Just checked Southwest! What's up?

[ottawamom]

I just checked the flights I booked for May. I originally booked them in November when they were first released and got 5 @ $57 each way. Just checked today and the flights are now at $170 each way. Glad I got a great deal but I thought Southwest was supposed to get cheaper the closer you got to your flights.

 

[HeatherC]

SW seems to have just raised their rates this past day or so. I was checking from Hartford or Providence in June to MCO and yesterday it was $148 one way and now it is $170! Cheaper to fly Jetblue out of Boston for that...they are $94 each.

Also noticed that I haven't received any dings today. Interesting.

Good luck to you.
HeatherC

 

[n2mm]

Maybe they are getting ready to offer a huge sale for spring and summer!! (I'm trying to help)

 

[emmabelle]

I'm trying to change a flight I have for July and I noticed that the rates went up today. They have to come up with a new sale, I can't imagine anyone shelling out $160 each way for Manchester to MCO in the summer.

 

[Geoff_M]

There are two things that are leading to a lot of SW "sticker shock" of late:

1) SW's labor costs are now some of the highest in the industry.

2) Many of the long term fuel "hedge" contracts that allowed SW to lock in cheaper fuel prices have expired and they've had to sign new contracts are more current prices.

There are certainly other reasons to fly them, but the days of SW being the sure-fire price leader look like they might be coming to an end.

 

[judykay53]

I just looked at the flights that we want and they are up just $5. Also those that have been unavailable are now available. I also noticed we have not gotten a ding today. Have to start checking very closely.

 

[boomhauer]

There are certainly other reasons to fly them, but the days of SW being the sure-fire price leader look like they might be coming to an end.

If that is indeed true, Southwest may have to look into doing some work on their planes. Honestly, I can't think of a single reason to fly SW over Delta or Jet Blue if the prices are the same.

Southwest has less leg room, no TV's, less food service, no assigned seating. They survive and thrive on their low prices.

 

[ptrbryant]

Yeah, I love the historic low fares SWA had/has (nabbed $49 each way Nashville-Tampa for our May 2007 trip). BUT, the main reason we try to always fly SWA is that you can change your plans at any time and not have any penalty. DS has severe asthma and there've been two times when his symptoms were so bad that he really couldn't fly/vacation at that point. With SWA, we called that morning to change our plans and there was no problem at all. A few years ago, we had flights booked on Delta and issues came up that made us postpone our trip. They charged us $100 per ticket to change the dates...given that the tickets had been about $140 each, it nearly doubled our airfare expense. It's not Delta's fault--I know it's standard for most airlines. I believe SWA is the only airline that offers fee-free flexibility and that alone is worth a lot to our family.

Karla B.

 

[boomhauer]

Actually Karla, you are right - SW DOES make it easy to change flights. In fact, I just did that yesterday and I forgot about how easy it really was.

 

[n2mm]

I'm sure there is probably a sale on the horizon. Right now I can fly Dulles to MCO on United non-stop for only $167 and on SW it is well over $220. I would always choose United, for the assigned seating and the Disney airline check in perk (since UAL is a participating airline and SW is not). I would only choose SW if they offered me a great price. Those $29 dings last week looked great, but my April/May trip and my August trip were already booked on UAL. My DIL is waiting for a SW sale, so I hope they offer one soon.

 

[coruth4]

I am trying to find flights out of Manchester, NH for August. A month ago they were like $69 per person - now they are $170. I really hope they come down soon. I am holding off and checking daily to see if the prices come down.

 

[Figment2]

I just flew Delta and I'll take SW anytime. For whatever reason, it seems to me that SW attendants get people on the plane more quickly. There may be assigned seats on other airlines but apparently they can't get people to sit down in them. All my flights were late taking off due to the fact people either had a hard time finding their seat or just took their sweet time getting seated.

One flight was 20 minutes late taking off. As I sat there I kept thinking SW would be in the air by now.

On top of that, I had paid for the flight with a credit I had from last year (had to cancel a trip due to a family illness). My new reservations were cheaper so I still had $200 left. When I made my new reservations I paid $50 plus they charged another $50 when I called to make a reservation for a friend (otherwise I would have lost the money). I love being able to book, cancel and rebook with no penalty on SW!

Cyn

 

[leslieh]

I have 4 college girls going to DVC next week for spring break. I was 229.00 per person, i found this ding today, was out of BWI but for the savings they are flying out of Dulles, it was 180.00 for 4!!!! We live in So. Md so its about an extra 15 miles. This is for March 13-30 Seems like the specials have been for the next few weeks.

 

[edk35]

I just looked last night about changing our flight home to a later time and they were still 79 now they are 105 today. YIKES. These are for flights in AUG. That is crazy.

 

[ptrbryant]

Looking over my records, cheap Orlando airfares ($49 each way) for May trips showed up the past two years in March....not as Dings!, but as part of a Florida mainsite sale. I think the current sale ended yesterday...maybe next Thursday the Florida sale will start?

Karla B.

 

[jadejazzkayla]

Southwest has a sale going on now. It starting today thru next thursday. it's called THE BIG SPRING SALE. here are the fares and prices from ORLANDO

$109 one-way, to/from Albuquerque, NM
$89 one-way, to/from Birmingham, AL
$79 one-way, to/from Chicago (Midway), IL
$89 one-way, to/from Denver, CO
$109 one-way, to/from Detroit, MI
$49 one-way, to/from Ft. Lauderdale, FL
$79 one-way, to/from Hartford, CT/Springfield, MA
$109 one-way, to/from Kansas City, MO
$109 one-way, to/from Little Rock, AR
$79 one-way, to/from Long Island, NY
$79 one-way, to/from Nashville, TN
$49 one-way, to/from Philadelphia, PA
$79 one-way, to/from Pittsburgh, PA
$89 one-way, to/from Raleigh-Durham, NC
$89 one-way, to/from San Antonio, TX
$79 one-way, to/from St. Louis, MO
$109 one-way, to/from Tulsa, OK
$69 one-way, to/from Washington (Dulles), DC

 

[MEG&MINNIE]

We got $49 (or $59) flts. for our trip to WDW in Aug. 2005. I was really hoping for the same type of deal this summer. Please keep us all informed if anyone here sees a sale @ SWA... wanting to go mid August and will keep checking these boards.

Really ,really want a low priced flight on SWA !!!

 

[PolyHereWeCome]

Southwest has a sale going on now. It starting today thru next thursday. it's called THE BIG SPRING SALE. here are the fares and prices from ORLANDO

$109 one-way, to/from Albuquerque, NM
$89 one-way, to/from Birmingham, AL
$79 one-way, to/from Chicago (Midway), IL
$89 one-way, to/from Denver, CO
$109 one-way, to/from Detroit, MI
$49 one-way, to/from Ft. Lauderdale, FL
$79 one-way, to/from Hartford, CT/Springfield, MA
$109 one-way, to/from Kansas City, MO
$109 one-way, to/from Little Rock, AR
$79 one-way, to/from Long Island, NY
$79 one-way, to/from Nashville, TN
$49 one-way, to/from Philadelphia, PA
$79 one-way, to/from Pittsburgh, PA
$89 one-way, to/from Raleigh-Durham, NC
$89 one-way, to/from San Antonio, TX
$79 one-way, to/from St. Louis, MO
$109 one-way, to/from Tulsa, OK
$69 one-way, to/from Washington (Dulles), DC

That's why I'm anticipating August Hartford-Orlando fares will come out next time around (or the time after) for much less than the current $158-$170. Why they didn't extend that $79 Hartford fares into July and August is not clear , but I still have time.

 

[Miche951]

Last week I read a story online, just not sure where. It said that SW was the begining of an increase with all airline prices-- mainly because of gas prices.

I've been waiting for a DING with no luck but notice my 4 tickets would be $500 more than when I bought them in Feb.

 

[Dizzyworld]

I thought with the gas prices last summer that I would never see a $49 or $59ticket on SW but I did get those fares last Aug. I am kicking myself about how the price went up in 24 hours. This is the second column of the least expensive flights that have disappeared since they opened up the dates.

I don't know if I will secure these rates and hope they come down, then try to get SW to credit back my creidt card instead of giving me a credit? Or just wait and see? This is frustrating.