Should I wait for Southwest late August fares or not!?!

[taymacsmom]

We are travelling to MCO from BDL ( Hartford, CT) on Aug 17 of this year. Southwest still has not opened their reservations beyond Aug. 12. Their website says that they will open up the window for the end of August and September on February 8. We can book nonstop flights through Delta now for around $250 pp roundtrip which is a good price. My problems are that 1) that price does not include bags which are $23 each and we are travelling for 10 days with 6 people. So that will add $276.00 (round trip) to our cost. I am also worried about the "change fees". For some reason, I am petrified that something will happen in the next 6 months that will force us to change our flights. If I wait another 2 weeks for Southwests fares to come out and they are way higher than Delta, I am afraid that we will not get seats on Delta together or, worse yet, not at all. Here is my question. Should I wait for Southwest and take my chances on the price or should I book Delta and take a chance on the "change fees"? Opinions. Experiences with Delta? Any input would be appreciated!

Kelly

 

[kellydizfan]

I am waiting for them to open up. We need 5 tickets out of Albany or Newark or even Hartford depending on price. I am keeping an eye on Jet Blue - ck that daily also. I would wait - $250 sounds high - I am hoping to keep it under $200 a ticket. Right now Air Tran has it $82 one way out of Westchester to Orlando MCO but I can't get my flight back yet.

 

[eliza61]

I'm going to wait also. 2/8 is less than 2 weeks a way. Spirit flies near me and probably is going to be the cheapest around I'm just afraid to use Spirit as I've heard horror stories of them changing flight times.

 

[chabs]

I'm waiting too-looking to fly out of Albany or Hartford. I think they are going to be about $300 round trip but that includes free luggage and we bring a lot of stuff.

 

[DCbride]

We too are waiting for SW flights post 8/12. I am concerned that the flights pre 8/12 are still pretty high for PHL to MCO. We usually get flights for around $90 each and they are $135 each way. Buying 5 tickets might have us driving this summer.

 

[WDWisTheBest]

It looks like the thoughts so far are to wait for awhile. Good luck.

 

[papamouse1]

I can only speak to our experiences, but personally, I would wait. We have never found SW to be way higher. By the time you add in your bag fees, etc. it has always been a wash for us.
Also we prefer to fly SW, even if it's slightly higher, just as our own personal strike against the barrage of "fees" airlines are tacking on. <begin rant> Just charge the fee it costs to fly one person and one bag, all the airlines have done is create HUGE carryon problem... <end rant>

 

[ms.ojo]

I feel your angst. I jumped on the Delta fares earlier this mth from BDL to MCO at $189RT. Even w/ baggage fees (we usually take 3 bags) SWA would have to come in pretty cheap to beat them.

That said, I was anxious to book w/ Delta and not have the flexibility to change flights. (we've been flying SWA for 8 yrs now) On the flip side, I have seat assignments and don't have to tack on EBCI for our return trip to get a good boarding pass and interupt our park touring on the day before we leave.

It does feel good to be booked....and I was very nervous at how expensive SWA and JB have been for the rest of the summer. JB is still showing $400RT for our travel dates in Aug.

Good luck

 

[taymacsmom]

I feel your angst. I jumped on the Delta fares earlier this mth from BDL to MCO at $189RT. Even w/ baggage fees (we usually take 3 bags) SWA would have to come in pretty cheap to beat them.

That said, I was anxious to book w/ Delta and not have the flexibility to change flights. (we've been flying SWA for 8 yrs now) On the flip side, I have seat assignments and don't have to tack on EBCI for our return trip to get a good boarding pass and interupt our park touring on the day before we leave.

It does feel good to be booked....and I was very nervous at how expensive SWA and JB have been for the rest of the summer. JB is still showing $400RT for our travel dates in Aug.

Good luck

Those were my thoughts exactly! It sure would be nice to have assigned seats and not have to worry finding a place to check in on our last day also. I was very excited when Jet Blue announced that they would fly out of BDL but, wow, are they expensive!!

Just curious...what are your travel dates?

 

[papamouse1]

I feel your angst. I jumped on the Delta fares earlier this mth from BDL to MCO at $189RT. Even w/ baggage fees (we usually take 3 bags) SWA would have to come in pretty cheap to beat them.

That said, I was anxious to book w/ Delta and not have the flexibility to change flights. (we've been flying SWA for 8 yrs now) On the flip side, I have seat assignments and don't have to tack on EBCI for our return trip to get a good boarding pass and interupt our park touring on the day before we leave.

It does feel good to be booked....and I was very nervous at how expensive SWA and JB have been for the rest of the summer. JB is still showing $400RT for our travel dates in Aug.

Good luck

Just to clarify, our last trip, they had actually started doing SW through the Early Boarding program in the resorts. So if what you mention as EBCI is the ability to check bags inadvance for Magical Express, you can do that now with SW.

 

[tjs198]

We are travelling to MCO from BDL ( Hartford, CT) on Aug 17 of this year. Southwest still has not opened their reservations beyond Aug. 12. Their website says that they will open up the window for the end of August and September on February 8. We can book nonstop flights through Delta now for around $250 pp roundtrip which is a good price. My problems are that 1) that price does not include bags which are $23 each and we are travelling for 10 days with 6 people. So that will add $276.00 (round trip) to our cost. I am also worried about the "change fees". For some reason, I am petrified that something will happen in the next 6 months that will force us to change our flights. If I wait another 2 weeks for Southwests fares to come out and they are way higher than Delta, I am afraid that we will not get seats on Delta together or, worse yet, not at all. Here is my question. Should I wait for Southwest and take my chances on the price or should I book Delta and take a chance on the "change fees"? Opinions. Experiences with Delta? Any input would be appreciated!

Kelly

I was in the same dilemma for September - but booked my flights from DC for $150/RT on Delta. Here's a trick, I signed up for the delta american express credit card which gives you no bag fees for 6 or 8 in your party. The annual fee is like $75 a year, but is free for the first year so you can cancel it after your trip. I think they are also a promotion going on where you get 25,000 bonus miles after your first purchase - I made my purchase and waiting for the miles to hit my account - then I can upgrade our 2 tickets to first class with the bonus miles.

I'm doubting southwest can beat $150/RT - but will definately log in to see.

 

[papamouse1]

I was in the same dilemma for September - but booked my flights from DC for $150/RT on Delta. Here's a trick, I signed up for the delta american express credit card which gives you no bag fees for 6 or 8 in your party. The annual fee is like $75 a year, but is free for the first year so you can cancel it after your trip. I think they are also a promotion going on where you get 25,000 bonus miles after your first purchase - I made my purchase and waiting for the miles to hit my account - then I can upgrade our 2 tickets to first class with the bonus miles.

I'm doubting southwest can beat $150/RT - but will definately log in to see.

We fly from the midwest rather than DC, but our experience in pricing over the last several years has been SW will be higher for the base fare. It usually washes out once you include the charge for your bags, especially for us since I travel with 3 women and go for 10 days or so... they cannot do that with one bag and one carryon. But if you have covered that extra cost you would have incurred on Delta, I would almost guarantee you won't get SW to come close to the base price you got. Good planning on your part

 

[ms.ojo]

Just to clarify, our last trip, they had actually started doing SW through the Early Boarding program in the resorts. So if what you mention as EBCI is the ability to check bags inadvance for Magical Express, you can do that now with SW.

EBCI is early bird check-in. With SWA you don't get seat assignments. At the 24hr mark before your flight you call in to get a boarding pass assignment. EBCI let's you pay a little more and SWA will assign you the boarding pass BEFORE the 24hr mark so you don't have to do that. Totally separate from Magical Express. But thank you. And I was really happy SWA was now a totall participating airline in that service.

 

[ms.ojo]

Those were my thoughts exactly! It sure would be nice to have assigned seats and not have to worry finding a place to check in on our last day also. I was very excited when Jet Blue announced that they would fly out of BDL but, wow, are they expensive!!

Just curious...what are your travel dates?

I know. Many of my family fly out of Boston and they LOVE JB. But boy...they sure are expensive out of Bradley.

We're traveling 8/14-8/23 and you?

 

[taymacsmom]

I know. Many of my family fly out of Boston and they LOVE JB. But boy...they sure are expensive out of Bradley.

We're traveling 8/14-8/23 and you?

We are traveling 8/17 - 8/26 so it doesn't look like we will run into each other at the airport. Do you live in CT? We are in Wethersfield.

 

[seadd67]

I feel your angst. I jumped on the Delta fares earlier this mth from BDL to MCO at $189RT. Even w/ baggage fees (we usually take 3 bags) SWA would have to come in pretty cheap to beat them.

That said, I was anxious to book w/ Delta and not have the flexibility to change flights. (we've been flying SWA for 8 yrs now) On the flip side, I have seat assignments and don't have to tack on EBCI for our return trip to get a good boarding pass and interupt our park touring on the day before we leave.

It does feel good to be booked....and I was very nervous at how expensive SWA and JB have been for the rest of the summer. JB is still showing $400RT for our travel dates in Aug.

Good luck

I was right there last week, debateing with Delta and waiting for SW. Right now I think I shot my self in the foot!, they had OW flights going out of Seattle for 90.00,then by sunday they went up to 150.00 by this last tuesday. I could not do much at the time because money,oh well win some lose some right!. Now I cross my fingers,toes and arms for a good rate come the 8th I am hopeing for around 100.00 ow.

 

[ms.ojo]

I was right there last week, debateing with Delta and waiting for SW. Right now I think I shot my self in the foot!, they had OW flights going out of Seattle for 90.00,then by sunday they went up to 150.00 by this last tuesday. I could not do much at the time because money,oh well win some lose some right!. Now I cross my fingers,toes and arms for a good rate come the 8th I am hopeing for around 100.00 ow.

It's a roll of the dice. I had almost booked the night before and the price was $15 higher/ticket. I waited a day and it went down...and I hesitated booking thinking "would it go down more?" But decided to lock in. Good thing....since then it's done nothing but go up! Now I don't doubt for a second it will come down again, and when SWA releases their prices will go up and down. And while doing this I thougth I'd save myself angst, I'll probably still check in periodically to see if my good deal holds up! LOL

 

[zmanandshan]

Good luck with your decision. Just a thought, but not sure how central you are in CT. I live in NH County. My new favorite airport is HPN (Westchester County). Easy access if you are near Rt 15. For us, it works out to be a few miles less. Absolutely no wait to get through security. Downside is there is not much parking and it is expensive ($25per day), so we have gotten rides from family or friends for some cash.

I am going in June and back in December got Jet blue flights for $160 RT PP. I travel a lot with work, and the prices have been on the rise with the economy improving. Airlines actually starting to make a profit now. If this countinues, as many are suggesting, there will be not much of an incentive to lower prices in the summer during prime travel season as they have done in the past two or three years. True, you can take a shot and perhaps get lucky, but you could also end up paying more, too.

Good Luck!