New to Southwest

[shemp1]

We've been regular users of AirTran over the last 5-6 years (CAK-MCO) but, with the merger, are considering flying Southwest for the 1st time for trips in Nov. and Dec. We were sort of used to the fluctuations in AirTran's pricing and schedules. Prices would fluctuate through the week and from week to week and flight times would often change, even after the flights were booked.

Is Southwest like this or not? Reading a lot of posts about prices (except for sale days) being cheapest on the day they are announced (sort of like cruises). Is this true or is it best to track prices for a while and see if they decrease at all? And are the schedules more firm than AirTran's were?

Thanks

 

[kbonner]

With Southwest I have found the cheapest airfare to be closer to the announcement. I booked today with Southwest for my trip in December. Their schedules have seemed pretty firm in the past form experience with them.

 

[mickeynut1]

We've been regular users of AirTran over the last 5-6 years (CAK-MCO) but, with the merger, are considering flying Southwest for the 1st time for trips in Nov. and Dec. We were sort of used to the fluctuations in AirTran's pricing and schedules. Prices would fluctuate through the week and from week to week and flight times would often change, even after the flights were booked.

Is Southwest like this or not? Reading a lot of posts about prices (except for sale days) being cheapest on the day they are announced (sort of like cruises). Is this true or is it best to track prices for a while and see if they decrease at all? And are the schedules more firm than AirTran's were?

Thanks

I think it depends on where you are flying from. We fly SWA out of Chicago Midway and in our experience, prices are usually highest when they are first released and then they tend to go down after they've been out awhile. They eventually creep back up over time, but I have never bought tickets on release day and have always paid less than what I would have had I bought that first day or shortly after. With that said, I have seen others report from other areas that fares are cheapest the day of release and only go up from there.