Southwest - buy now or wait

[tazdev3225]

My DH and I are going to WDW in Dec. We know we are flying Southwest as we loved them on our last trip. The price for each way is $99 right now for the times I want. I keep checking the price and it has remained the same. I want to book now to make sure that I get the flights I want but then I worry that the price will go down and I could have saved the money. Having only used Southwest once and getting the tickets late after AirTran kept changing my flight I really don't know how much I can hope for a lower fare and $99 isn't that bad. Those of you who have used Southwest, how long do you wait or do you book immediately? I tend to be a penny-pincher so I have more to spend when I get there. Thanks for any help.

 

[grimley1968]

I'm making the assumption you're flying from the Philly area. Is that right?

If so, I'd probably go ahead and book at that rate. That's not a bad price. It could go down in a Ding or other special, but I doubt it would go down enough to make you regret getting them now. To top it off, you'll have your tickets purchased and that's one less thing to worry about later.

You could play the "wait for a special" game, but more often than not (at least in my experience) nothing better than what shows up 2 or 3 months out appears, and if it does it only beats the original price by $5-10, not enough for the gamble that the seat might sell first. Also, the distance flown really does have an impact on ticket prices. If you were flying to Pittsburgh, I'd hold out for a better price, but you're flying about 1000 miles or so to get to WDW. $100 one way isn't bad for that. $90-100 is about the best I can hope to swing from Nashville or Louisville to WDW, and that's a lot closer to WDW than Philly.

Finally, we seem to be at about the bottom in this recession. Maybe it'll keep dragging on, but I bet it won't get much worse than it is right now (until the coming inflation-based recession in a couple years or so), so it's reasonable to bet that prices will go up rather than down.

 

[MinnieLee]

For $99 I would book that price being it is the time you want and the price is good. I don't think it would go much lower than that and if a DING price comes through that is less, rebook and hold the credit. which would be good for one year.

 

[Jeri Lynn]

I am in the same situation.

I have our flights back from Orlando, (Orlando to Providence $129 one way)
but am having a hard time with the flight to Orlando.

We are flying out on 11/29, which I understand is the Sunday after Thanksgiving and a busy day, but I have flown out on the Sunday after Thanksgiving before and had luck getting a good fare.

I can fly out of Boston, Hartford and Providence and right now the only decent rate I can get on Southwest is $152 + tax that one way.

I have checked Southwest, Airtran, Spirit and the other major airlines and their prices are even higher.

I can't decide if I should just book at the $152 + tax rate and hope it goes down. I could buy each ticket seperately (there are four of us - girls trip) so that if the fare goes down each person gets their own credit...but I keep hoping the fare will go down.

I had wondered today with the Southwest incident last night if that would give reason for them to change their fares...so far they are still the same.

I have never paid over $200 for airfare to WDW...I am spoiled, I admit it...it's a hard pill to swallow thinking I may end up paying $280

 

[Cinderumbrella]

I am waiting

I booked our flight down from Chicago the day after Thanksgiving for $93 but am waiting on the return for now. Last year I booked early and ended up with $500 in credit I don't want a big credit this time so we are being patient.

My flights went from $93 up to $134 (as of today) but I am confident that once the winter sales start that I can get it for under $90 (last year's were $78 and $63 when it was all said and done).

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

I fly out of Philly w/SWA too but usually buy as soon as I know my dates. If your price drops, you can change to the new fare and pocket the credit for future use. The credits expire 1 yr from the original purchase date.

We're flying SWA Oct 30 and bought at $99 then it dropped to $59 which gave us a credit.
Also our Aug 29 flight dropped from $99 to $59 so more credits again.
We have around $269 now to use anytime before Apr. 14.

I don't like to wait hoping for cheaper fares. You never know what might make them jump up either.

 

[Christine]

If you are not flying over Christmas, then I would wait. I'm betting you can get a $59 to $69 fare if you are flying early December. But I'm a gambler and, so far, I've always won with Southwest. I've never paid over $49 each way from Virginia to Orlando.

I know you can get credits if the price drops lower but that is really of no consolation to me. I only travel by air once every 2-3 years so I would not use the credits within a year.

 

[cbsnyber1]

I booked our flights the first day the rates were released, then watched them both rise dramatically. I think it depends on the flight - time of day, nonstop or not, length of layovers - that drives the demand, thus the price. Both my flights are nonstop, one early in the day and the return in the late afternoon, so they are primo - high price now.

I would book now, unless you are choosing strange flight times, because the chances are the cost will only rise, not fall.

 

[Princess Jenny]

I am in the same situation.

I have our flights back from Orlando, (Orlando to Providence $129 one way)
but am having a hard time with the flight to Orlando.

We are flying out on 11/29, which I understand is the Sunday after Thanksgiving and a busy day, but I have flown out on the Sunday after Thanksgiving before and had luck getting a good fare.

I can fly out of Boston, Hartford and Providence and right now the only decent rate I can get on Southwest is $152 + tax that one way.

I have checked Southwest, Airtran, Spirit and the other major airlines and their prices are even higher.

I can't decide if I should just book at the $152 + tax rate and hope it goes down. I could buy each ticket seperately (there are four of us - girls trip) so that if the fare goes down each person gets their own credit...but I keep hoping the fare will go down.

I had wondered today with the Southwest incident last night if that would give reason for them to change their fares...so far they are still the same.

I have never paid over $200 for airfare to WDW...I am spoiled, I admit it...it's a hard pill to swallow thinking I may end up paying $280

I fly out of PVD also and I just checked today and I got it for $79 each way. We are going in September. I was so excited to get it so cheap!!! Keep checking. The prices seemed to go down as the date seem to get closer.

 

[tazdev3225]

Thank you all for the info. I want the earliest flight down and latest flight back so I think I will just buy now. I don'y want to take the chance of losing the flights I want. I like to have as long as possible in WDW as I can on arrival and departure days.

 

[tazdev3225]

After posting I went to the Southwest website and the fare dropped by $20 each way. I am now booked for the flights I wanted at about $75 cheaper than they were this morning. I am happy.

 

[famsen]

I am waiting

I booked our flight down from Chicago the day after Thanksgiving for $93 but am waiting on the return for now. Last year I booked early and ended up with $500 in credit I don't want a big credit this time so we are being patient.

My flights went from $93 up to $134 (as of today) but I am confident that once the winter sales start that I can get it for under $90 (last year's were $78 and $63 when it was all said and done).

Just wondering if you are looking at nonstop flights? I am terrified of flying and it is a HUGE step for me to get on a plane so there is no way I want to take off and land and take off and land again during my trip to Orlando.
Do nonstop flights ever get lower the closer you get to your flight day?

 

[tazdev3225]

Just wondering if you are looking at nonstop flights? I am terrified of flying and it is a HUGE step for me to get on a plane so there is no way I want to take off and land and take off and land again during my trip to Orlando.
Do nonstop flights ever get lower the closer you get to your flight day?

One of the reasons I chose Southwest is that I can get direct nonstop flights. I am not that crazy about the takeoff and landings either.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

If you are not flying over Christmas, then I would wait. I'm betting you can get a $59 to $69 fare if you are flying early December. But I'm a gambler and, so far, I've always won with Southwest. I've never paid over $49 each way from Virginia to Orlando.

I know you can get credits if the price drops lower but that is really of no consolation to me. I only travel by air once every 2-3 years so I would not use the credits within a year.

Good point. It's good to know your own tolerance for risk and whether or not you'd even want future credits.
For me, I'm not a gambler and perfectly happy with credits. We fly 3-4 times per year so eventually they all get used.

Just wondering if you are looking at nonstop flights? I am terrified of flying and it is a HUGE step for me to get on a plane so there is no way I want to take off and land and take off and land again during my trip to Orlando.
Do nonstop flights ever get lower the closer you get to your flight day?

Yes they do and I would def recommend nonstops esp if you have fof. Why add to your stress?
We fly from Philly and there are several NS per day so we never connect and the prices still drop.

Keep in mind if your travel dates are peak times. Sunday returns are usually more in demand and tend to run higher, and less likely to have a price drop. OTOH, if you return on a Thurs morning not around a holiday, you might get a price drop. kwim?

Congrats on taking this huge step to overcome your fof. I had it for a while, don't know why, and it passed after I kept flying many happy flights.
Take some Xanex or Ativan if you need to but it's really so amazing to get there so soon.