Need expert advice on Southwest

[MrsMud]

Well, not really expert, but for anyone who is in the business or has lots of experience w/ Southwest, is it worth it to wait for promotional fares on the new dates? I am Sooooooooo..... disappointed! I have been waiting for months for SW to release their Oct. schedule, and now it is fianlly out, but there are no specials or promos for our dates, and the prices are terrible. Do they not offer specials until closer to the flight date, or is it "what you see is what you get"? Please help!

 

[zakatak]

Well... Here is what I did... I WANTED the N/S flight out of Buffalo to Orlando for my three kids! We have flown Jet Blue in the past, and although the TVs are nice, I loved the N/S on Southwest when I flew alone last November. So.... as soon as the flights came out, I booked it, figuring I could take a credit if they went cheaper!

I've checked almost every day since Feb and the most credit for those N/S flights was $55 total for 5 people (not worth the credit)... so I kept watching. Then, on April 19th I checked and they had lowered my outbound N/S flight from $106 pp to $59 pp so I called right away and received a $245 credit! Just for fun, I checked back the next day and no such discount and never since then also! I don't know if it was a fluke or one day sale or what, but I got the credit.

Basically, what it boils down to is... can you risk waiting? They usually will come out with "internet rates", "promo rates", etc... especially for that time of year. If you CAN wait, I would. Also price out Jet Blue... you never know what they will put on sale!

Good Luck!

Karen

 

[kitnrose]

I'd recommend waiting until SW prices are at a level you can handle paying and booking then checking back in your spare time for lower prices. I've had to switch flight ressies numerous times and they've always been so incredible about it. Even the time I arrived at the airport the day <i>after</i> my flight (please don't ask how I could be that scatterbrained) and they transfered the FULL price of my missed flight over and only charged me the difference. No other fees. As a grad student I really don't have any extra money. Still, I never mind having a little credit with SW because I know I'll use it. Fly SW once and chances are you'll never book with any other company.

 

[CarolA]

There is another consideration. When are you flying? Is it one of the major holiday weekends? If so, you may find that the seats are sold before the cheaper fares come out. Specials will probably come out, but if you are flying on a high volume day, for example the Friday of a 3 day weekend, things could be tough.

 

[Pinnie]

I agree with Carol A here, especially if you are flying out on a Sunday. SWA rarely has cheaper rates on those days.

Also, keep in mind that a LOT of business travelers are flocking to the "cheaper" airlines like SWA so they really don't have to deep discount the flights. Almost every SWA flight I have been on in the last few months has been full!

pin
remember the magic
DVC/BCVs 2002

 

[lindaso]

I am right there with you on this. Their prices compared to Song and Jet Blue aren't even in the same ballpark for October. I'm so confused with what to do. I really wanted to fly out of Islip but it looks like I may just have to suck it up and go to JFK. Even with a Classic van to drive us there, it's still cheaper than Southwest.

It kills me to wait cause if we lose the good fares out of Kennedy, there goes our vacation.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by Pinnie
I agree with Carol A here, especially if you are flying out on a Sunday. SWA rarely has cheaper rates on those days.

Also, keep in mind that a LOT of business travelers are flocking to the "cheaper" airlines like SWA so they really don't have to deep discount the flights. Almost every SWA flight I have been on in the last few months has been full!

pin
remember the magic
DVC/BCVs 2002

Pinnie,
SWA has inexpensive fares on Sunday. The lower prices are generally for Tues, Wed. or Sat. The remaining days of the week, Mon, Thurs, Fri and Sun are a little higher. Not a lot.
I just priced my dates of travel (which are a Monday to a Monday, and I might add a holiday Monday) and the rate for a Wed to a Wed. is exactly the same.
The trick is to keep your eye out for the weekly specials that show up, also the Featured Destinations and the special Promo fares. Everything is on the website and I read it almost everyday, just in case they get whimsical and throw something in there. Right now I am flying for 151.31 rt, n/s all taxes, thanks to the 15% discount promo I received. They come up and you really have to be on top of it.

 

[Pinnie]

Maybe it is because of the airport I fly out of, and the competition with NWA, but I tried plugging in a few Sundays in October and none of the "internet specials" are available. As a matter of fact, neither were the "fun fares" and "Non-restrictive" ones were available to me for a few of the cities I do travel regularly too.
I do subscribe to the email updates that show up in my e-mail mailbox on Tuesday morning and have snagged an occasional great deal to BNA.

pin
remember the magic
DVC/BCVs 2002

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by Pinnie
Maybe it is because of the airport I fly out of, and the competition with NWA, but I tried plugging in a few Sundays in October and none of the "internet specials" are available. As a matter of fact, neither were the "fun fares" and "Non-restrictive" ones were available to me for a few of the cities I do travel regularly too.
I do subscribe to the email updates that show up in my e-mail mailbox on Tuesday morning and have snagged an occasional great deal to BNA.

pin
remember the magic
DVC/BCVs 2002

Usually the " not available" means they are sold out. If it shows and has Not available under the fare, that is an indication that it is sold out. I fly out of an airport with Delta, Contential, United, UScare, NW and a few others, and it still shows up for me. Try a week in either direction on the same day. My location shows some Sundays, Mondays and Fridays as unavailable, but, a week later there is availability.

 

[Lewisc]

Are flexible with your days/flights/airports. If you are willing to fly into Tampa, take a connecting flight or vary your departure by a day you might get good fares BUT if are looking for a specific flight (first N/S of the day to Orlando) you may have trouble getting the deeply discounted fares even if you wait.

 

[mareed]

I know when Southwest extended their schedule the time prior to this (when it went to Sept. 8), the prices were higher for a while, and they didn't seem to offering the lowest fares. I just waited a bit (probably 4-6 weeks, but I don't remember exactlyl how long), and the fares did come back down.

 

[padisneyfan]

I am in sticker shock from the SWA prices. We fly out of BWI, and nearly every flight out in the promo, fun fare is not available. The cheapest I could get with moving some dates around is $424. Since the rates just came out, I'm hoping that Tues will start some of their specials. Maybe that is why everything is not available.

Air Tran flys non stop out of BWI so will check their fares again. Though their rates weren't much better last week.

Nancy

 

[MrsMud]

PADisneyfan says:

Since the rates just came out, I'm hoping that Tues will start some of their specials. Maybe that is why everything is not available.

I am sooooo... hoping this is the case! And Gail Hayden says:

Usually the " not available" means they are sold out. If it shows and has Not available under the fare, that is an indication that it is sold out.

I am sooooo... hoping this is NOT the case. I tend to doubt it, as I checked the website the very morning they extended the schedule, and all these slots were showing "not available". I guess I will wait another week or two. I just hope I don't lose the good fares on my backups, Spirit and Song.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

I just plugged in my travel dates, early Sept. , leaving from LI and it came back with 140. rt, ns. Not sure when you are going, but, this is not a bad fare.

 

[MrsMud]

We are going Oct. 4th and returning Oct. 12th. I can see the 12th not having a low fare, as it is a Sun. and Columbus weekend to boot, although the other airlines I listed have low fares for this day. And the flight down on a Sat. also has no low fares. I could tweak my dates a couple days I guess, but it doesn't seem to make sense when I could get the dates I want for a good price with the other airlines ($145 and $149). It just means driving into the city, which I was hoping to avoid. I guess you can't have everything!

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by MrsMud
We are going Oct. 4th and returning Oct. 12th. I can see the 12th not having a low fare, as it is a Sun. and Columbus weekend to boot, although the other airlines I listed have low fares for this day. And the flight down on a Sat. also has no low fares. I could tweak my dates a couple days I guess, but it doesn't seem to make sense when I could get the dates I want for a good price with the other airlines ($145 and $149). It just means driving into the city, which I was hoping to avoid. I guess you can't have everything!

How does 146.50 per person ns/rt total into Tampa strike you for those dates? Sure is a lot easier a drive from Tampa into WDW than LI into NYC.

 

[Lewisc]

Tampa is a little over an hour to Disney. If you live in Nassau drive to JFK and take Jet Blue other wise follow Gails advise and fly into Tampa.

I'm finding it harder to get good flights from Islip to Orlando at a good discount. Not sure if they are making less seats available or if they are just going fast.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Lewis,
I think they are going fast. I have friends over in LI and they have to really jump fast for these seats. I was happy to see that Tampa is a viable alternative for folks in LI, Hartford and Providence. It is an easy drive, much better than the LIE anyday (after driving that a couple of times I am amazed there are any people alive on LI).

 

[lovespugs]

Originally posted by MrsMud
We are going Oct. 4th and returning Oct. 12th. I can see the 12th not having a low fare, as it is a Sun. and Columbus weekend to boot, although the other airlines I listed have low fares for this day. And the flight down on a Sat. also has no low fares.

Those are the exact days that DH and I will be flying from/to Kansas City. The current price is $350 after taxes and fees for both of us. I've had better rates from them, but $350 for 2 is not bad at all. I'm going to go ahead and book today - Southwest is the only carrier that flies non-stop to MCO from here, and I really want the first flight out and the last flight back. I figure if a cheaper rate comes out I'll take the credit - we're going back in January, so I'm sure we can use it then. If not, $350 is definitely a price I can live with.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by lovespugs
Those are the exact days that DH and I will be flying from/to Kansas City. The current price is $350 after taxes and fees for both of us. I've had better rates from them, but $350 for 2 is not bad at all. I'm going to go ahead and book today - Southwest is the only carrier that flies non-stop to MCO from here, and I really want the first flight out and the last flight back. I figure if a cheaper rate comes out I'll take the credit - we're going back in January, so I'm sure we can use it then. If not, $350 is definitely a price I can live with.

I think we have all received better fares from SWA and other carriers, but, that was prior to 9/11 and the Iraq war and an increase in the prices of fuel (both jet and gasoline). A basic understanding of business is all you need to understand the concept. Obviously, you are a person that understands this.
Let's hope we all get lucky and get a lower fare for our travel dates and manage a nice credit for our next flight.