Question for Southwest fans and recent Southwest flyers

[DisneyFunFan]

We've flown Southwest to Disney out of Buffalo for years now. It used to be that we could always count on a DING! for between $49-$69 a few months before our trip. Today the DING!s seem harder to be had and aren't as cheap.

Our next trip to Disney is in September just after Labour Day. Does anyone have any insight as to what we can expect to pay?

-- Has anyone flown Southwest to Orlando lately for $79 or lower?
-- It doesn't seem that they've had a DING for September yet, am I wrong?

Thanks for any insight!

 

[mickeywho?]

We flew last September. Originally purchased tickets for $99 each way. DING! came out - had to juggle our dates by a day - fares came down to $79 each way. There may have been other dings for later in the month - ours were last week of Aug - first week of Sept but I wasn't watching for them so I'm not too sure. We've flown twice since then and managed to get our tickets at $89-$99 dings but not the $49 deal - that one I haven't seen in a while.
HTH!

 

[encinc]

My parents flew in early March for $69 plus taxes/fees - not a DING! just a websale fare. I think there were only 2 seats available at that price.

 

[snickerboo]

I haven't seen a Ding from below $89 to Orlando at all this spring, and rarely any dings to Orlando. I think the rising cost of fuel, and SW not having the hedged fuel costs they used to, mean far less super cheap seats than in the past.

 

[dancin Disney style]

Lately the Dings have only been up to around June 15. You won't see September until around the end of July into August.


As things stand right now we are 'priced' out of flying to MCO. Road trip here we come

 

[disyady]

Our flights for this coming August total $1150 US for 5 people compared to $800 US last August. The last time we drove to Florida (August 06) gas, food and 2 nights lodging for 5 people came to around $1000 so that total would be a fair bit higher this year with the increase in gas and food costs. I am happy with $1150 - especially since the exchange is quite a bit better so that helps as well. Our 2003 Disney trip cost around $7000 Cdn because the exchange was higher and we flew out of Pearson (and that was with the 7nts for the price of 4 Fairytale package special), whereas now a similar trip would cost us around $5000. If we can fly out of Buffalo for around $200-250 US per person return I'm very happy.

 

[Hoogy]

I booked for Sept 10-20 (Southwest out of Buffalo) the day they came out with their dates. I used the Ding15 code and it shaved off about $100 since I had 5 tickets to book. I actually had to book it in 3 transactions to get the best deal because the flight prices kept going up for the return flight that I wanted. I just know with the cost of gas it is never going to be the $49 flights I got last year!
There is a mother's day deal going on the the prices range from $86-$94 one way but not all the times are available for that price.

 

[cdnmickeylover]

We are going just after Labour Day and have booked on Southwest for $399 for the two of us return. No dings yet but I did book with the 15% savings if you booked the first few days after they opened up the flights. I'm hoping for a ding but I'm not counting on it as the flights have already gone up.

 

[DisneyFunFan]

Thanks for your feedback everyone... I guess we'll just have to wait and see!

 

[michelle1]

There was a Ding for Sept a few weeks ago but it was roundtrip fares only and I think it was around $84 one way. I just booked SW yesterday for $86 one way and we are using Airtran the other way for $72 which seems pretty reasonable. Last summer we paid $34 each way...$347 roundtrip for our family of 4 but I'm sure I'll never see that again!

 

[Luhts]

I'm thinking their deals won't be as good due to their recent problems:

In 2008 Southwest was fined US$10.2 million by the Federal Aviation Administration for violations regarding aircraft inspections and maintenance. A whistleblower testified before House committee that Southwest aircraft had been allowed to fly with fuselage cracks.

 

[laura001]

We flew in March for $72.00 each way out of Buffalo and friends of mine are going in a few weeks and their flights were $72.00 also.

 

[minnie56]

I am thinking with OIL at $125 USD a Barrel, the Dings might become less and less..and if not--then I want to know how they're surviving! Must be cutting the fat someplace else! With the Losses Air Canada posted yesterday...I think Air Travel, all travel really...will only go up..and that's too bad

 

[cdnmickeylover]

Don't forget when picking an airline about the cost of additional bags. At this point I believe that Southwest is only one not charging for a second bag. That of course can change at any time.

 

[AndyMcV]

We flew in March for $72.00 each way out of Buffalo and friends of mine are going in a few weeks and their flights were $72.00 also.

We too booked a round trip at $72 each way flying out of Buffalo late May and coming back mid June. We added an extra day at the end of our trip and by the time we changed the return leg it went up a bit so really it's $72 down and $94 back. Still awsome!

 

[4everluvDisney]

The first day Ding came out with the flights for the end of September and returning in October we booked at the 15% off rate. Still at $800 return for a family of 4 out of Buffalo I think is a good deal, but still watching for a Ding closer to our dates that may be lower.

 

[AndyMcV]

The first day Ding came out with the flights for the end of September and returning in October we booked at the 15% off rate. Still at $800 return for a family of 4 out of Buffalo I think is a good deal, but still watching for a Ding closer to our dates that may be lower.

It still amazes me how much more realistic the prices are out of Buffalo. For the 4 of us it would be about $2600 out of Toronto with Air Canada. How can you seriously justify that cost versus driving an extra (in our case) 2 hours to Buffalo. Our price total for June is going to be a whopping $748.

 

[DisneyBugs]

I booked by 4/21 for our Sept trip. It was not a DING, but rather through a special offer link at the bottom of the web page offering savingsof 10%. Just as I was about to book, a friend called me and told me to enter DING15 and I'd save 15%. I got 4 roundtrip nonstop tickets for a grand total (including all xtra charges and taxes) of $834. I priced the same flights on SW yesterday and it was over $1100. We didn't make out that bad... I like to try and keep flights (Hartford to MCO) around $200 but no more than $250. With price increases this year, I was afraid what we'd end up paying! NO complaints here... (except that I have to wait another 4 months for our vacation that is!)