Southwest Airlines

[WhitGB]

We will be getting Southwest airlines service into Milwaukee beginning Nov 1. I see that a lot of people use this airline due to the great prices you can find, never being able to use them before due to proximity to us, how do they work? I see people reminding others to check prices, if prices change in your favor can you do something to get money back? Is this only on certain purchases?

Thank you for any information, we are looking for flights to Disney for Feb and I would like to have my ducks in a row....

 

[uromac]

Hi!

Welcome to the Southwest club..FYI, If you a non refundable ticket you can exchange that reservation for another at any time/day (with no penalty/fee) and if there are any funds left you have a year from that date of purchase (use the original confirmation # to redeem - so always keep that on hand along with purchaser name and date of purchase) and you can change as many times as you want. With refundable tickets you can refund the entire amount. No seat assignments, just 24 hours before you can check-in and get a line assignment (ABC with numbers) which passengers line up accordingly by number and then find a seat of their choice once on board. Also enroll in 'Ding' fare program to get some bargains, no charge for luggage, and if you splurge for business class - you get double the credits and a free drink coupon, boarding early, and with all flights no charge for checked baggage. Also as an added bonus, you have their flight attendants great sense of humor!

Good Luck and Happy Flying SWA !!

 

[disneylove69]

It's a now frills airline but I fly nothing but them. First they have great customer service!!! Sometimes they sing the landing or takeoff instructions. We even had peanut/raisin races. They normally have the lowest fare, don't charge for the first two bags per person checked and the third is $25. You are allowed one carry on and a purse or laptop. No food on board but peanuts, soda, and sometimes crackers or cookies which is free and you can have as much as you want. They offer liquor but only take credit card or frequent flyer tickets. You can bring your own food. No assigned seating. They board in groups of 30. The first 30 are reserved for those who pay a little extra for tickets. Then boarding is assigned by when you check-in online, cell, or person up to 24 hours in advance. Even if you check baggage you can check in ahead of time.They replaced the A,B,C letter boarding.

As far as pricing they have 3 tiers. The cheapest is the non-refundable but you can use the credit toward another flight. For example, if you book a flight for $200 now and later you find it for $100. You can cancel your higher price flight and rebook at a lower with no fee penalty. The extra $100 can be used up to a year on another flight. It doesn't even have to be used for the person the ticket was originally tickets. You get free tickets a lot quicker also. 8 roundtrips= free flight.

 

[Redwitch]

The other thing I do with SW is book each leg as a separate transaction. So, if you find the fight to WDW has dropped and the return fight has gone up, you can just rebook/change the one fight.

I become obsessed when I have a flight booked. I look every morning to see if the price dropped. My last trip I started with $99 each way and ended with $59 one way and $78 the other. I think I changed flight times three times and changed due to cost twice.

You'll find lots of SW info on the transportation board.

 

[CLR4321]

I love Southwest for many reasons! The #1 reason being that they do not charge for checked bags (you can check 2 bags for free), yet almost all other airlines are charging $15 per bag each way. I also love that they let you pick your own seat. Their employees are great also, they just seem to have this laid back feeling about them that the majority of airline employees just don't have.

 

[OhMari]

OMG, it is like the "Manna" Gods are for once smiling down on Milwaukee.
We had our very own Midwest Express, but within the last year their prices are ridiculous. I like AirTran, but I'm glad SouthWest is coming finally to Milwaukee. You could never get airfare to Orlando for under $200.

 

[WhitGB]

That was the information I wanted to know. Does anyone know when we can start booking from Milwaukee if they are starting service in November?

 

[Psychodisney]

OMG!!!!I hadn't heard this! Southwest out of Milwaukee!!! woohoo!!!!

 

[lailah]

Reservations for Nov. 1 are supposed to be available June 23rd. I am waiting patiently for their flights. We're going the week before Thanksgiving!

 

[LynnTH]

I have always heard great things about Southwest too. We just got them in the Mpls/St. Paul Airport recently. Right now they only fly to Chicago and Denver. So, I'm hoping that they will continue to add more destinations (especially Floriday ones as we are usually going to Disney or on a Cruise).

 

[toledo13]

We will be getting Southwest airlines service into Milwaukee beginning Nov 1. I see that a lot of people use this airline due to the great prices you can find, never being able to use them before due to proximity to us, how do they work? I see people reminding others to check prices, if prices change in your favor can you do something to get money back? Is this only on certain purchases?

Thank you for any information, we are looking for flights to Disney for Feb and I would like to have my ducks in a row....

Southwest is my FAVORITE!!!!!! If we CAN fly Southwest, we DO! I LUV them (haha... you'll get it once you see all of their LUV marketing materials). The flight attendants we've had are so FUNNY! One time we were landing and they came over the loud speaker and were like ''Wooooaahhh, woooooaaahhh!!!" (like you're slowing a horse), and then once we were stopped were like "Ok, get out" I LOVE THEM I LOVE THEM!!!!

This will be the first time I fly one way with (gasp) Airtran. I'm SERIOUSLY bummed that we're not flying round trip with Southwest... but the price difference was unbeatable.