Quick SW question to lazy to search 84 pages for answer

[charleygop]

I'm sure this is answered else where but hoping someone can give me a quick answer. When new fare timeframe opens on Southwest (dates after January 4), what time on the opening date (May 14) do reservation become available? TIA

 

[Minniekins]

I'm sure this is answered else where but hoping someone can give me a quick answer. When new fare timeframe opens on Southwest (dates after January 4), what time on the opening date (May 14) do reservation become available? TIA

I'll be stalking SW early morning on May 14th! In my experience with SW in the last several years, on the morning the window opens, they open at approximately 10-11 mins past the hour. So, I'm in the midwest and it opened about 5:10 a.m., 5:11 one time, so about 10 min after the hour and I just keep refreshing till it's ready. Last time I was here and others were doing the same thing and a couple of us quick posted "it's open!", lol. So, on eastern time that'd be about 6:10 a.m. I start watching, though, right at the top of the hour just in case! Good luck, I'm hoping for some good prices for our Dec trip!

 

[wonderlandaddict]

I will be on to! I am looking at Dec 29 and hope for a good price also!!!

 

[LeslieG]

I've never tried to book opening day, but are the fares really cheaper then? Seems like I may have read previously that they sometimes start high and then drop later.

 

[Minnesota!]

I've never tried to book opening day, but are the fares really cheaper then? Seems like I may have read previously that they sometimes start high and then drop later.

I typically find that release day is more expensive than the fares they offer about 10 weeks out.

 

[lvdis]

I've never tried to book opening day, but are the fares really cheaper then? Seems like I may have read previously that they sometimes start high and then drop later.

I don't know how it has been recently, but I bought from SW on the day my dates were released for a 2013 trip and found them to be the cheapest they ever were (yes, I am crazy and kept looking just to confirm I did the right thing!). The key is I recognized a good price and took it, because I had been monitoring what airfare was to that destination for a while.

 

[LisaS]

When new fare timeframe opens on Southwest (dates after January 4), what time on the opening date (May 14) do reservation become available? TIA

For the past few years they have released the schedule shortly after 6am Eastern time. I make sure I'm online and ready to book at 6am Eastern and just keep trying until they release the dates.

Keep checking Southwest's Flight Schedules page to check for a date change. They have done this a couple of times in the past year. Now that we're so close to May 14th I would be surprised if it does change but you never know. It takes just a minute to bring up the Flight Schedules page and check whether it is still displaying May 14 as the next release date.

 

[dvc at last !]

I am also waiting for May 14th release dates.

 

[Madmother]

I booked as soon as my dates opened and the total price has actually doubled since then! I researched beforehand so I knew the price I got was a good one.

 

[Minniekins]

I've never tried to book opening day, but are the fares really cheaper then? Seems like I may have read previously that they sometimes start high and then drop later.

In my experience, of the last several years, the opening day fares have been either the lowest, or second to lowest. My trip I booked last May opening day, for Nov 28-Dec 7, never went lower and I stalked SW daily! Year before, they did go a nice chunk lower(about 2500 pts per ticket) lower for one of the legs, so still always pays to stalk!
Mid March this year I booked for the 24 hr day weekend, got $181 each way, which dropped to $134 and $137 about two weeks ago. Don't know where it started on opening day. Then I booked a trip for DD24 for Sep back in Feb when dates opened, they quickly went up and stayed there till this week, and they are back to approximately where I got them for.

I don't know how it has been recently, but I bought from SW on the day my dates were released for a 2013 trip and found them to be the cheapest they ever were (yes, I am crazy and kept looking just to confirm I did the right thing!). The key is I recognized a good price and took it, because I had been monitoring what airfare was to that destination for a while.

Ha, you stalk like I do, lol! Hoping to catch them down, but usually finding I did the right thing to start with! And monitoring/stalking is a good way to keep up and be able to get the best deals!

 

[mikehn]

the morning of May 14 will be like the morning of black friday where everyone tramples over one another to get in the door.

 

[PSUGuy]

I typically find that release day is more expensive than the fares they offer about 10 weeks out.

We're waiting on Nov. 7, I already booked the Oct 29 flight down. Two points, SW opened our downward leg days, if not a week early, I accidentally discovered this and managed to get a better rate than we paid in Oct 2014. Second, I kept an eye on my flight and it never went lower and now the Wanna Get Away rate is sold out, remaining rates are hundreds more. So... I'll be checking every morning, afternoon and evening until 5/14.

Bill From PA

 

[hskaggs11]

If I book on opening day in May, if I find out the rates go lower, can I call Southwest for a reimbursement, or modify my booking?? How would that process work?? I'm anxious for dates to release, my dates are 11/8 thru 11/13.
Or if I get a much better deal for 11/7, I'll convince the hubbs we need to leave a little earlier!

 

[Madmother]

The reimbursement would be in the form of a SW credit towards a different flight. They don't actually refund the $$ difference. So, yes if you see the price go down, call - and you'll have a credit for another flight later.

 

[LisaS]

If I book on opening day in May, if I find out the rates go lower, can I call Southwest for a reimbursement, or modify my booking?? How would that process work?? I'm anxious for dates to release, my dates are 11/8 thru 11/13.
Or if I get a much better deal for 11/7, I'll convince the hubbs we need to leave a little earlier!

If you book the non-refundable "Wanna Get Away" fare and the price later drops, you can can get a credit but not a refund. Use the "Change Flight" option to rebook the same flight at the lower price. You will be left with a credit for the fare difference (called "Travel Funds") that will be good for one year from your original purchase date. So if you book on May 14 and later reprice your flight due to a price drop, you will have funds that you can use for travel until May 13 or 14 of 2016. The Travel Funds for each ticket you reprice are tied to that person and can be applied to future travel for that person only.

 

[hskaggs11]

Thanks LisaS!! I don't know if we'd take another trip so close to our Nov one, BUT if rates drop, it wouldn't hurt to reprice and have that in the "bank" if we happen to get a wild hair up our butts, lol. When SW releases on May 14th, I'll only book if the rates are under $450, since that's the lowest i've been able to find so far.

 

[Amanda999]

Nothing to add. Just wanted to say to op that I love your thread title!

 

[charleygop]

Nothing to add. Just wanted to say to op that I love your thread title!

Thanks. I enjoy reading some of the various pages that contain volumes of information but every now and then, it is just as quick to ask a simple question. Based on the few exchanges, I see others found the benefit of my laziness or was I actually just being efficient. Regardless, my post has proven to be effective.

 

[wehrengrizz]

If you book the non-refundable "Wanna Get Away" fare and the price later drops, you can can get a credit but not a refund. Use the "Change Flight" option to rebook the same flight at the lower price. You will be left with a credit for the fare difference (called "Travel Funds") that will be good for one year from your original purchase date. So if you book on May 14 and later reprice your flight due to a price drop, you will have funds that you can use for travel until May 13 or 14 of 2016. The Travel Funds for each ticket you reprice are tied to that person and can be applied to future travel for that person only.

To piggyback, I know you have to have/use the original confirmation number as well when booking each ticket with "travel funds"...they're really specific on keeping all that info

 

[mdsd8700]

I've never tried to book opening day, but are the fares really cheaper then? Seems like I may have read previously that they sometimes start high and then drop later.

We fly out of Chicago for us most often the day that SW opens is the lowest price, there have been times when it does go lower and we have gotten SW Credit but the opening price has always gone up (and back down) or even in some cases sold out. For us the opening day price is one that within our range of what we want to pay so we always book then. Depending on the route and hub it may vary from person to person.