Need help with SWA

[kateandy08096]

Help!!! Southwest air just released the air dates and prices for my disneyland trip. We are looking for March 30th to April 9th. Right now its $194 each way pp from Phila to Lax. The week of easter they are cheaper by $40RT

Should I book now or wait to see if they go down? I do plan on buying SWA gc via target with my red card so that would be 5%off

 

[hsmamato2]

rule of thumb is book it if you can live with the price. unsure if your dates are prime vacation times, but that's a factor,only you can decide. I like to book certain times and days, so I grab whenever it falls within my price range. With SWA,if the flights go down, you will get a credit back in your account to use within a year if it drops.

 

[Marionnette]

rule of thumb is book it if you can live with the price. unsure if your dates are prime vacation times, but that's a factor,only you can decide. I like to book certain times and days, so I grab whenever it falls within my price range. With SWA,if the flights go down, you will get a credit back in your account to use within a year if it drops.

You will only get the credit if you continue to watch SWA fares AND re-book your flights when the price drops. The credit is not automatic and it must be used for a flight that occurs within one year of the day that the original flight was purchased. IOW, purchase today and then get a lower price, then you get a credit which must be taken (not just booked) by 8/11/16!

 

[dashofsunshine]

I think it depends on how flexible you are with your times and what not. We booked this morning for our Nashville to LAX leg of our Japan trip for next Spring - I may have waited for a sale had it not been for the fact that we HAD to have the flights within a certain time frame in order to catch our international flight. I agree with the PP, you just really don't know with airline flights, what might happen- if it is within a reasonable price range for you, book it and don't wait. Price could go up, down, or the flight could sell out. Who knows?

 

[kateandy08096]

Im flexable as in switching a day early at night but i guess I may just book it. Its crazy easter week was cheaper. I dont get it. Lol but I will be able to buy via target with my red card so thats a plus

 

[disneymom3]

Im flexable as in switching a day early at night but i guess I may just book it. Its crazy easter week was cheaper. I dont get it. Lol but I will be able to buy via target with my red card so thats a plus

I have a question for you now. Do you mean buying via your red card for gift cards or for the actual ticket through Target? And if using gift cards, are they ecards or do you have to wait for the actual card to arrive?

As for the price of that ticket, the first week of April is usually one of the most expensive times to fly to CA. That is a popular time for spring break with schools out there. I travel out there at that time of the year frequently as two of my sisters are teachers in two different districts and that is when they are always off. I would buy at that price but then watch the fares. It's a little early. I usually get my tickets in about the middle of Jan, flying from MN.

 

[SandyinMonterey]

To give you a comparison: I tried booking SWA when it was released this morning only to find it sold out. If I booked via Southwest now (with the higher prices) for 3 travelers from San Jose to MCO it would cost a little over $3000. I don't know how many are traveling in your group, but for a coast to coast flight, I think it's good.

 

[LynnTH]

I tried booking this morning also. Shows all "Wanna Get Away Fares" for my dates as unavailable. I have never had this happen before. Every single flight. We are going on a cruise and the only reason we are going is because we had SW Points and had Cruise Gift Cards from DH's work Credit Card. Now they want over $500 each way per person from MSP to FLL. Or 52,000 points per person each way. That is insane. I went on Flyer Talk and some people seem to think that all their flights are not synced yet and that they will show up. I sure hope so... Looking at other options. Sun County is about 1/2 the price but still doesn't make it free like we were expecting... Very frustrating.

 

[kateandy08096]

I have a question for you now. Do you mean buying via your red card for gift cards or for the actual ticket through Target? And if using gift cards, are they ecards or do you have to wait for the actual card to arrive?

As for the price of that ticket, the first week of April is usually one of the most expensive times to fly to CA. That is a popular time for spring break with schools out there. I travel out there at that time of the year frequently as two of my sisters are teachers in two different districts and that is when they are always off. I would buy at that price but then watch the fares. It's a little early. I usually get my tickets in about the middle of Jan, flying from MN.

Its just myself and my daughter and yes I will buy SWA gc on target.com which is a e certificate for the 5% discount. I am afraid of I wait they may be sold out or un avail however I could fly into orange co for a little bit more

 

[jiminy14]

You may also want to price SWA flying from PHL to SNA (John Wayne Airport/Orange County). SNA is much closer to Disneyland than LAX. We are flying from Philly to SNA on Sept. 25 (getting out of town while the Pope is here) and returning on Oct. 1. I paid $246 on the outbound flight and $179 on the return. There are cheaper flights but they are first thing in the morning.

 

[georgina]

My DD goes to college in SoCal. I am always happy with one way flights under $200 on SW.

DH is flying from PIT to LAX on a Thursday in Sept and the rates have dropped a couple of times since they opened up. I am very happy with his 9077 pts rate now (started at 11,330). Spring break is always tough.

 

[kateandy08096]

You may also want to price SWA flying from PHL to SNA (John Wayne Airport/Orange County). SNA is much closer to Disneyland than LAX. We are flying from Philly to SNA on Sept. 25 (getting out of town while the Pope is here) and returning on Oct. 1. I paid $246 on the outbound flight and $179 on the return. There are cheaper flights but they are first thing in the morning.

I tried looking into that airport but they were more expensive. Swa from philly to lax is the cheapest for us so far

 

[CalDisneyMomof2]

ONT is a little cheaper. Not by much but still. And it's probably closer (At least traffic wise) than LAX.

Edit: Just checked and it's actually 2 miles further but it always take me about 30 minutes longer to get to LAX than ONT. (I live about 10 miles from Disneyland-closer to ONT which shaves about 15 minutes off my drive time to ONT)

 

[tzeitel]

I have a question for you now. Do you mean buying via your red card for gift cards or for the actual ticket through Target? And if using gift cards, are they ecards or do you have to wait for the actual card to arrive?

Target sells SW gift cards (right now they have $100 and $200 e cards). If you use your RedCard as your primary form of payment you get 5% off. You can use a Target gift card to pay (if you get a discounted gift card then you get an even better deal), just have the RedCard as primary form of payment. I bought a few cards to book our flights and got the SW ecards from target in a matter of minutes. SW allows 4 form of payment (4 ecards or 3 cards and a cc) but you can always book the flights separately or by leg (departure/arrival).

 

[kateandy08096]

Target sells SW gift cards (right now they have $100 and $200 e cards). If you use your RedCard as your primary form of payment you get 5% off. You can use a Target gift card to pay (if you get a discounted gift card then you get an even better deal), just have the RedCard as primary form of payment. I bought a few cards to book our flights and got the SW ecards from target in a matter of minutes. SW allows 4 form of payment (4 ecards or 3 cards and a cc) but you can always book the flights separately or by leg (departure/arrival).

Thats exactly what Im doing. I cant wait to save some money at target

 

[jskacoc]

I highly recommend buying Target gift cards on Raise.com first then buying SWA gc thru target. I've spent thousands for our cruise and airfare with no problem. Saved about 16%.
I've even used raise while in store at Jcpenney and Modell's.

 

[kateandy08096]

I highly recommend buying Target gift cards on Raise.com first then buying SWA gc thru target. I've spent thousands for our cruise and airfare with no problem. Saved about 16%.
I've even used raise while in store at Jcpenney and Modell's.

Thats awesome! Im waiting til this weekend in hopes that raise has a higher amount that I would need

 

[jtopicz1]

Book now if it's a rate you are comfortable with and rebook and hang onto the credit if the rate goes down!

 

[disneymom3]

Target sells SW gift cards (right now they have $100 and $200 e cards). If you use your RedCard as your primary form of payment you get 5% off. You can use a Target gift card to pay (if you get a discounted gift card then you get an even better deal), just have the RedCard as primary form of payment. I bought a few cards to book our flights and got the SW ecards from target in a matter of minutes. SW allows 4 form of payment (4 ecards or 3 cards and a cc) but you can always book the flights separately or by leg (departure/arrival).

Thank you very much! I need to remember that next time I need to buy airfare.