how long would you wait for a DING?

[ShaneH]

Our trip is scheduled for 9-1/9-8 and I keep hoping for a good DING fare from Southwest but have not got one yet. The regular price has gone up for the flight down on 9-1 so I'll probably end up leaving on 8/31 and stay an extra day, the flight back has been at $109 for a while which is not too bad a price but I just dont want to book and then get a DING fare for a cheaper rate. So how long would you guys hold out?

 

[nuzmom]

I wouldn't hold out for a Ding, but that's me. I look at Dings as a "bonus".

We fly PIT-MCO and have a fair number of dings come out. Seems that most of them require a Tues, Thurs, Sun flight day. (we usually fly Tues/Thurs) Also, many times the flight times are the less desirable times.

I usually just watch for a "web fare" that's reasonable and book it. If it lowers, you can easily rebook and receive ticketless travel funds. Unfortunately, I don't always use them, so I just make sure I'm "ok" with originial booking cost. Of course, you can always rebook if (or when) a ding comes out.

If you're very flexible on your times and dates, then maybe hold out. But, I like specific flight times and I'm not willing to chance an increase in price.

 

[NC State]

Our trip is scheduled for 9-1/9-8 and I keep hoping for a good DING fare from Southwest but have not got one yet. The regular price has gone up for the flight down on 9-1 so I'll probably end up leaving on 8/31 and stay an extra day, the flight back has been at $109 for a while which is not too bad a price but I just dont want to book and then get a DING fare for a cheaper rate. So how long would you guys hold out?

I'm holding out for Raleigh (RDU) for Sept 5 and return on Sept 14.

 

[CarolA]

9/1 is labor day. I bet a lot of folks will be flying that day which might reduce your "Ding" opportunities. The fact that you already see the fares going up is not a good sign IMHO.

If that day sells well assume others will do what you are doing.... once again reducing the potential for good Dings on the days surrounding 9/1.

 

[ShaneH]

I figgured getting a DING for the 1st wouldnt happen but was hoping for one for Sunday 8/31 and going a day early. Right now the cost of the Monday flight is about $180 more than the Sunday night, we are staying at POFQ which is about $165 a night so it will cost almost the same amount of money to add a night as it would to fly on Monday. Last year I booked for the same days, labor day monday to the following monday, with DING fares both ways which I got the 1st week of July. Might give it till the end of this week and go ahead and book.

 

[Lewisc]

IF you can't get a DING what will you do? Cancel your trip? Drive? Pay whatever it costs to fly?

I normally book the best fare I can find, and hope a DING might give me a discount.

One workaround, if you don't think you have any use for a credit is to book one way tickets but skip one passenger on whatever leg is less likely to sell out of cheap fares. Hope you can get some credits to help pay for the last ticket. I wouldn't do this, I'd book all my tickets and hope for a credit.

 

[keishashadow]

I'd book ASAP, if u get a DING or even find a cheaper deal w/another airline, it's easy to sell your credit for nearly 90% on eBay

 

[Lewisc]

I'd book ASAP, if u get a DING or even find a cheaper deal w/another airline, it's easy to sell your credit for nearly 90% on eBay

It's no longer easy to sell the credit on ebay. Almost every week another thread is started by an ebayer with a pulled auction.

 

[ShaneH]

So you can transfer your credit if you wont be able to use it? I dont think I'll be flying in the next year so I wouldnt be able to use the credit but if you can transfer them I will go ahead and book.

 

[ShaneH]

IF you can't get a DING what will you do? Cancel your trip? Drive? Pay whatever it costs to fly?

I normally book the best fare I can find, and hope a DING might give me a discount.

One workaround, if you don't think you have any use for a credit is to book one way tickets but skip one passenger on whatever leg is less likely to sell out of cheap fares. Hope you can get some credits to help pay for the last ticket. I wouldn't do this, I'd book all my tickets and hope for a credit.

If no DING I will probably get the flight going down on Sunday 8-31 and stay an extra night at POFQ. There are just 3 of us so flying is only about about $200 more than driving and driving would take 2 days each way so I dont think its worth it to drive. I would drive if it were more of a savings.

 

[dburg30]

I buy once I figure out when I want to go, and then find the best deals around those dates.. ie: this year we are going 11/13 - 11/22.

To leave friday, sat or sun would have been minimum of $180 pp, leaving thursday got them to 119 pp.

Same coming back, coming back thurs or friday was like 180-190, either wed or saturday was 129 . And of course I didnt want to come back on wednesday .

So now I'll keep an eye out for dings, but am happy with the prices I have already..

Sure if the prices go down, I now have credits to use, but that's not a bad thing , will just mean ANOTHER trip to WDW

 

[ShaneH]

I buy once I figure out when I want to go, and then find the best deals around those dates.. ie: this year we are going 11/13 - 11/22.

To leave friday, sat or sun would have been minimum of $180 pp, leaving thursday got them to 119 pp.

Same coming back, coming back thurs or friday was like 180-190, either wed or saturday was 129 . And of course I didnt want to come back on wednesday .

So now I'll keep an eye out for dings, but am happy with the prices I have already..

Sure if the prices go down, I now have credits to use, but that's not a bad thing , will just mean ANOTHER trip to WDW

About the same prices I'm looking if I book now, $119 to leave on Sunday 8-31 and $109 to return on Monday 9-8. I'll be flying out of Columbus also, have not seen to many DINGs for Columbus. Thought about drinving out to Dayton and flying Airtran, can get round trip non stop for $588 total for the 3 of us but dont like all the bad stuff I keep reading about them. Southwest is the only non stop I can find from Columbus. If you rebook and get credit back how long do you have to use them?

 

[dburg30]

I think it's a year, but I dont remember if it's a year from the flight date, or a year from when you book it.. I'm sure it shows on SW's site somewhere.. And if you are in columbus, is it worth it to drive to dayton to mess with it? Granted it's not THAT far. Now if you are a west sider or even further west, then not as big a deal. I've just been VERY happy with SW since I've used them, they just seem to have their ducks in a row better..

 

[ShaneH]

Actually I'm southwest of columubus, its about an hour and half to Dayton so its not TOO bad. If I go on the exact dates I want its a little over $300 cheaper to go to Dayton, if I go a day earlier its only $130 cheaper on air fare but I have to pay for another night at POFQ. I'm just not sure about the state of Airtran and flew SW last year and have used them several time to Vegas and have never had a problem with them.

 

[NaplesRI]

Any chance of ever getting a DING around Christmas?

 

[Vijoge]

I never wait for a Ding! before I book. I book and then hope for a Ding! and take the credit when I get one.

There is no guarantee of getting a Ding! at all and there's an even greater chance that I won't see the Ding! when it happens. Dings! only last a few hours at the most and since I really, truly don't live on my computer I'm sure I miss many, many Dings! So, for me, to hold off booking travel until a Ding! comes along wouldn't make any sense.

To NaplesRI-there's a chance of getting a Ding! on any day and any flight. But that's all it ever is-just a chance.