Southwest "DING"

[Mjasp]

Can someone plese explain to me how DING works? Does it pop up on your computer? I keep my sound off, so if it is a real DING, I won't hear it.

Also, what are DING fares? Does it show you ALL fares or only your preferences?

Thanks
Joanna

 

[momsgoofy]

Ding does have sound, but also will show as an icon (the SW airplane tail) on your toolbar...when there is a Ding fare an envelope shows up on top of it. So far, each of the Dings I've received have all the Ding fares, not just those for the city I chose as my "home" or whatever it was called. On ocassion, the Ding icon has not shown up on my toolbar, so I just go to all programs and click to check the Ding fares.

Hope this helps! I'm still pretty new to the Ding stuff...I've been waiting for SW to open the airfare for December 18 - 25 for quite some time, hoping to get a good price and if I'm lucky a good fare with the Ding.

 

[Mjasp]

So if you have DING installed, do you get better prices than going on the regular website?

I am trying to see why I would want to install it. If I get a sale price and otherwise I wouldn't, than I am installing it ASAP

Sorry for asking so many questions

I guess I should go read the SW website
Thanks again

 

[gw_lit]

So if you have DING installed, do you get better prices than going on the regular website?

Most of the time the DING prices are better than the regular sale price, but it pays to check anyway. I've heard others say they could get non-DING prices that were better than offered for a DING.

DING fares are only available for booking for a limited amount of time -- usually 3 to 6 hours. I generally get two DINGs per day.

 

[momsgoofy]

Just what gw lit said...generally get a couple a day...some days less and some days more. The Ding fares (from what I can tell) do tend to be better priced, but I think are kind of limited...so from what I've read here...if you get a great price...jump on it. Also, when I talked with a SW rep, she told me that IF I booked an internet fare, then got a better Ding, they would credit me the difference. Glitch is that the credit must be used within one year of the date it was purchased. I know that was confusing so here's an example...
I buy airfare on SW on June 1, 2005, STL to MCO, roundtrip, at $200 for travel dates of Nov. 10 and return on Nov. 20. On Sept. 5, I find a Ding fare for the same travel dates costing only $100. SW will credit me the difference of $100, BUT I have to use it for travel by June 1, 2006. Or at least that is how the SW rep explained it to me.

I'm willing to take a credit, because I'm looking at doing some travel for work within the year, so I could use the credit for that...or heck, just might have to make vacation plans again so I don't loose the credit...oh, darn...lol

Another suggestion is to sign up for the SW emails on their sales and such...they had a great sale price for July 4th...traveling only on that day, but if we hadn't already had plans we could have gone to WDW for the day for about $100 per person. Yeah, that is a bit eccentric, but if I had the extra cash hanging around and nothing better to do, what the heck. Right now there are some great deal for traveling late August.

Hope this helps some more...and don't ever worry about asking too many questions...that is what the boards are for...to share our love and knowledge about WDW and those things related.