How Soon Might SouthWest Change Air Fares?

[PSUGuy]

I just booked SW yesterday, paid a bit more than last Oct but at least I got the times I wanted. The leg down was reasonable but I'm hoping the return will come down. Do I need to start checking right now? Is there any day of the week or time of day they do this?

Thanks for any info offered,

Bill From PA

 

[strat68]

It's like trying to predict lottery numbers. I'm sure that Southwest's systems are adjusting the prices on an almost continuous basis based on demand.

 

[Day-Day]

I checked prices this morning and again this afternoon. The price dropped for my afternoon check. I changed my ticket to get a credit. The price increased when I checked again immediately afterwards "just for fun". I guess my selection of the new lower price had an effect on the remaining tickets for sell.

I've seen similar changes when checking other times. I've seen rates drop on various days of the week including weekends. Many say Tuesday night and Wednesday morning are the times to find the drops; maybe this is true but I haven't seen the evidence. It is absolutely nuts!

 

[a742246]

Southwest usually has a sale in June around the time of their Birthday. Sometimes they call it their Birthday sale other times they call it their summer sale. This year marks their 45 th birthday !

 

[maxiesmom]

I just checked the flights I want--and they have gone up a little. $5, but still, I thought $166 one way was high. Good grief.

 

[Disneylover99]

Anytime. Sometimes all the time.

 

[papertraveller]

I booked first thing when the booking window opened. Just checked our flights because of this thread, and discovered that the Wanna Get Away fare for the outbound flight is sold out now, and the return flight has gone up by just over $100.

Happy I managed to get up early!

 

[LisaS]

You just have to keep checking Southwest's website. Prices could drop at any time. I booked a flight on release day last October for a trip this spring. Two weeks later, the price of my flight into MCO dropped from $119 to $99. Since then the prices have gone up and stayed higher than what I paid but there is still time for them to drop again so I continue to check.

I also check here on the Transportation board most days because if someone finds their flights have dropped in price, they usually post about it.

 

[PatMcDuck]

Yes, I book it and then watch it fairly closely. I took the $122 from PHL, which is NOT great, I hope it comes down, even to $110 or so. I booked DH out of Wash DC for only $72, and snagged the last ticket at that price, went up to $118 or something, now back down to $107. So weird.

I am lucky to have SW points to play with, so when it drops, no credits to deal with, just get the points back.

 

[Day-Day]

I booked first thing when the booking window opened. Just checked our flights because of this thread, and discovered that the Wanna Get Away fare for the outbound flight is sold out now, and the return flight has gone up by just over $100.

Happy I managed to get up early!

Does the site show "not available" or does is actually say "sold out". I've seen "not available" and then later the Wanna Get Away fares came back. They've come and gone several times on a flight I've been checking. I read in another post that when it says "sold out" then the fare will not come back.

 

[papertraveller]

It says sold out, so I guess it won't come back.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

Sold out does not necessarily mean it won't come back. I have seen flights reappear that had been sold out. so there is hope

 

[Day-Day]

It says sold out, so I guess it won't come back.

Sold out does not necessarily mean it won't come back. I have seen flights reappear that had been sold out. so there is hope

That may be good news for folks still searching for flights or reduced prices on flights. I figured when I read about "sold out" never coming back that it may not be the actual case but maybe it is less likely than "not available". I've never tracked enough to see it one way or the other. Airlines can juggle these prices all sorts of ways and some can even change to a different aircraft size on particular routes depending on demand.

At least papertraveller got the Wanna Get Away fare at the start.

 

[AngiTN]

When I have a flight booked I check at least daily, if not twice a day, for fare changes. I've seen them change from morning to night on many occasions. I agree with the PP, predicting when they'll change fares is like predicting the lottery. Impossible.

 

[Lynne G]

Yay! Just checked this morning. $20 cheaper on the way down, so credit for later! I am hoping to shave some more off. I agree, I just keep checking and hope for lower even until the last minute. I am so glad SW does not charge any change fee.

 

[LisaS]

I noticed very late last night my return flight dropped $20/1,302 points but it would not let me rebook. I kept getting errors and bogus point prices. I figured they were probably right in the middle of doing the price updates so I gave up and tried again this morning and was able to rebook at the lower point price!