Southwest Fares

[Christine9125]

What are some past rates you have gotten for the first week of August (july 31-Aug 6). We are flying out of Columbus OH and there are 2 adults

 

[dburg30]

Gonna be a crap shoot. Right now appears 115 down and 115 back.. You need to keep checking the rates, and put in the largest numbers of passengers you can to check them. If the price goes up, that means that fare class is getting close to being sold out. (i just entered 8 adults and the prices didnt change) If that's the case you may want to jump on them. If it stays that way, you could score a DING! fare... We got lucky (but for nov 08 when everything was in the crapper) and got either 69 or 79 each way CMH to MCO.. But with fewer flights scheduled you'll want to keep an eye on them. Also, are you planning on flying anywhere else within a year from when you purchase the tickets? If so, you could buy now, if the price goes down, take advantage and get ticketless travel funds, and then apply them to another flight later (but it would have to be completed within a year from original purchase)

I checked airtran and they are 94 each way, with a bag checked that about equals out to SW. I havent seen any dings from CMH to MCO recently though, unless I've missed them.

 

[Christine9125]

We aren't going until 2011, just trying to set a budget and right now with the $115 each way it is still cheaper then flying out of Cincinnati. It would be about $700 to fly Delta out of here when I can drive 1 1/2 hours to my sisters and have her take me to the airport. I am just trying to get a estimate so I know what to budget right now

 

[jenseib]

keep watching it. I jsut looked at it and it was less than 500 for 3 of us to fly in March. The thing is it's 2 1/2 hours away for us though. DH likes the local airport (Toledo) but it flys into Sandford and it would cost us around 800. We have family in Columbus, so we could drive the night before and then have them take us to the airport. To me for 300 less, it's worth it, but not to him.

I do have questions about Southwest though, as I never flew with them before. Do you get to pick your seat? Or how does it work with them? The most important thing is we sit togheter, I don't care where on the plane, just together. I like the free bags with them too. Thats why All other flights for us are so much more. By yhe time we pick seats out of Toledo, the price goes up sooo much!

 

[jordancej]

I do have questions about Southwest though, as I never flew with them before. Do you get to pick your seat? Or how does it work with them? The most important thing is we sit togheter, I don't care where on the plane, just together.

There is no picking seats, but to ensure a good boarding pass, you need to checkin online right at the 24 hour mark.

 

[Christine9125]

keep watching it. I jsut looked at it and it was less than 500 for 3 of us to fly in March. The thing is it's 2 1/2 hours away for us though. DH likes the local airport (Toledo) but it flys into Sandford and it would cost us around 800. We have family in Columbus, so we could drive the night before and then have them take us to the airport. To me for 300 less, it's worth it, but not to him.

I do have questions about Southwest though, as I never flew with them before. Do you get to pick your seat? Or how does it work with them? The most important thing is we sit togheter, I don't care where on the plane, just together. I like the free bags with them too. Thats why All other flights for us are so much more. By yhe time we pick seats out of Toledo, the price goes up sooo much!

We are doing the samething, to save us a little over $200 we are driving to Columbus to catch the plane.

I myself have not used SW before, but my sister has and from what I have read you pick your seats when you get on the plane. You log on 24 hours before and register, at that point you are given an A, B, or C rating and that is how they board. A's get on first and so on. I have not heard of anyone with a child not being able to sit with them yet. So, maybe you and your child are together and your husband the seat behind you.

Are you closer to Detroit then Columbus?

 

[jenseib]

We are doing the samething, to save us a little over $200 we are driving to Columbus to catch the plane.

I myself have not used SW before, but my sister has and from what I have read you pick your seats when you get on the plane. You log on 24 hours before and register, at that point you are given an A, B, or C rating and that is how they board. A's get on first and so on. I have not heard of anyone with a child not being able to sit with them yet. So, maybe you and your child are together and your husband the seat behind you.

Are you closer to Detroit then Columbus?

Yes, we live west of Toledo, about 15 minutes from Toledo airport....but Detroit doens't have many SW direct flights and they are higher in price.

 

[jenseib]

So I also assume then that they don't have any child priority boarding then?

 

[Christine9125]

Yes, we live west of Toledo, about 15 minutes from Toledo airport....but Detroit doens't have many SW direct flights and they are higher in price.

I just checked their flights and seen they are not direct so didn't even look at the price.

Not sure how old your daughter is, but you can call and get child rates if you call them to make reservations.

This is from Southwest Site:

An adult traveling with a child four years old or younger will board between the “A” and “B” boarding groups. If you have an “A” boarding pass, please feel free to board with that boarding group. With an all-jet fleet outfitted with comfortable, leather seats, our families with small children are easily accommodated together.

 

[jenseib]

She's just turned 5, so I guess thats out. LOL!

 

[Christine9125]

She's just turned 5, so I guess thats out. LOL!

I would think if you log on right at 24 hours prior to take off, you could get in the A group and then there wouldn't be a problem, but it also said they accommodate families. When my sister went, people were nice enough to move so they could be together.

 

[SPAM]

While I am going in April, I can tell you that I snagged 77 from CMH->MCO and I got 170 on the return trip. This was right when the fares opened. For 2 adults with taxes it rounded out to be $574.40. Hope this helps, we always fly SWA as they are the cheapest and we like being able to pick our own seats. Plus bags fly free!

 

[dburg30]

I do have questions about Southwest though, as I never flew with them before. Do you get to pick your seat?

Guess it depends on how you look at it. You get to pick your seat when you get on the plane. Any open seat is yours (of course exit rows have special requirements you must meet and agree too). I dont put as much stock in assigned seating anymore with some other carriers because if they change your flight, change equipment etc, you dont get the seat you picked anyway. I almost like NOT going in assuming where I'll be sitting, as opposed to HOPING my seat is still 'mine'.