Saving $350 on Southwest, but is it ok to do?

[SDSorority]

Hi everyone. We just found out Sunday that we have to go to Las Vegas in 2 weeks. Flights from Columbus OH to Vegas had very few seats left on airlines like Delta and United, and the flight times were almost all redeyes. Flights on SW were running $800 per person round trip. I found a way on SW to get the cost down to $525 per person by flying first to either LAX then to Vegas or Chicago then to Vegas. As long as the flight times match up ok, this is ok to do right? Since the ticket for the 2nd leg of the flight wouldn't be initialed by TSA would SW still accept it or would we have to go through security again? We won't be checking bags.

Thanks, let me know if this sounds ok to do!

 

[zurgswife]

If you don't have bags; I think you would be fine.

You have already passed through security. If you have the next set of boarding passes then you should be fine. I think the initials are actually for the TSA agents at the detectors not for the agents of the airlines.

If your extra time on a plane is worth the savings then I think you are fine.

 

[SDSorority]

If you don't have bags; I think you would be fine.

You have already passed through security. If you have the next set of boarding passes then you should be fine. I think the initials are actually for the TSA agents at the detectors not for the agents of the airlines.

If your extra time on a plane is worth the savings then I think you are fine.

Thanks! We'll be able to print off our boarding passes before we leave home, and before we leave the hotel, depending on if we're coming or going. It's only about an hour or so more in travel time, but the thing that was the real 'kicker' was on the other airlines the only seats left to claim were middle seats. So, DH and I wouldn't have been able to sit together, which I didn't like. At least on SW it's open seating, and even with purchasing the EBCI it was still cheaper! Crazy. Who knew that EVERYONE IN THE WORLD was going to Vegas that weekend.

 

[Marionnette]

Hi everyone. We just found out Sunday that we have to go to Las Vegas in 2 weeks. Flights from Columbus OH to Vegas had very few seats left on airlines like Delta and United, and the flight times were almost all redeyes. Flights on SW were running $800 per person round trip. I found a way on SW to get the cost down to $525 per person by flying first to either LAX then to Vegas or Chicago then to Vegas. As long as the flight times match up ok, this is ok to do right? Since the ticket for the 2nd leg of the flight wouldn't be initialed by TSA would SW still accept it or would we have to go through security again? We won't be checking bags.

Thanks, let me know if this sounds ok to do!

How much time do you have between when the first flight lands and the second one takes off? If it's less than 40 minutes, I see a potential problem. SWA begins boarding 30 minutes prior to take off. If your first flight is late, it's possible that you could miss your connection. You will probably be in the same terminal since you are flying the same airline but the gates could be quite a distance apart in that terminal.

But I think it's worth the try since you aren't traveling with kids. I hope it works out!

 

[teCh0010]

Make sure you have time between the connections, each airport has a minimum legal connection time.

Try to book all of the flights in one transaction, this should put all flights under one record locator. If all of the flights are on one record locator the airline will help you out if your trip is interrupted. Using the same airline for all will help as well.

If you can't book them all in one transaction you can try and call and have the record locator numbers combined.

 

[SDSorority]

Thanks everyone! I do have enough time between each flight, all on Southwest and tied to our Rapid Rewards account numbers. No less than an hour and 5 minutes, and no more than 2 hours between each leg of the flights. The flight coming home is great- direct flight from LAS to MDW, then direct flight from MDW to CMH. If I had booked going LAS to CMH, I would have either have had to leave at 6am (which it would have been hard to get to the airport at 5am since we have to be out late the night before) or not leave until 2pm, which wouldn't put us back in CMH until 11pm. AGH! AND, doing this saved us $200 (though it increased our travel time by 2 hours... I'll take the money savings .

 

[plutolovr]

Who knew that EVERYONE IN THE WORLD was going to Vegas that weekend.

If you're talking about the weekend of March 9 then it's busy because that is the NASCAR race weekend. We go on the 9th and will return on the 13th.

 

[SDSorority]

If you're talking about the weekend of March 9 then it's busy because that is the NASCAR race weekend. We go on the 9th and will return on the 13th.

Oh I had no idea that was going on! That's the weekend I'm talking about!

 

[HayGan]

Keep in mind that since these aren't booked as 1 trip if one of your originating flights is delayed causing you to miss your second connection that SW does NOT have the responsibility to rebook you on another flight. You will have to do so at your own expense. You would be repsonsible for repurchasing a new ticket at the current rate which will likely be significantly higher than the rate you paid (although with SW you will be able to apply all of your funds paid for the original flight missed.) Airlines are only responsible rebooking fliers on new flights if the trip was booked as one trip (which doesn't apply in your case.)

This is a risk that you take in booking a trip like this.

 

[IUTBAM]

I'd fly into LAX and then drive to Vegas. We've done that before.

 

[kelly495]

We've done the drive from LAX too and it isn't bad. I would go that route too. Then again, I always seem to be on the flights with plane problems!!

 

[CarrieR]

You might consider booking each way as a round trip -- do it like this.

On the home booking screen, select "round trip" and go Columbus to MDW, and select your departure date as both your departure and return dates.

On the next screen, at the top, select "add another flight" to the right of the boxes that list CMH/MDW and type LAS into the "return" box. That will ensure you're not violating minimum connection times, combine the two flights onto one confirmation number & itinerary, and could (on rare occasion) drop the flight a bit. I think -- though I am not certain -- it will allow you to check bags through to your destination (which I know you said you're not doing, but it's nice to have the option. )

 

[KCMiller]

We've done the drive from LAX too and it isn't bad. I would go that route too. Then again, I always seem to be on the flights with plane problems!!

Although if you were going to do that, I'd suggest flying into Ontario, CA, instead of LAX - a much smaller airport, about 50 miles east of LA, and that much closer to Las Vegas. My son lives pretty close to this airport, and it was an easy drive to Vegas from there last fall.

KC