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

[poohj80]

We are flying our family of 7 (6 full fares + 1 free lap child) to Orlando July 13-20. I have enough points in my RR account right now to either book 2 roundtrip tickets or 4 one-way. My husband just recently got his Southwest Chase cc so we should have enough points next month to get 1 roundtrip or 2 one-way. Please advise on which option you would prefer if you were in my shoes...

*Purchase 4 one-way tickets with points, pay $ for 4 one-way and 1 roundtrip now, next month purchase the final roundtrip ticket
*Purchase 2 roundtrip with points, purchase 3 roundtrip with $ now, purchase 1 roundtrip next month with points
*Purchase 4 one-way tickets with points now, next month purchase 2 one-ways and purchase 6 one-way tickets with $.
*Wait until we have husbands points deposited next month to do everything


Hope this makes sense! The cheapest roundtrip cost from Houston to Orlando in July right now is $433 and that seems ridiculously high to me. Also, if you have a better option, please feel free to suggest! TIA!!!

Are both legs of the round-trip the same fare?

 

[Mersmom98]

I believe there's only a $1 difference.

 

[JayhawkFans]

Haven't flown SW in years so I'm looking for some guidance. We are looking to go out of our small airport in Branson, MO through Chicago / Midway to Orlando in late September. I am familiar with checking in 24 hours prior and being assigned boarding group A, B, or C and then lining up at the airport with your assigned group to board.

I have only done non-stop in the past so how does this work in the layover airport? We will have just over an hour for a layover so we won't be at the gate super early like most of the other travelers.

I'm assuming when we de-plane and get to our next gate we will find most people already lined up in A, B, or C and we will just get in line behind those already there ahead of us and taking our chances of being seated together. It's not a HUGE deal as our daughter is 11 but naturally she would feel MUCH better seated with either myself or DH.

By purchasing EBCI will it even give us a chance to be seated together or will I just be tossing money into the air since we have the layover to contend with?

 

[ksloane]

Haven't flown SW in years so I'm looking for some guidance. We are looking to go out of our small airport in Branson, MO through Chicago / Midway to Orlando in late September. I am familiar with checking in 24 hours prior and being assigned boarding group A, B, or C and then lining up at the airport with your assigned group to board.

I have only done non-stop in the past so how does this work in the layover airport? We will have just over an hour for a layover so we won't be at the gate super early like most of the other travelers.

I'm assuming when we de-plane and get to our next gate we will find most people already lined up in A, B, or C and we will just get in line behind those already there ahead of us and taking our chances of being seated together. It's not a HUGE deal as our daughter is 11 but naturally she would feel MUCH better seated with either myself or DH.

By purchasing EBCI will it even give us a chance to be seated together or will I just be tossing money into the air since we have the layover to contend with?

You will have second bording passes for Chicago. If they are already lined up and you fit into the A group, you'll line up in your spot.

I think (hopefully someone will correct me if wrong) that buying EBCI will check you into each leg of your trip.

 

[elgerber]

You will have second bording passes for Chicago. If they are already lined up and you fit into the A group, you'll line up in your spot.

I think (hopefully someone will correct me if wrong) that buying EBCI will check you into each leg of your trip.

This was my experience when I used it, it gave us numbers for each leg, for the one fee.

 

[mitchwebb]

I have the same problem of not being able to see the city where the flight stops when there is no plane change. I can see it when there is a plane change but when I click on 1 stop no plane change it does not give me the city the flight stops. We are flying down between Christmas and New years and do not want to stop in citys with heavy snow.

I have emailed and am waiting for a response. I'm hoping to get tickets 5/6 and will be out of town and I am trying to avoid calling to find this information.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[JayhawkFans]

I now realized that the leg from MDW to MCO is operated by AirTran so that throws another wrench in the plans since seats on AirTran are assigned by the airline at 24 hrs out .. UGH!!!

 

[M&C]

I checked 6 pages before asking this question: Does anybody know when December flights will open up?

Thanks!

 

[lulu2121]

May 6

 

[1tufgt]

I checked 6 pages before asking this question: Does anybody know when December flights will open up?

Thanks!

You can always check on SW.com.

http://www.southwest.com/html/travel-tools/index.html

 

[brettb]

I have the same problem of not being able to see the city where the flight stops when there is no plane change. I can see it when there is a plane change but when I click on 1 stop no plane change it does not give me the city the flight stops. We are flying down between Christmas and New years and do not want to stop in citys with heavy snow.

For imminent flights you can google "southwest flight XXX" but that's not going to help. I googled "southwest flight 871" and I got information for today's flight, which is PHL->MDW->DEN, which is NOT what flight 871 does on August 3rd. So here's the way I found the correct information:

Go to http://www.southwest.com/flight/request-schedule.html and *download* the schedule for your dates and departure city. When you open the PDF, search for your flight number (Ctrl-f). Look for occurrences that do not have a connecting flight. One will be the 1-stop (or N-stop) flight from the originating airport to the final destination. The other(s) will be the stop(s) between you and the final destination.

For example, on the 7/28/13-8/3/13 schedule for PHL, 871 shows up at a 1-stop to LAX and a nonstop to STL.

There's probably an easier way but the easy ways I've found only seem reliable for imminent flights.

 

[Wood Nymph]

I've traveled on SWA for years and never realized that I could get a credit if the price of my flight dropped. We always buy Wanna Get Away tickets, because they are cheapest. If the price of one of these drop, do you still get a credit? When do the credits expire?

We are planning to go to WDW on Sat, Nov 30th, the Sat after Thanksgiving and I am very nervous about traveling on the busiest travel weekend of the year. Usually, with SWA I just keep watching their sales until a really good one comes along before I book my tickets. We fly out of Chicago-Midway and I consider $84 one way to be the target price. But I really don't know if I feel comfortable with the Thanksgiving weekend. We are planning our return on the following Thursday, which should be fine.

Does anyone know if travel books up fast for the Saturday after Thanksgiving? Are there ever any discounts offered for that day?

 

[tinkerbell60]

I've traveled on SWA for years and never realized that I could get a credit if the price of my flight dropped. We always buy Wanna Get Away tickets, because they are cheapest. If the price of one of these drop, do you still get a credit? When do the credits expire?

We are planning to go to WDW on Sat, Nov 30th, the Sat after Thanksgiving and I am very nervous about traveling on the busiest travel weekend of the year. Usually, with SWA I just keep watching their sales until a really good one comes along before I book my tickets. We fly out of Chicago-Midway and I consider $84 one way to be the target price. But I really don't know if I feel comfortable with the Thanksgiving weekend. We are planning our return on the following Thursday, which should be fine.

Does anyone know if travel books up fast for the Saturday after Thanksgiving? Are there ever any discounts offered for that day?

Airfare has been nuts lately, last summer I flew to Orlando in June for $109 each way. This year, the cheapest is $127. So, I don't think it is make decisions based on prior years........That being said, I would think Saturday might be better than Sunday to travel, but I would still think the prices would be higher. Like you said - Thursday should not be a problem. If you see a price you can live with I would go ahead an book it and watch to see if it drops.

Here is the thing with credits. They will expire 1 year from the day of the original booking. So, if you book on June 1st 2013 and September 15th 2013 the price drops, you will have the credit until June 1st of 2014. The credits work if you have two trips planned. And, the credits can not be transferred to other people. So, you have to be comfortable with the price you book with and if you think you will be able to use the credits within the year. Hope that helps!

 

[jenseib]

I am thinking 84 will be unrealistic too. Also remember the price shown now includes the tax as they didn't in years past.

 

[bridgewaterduo]

Never having to cancel a flight before can you please clairify for me. If I purchased tickets on April 1, 2013 I understand I have until April 1, 2014 to use the credit. What I am not sure about is can I purchase tickets for travel after April 1, 2014 or do the flights have to be taken before April 1?

 

[jenseib]

Never having to cancel a flight before can you please clairify for me. If I purchased tickets on April 1, 2013 I understand I have until April 1, 2014 to use the credit. What I am not sure about is can I purchase tickets for travel after April 1, 2014 or do the flights have to be taken before April 1?

I am pretty sure the flight has to be taken by then.

 

[brettb]

Here is the thing with credits. They will expire 1 year from the day of the original booking. So, if you book on June 1st 2013 and September 15th 2013 the price drops, you will have the credit until June 1st of 2014. The credits work if you have two trips planned. And, the credits can not be transferred to other people. So, you have to be comfortable with the price you book with and if you think you will be able to use the credits within the year. Hope that helps!

I want to add that in the above example, the credit must be used for *travel* by June 1st 2014. You can't wait until June 1st, 2014 and use it to book a flight after that.

 

[brunelldara]

Airfare has been nuts lately, last summer I flew to Orlando in June for $109 each way. This year, the cheapest is $127. So, I don't think it is make decisions based on prior years........That being said, I would think Saturday might be better than Sunday to travel, but I would still think the prices would be higher. Like you said - Thursday should not be a problem. If you see a price you can live with I would go ahead an book it and watch to see if it drops.

Here is the thing with credits. They will expire 1 year from the day of the original booking. So, if you book on June 1st 2013 and September 15th 2013 the price drops, you will have the credit until June 1st of 2014. The credits work if you have two trips planned. And, the credits can not be transferred to other people. So, you have to be comfortable with the price you book with and if you think you will be able to use the credits within the year. Hope that helps!

I am traveling with my family (6 adults and 1 child) this upcoming thanksgiving to WDW. We are flying out on November 26th (2 days before Thanksgiving) and flying home on December 7th. We are planning a second trip for May 2014.
I guess what I am confused on is the credits. If I book now and the prices go down for the November trip this means that I would be able to use the difference for our May trip? We are going twice since we are going so long for the first trip we are getting everyone season passes at the park and want to get full use out of them within the year they are good for...lol. If I can in fact use it for our May trip how do I go about doing so and what is this feature called. Also what are people talking about with special codes. I am new to this since my mom passed the planning and coordinating of the family trip onto me this year. I am thoroughly enjoying all of the fun research though.
One last question also can we use these codes and special features if we book through expedia in order to quarantee the flight?
Thanks for any help anyone can offer me and my family as we plan our next family vacation. Fingers crossed that I find the best deals ever when they release their flights for November-December tomorrow.
Thanks again, Dara

 

[tinkerbell60]

I am traveling with my family (6 adults and 1 child) this upcoming thanksgiving to WDW. We are flying out on November 26th (2 days before Thanksgiving) and flying home on December 7th. We are planning a second trip for May 2014.
I guess what I am confused on is the credits. If I book now and the prices go down for the November trip this means that I would be able to use the difference for our May trip? We are going twice since we are going so long for the first trip we are getting everyone season passes at the park and want to get full use out of them within the year they are good for...lol. If I can in fact use it for our May trip how do I go about doing so and what is this feature called. Also what are people talking about with special codes. I am new to this since my mom passed the planning and coordinating of the family trip onto me this year. I am thoroughly enjoying all of the fun research though.
One last question also can we use these codes and special features if we book through expedia in order to quarantee the flight?
Thanks for any help anyone can offer me and my family as we plan our next family vacation. Fingers crossed that I find the best deals ever when they release their flights for November-December tomorrow.
Thanks again, Dara

Hi Dara,

First, I am sorry about your mom - that is a tough to go through.

Yes, if you book now for Thanksgiving and the price goes down, you can re-book and use the credits in May as long as the date is after you book now. Do you know your May travel dates? If you book today (May 6) your credits must be used by May 6 of 2014. If you are traveling early May that will work. Then, how that works is you watch for a lower price, if you see it - you go onto the Southwest site and you will see "modify reservation" - you just enter your confirmation code and it will give you the option to change to the cheaper flight. It will then show the amount of credit you save. When you are ready to book your spring flights, on the payment screen it gives you an option to pay with credits. So you would use a combination of two payment methods, partial credits and part credit cards for example.

It is really smart to get an annual pass if you are going twice in one year. Be sure to watch for annual pass discounts on rooms too. There are a few other perks that go with that.

None of this will work with Expedia however. Once you pay them, there is no refund. You probably can do better booking on your own and doing the hotel and flights separately.

 

[Wood Nymph]

Thanks for answering my questions about the refund policy. I checked SWA for our Nov 30 - Dec 5th dates and the morning flights are already sold out for Nov 30th Travel for two of us would be $675 if I booked today, about $300 more than we paid for our Feb flights. It would also take us two vacations to use up that amount of money if we cancelled this trip. We are planning to return to WDW in the spring, either April or early May, so the one year mark would be tight to use up any credits we would get if the price drops.

I really don't want an early afternoon flight to Orlando. All the early morning full flights are Airtran flights. Would SWA add a bunch of early flights later?