Post all SW questions concerns, etc. here...

[buckeev]

Is anyone else having issues booking flights through Southwest.com?.......

YES!

All stinking day!

 

[Disneyforus]

I'm new to SW, and just transferred over some AirTran vouchers that became available to me last night....was going to book some Wanna Get Away Fares from GrandRapids MI to Orlando of $101 down and $90 back. Well...today they are up to $144 each leg....This is for 8/21-8/28. Any thoughts on whether fares might go down again for that time frame or did I miss my opportunity? I know airfare is hit or miss, I'm just not familiar with SW at all. Our travel is midweek, so I know that typically helps. I know I can book and rebook if the fare goes down too. Any thoughts?

 

[ksloane]

I'm new to SW, and just transferred over some AirTran vouchers that became available to me last night....was going to book some Wanna Get Away Fares from GrandRapids MI to Orlando of $101 down and $90 back. Well...today they are up to $144 each leg....This is for 8/21-8/28. Any thoughts on whether fares might go down again for that time frame or did I miss my opportunity? I know airfare is hit or miss, I'm just not familiar with SW at all. Our travel is midweek, so I know that typically helps. I know I can book and rebook if the fare goes down too. Any thoughts?

If it were me, I'd wait until Tuesday morning next week before I paid the higher prices. Seems like Tuesday and then Wednesdays are the cheaper days.

 

[brettb]

I'm new to SW, and just transferred over some AirTran vouchers that became available to me last night....was going to book some Wanna Get Away Fares from GrandRapids MI to Orlando of $101 down and $90 back. Well...today they are up to $144 each leg....This is for 8/21-8/28. Any thoughts on whether fares might go down again for that time frame or did I miss my opportunity? I know airfare is hit or miss, I'm just not familiar with SW at all. Our travel is midweek, so I know that typically helps. I know I can book and rebook if the fare goes down too. Any thoughts?

I don't think there's any way to predict.

It seems to me that there are two factors at play:

1) The base fare for a given day. That is, the starting price of a seat before supply becomes limited.

2) The price of a seat on a particular flight based on the supply/demand. That is, when you see prices higher than the base fare because more and more seats have already been sold.

For example, when I booked our flights from PHL->MCO and MCO-> PHL, nearly all the flights were at $114, so that was what I call the "base" fare - at that time. If there's a sale, that base fare could drop. Or if a sale ends, that base fare could rise. Right now, the "base" fare for those days is up to $120.

On top of that, the flight we had been on - that I bought for $114 is now at $182. The less desirable, later Saturday flights are still down at $120.

There was an early morning flight (operated by Southwest) I had my eye on that had been $221 but has now dropped to $182. And another early morning non-stop (operated by AirTran), if I recall correctly, was also very expensive or even listed as sold out. But earlier in the week, this 8:00 AirTran flight showed up at $120 so I switched to it. Within a day it had risen to $140-something and is now at $167.

If you're looking at a low-demand flight, it's possible that the "base" price might come down as part of a sale. But it's also possible that even if a sale comes along, by that time, the seats available at the lowest price (whatever that is at the time) may have been sold and the price of *that* flight may be higher than the price of different, less booked flights on the same day.

Demand-based pricing can work against holding out for a sale.

Generally, I'll jump on a flight that's at what appears to be the "base" price. If a preferable but higher-priced flight later comes down in price, I'll switch.

Now that I have a bunch of RR points, life is a lot easier. I don't have to worry about credits expiring if I rebook at lower prices.

Also, I have no idea how the transferred AirTran vouchers work. Maybe somebody else can comment on whether they offer the same benefits as using RR points with regard to being able to book now and rebook if/when prices drop.

 

[debjk4]

How does this work? I bought EBCI for our flight out of CLE. We change planes in BNA and then move on to MCO. I know that we will get a boarding position for the initial flight, but how does the boarding position get chosen for the "plane change" flight?

 

[jenseib]

How does this work? I bought EBCI for our flight out of CLE. We change planes in BNA and then move on to MCO. I know that we will get a boarding position for the initial flight, but how does the boarding position get chosen for the "plane change" flight?

It will do it for both flights

 

[debjk4]

Thanks so much jenseib!

 

[MacDalt]

Can anyone confirm this for me? A flight operated by AirTran has no assigned seating. It is recommended to buy EBCI. A flight on SW has assigned seats so no worries about being together. Is this correct?

 

[brettb]

Can anyone confirm this for me? A flight operated by AirTran has no assigned seating. It is recommended to buy EBCI. A flight on SW has assigned seats so no worries about being together. Is this correct?

What? No. That's kind of backwards.

I've never flown AirTran but my flights, booked through Southwest, will be operated by AirTran so I've been following the discussion and this is what I've gathered:

Southwest operated flights do not have assigned seating. Southwest customers can pay for EBCI and they will be automatically checked in at 36 hours before departure and they will get earlier boarding slots than people who check in themselves up to 24 hours before departure.

For flights operated by AirTran, AirTran customers can pay to select seats in advance. Otherwise AirTran customers can choose their seats when they check in up to 24 hours before the flight. Southwest customers will be assigned seats (they don't get to choose) when they check in up to 24 hours before departure. Southwest customers do not have the option to purchase EBCI for AirTran-operated flights nor do they have the option to pay extra to choose seats in advance.

AirTran experts: Did I get anything wrong?

 

[MacDalt]

I've read so much info! I think I have it backwards. I think ur right. Maybe someone will confirm.

 

[jenseib]

Can anyone confirm this for me? A flight operated by AirTran has no assigned seating. It is recommended to buy EBCI. A flight on SW has assigned seats so no worries about being together. Is this correct?

That is totally backwards.

You can't buy EBC for airtran flights booked through SW either and you can pick seats on air tran flights booked through SW till the 24 hour check in. This I know because I had to call and ask as my cousins are taking SW down and airtran back all booked through SW.

It is rumored that by the end of the year it will all be SW.

 

[disneemama]

Not sure if i'm posting in the right place or if it's already been posted but mycokerewards has the $20. Off code. 100 points

 

[MacDalt]

That is totally backwards.

You can't buy EBC for airtran flights booked through SW either and you can pick seats on air tran flights booked through SW till the 24 hour check in. This I know because I had to call and ask as my cousins are taking SW down and airtran back all booked through SW.

It is rumored that by the end of the year it will all be SW.

Thank you. I think I have it straight now. Lol. I hope.

 

[stitchlovestink]

Not sure if i'm posting in the right place or if it's already been posted but mycokerewards has the $20. Off code. 100 points

Thanks....gonna go check that out now!! I can certainly use that help!!!

 

[hsmamato2]

anyone know.....I see flights I want on SWA site, some are 'airtran'..... can I book the AT flights using RR points? or do I have to convert them into AT points? I want to keep my RR points ,and use them, and I'm afraid to book AT b/c then I'll lose the flexibility...(?) help!!!!!

 

[jenseib]

anyone know.....I see flights I want on SWA site, some are 'airtran'..... can I book the AT flights using RR points? or do I have to convert them into AT points? I want to keep my RR points ,and use them, and I'm afraid to book AT b/c then I'll lose the flexibility...(?) help!!!!!

I'm pretty sure if you use them on the SW site you are using them as RR points.

 

[BeccaG]

Does SW do last minute deals? We are less than a month out and have our outbound flights booked but I would love to switch to a closer airport with a slightly better flight time!

 

[disneymagicgirl]

Does SW do last minute deals? We are less than a month out and have our outbound flights booked but I would love to switch to a closer airport with a slightly better flight time!

You can sign up for ding fare alerts but they never impress me. Not sure they can be used to switch either. You would likely have to cancel the current flight and book the ding seperately.

 

[BeccaG]

You can sign up for ding fare alerts but they never impress me. Not sure they can be used to switch either. You would likely have to cancel the current flight and book the ding seperately.

Right, I guess I was more asking if historically does southwest drop prices last minute to fill planes....

 

[jenseib]

Right, I guess I was more asking if historically does southwest drop prices last minute to fill planes....

Almost every SW flight I have been on was oversold, so my guess is they don't have an issue selling. But it could be just from where i fly from.