Questions about SouthWest

[DISNEY4FUN]

Hi all,

Southwest will begin flying out of Pittsburgh this May. I am thinking of taking a trip in November to WDW. We have always flown USAir. Now we have the option of using Southwest. Can someone tell me what Southwest's policies are in regards to ticket changes or cancellations? Also what if the ticket prices drop after you buy them? Do they give you a credit for the difference like USAir? Are there any other important differences with Southwest I should know?

Thanks.

 

[Mickey_Maniac]

SWA does not charge any kind of fee for changes. Depending on the category of airfare you originally purchased, they will give you either a refund (for full fare), or an SWA credit for future travel.

Several people have reported that you can get the SWA credit converted to an actual refund, but that seems to be dependent on the agent you speak to.

The other major difference is that SWA does not provide assigned seating, it is First Come First Served. There are multiple threads on here about SWA's boarding policy so I wont revisit it here.

We fly SWA all the time and have never had a bad experience. Good Luck...

 

[inkkognito]

Southwest is THE BEST for changes!
Last week, I learned from personal experience that there is no charge for changes whatsoever. My schedule changed and the process was painless. The only slight wrinkle was that my husband's ressie was linked with mine, and only mine needed to be changed. He called and SW unlinked them with no problem so we could make our own changes online. I even got a $100 credit because my new flights were cheaper. I don't know about a refund because we don't mind keeping it as a credit since we fly at least twice a month.
Barb

 

[DISNEY4FUN]

Thanks for the responses. Their change policy sounds great. Is the seat assignment policy the same as Aitran? Airtran won't let you pick your seats until you check in. But they allow you to check in online within 24 hours of the flight. I have always been able to get seats together if I check in online.

Do you think I'll be able to get decent airfare with Southwest for over Thanksgiving? Right now I am used to getting nonstop flights for around $150 with USAir. This is for non holiday times.

Thanks again.

 

[meuseman]

SWA has no assigned seating. Your boarding pass will have either the letter A, B or C on it. When you get to your gate, you will see queues marked A B and C. People line up in the queue corresponding to their boarding pass. A's get on the plane first, followed by B's and then C's (preboards - persons needing assistance or travelling with small children - go before the A's).

 

[inkkognito]

If you want an A boarding pass, print it out the night before. We do it at 12:01 a.m. (the earliest that you can).
Barb

 

[gw_lit]

Do you think I'll be able to get decent airfare with Southwest for over Thanksgiving? Right now I am used to getting nonstop flights for around $150 with USAir. This is for non holiday times.

Honestly... hard to say.... and it depends what you define as "decent". Generally, there are lower numbers of seats available at the lower prices and fewer sales around holiday times. Its simply supply and demand.

Just keep an eye out for sales, and pounce on dates that you need as soon as they open for booking. You can always get a credit in the (unlikely) event that the price goes down. And of course, travelling at off-peak times around the holiday will give you a better chance at getting a good fare. i.e. don't plan on flying cheap on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving.