So upset with southwest!

[goofy4tink]

Sorry but the airlines can't afford to fly you for $79.

They finally woke up, cut capacity and raised pricing to a level they can make a profit

SW wasn't paying the same price for oil that other airlines were paying, so they were able to put out those great fares. Now that the contract has ended, they're in the same boat as the other airlines.

I had a MCO to PVD fare, for Dec, of $70. It was a perfect time for me. Since my dh can pick me up at either Logan or TF Green, I take the lowest fare. JB has had some decent fares lately. SW fares seem to be really creeping up. I fly JB mostly nowadays.

 

[CarolMN]

I also saw "I REFUSE to pay" You can "refuse" to pay, but that doesn't mean that the airline has to meet your demands. Sorry!

Agree, But SWA does have sales and maybe rusafee1183 decided to wait for one. I know I did.

I'm looking to go Tu-Tu and not during a popular spring break week, so I'm fairly certain I can pay less than they want right now.

While I know that SWA allows us to get credits if the fares goes down, I also learned the hard way that it allows only a total of 4 types of payments and each travel credit is counted as a separate form. (I already knew how they figured expiration). This can be a problem if you want/need to use a credit card + 4 or more travel credits to complete your payment.

Since I do have other choices, I'm going to wait them out a bit. SWA only has 1 non-stop MSP to MCO & 1 non-stop MCO-MSP and the times don't thrill me, anyway. I think maybe the other airlines will also have some sales in a few months for our dates.

SWA used to offer the best prices out of MSP when they first released their schedule, but that is no longer the case. SPIRIT also added some "cheap" non-stop flights on that route at good times and that may help with keeping the other airlines' prices low. (I flew SPIRIT once and will not do so again unless it's for an emergency and I have no other viable choice. Vacation doesn't qualify, LOL).

So we'll see.

 

[djblu883]

I have found recently that I can sometimes find CHEAPER rates with other airlines. I book flights a LOT and have used Southwest when ever I could becasue they were cheap....since they merged with Air Tran pricing has changed....Now more often than not I'll go with Delta for a short trip when I don't need a checked bag...BUT the one thing that a do love about Southwest is that they don't charge you a fee if you need to make a change and 2 checked bags are free....I just wish they they went to Jamaica lol

 

[winterwhite]

I just pulled BDL-MCO for our dates next week (so very close) and was able to get $519.80 round trip for 2 people, which is pretty much the standard rate.

I guess I don't feel like that's high? I mean, it's 1500 miles away.

 

[Gracie09]

I have found recently that I can sometimes find CHEAPER rates with other airlines. I book flights a LOT and have used Southwest when ever I could becasue they were cheap....since they merged with Air Tran pricing has changed....Now more often than not I'll go with Delta for a short trip when I don't need a checked bag...BUT the one thing that a do love about Southwest is that they don't charge you a fee if you need to make a change and 2 checked bags are free....I just wish they they went to Jamaica lol

I read a travel blog that cited a study about sw pricing. They said in air fare alone (not fees) 60% of the time sw is more expensive than other carriers for the same routes at around the same times. It did not say what happened if you added in fees for luggage but the study focused on business travellers many of whom don't check bags anyway. I'm on my phone but if any one is interested I will link the blog post later when I get to my laptop.

 

[Charmel]

January 2011 we were able to get all 4 of from Dallas to MCO for just under $600. The absolute cheapest I have found this time is $1100. We will be driving this trip.

 

[a1tinkfans]

ny to fla for us...SW...Im thrilled when we get anything around ($250.)/comparable Miles for mco.
I generally fly to fll (lauderdale) now to get to naples as the flights to rsw (fort myers) are so limited with sw. (( for non stop and seasonal... we will not fly anything that is not a non stop.
SW is so convenient, and using miles its just so easy for us. I paid (132.) miles each way for Oct, then despite no DING alert, decided to check the website and saw the flights reduced to 99. each way, so changed our flights and got my miles back/re-deposited.
I have been fortunate to not have to pay for flights for at least the last 3-4 trips for our family. I use the sw card for everything I can, and pay it right off interest free each month and the miles just add up. I tend to also book each leg of the trip (one ways) versus round trips as it just seems easier to me when I change things up.
the 2 free bags, free drink coupons and the no change/cancel fees (well within 10 minutes of the flight) are all bonus'

OP: keep checking the flights because you just may grab some reduced rates closer to your departure...Best of Luck!!!

 

[Texashokies]

Sounds like I'm in the minority. I got our spring break tickets for $222 round trip from Austin which is about what we normally pay. I was terrified we would have to pay more than we usually do because of the break.

 

[BamaKit]

We booked our flights from BHM to MCO for $49 each on SW. Booked in June during one of their sales. Got my 3 family members to Orlando for under $300. So yes there are still some great deals out there.

 

[MillauFr]

When was that, that most airlines would credit you? Pre-late-80s I assume? Of course in the early 80s we paid about 800 to get me from San Francisco to DC and back for my 8th grade trip, but in Oct it's costing 171 to get from mco to sea. I'll take today's costs vs that 800

Agreed airlines charge far less than they used to. Flying is cheap now days. Southwest is a good airline and doesn't nickel and dime you like Sprit and Allegiant. If you want a fair price and avoid the bs charges then support Southwest. It won't be long before Sprit starts charging to use the bathroom.

 

[nolanboys]

We live outside of Chicago. I booked this morning out of Milwaukee. Paid $2400 for 6 tickets. Killed me to do so, but we have to leave on Saturday so the kids don't miss a day of school and dh doesn't miss work. Hoping the price comes down, but know that flying during a peak time and on a weekend just costs more. All other airlines are at least $550. At least I have $600 in rewards to offset the cost and our flights are at optimal times and flying out of Milwaukee saves us over $100 on parking costs compared to O'Hare. Just trying to looks for the silver lining...

 

[glimmerman76]

I booked ord to mco on united months ago for 6 people for 1305 bucks. Now I will pay 150 for check bags the whole trip but heck its worth it. Those same tickets now are 3100 bucks. Its amazing the way the price changes in a few months

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

I went online at 5:15 and grabbed the nonstop flight that I wanted for 145 pp. I went to check out and there was a computer glitch with my travel funds. I paid with PayPal and then got an error message that it could only use 4 travel funds. I did only use 4 and they were from one confirmation number even. I called them and by the time that they figured it out, my session was timed out and the flight was up to 200 pp! I ended up settling for another for 155 pp but it isn't nonstop. I'm just so disappointed!

Keep checking the non stop flight you wanted. Their prices fluctuate so much you just might get lucky!

 

[CanadianPaco]

Southwest sure fluctuate!! This weekend, I was running numbers on non stop flights for the 3 of us from buffalo to orlando. I found one for $200 down. Then DD asked about bringing a friend do I ran the numbers for 1 person. The SAME FLIGHT was now $175?!??! So I re-ran it with 3 adults and the flight was listed as $200?!?! I did it again for 1 adult and it was $175?!?! If I had booked it with 3 it would cost $75 more? Explain this?

I did this all at the same time... Not different times or days. It was the SAME flight same date and time ?!?!

 

[Disneylover99]

Southwest sure fluctuate!! This weekend, I was running numbers on non stop flights for the 3 of us from buffalo to orlando. I found one for $200 down. Then DD asked about bringing a friend do I ran the numbers for 1 person. The SAME FLIGHT was now $175?!??! So I re-ran it with 3 adults and the flight was listed as $200?!?! I did it again for 1 adult and it was $175?!?! If I had booked it with 3 it would cost $75 more? Explain this?

I did this all at the same time... Not different times or days. It was the SAME flight same date and time ?!?!

SW probably had 1 or 2 seats available at a discounted price, but not 3 seats. So when you plug in the price of 3 seats together you get a higher price, when you plug in one seat you get a lower price. It's not unusual. It's actually quite common. Some people will buy one seat at the discounted price and then purchase the other 2 seats separately.

 

[Gracie09]

Southwest sure fluctuate!! This weekend, I was running numbers on non stop flights for the 3 of us from buffalo to orlando. I found one for $200 down. Then DD asked about bringing a friend do I ran the numbers for 1 person. The SAME FLIGHT was now $175?!??! So I re-ran it with 3 adults and the flight was listed as $200?!?! I did it again for 1 adult and it was $175?!?! If I had booked it with 3 it would cost $75 more? Explain this?

I did this all at the same time... Not different times or days. It was the SAME flight same date and time ?!?!

They only have so many seats at each pice point. So they probably have one or two at the lower price point. When you looked for three it jumped to te next available price point.

 

[pooch]

we normally travel in Sept but because DD now lives in Kissimmee, we also go in May and/or Dec. I have never paid more than $200 PP R/T, non-stop. Last year I went down on the Thurs after Thanksgiving & returned the following Wed for $128 RT.

This year we are flying down the day after Thanksgiving & returning the following Friday for $182 PP RT, non-stop. I found that the first day fares came out (and I never book that early!) and hasn't been that low since.

Just lucky I guess!!!

 

[pArKsFaN]

Keep checking the non stop flight you wanted. Their prices fluctuate so much you just might get lucky!

I second this! I've been watching daily as I still had to buy one more ticket. Today the return flight dropped by $89 so I booked. Two hours later I just happened to check and the outgoing dropped $20 as well. Roundtrip was only $201 which I thought was fantastic...keep checking!

 

[Q-man]

SW probably had 1 or 2 seats available at a discounted price, but not 3 seats. So when you plug in the price of 3 seats together you get a higher price, when you plug in one seat you get a lower price. It's not unusual. It's actually quite common. Some people will buy one seat at the discounted price and then purchase the other 2 seats separately.

This. I've learned to book seats one at a time on SWA and not all four at once. You may not get the 3rd and/or 4th seat at the discount but you can get seats 1 and 2 at it.

 

[Q-man]

Sounds like I'm in the minority. I got our spring break tickets for $222 round trip from Austin which is about what we normally pay. I was terrified we would have to pay more than we usually do because of the break.

I've noticed AUS-MCO is usually $50-70 cheaper than HOU-MCO. That adds up for 4 of us. If we lived on the west side of Houston I'd be tempted to fly out of Bergstrom.