SouthWest Booking Strategy to Get Preferred Flights

[PSUGuy]

Last time I booked with them I got to the site as soon as my dates opened, I was all prepared, punched in the PHL to MCO flight I wanted, did the same for the return but by the time I got to the end of the process the return flight at the Wanna Get Away price was gone, I ended up settling for an earlier flight than I wanted but I did get the good rate going down. To avoid this I'm considering having wifey and I on at the same time, in addition to our main PC I've got a laptop and a wireless net. In this scenario I'd book the downward leg for both of us, she'd do the same for the return, as soon as the rates are released. I understand there'd be two separate transactions with two itineraries but I see no problems with this. Any reason not to do this?

Thanks,
Bill From PA

 

[rigs32]

None. In fact, it's better to book each way separately. That way if prices go down for one and up for the other, you can cancel and rebook just the one that dropped.

 

[n2mm]

Agree. I book all my flights separately. In fact I fly on 2 different carriers most of the time. Often down on SW and home on Jetblue.

 

[PSUGuy]

Thanks, all!

Bill From PA

 

[AngiTN]

None. In fact, it's better to book each way separately. That way if prices go down for one and up for the other, you can cancel and rebook just the one that dropped.

Why would you do that? On Southwest all you do is change the flight leg to the lower fare and they process the credit
No rebooking of anything needed.

 

[mousestruck]

I always book each flight separately - makes it easier to change one leg of your trip if prices drop or you switch to a more desirable time. No problem at all!

 

[Canadian Disney Mom]

Why would you do that? On Southwest all you do is change the flight leg to the lower fare and they process the credit
No rebooking of anything needed.

This is our experience too - I have done this several times.

 

[emilymad]

We always book each segment and person separately. So for 2 of us we have 4 confirmation numbers. It makes it much easier to get price adjustments.

 

[kar915]

Why constantly rebook to get the lowest price possible isn't that a constant hassle and battle? Prices will constantly fluctuate until the plane leaves.

 

[AngiTN]

Why constantly rebook to get the lowest price possible isn't that a constant hassle and battle? Prices will constantly fluctuate until the plane leaves.

No not at all. It's super easy
Pull up your reservation on the app or website, click change and see if the price dropped. Click check out and it generates a credit of it did. Just close it or if it didn't change or increases. Takes minutes, can save hundreds. We had a drop of over $100 each person on our flights to CA last year. Let us fly free to WDW in Oct

 

[Disneylover99]

None. In fact, it's better to book each way separately. That way if prices go down for one and up for the other, you can cancel and rebook just the one that dropped.

And don't cancel and rebook if you've already purchased EBCI, or you will lose it. Change instead of cancel.

 

[Yankeemouse]

AngiTN is right on! Book your flights at the same time. then if you see a reduction, just pull up your ressie, and change only the leg that has the lower price. if both have lower prices, then change them both. You get to keep the same reservation number and it automatically gives you the credit. Much easier than cancelling, rebooking and having different reservation numbers to keep track of your credits. My return flight from MCO dropped to $74 on Tuesday this past week from $119, and $299 from October! I have changed it twice. I check every Tuesday for price changes on Southwest, it seems to be the day they have price changes.

 

[hannymom]

i am new to all of this with southwest so i would love some help. i thought when you book non-refundable you can't change your reservation. so how do you get the credit if your flight goes down? we will be booking our trip to orlando out of chicago as soon as the dates for the end of september are posted.

 

[PCFriar80]

i am new to all of this with southwest so i would love some help. i thought when you book non-refundable you can't change your reservation. so how do you get the credit if your flight goes down? we will be booking our trip to orlando out of chicago as soon as the dates for the end of september are posted.

The term credit in the case of this thread refers to a SW credit for future travel within 1 year of your original purchase. In other words, if you purchased a flight on 1/15/16 for travel on 6/15/16 and the price goes down between purchase date and flight date, you will receive a SW credit for the difference. That is, if you elect to change on-line. In my example, the credit would have to be applied to travel before 1/15/17 as it expires 1 year from original purchase. There is no credit directly to your original form of payment.

 

[Day-Day]

i am new to all of this with southwest so i would love some help. i thought when you book non-refundable you can't change your reservation. so how do you get the credit if your flight goes down? we will be booking our trip to orlando out of chicago as soon as the dates for the end of september are posted.

Yikes!

The term credit in the case of this thread refers to a SW credit for future travel within 1 year of your original purchase. In other words, if you purchased a flight on 1/15/16 for travel on 6/15/16 and the price goes down between purchase date and flight date, you will receive a SW credit for the difference. That is, if you elect to change on-line. In my example, the credit would have to be applied to travel before 1/15/17 as it expires 1 year from original purchase. There is no credit directly to your original form of payment.

So for some folks who will not travel again soon enough to take advantage, it may be better to wait before booking the flight at all...if prices go down.

 

[AngiTN]

Yikes!



So for some folks who will not travel again soon enough to take advantage, it may be better to wait before booking the flight at all...if prices go down.

One problem with this
Flights go up too. Just as often as they go down
Best advice is to book at a price you can stomach
If you truly have no use for a credit then never check the site again. Accept what you paid and move on. That way you'll never know you could have paid less.

 

[keishashadow]

Last time I booked with them I got to the site as soon as my dates opened, I was all prepared, punched in the PHL to MCO flight I wanted, did the same for the return but by the time I got to the end of the process the return flight at the Wanna Get Away price was gone, I ended up settling for an earlier flight than I wanted but I did get the good rate going down. To avoid this I'm considering having wifey and I on at the same time, in addition to our main PC I've got a laptop and a wireless net. In this scenario I'd book the downward leg for both of us, she'd do the same for the return, as soon as the rates are released. I understand there'd be two separate transactions with two itineraries but I see no problems with this. Any reason not to do this?

Thanks,
Bill From PA

Going to assume you are already logged into your SW account before you start the process of booking and have payment information stored to speed things in the proccess.

Are you saying you selected RT flights for two people and when you went to checkout the return flight wasn't available at the original rate? If so, never had that happen to me. If it did i'd certainly give them a call & inquire 'why'.

Not sure if it applies to booking right out of the gate, but often searching for 2 people vs 1 person will reflect a higher rate overall. imo better to search rates for just one person. If anything, I'd have each person book their own RT once the schedule is released if you are concerned about flight/fare availability.

 

[Day-Day]

One problem with this
Flights to up too. Just as often as they go down
Best advice is to book at a price you can stomach
If you truly have no use for a credit then never check the site again. Accept what you paid and move on. That way you'll never know you could have paid less.

Yeah, I know. We've booked flights for our next trip on SWA. My son's family is going down on a different day and the prices are higher than I "think" they should be and it is tough for them to commit. Also, the main competition from our airport for flights to MCO is Delta. Their prices are outrageous at the moment but normally fall down to something reasonable as the travel date approaches.

I'd rather buy SWA since they are more reasonable with their pricing from the start. I feel like punishing Delta by not buying their tickets because they price them so high initially. By the time the travel date comes around though, Delta fills their flight and don't really care how I feel about them.

It is a very frustrating game.

 

[bumbershoot]

Yikes!


Took me a long time to convince DS that he needed to say "descending" instead of that phrase when on a plane or talking about a flight coming in for landing!



So for some folks who will not travel again soon enough to take advantage, it may be better to wait before booking the flight at all...if prices go down.

Can't guarantee it. If you won't be traveling in the future, book at a rate you don't mind and don't check again.

At this point there are two airlines I know of that allow credit for downward changes. Southwest and Alaska. If you book with them and you cannot use a credit, pretend they are normal airlines. If you think you might book inside the time the credits are active, then do. I find Alaska's process to be even easier than southwest's.

 

[Day-Day]

Can't guarantee it. If you won't be traveling in the future, book at a rate you don't mind and don't check again.

At this point there are two airlines I know of that allow credit for downward changes. Southwest and Alaska. If you book with them and you cannot use a credit, pretend they are normal airlines. If you think you might book inside the time the credits are active, then do. I find Alaska's process to be even easier than southwest's.

I would just as soon take the credit just in case I have a chance to use it.

Is there a downside? I think I read where the boarding position may take a hit when compared to equivalent tickets and priorities and it comes down to the date of booking; anyone know if this is the case?

One more question for folks who have tracked Southwest pricing. If a flight has "Wanna Get Away" fares no longer available, do they occasionally become available again?