Keep checking Southwest for price drops

[ski_mom]

I just wanted to let everyone know to always check Southwest for price changes.

We are flying out of St. Louis to San Francisco tomorrow and I booked the flights back in March and they were $243 for the one way ticket there. Luckily we had enough points between DH and my accounts to pay for all of our flights with points.

Anyway, yesterday I checked and I could get 3 of our flights for $163 so I saved $80 per ticket on those 3 flights and then this morning I logged back in to check and I was able to get the other 3 for the $163 price as well. So, within 2 days of our flight, we saved $480 on our flight there. Granted, we got the points back, so not actual cash back, but that will be enough to get some more flights with our points later on!

I had always thought that within 2 weeks of flying, the prices were sky-high, but I guess on our flight, they still have a lot of seats they were trying to sell, so had actually lowered their prices!

So, at this point, I'm going to keep checking for our flights back from Los Angeles and hope that they drop as well. Right now they are about $100 per ticket higher than when I booked, so I'm not holding my breath, but it's worth a few minutes time each day to check.

 

[sydneysmom]

That's an awesome savings!! When that happens, do you just call them and they give you the adjustment and post the points back to your account? Or do you have to cancel your flights and book again? We just got the SW Visa, so I'm totally new to paying with points.

 

[jimandami]

That's an awesome savings!! When that happens, do you just call them and they give you the adjustment and post the points back to your account? Or do you have to cancel your flights and book again? We just got the SW Visa, so I'm totally new to paying with points.

You can just change online, without calling. If you notice your flight goes down, just go to my travel and then click on change reservation. The points will automatically go back into your account.

 

[marmalade]

I love Southwest because of this. Our flights went down in price for our December trip, some went back in points and some went into a credit. But it gave me a reason to take a short weekend trip last month with just me and my kids. I couldn't let those credits go to waste.

 

[ZehnJahren]

You can just change online, without calling. If you notice your flight goes down, just go to my travel and then click on change reservation. The points will automatically go back into your account.

Do you know if you lose your Early Bird check in if you do this?

 

[jerseygal]

Don't believe that you would lose "early bird"!

Love Southwest because of this policy! Also, very liberal policy on reward flights! NO PENALTY FEE required to put back the points...You can even apply for a refund, $5 per ticket for the Reward Flight Fee! NICE!

Very liberal in that you can request them to "put back the reward points" in your Southwest Account even 5 minutes before departure!
CAN'T GET BETTER THAN THAT!

 

[LynnTH]

Do you know if you lose your Early Bird check in if you do this?

No you do not. Did this many times on our last trip. The reservation # stays the same as long as you just go to Change Reservation and then you just change to the same flight but with lower points/$.

 

[SGMCO]

I booked our fights on the 1st day they were listed and checked back 3 months later and they had dropped, so I got the credit difference which was like $96 and will apply that for a future trip. I really love Southwest. Southwest is all we have flown in the last several trips, because of their fairness, no baggage fees, 2 free check in bags, more Non-stops. Plus the Crews have been very enjoyable to fly with, they entertain us, singing, telling jokes.

 

[jerseygal]

Really like SW, but imo, their lack of seat assignment is BIZZARRE!

Why? The prices are "competitive"...not like they are significantly lower than any other airline!

Nothing like making you feel like a "HERD OF CATTLE"!

COME ON SOUTHWEST, GET INTO 21ST CENTURY WITH SEAT ASSIGNMENTS!

 

[sydneysmom]

You can just change online, without calling. If you notice your flight goes down, just go to my travel and then click on change reservation. The points will automatically go back into your account.

that's fantastic! thank you!!

 

[miztressuz]

Do you know if you lose your Early Bird check in if you do this?

Not usually. Here's the FAQ from southwest.
If an EarlyBird Check-In Customer chooses to change a flight, will the EarlyBird Check-In options transfer to the new flight?

It depends. EarlyBird Check-In is tied to the Customer’s reservation for which the EarlyBird Check-In purchase was made and will be transferred to the Customer’s new flight if he/she changes the flight at least 25 hours prior to the original flight’s scheduled departure time and so long as the change is to a flight that will depart in more than 25 hours. Since EarlyBird Check-In is associated with a reservation, any changes must be made within the same reservation record (same confirmation number) in which the Customer purchased EarlyBird Check-In.


FAQ link - http://www.southwest.com/html/customer-service/faqs.html?topic=earlybird_checkin

Really like SW, but imo, their lack of seat assignment is BIZZARRE!

Why? The prices are "competitive"...not like they are significantly lower than any other airline!

Nothing like making you feel like a "HERD OF CATTLE"!

COME ON SOUTHWEST, GET INTO 21ST CENTURY WITH SEAT ASSIGNMENTS!

actually i'm the opposite, i like the 'first come, first served' seat policy. i guess i don't understand the 'herd of cattle' everyone makes mention of. i feel more like a herd when other airlines announce "now loading zone 6" and like 100 people get up and smash together trying to get on the plane first - even though there IS a seat assignment! and then waiting in my seat while everyone tries to figure out what row/letter their seat is, if you're lucky before they've sat in the wrong seat. if you're especially lucky you'll have the "seat haggler" near you and get to hear the whole saga on how they really wanted the window/aisle but something or another prevented it and they just wonder if they could trade.... oddly enough I've very rarely found a seat haggler on SW.

maybe i've just been lucky but for every SW flight everyone got into a reasonably orderly single file line in the boarding area, trooped into the plane in the same single file, found reasonable seats and we're taxing down the run way in 25 minutes or less. the less time i spend in that seat the better i hope my luck continues...

 

[rdevine10]

Not usually. Here's the FAQ from southwest.
If an EarlyBird Check-In Customer chooses to change a flight, will the EarlyBird Check-In options transfer to the new flight?

It depends. EarlyBird Check-In is tied to the Customer’s reservation for which the EarlyBird Check-In purchase was made and will be transferred to the Customer’s new flight if he/she changes the flight at least 25 hours prior to the original flight’s scheduled departure time and so long as the change is to a flight that will depart in more than 25 hours. Since EarlyBird Check-In is associated with a reservation, any changes must be made within the same reservation record (same confirmation number) in which the Customer purchased EarlyBird Check-In.


FAQ link - http://www.southwest.com/html/customer-service/faqs.html?topic=earlybird_checkin




actually i'm the opposite, i like the 'first come, first served' seat policy. i guess i don't understand the 'herd of cattle' everyone makes mention of. i feel more like a herd when other airlines announce "now loading zone 6" and like 100 people get up and smash together trying to get on the plane first - even though there IS a seat assignment! and then waiting in my seat while everyone tries to figure out what row/letter their seat is, if you're lucky before they've sat in the wrong seat. if you're especially lucky you'll have the "seat haggler" near you and get to hear the whole saga on how they really wanted the window/aisle but something or another prevented it and they just wonder if they could trade.... oddly enough I've very rarely found a seat haggler on SW.

maybe i've just been lucky but for every SW flight everyone got into a reasonably orderly single file line in the boarding area, trooped into the plane in the same single file, found reasonable seats and we're taxing down the run way in 25 minutes or less. the less time i spend in that seat the better i hope my luck continues...

In total agreement. We fly southwest frequently. A couple weeks ago we flew air tran for the way down on our trip. It took longer to get everyone settled and in line with assigned seating than it did for the way back, which was the 1st come, 1st serve seating. I actually find it quite civilized as well. Love southwest! Since we got the 50K points its easily become our preferred airline.

 

[wendow]

actually i'm the opposite, i like the 'first come, first served' seat policy. i guess i don't understand the 'herd of cattle' everyone makes mention of. i feel more like a herd when other airlines announce "now loading zone 6" and like 100 people get up and smash together trying to get on the plane first - even though there IS a seat assignment! and then waiting in my seat while everyone tries to figure out what row/letter their seat is, if you're lucky before they've sat in the wrong seat. if you're especially lucky you'll have the "seat haggler" near you and get to hear the whole saga on how they really wanted the window/aisle but something or another prevented it and they just wonder if they could trade.... oddly enough I've very rarely found a seat haggler on SW.

maybe i've just been lucky but for every SW flight everyone got into a reasonably orderly single file line in the boarding area, trooped into the plane in the same single file, found reasonable seats and we're taxing down the run way in 25 minutes or less. the less time i spend in that seat the better i hope my luck continues...

I agree with you I do not mind SW's seat policy at all. Being from TX, I have almost always only flown on SW and I have never had a problem getting a decent seat on a flight. I don't get the 'herding cattle' thing either but I guess it is just all what you are used to

 

[Judyat]

I also love Southwest. I never fill trapped when I book a flight like I do with other airlines that charge for everything from changes to bags. I also don't mind lining up to board. I prefer to take my chances and pick where I will sit as opposed to having an assigned seat.