Southwest & Good CND $ ?

[ChristinaMouse]

So, I'm thinking about doing something kind of sneaky or risky and am wondering if anyone has any thoughts on it.

My family is hoping to go to WDW from August 26 - September 1 this summer. Like many I am patiently (or not very patiently) waiting for some promos for these dates to be announced and am hoping that we will be able to take advantage of some type of offer. We would also like to fly from Buffalo to Orlando on Southwest but, the flight prices are higher that they were last year (we're will to pay a little more this year but hopefully not $30 more per person per flight more).

This is what I'm thinking about doing....
I'm going to hope that at some point the flight prices from BUF-MCO will come down. But since the CDN$ is so close to par right now I would like to purchase flights while the exchange rate is good. I'm thinking about buying flights that I have no intention of using (I saw some to Baltimore I think in the $60 range). I would then cancel those flights and have a credit that I can use to purchase BUF-MCO flights when the price hopefully comes down. This way I will be paying when the dollar is par and then if the dollar goes down I don't have to worry because I will have this credit that I got when the dollar was good. Really long winded, I understand... but I'm hoping this is making sense to someone.

If I understand correctly... I can purchase flights on Southwest and then cancel them and I will have that credit available to use for future flights for 1 year from my puchase date. I understand that if things don't pan out and we don't end up going to Florida that I will have that credit and no way of getting it back...but that we could also do something else with it in the next year.

Any thoughts?

 

[damo]

Many are forecasting the dollar to still rise.

http://money.canoe.ca/money/stocks/canada/archives/2010/04/20100415-114722.html

 

[visitingapril09]

Everything I am seeing here on the West Coast says that the Dollar is only going to get better. If it moves downward at all they are predicting only very small variances. I also understand that they are anticipating it to last at least a year or more........indefinately basically.

 

[Stitch'sCousin]

My suggestion is to get a $US credit card and open up a $ US account at your local bank. Buy some $US now while the rate is good (even though it may get better) and keep them in that account. Use the $US credit card to pay for the flight if you decide to go and then use the money from the account to pay off the card. This way there are no worries about what the exchange rate is going to be in the future or what to do with a flight credit if you don't end up going.

 

[Goofy's apprentice]

Ditto on the US$ account adn US$ credit card. We did this a while ago. As we are DVC members we head to Orlando regularly each year. We just have an automatic transfer weekly from our C$ account to our US$ account. It is at a fixed C$ amount. We effectively save for our vacation without even noticing it (as you get used to the weekly transfer) and don't think about the exchange anymore. We have a set amount (if the C$ drops below) at which we stop the transfer.

Thankfully, exchange has been good this last year or so. Let's hope it stays that way. I like par or slightly below. If it get too much higher that will not be good for our economy and jobs!

 

[TLPL]

This is what I'm thinking about doing....
I'm going to hope that at some point the flight prices from BUF-MCO will come down. But since the CDN$ is so close to par right now I would like to purchase flights while the exchange rate is good. I'm thinking about buying flights that I have no intention of using (I saw some to Baltimore I think in the $60 range). I would then cancel those flights and have a credit that I can use to purchase BUF-MCO flights when the price hopefully comes down. This way I will be paying when the dollar is par and then if the dollar goes down I don't have to worry because I will have this credit that I got when the dollar was good. Really long winded, I understand... but I'm hoping this is making sense to someone.

If you do that, make sure don't book the flight you actually want to take!!! They determinate the fare by how many seats are sold/left... it's the demand/supply thing. If the computer see that flight is selling well, they will not discount it when it come time for seat sale!!

 

[tjbaggott]

I vouch for the USD Bank account. You will get exactly what you are currently seeking (money turned into US Funds while the dollar is good). I've got one with Scotia Bank, and there are no fees attached to it. I can see exactly how much US funds I have and can take it out at any time with no fees!

 

[ChristinaMouse]

Thanks everyone for your thoughts. I hadn't even thought about a USD credit card. We have the US$ account but we have only been using it to take out cash. Maybe I'll look into that instead of risky dealings.

Thanks again.

 

[My 2 princesses]

We are going in July and don't like the prices so far, but the way the loonie is going, I too was thinking of booking so at least I'm not losing too much.

But just wanted to add that I lucked out in 2008. I had booked when it was high and had about $ 300 in credit. They some how gave me a credit of $150 and refunded the other $150.00. It was nice that when they refunded, the dollar was not soo good, so I ended up making some money. And was able to use the credits. That's why I 'luv' to fly by SWA, but their pricing this year is what I don't 'luv'.

 

[dancin Disney style]

Southwest had a fixed price fuel contract that expired either last year or the year before. That's why the fares had been so low. Now with the economy being down fewer people are booking so with that and the fact that they are paying more for fuel it is pretty much a sure thing that fares are up and will stay up.

Regardless, it's still a ton cheaper than what we pay to fly from Canadian cities. I consider $200 per ticket RT to be an excellent fare. When it is under $200 it's just a big bonus for me....which it often is but I'm happy with $200.

 

[minnie56]

I think both SW and JB will be higher priced than in time gone by. I am paying under $250 pp return to fly YYZ-MCO with Air Canada in August, Nov and Dec. Keep your eyes open and don't dismiss bith WJ and AC when looking for a promo!

You think these U.S carriers aren't on to us Canadian's and what routes are in demand? THey are...and people need to lose this mindset that cheap is the way to go. If they are offering ridiculously low fares trust me, they are skimping somewhere!!!

 

[dsneygirl]

Regardless, it's still a ton cheaper than what we pay to fly from Canadian cities. I consider $200 per ticket RT to be an excellent fare. When it is under $200 it's just a big bonus for me....which it often is but I'm happy with $200.

That's my rule of thumb anything under $200 is a bonus. We are paying $481 for 3 people return in Aug.

I think both SW and JB will be higher priced than in time gone by. I am paying under $250 pp return to fly YYZ-MCO with Air Canada in August, Nov and Dec. Keep your eyes open and don't dismiss bith WJ and AC when looking for a promo!

You think these U.S carriers aren't on to us Canadian's and what routes are in demand? THey are...and people need to lose this mindset that cheap is the way to go. If they are offering ridiculously low fares trust me, they are skimping somewhere!!!

Of course they are skimping. SW in flight crew are the groomers, not contracted out like on AC. No movies, no meals, no pillows, no blankets, no headphones, print your own boarding pass, only 1 model of aircraft cuts down on maintenance costs, non union crews. So ya they skimp on a lot. But for a 2 hour flight I could care less.

 

[minnie56]

Heck, I don't care about that stuff. I care about aircraft maintenance! A LOT!

 

[Tantor]

you and me both

Heck, I don't care about that stuff. I care about aircraft maintenance! A LOT!

 

[dsneygirl]

Reality is the biggest differences in CDN vs US prices are taxes and fees. It has nothing to do with aircraft maintenance. GTAA landing fees are among the highest in the world and there will so be additional "security" fees downloaded to the airlines.

http://www.torontosun.com/news/canada/2010/02/25/13026866-qmi.html

 

[Tantor]

Yes there are the taxes and yes that is part of it. Our friend has been an airline mechanic for 30 years and knows lots of people in the business and some of the airlines in the states that do offer cheaper fares do skip on other things.........

 

[minnie56]

At the risk of sounding like a broken down record..because I have said this before, we have a good friend that is an AC Captain. Airline Captains talk to each other and are privy to documents and information we are not. We travel a lot with him and his wife and sometimes, we have gotten him to travel on Jetblue. He will NOT travel on Southwest. If you recall some years back there were issues with SW maintenance of their aircraft..

We have a lot of taxes in Canada,I agree..and on U.S flights most of them U.S imposed. We are paying for pre clearance etc....

 

[alohamom]

Heck, I don't care about that stuff. I care about aircraft maintenance! A LOT!

I dont mean to sound arguementative but I was a Canadian Customs officer at Pearson and saw the raw underbelly of many things including aircraft maintenance and I know it is not just Southwest, it is each and every air carrier

 

[minnie56]

I worked at Pearson too. For many years. I know exactly who is on top of maintenance and who isn't. I have many friends that work in maintenance for AC to this day..there are Canadian carriers I am not fond of either but our laws are more stringently enforced. I do feel better knowing that. Not for a minute am I saying I won't fly a U.S carrier...I will, I am just pretty picky about who! And truthfully..rock bottom pricing scares me.

 

[dsneygirl]

I worked at Pearson too. For many years. I know exactly who is on top of maintenance and who isn't. I have many friends that work in maintenance for AC to this day..there are Canadian carriers I am not fond of either but our laws are more stringently enforced. I do feel better knowing that. Not for a minute am I saying I won't fly a U.S carrier...I will, I am just pretty picky about who! And truthfully..rock bottom pricing scares me.

Fair enough. Leaves more available seats on the "rock bottom" carriers for the rest of us.