Southwest and Cheap Fares

[AndyMcV]

Hi Gang

It seems that SW is offering cheap flights ($39 - $59) a lot. It seems to good to be true. Is there anything that I'm missing here? Surely they can't make money at these prices. Are they making the money up in other ways? Do they have cheap/old planes? Any one care to comment? Like I said it sounds too good to be true, is it?

Andy

 

[MinnieNH]

Hi Gang

It seems that SW is offering cheap flights ($39 - $59) a lot. It seems to good to be true. Is there anything that I'm missing here? Surely they can't make money at these prices. Are they making the money up in other ways? Do they have cheap/old planes? Any one care to comment? Like I said it sounds too good to be true, is it?

Andy

I hope it's not too good to be true since i booked with them. We are a family of 4 and are flying for under $400.00 from MHT in July. Everyone I know who flies them likes them. I hope we do too!!

 

[webworm]

Hi Gang

It seems that SW is offering cheap flights ($39 - $59) a lot. It seems to good to be true. Is there anything that I'm missing here? Surely they can't make money at these prices. Are they making the money up in other ways? Do they have cheap/old planes? Any one care to comment? Like I said it sounds too good to be true, is it?

Andy

I have flown Southwest many times to Florida and saved thousands compared to what it cost to fly out of Toronto. I have never had a problem. Most recently I flew Detroit to Orlando during March break for a family of 5 for $585US including all taxes and had a direct flight each way.

 

[cabmom]

Hi Gang

It seems that SW is offering cheap flights ($39 - $59) a lot. It seems to good to be true. Is there anything that I'm missing here? Surely they can't make money at these prices. Are they making the money up in other ways? Do they have cheap/old planes? Any one care to comment? Like I said it sounds too good to be true, is it?

Andy

You have nothing to worry about they are a great airline!

Something new I learned on this last trip. If you do curbside checkin they work on tips, so to avoid the hassle of lining up either in BUF or MCO just use them and tip them. I'd rather tip than stand in the long line in MCO. They are very friendly and efficient.

 

[dancin Disney style]

SW is able to offer low fares for several reasons.

a) They only fly one type of aircraft which keeps their maintenance costs down.

b) They don't have assigned seating which does two things. It reduces the man power to check in/board passengers and it also allows them to get the plane in the air faster. Planes sitting on the ground don't make money.

c) They had previously locked in their fuel prices. So that cost is a constant. However, at some point that contract will expire and prices will rise.

Also, they only sell a limited number of seats at those low, $39- $69, fares. Once they are gone everyone else must pay the higher fares. I have never been on a SW flight that was not full.

 

[nosnobunny2006]

I have never been on a SW flight that was not full.

Ours wasn't full coming back last April. As it turned out, I had a whole section of three seats to myself so I could stretch out and lay down.

Beth

 

[dancin Disney style]

Ours wasn't full coming back last April. As it turned out, I had a whole section of three seats to myself so I could stretch out and lay down.

Beth

So there is hope yet for the prized "empty seat". It's been a REALLY long time since I have been on any flight with an empty seat beside me. The last time I flew from Toronto we couldn't even get seats together. We checked in 2.5 hours before the flight.

 

[nosnobunny2006]

So there is hope yet for the prized "empty seat". It's been a REALLY long time since I have been on any flight with an empty seat beside me. The last time I flew from Toronto we couldn't even get seats together. We checked in 2.5 hours before the flight.

This was on our return flight from Ft. Lauderdale. We had a connection in Orlando but I can't recall exactly what time we departed. 7 PM sounds about right. The plane was only about 1/3 full, allowing both me and DH to lay down and sleep all the way home. He picked his row and I had mine.

Beth

 

[cdnmickeylover]

There is no catch. One thing to their cheap fares is that the taxes are only about $15 each way. This makes it a lot cheap to fly from Buffalo rather than flying from Toronto.

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

When you fly from Canada a lot of international taxes and Customs user fees get added to your fare and I think that GST thing somehow gets factored in too. When you fly from Buffalo it's a domestic flight because you drove into the U.S. and thus you've only got the U.S. air tax, passenger facility charge and Security fee.

There is no catch when you fly Southwest. The $34 fare to Orlando in July is for real.....just booked it for myself and family from Orlando to Buffalo to pay a quick visit to wonderful Toronto!!

BobK/Orlando