My Standoff with SWA - MCO to PHL

[wendydarling826]

Well, I've had our flights to MCO booked for months, but still have no return tickets because they are $217. and up, which is twice what I would expect to pay for a one way ticket. I understand that prices increase, but the amount of increase since last year is ridiculous. I've been stalking the airfares several times a day for months and the prices haven't budged. There are never any dings any more. I've tried every configuration I can think of, and the price is the same. The only other option to PHL is USAIR, and their baggage fees are so ridiculous it ends up just as much money. We go for 10 days, so we need baggage. We're at 62 days. Not sure how much longer I should push it. I keep hoping that as we get closer, they will want to fill up the flights and drop the price. We may end up hitchhiking home from Florida!

 

[eangel12]

The prices were high when first released compared to past years. I bit the bullet and booked. Have you thought of checking Spirit and flying into AC?! Might be cheaper but you would need to cut down on luggage!

 

[ssheena4k]

It looks like w are flying from PHILLY the same day..Aug. 20th? On Southwest. I just booked when the flights became available. The prices did come down slightly about a month ago and they just refunded me the difference. It looks like we may be flying home on August 30th and it said the flight was sold out. If I were you I would just go ahead and book the flight now even if it may seem like it's too expensive.

 

[MillauFr]

$217 is high? Seems like a good deal to me.

 

[MinnieGirl33]

ITA the options for PHL-MCO have been totally crappy this year.

I stalk every day as well. They haven't budged in months.

If at all possible, fly mid-week instead of weekends. Or at least be flexible with Fri/Sat/Sun.

Look into Tampa. The drive is not bad.

Alligiant flies from Allentown into Sanford. Again, the drive isn't terrible.

Frontier is now flying into MCO via both Wilmington & Trenton. Caveat Emptor but it is an option other than Spirit. We haven't taken that plunge yet but are tempted given the current SWA situation.

 

[MinnieGirl33]

$217 is high? Seems like a good deal to me.

Not when you are used to paying $99 - $119 each way.

 

[Simba07]

I have read that there is sometimes a price drop at about 35 days. I have only managed to snag it once, but I get nervous if I haven't booked far in advanced.

 

[hsmamato2]

IDK about your airport....but in my area SWA has far fewer fares and choices than even 6 months ago. I assume it has to do with merging 2 airlines,managing costs,etc. All I know for sure is the flights I booked last January at around 6900 points are now going for 25000+ points..... at 5 weeks out.... (I know points vs. dollars but you get the picture) do you want to end up with no way to get home? I know I would just book and hope for a credit at best.

 

[firegurl]

The SWA BWI to MCO flights have been a hot topic over the last week or so. I also looked into PHL but they were about the same price and the flights weren't as good. It makes me sick that I paid $294pp RT on this trip when last time it was $160. Is flying into BWI an option? There seem to be many more flights and a little more flexibility. I also stalk my flights everyday for a drop in price and just today my return flight dropped $103pp. Of course that is the price I paid, it jumped up after I booked.

 

[Lewisc]

We may end up hitchhiking home from Florida!

Glad to hear you have a viable plan B.

You got a $99 fare going down? $316 is a reasonable R/T fare.

I agree with the PP. Check flights out of Tampa. See if changing your date by a day or two will give you fares you can live with.

You said USAir has about the same fare, when you include luggage fees.

The fares might come down in 62 days. They might go up.

 

[wendydarling826]

Glad to hear you have a viable plan B.

You got a $99 fare going down? $316 is a reasonable R/T fare.

.

No, $99 fares were last year. This year our flights going down were $179pp.
So if I pay the $217 return flight, it will be $396pp. I should have looked into Spirit or Frontier before I bought the flights down, but we've always been satisfied with SWA before. Now flying out of another airport is not an option b/c our car will be at PHL. Can't leave the day before because we're going to the Villains party. Can't leave the day after because DH has to be back to work. I think they have me over the proverbial barrel.

 

[Ladygoldenhair]

I guess the train rates are high?
We were looking to round trip at $200 when I last priced. One way should be less. I think the train is a vaca extension, kind of nostalgic.

 

[Paging Tom Morrow]

There's a direct flight (no plane change) with one stop that is just $148 per person. If I were you, I would book that and if the non-stop flight drops, I would cancel and rebook.

 

[wendydarling826]

There's a direct flight (no plane change) with one stop that is just $148 per person. If I were you, I would book that and if the non-stop flight drops, I would cancel and rebook.

Good idea - I had looked at that flight, but I didn't think of doing that!

 

[goofy4tink]

Not when you are used to paying $99 - $119 each way.

I hear ya...but in all reality, those fares are few and far between now. And they are usually the least desirable flights!
Any time I see a flight from NE to MCO that is around $150, I jump on it. I'm thrilled with that price.

 

[DisneyWitch]

Is flying into BWI an option? There seem to be many more flights and a little more flexibility.

We fly out of BWI, and we always fly SWA. We just booked our flights to MCO last month (for our December trip). It averaged around $120/each way pp.

I have several friends and family in PA, and they would rather drive to BWI and catch the planes there than through PHL. BWI has outside car parking lots for about $7-10/day depending on which lots you choose and there are a bunch of coupons on the internet for them. You might come out cheaper that way.

Personally, although I live near BWI, I prefer that airport over many others. It's clean, it's not a madhouse, and flights are usually as cheap as anywhere else in this area.

Regardless what you decide, I hope it turns out well for you!

 

[evaready51]

Per chance have you seen the gas prices in your neighborhood...jets use a lot of fuel, airlines feel the pinch just like we do...

 

[beccasmom]

We are paying $284 rt for our July trip on SW, but $200 for the November trip due to their recent fall sale. At the time I booked the July trip, USAirways was much more expensive.

I have heard that one of the reasons SW's fares have climbed so high is that a few years back they got a great deal on jet fuel and purchased a large quantity at that time which is now depleted. They now are stuck paying the same prices for fuel as their competitors. I don't see many Dings! these days either.

 

[2DisPrincesses]

I'm going to show my DH this thread. Today we can book 3 of our tickets for $246rt and one for $265rt from Flint to Orlando for our fall trip. We have our flights down booked but not our return flight. He thinks we can do better...we have been spoiled before with ultra-low fares. I want to book the rest now. $1003 for four of us seems pretty good to me.

 

[#1 Goofy Fan]

Booked PHL to MCO RT - $358 pp for the end of August in March - I checked fares first thing in the morning and they were lower - )I didn't book them - we were still debating on driving - it amazed me how quickly the fares increased within a few hours). Still debating in my head if this was a good idea - even though the drive is long it is so much cheaper.

I wish you luck in finding lower fares for the return trip.