Several SW questions

[Coconuts]

1) Does anyone know when fares usually drop for SW? I heard that fares sometimes drop @ 6wks prior to travel date. Has that been true?

2)I am a little confused about going home from MCO. If you don't want to carry your own bags from DME drop off point, do skycaps carry them in to the inside line and wait with you or is there outside baggage checkin? If there is outside checkin, is it faster than inside?

3)Has anyone had bad experience with 24hr online checkin for return home flights? We have 3 kids, 8, 5, and 16mos old, so we can't sit all apart. I am so afraid that I will be sitting with the baby alone and my DH will be at the other end of the plane unable to help me.

Thanks in advance for any replies.

 

[cbsnyber1]

I'll take a stab at your first question: it all depends on the flights you are considering, and supply and demand. If a flight is not selling well, SW will drop the price, and that typically occurs closer to flight time, anywhere from a couple weeks to a couple days out (they also use their Ding! alerts to push flights) - but you often see some fares yo-yo up and down almost from the time they are released. They sometimes drop the fare for a flight, and if it begins to fill up, raise it back up. They must track demand for every flight, and adjust prices accordingly.

I'll give an example of our upcoming trip in December: booked down and back for $79 each way (from Pittsburgh) on the FIRST day the flight schedule for December was released; both nonstop, with the down flight leaving 7:05 AM, the return flight at 4:10 PM. Those flights are now $124 & $139 respectively. However, when released, the entire flight schedule down was $79 - most of those flights, right now, are $68 - including two nonstops later in the day. Our flights are higher because of their departure times (we will have almost the entire first day at the parks because we arrive at 9:30, and can visit the last day due to the late afternoon departure). The demand drove up the prices of our flights, the other flights are lagging, so now are cheaper.

My advice: book when you are comfortable with the price. If the price drops later on for your flights, you can rebook (without penalty) and receive a credit for future travel. I don't travel much so that part would be a problem for me, as I am sure it is for others, but at least you have a chance to recover it. Just about all other airlines charge, like, a $75 rebooking fee. Waiting can be a big gamble - prices could rise for close to sold out flights.

 

[DebbieB]

Regarding 24 hour check-in, with your 16 month old you will all be able to board between A and B (family boarding for families with children 4 or under) if you don't get an A boarding pass. You should be fine.

 

[disneyfaninaz]

You can check in 24 hours in advance of your return flight at any Guest Services location within the parks, concierge desk at any WDW resort, mobile phone or have a trusted family member or friend check you in from home.

You do not have to print your boarding pass when checking in. You can do that at the airport when you check your bags. SWA does have curbside check in so you don't have to take you bags inside the terminal.

 

[mizzoumom]

As far as credit with SW it is transferable to another person, so say someone wants to visit you you can give them your credit to apply to their ticket.

 

[seadd67]

The Family check In will be just fine just let the attendent know If you do not have a A or B borading pass.