on how full the flights are, you can find great fares right up until 2-3 weeks prior to your dates. If you book online and find a better fare down the road, you can always cancel, get a credit and then apply that credit to the new lower fare. SW is great like this.
I recommend checking daily and more than once if you can. Good luck ! Fingers crossed for you !

 

[Dizz42]

Oh, thanks, MiaSRN62! We're in the Harrisburg area and I never thought to check from PHL to MCO or Tampa. I checked right away but so far, I'm still at the cheapest BWI to MCO - $79. I think that's an excellent rate but $59 would be !

As a matter of fact my only dream is to get an earlier flight to MCO. Since we are off work on Wednesday, 11/22, we could easily get up at 2 AM on Thursday, 11/23 to be at BWI for a 6:45 flight. As I said, right now, we're scheduled for a 12:45 departure. But I don't wanna whine too much 'cause after all...WE'RE GOIN' TO DISNEY WORLD !
Again,