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

[Maine-iac]

It's good a year from the original booking date. Good luck!! I'm still stalking for my fares

So how does that work? What steps would I take if I found a lower fare? Do I have to cancel then rebook? Last year I called and the lady told me that is what I have to do.

 

[Mommymarie]

I'm in Pittsburgh too what days are you going?

Nov. 9-15

 

[stacielee]

So how does that work? What steps would I take if I found a lower fare? Do I have to cancel then rebook? Last year I called and the lady told me that is what I have to do.

There's a couple different ways I've done it. The first way, and probably the easiest, is to go to the confirmation email you have and click on Change Flight at the top. It takes you through the process, even though you're not really changing your flight.

The 2nd way, a little more time consuming, but it makes sure you don't lose the lower fare is to do this: open 1 window in SW and go through the booking process to secure the lower-priced flight you want, up until you get to the pay screen. Open another SW window and go through the cancellation process until you're done, you'll use your old confirmation number to "pay" for the new flight that you have ready in the 1st window.

I've done it both ways, and even though I've never "lost" the lower fare, it can happen and I usually do it the 2nd way.

 

[ferrero121]

Nov. 9-15

We are going the 13-21

 

[kaguilbeau]

SW is offering 25% off purchases/gifts/transfers of miles until May 31st.
I priced the number of miles I need for the flight and it costs more to buy the miles than it does to purchase the flight with cash.

But, I think I remember that it was more convenient to make changes to a reservation that was booked with miles rather than cash. It seems when I found a lower fare that I had booked with cash, I got the difference in a cash credit to be used within one year. However, if I had booked it with points, the difference was just added back to my points bank for later use.

If this is correct, would you purchase the points needed to book that one remaining flight? I already have the others booked with points.

Any other insight into this would be great!

 

[jenseib]

SW is offering 25% off purchases/gifts/transfers of miles until May 31st.
I priced the number of miles I need for the flight and it costs more to buy the miles than it does to purchase the flight with cash.

But, I think I remember that it was more convenient to make changes to a reservation that was booked with miles rather than cash. It seems when I found a lower fare that I had booked with cash, I got the difference in a cash credit to be used within one year. However, if I had booked it with points, the difference was just added back to my points bank for later use.

If this is correct, would you purchase the points needed to book that one remaining flight? I already have the others booked with points.

Any other insight into this would be great!

I haven't checked, but it should be the same with miles and cash. But yes whenever I have changed one with miles, the miles went back in my account.

 

[kaguilbeau]

I haven't checked, but it should be the same with miles and cash. But yes whenever I have changed one with miles, the miles went back in my account.

Here's what I found:
One way trip for 99.00 (or 5,730 points).

Yet when I attempted to purchase 5,500 points @ 25% off, the cost showed as 113.44.

Why would I want to do this?

 

[bjscheel]

Here's what I found:
One way trip for 99.00 (or 5,730 points).

Yet when I attempted to purchase 5,500 points @ 25% off, the cost showed as 113.44.

Why would I want to do this?

The advantage to booking with points is that if you change to a cheaper fare, the points will go back in to your account to be used at any time. If you are not going to fly again within a year of your original booking, the credit on your cash fare will be lost. Refunded points will be good as long as you keep your account active.

 

[kaguilbeau]

The advantage to booking with points is that if you change to a cheaper fare, the points will go back in to your account to be used at any time.

This is what I thought, and I agree with this.
Do you think this is why the costs are more to purchase points (as in my above example)?

 

[bjscheel]

This is what I thought, and I agree with this.
Do you think this is why the costs are more to purchase points (as in my above example)?

That makes sense- if everyone could buy points to purchase airfare at the same cost as the cash price, everyone would do that and then nobody's credits would expire. I'm sure they like it when credits expire.

I like booking with points for sure because if I book airfare in February for a June trip, there's very little chance I'll be flying again by the next February. But I've not had to pay for points. My DH's semi fuel racks up the points, so we will continue to earn free flights. In that case, I would buy points so I could potentially have some back. But if it were someone who is just using up the bonus cc points and won't be earning more in the future, you might consider paying cash for the last ticket. Getting a few points back might not be useful if you don't have enough for another ticket in the future.

 

[kaguilbeau]

. But if it were someone who is just using up the bonus cc points and won't be earning more in the future, you might consider paying cash for the last ticket.

Thanks for all the feedback. We are currently earning points on 2 SW cards. These flights I was booking was at a very good price and just before Christmas. I spent 62.00 to complete the reservation buying with points and am happy now!

 

[bigsis1970]

We are going 12/3 to 12/8. Just me and hubby as my adult kids would have to pay their own way.

Awesome Lisa.. Our trip is just the Hubs and myself as well - My DD is almost 21 and in college and my DS is almost 18 and will be a SR when we go .. he will just be home alone for 1 night or he'll head to his dad's early..

My Hubs is a chef so he really wanted to go to the F & W festival - we are going to try and book a few of the guest celebrity chef demos (boy are they expensive! $99 to $170) and eat and drink our way around the world showcase!

Have you been at Christmas time before - my very first trip in 2001 was for the first 2 weeks of Dec - it was sooo pretty!

Good deal on your tickets!

 

[Maine-iac]

Awesome Lisa.. Our trip is just the Hubs and myself as well - My DD is almost 21 and in college and my DS is almost 18 and will be a SR when we go .. he will just be home alone for 1 night or he'll head to his dad's early..

My Hubs is a chef so he really wanted to go to the F & W festival - we are going to try and book a few of the guest celebrity chef demos (boy are they expensive! $99 to $170) and eat and drink our way around the world showcase!

Have you been at Christmas time before - my very first trip in 2001 was for the first 2 weeks of Dec - it was sooo pretty!

Good deal on your tickets!

I have never been to F&W but know people who go every year so I am sure your husband will love it!!
This will be our second time going in early Dec. We loved it last time. The iced castle and the Osborne Lights were awesome. My other favorite time to go is the Flower and Garden Festival. It is so pretty with all of the flowers and I like that they have the food carts in WS like they do at F&W.
My daughter is 26 and still lives at home. She is trying to get a full time job so she can afford her own place. With a car, insurance and college payments it is hard.
My son is 24 and he lives and works in Boston. He is trying to save money for a newer car so said he didn't want to go to Disney with us.
My husband works at BIW and loves Disney as much as I do! He is needing that vacation from reality because he has been working 7 days weeks for a long time now.
BTW the sale fares for our flight down were sold out in one day. Glad I got it first thing!

 

[MamaBear58]

What is Southwest's refund policy? I ask because I"m trying to figure out whether I need purchase travel insurance.

The only reason I could see us cancelling this trip is if DH's 81-year old mother died or if one of us (DH, myself, DS7 and DD4) were deathly ill. We are room only, so other than airfair, all I'd lose is my deposit. Even my pre-paid ADRs are late enough in our trip that if we didn't go I'd cancel in time for the refund.

So, would Southwest give us 4 other tickets? A credit (we got a good deal) against the price of 4 other tickets? Or nothing?

Thanks.

 

[Pumbas]

Im seeing a lot of "Unavailable" flights under the Wanna Get Away fare column. Usually if they are sold out it says "Sold Out". I'm wondering, do they ever add additional flights to there schedules for the Wanna Get Away Fares?

I am already seeing sold out for Nov. & have the same question. Does Southwest add more flights?

 

[mum of two pirates]

I am already seeing sold out for Nov. & have the same question. Does Southwest add more flights?

They Wouldn't add another flight to sell more wanna get away tickets. They would want to sell the higher price seats or have a sale first.

 

[OnceUponATime15]

I am already seeing sold out for Nov. & have the same question. Does Southwest add more flights?

Back in March our flight choices (Wanna Get Away) went from unavailable to sold within days of their release.

They were all back about a month later.. at a much higher price -- Originally $123 one way then $334 one way. Making a full return trip crazy expensive

They are still available.. the outbound flight is down but the return leg of the trip remains very high.

 

[shpdem]

Does anybody know of a good place to find discounted sw gift cards?

 

[mickey1968]

Southwest will give you a credit on the Wanna Get Away tickets, or if you bought with points, they will put those back in you rewards account.

 

[katriscari]

I am not a frequent flyer, so forgive me if this is an absurd question....

We are looking to book a trip in May 2015 flying out of our local Airport. Without me having to check various months and flights does anyone know if flights are generally at the same time of day on a specific day of the week across months? Like if I were to look at Monday June 23, 2014 and Monday July 2 and they left at the same time what is the likelihood that would continue to be the case in May of next year. We loved our flights this year...left at 10am nonstop arrives at noon. The airport is small, so they only have one direct flight per day. The others have Stops. Thanks for any info, and I hope this makes sense!