Southwest help

[taraaplin]

When would be the best time to book a Southwest flight? We are to be in Disney 4/4 - 4/10 does anyone have any tips on best day/ timeframe to book?? Thanks. For five of us.

 

[Luckybee]

When would be the best time to book a Southwest flight? We are to be in Disney 4/4 - 4/10 does anyone have any tips on best day/ timeframe to book?? Thanks. For five of us.

All I can tell you is that we are doing SW in one direction for our flights in May and the price has gone up twice already since they opened the dates. SW is different than the legacy characters in that the best pricing seems to me at least to be immediately when dates are released, and again very close to departure if undersold.

 

[vicki_c]

Try the transportation board.

 

[Dreamport]

We booked during an October sale for our trip next month. When we went back to look at the most recent sale (about the same advertised prices as in October), the tickets for the Southwest flights we chose were still higher by at least $10-20. Not sure if prices go up due to availability on the flights or not, but I *think* they do? It's why we don't wait until too close to our trip, just in case the flights we want are gone/too pricey, but also make sure it's when they are on sale.

Not exactly tips or tricks, just how we do it.

 

[DebbieB]

You are going over Easter, it's not going to be cheap. You should have purchased when they first came out.

 

[DisneyFive]

Southwest runs their sales quite often. The prices are pretty similar from sale to sale. I would wait for next one to come out, unless you are o.k. with the current price.

If you are, book it and don't look back. I hate it when I book, only to find out a month later or so that I could have booked cheaper. Normally doesn't happen, but it has once or twice. Always a gamble with flights.

Dan

 

[Firefly09]

Agree with above, if you find the price acceptable just book it. Especially since its so easy to get the price adjusted if it does go down. I think the whole best time/day of week to book is no longer valid in the age of the internet. Prices can sometimes go up and down within a week. I just book and a couple of times a week go online and check to see if there has been a change.

 

[mckinley]

I would book them as soon as possible. I booked ours back in December for our March trip. I have check them several times a day even after booking hoping to catch them dropped. So far I have only noticed flights going up slowly. I am not saying they won't go down cause last year we had flights that went down about $40 for RT

 

[JadeDarkstar]

how easy is it to change? I thought once I bought I was suck with that price. Sadly from PHX to Orlando i'm looking at 210 each way for southwest. I think that is the cheapest I can find.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

When would be the best time to book a Southwest flight? We are to be in Disney 4/4 - 4/10 does anyone have any tips on best day/ timeframe to book?? Thanks. For five of us.

Do those dates correspond to spring break in most of the school districts where your airport is located? If so you're probably best off booking as soon as possible rather than waiting as all the lower priced ticket categories sell out.

In any case, Easter in 2015 is Sunday, April 5. So you're competing with everyone who want the week that begins with Easter weekend. The odds of airfares going up are much higher than the odds of airfares going down for that week.

Because you're planning buy from Southwest, you have the benefit of being able to get a credit toward travel if airfares go down. There are restrictions, but it's a benefit you don't get from most other airlines.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

......

Because you're planning buy from Southwest, you have the benefit of being able to get a credit toward travel if airfares go down. There are restrictions, but it's a benefit you don't get from most other airlines.

You can still re-ticket on other airlines if the price goes down and get a credit. The only issue will be that pesky change ticket fee you'll need to pay, which will almost always be more than the ticket price drop!

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

I would not count on any sale prices for SWA being valid for the Easter holiday - it will be blacked out. I would buy now because the longer you wait the higher it will be.

 

[Spunky946]

how easy is it to change? I thought once I bought I was suck with that price. Sadly from PHX to Orlando i'm looking at 210 each way for southwest. I think that is the cheapest I can find.

If the price goes down on southwest you will get a credit to use on a future flight. It's good for a year from the time of originally booked.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

If the price goes down on southwest you will get a credit to use on a future flight. It's good for a year from the time of originally booked.

Yes, but it's not automatic. You need to take care of it online or with a phone call.

 

[delilah]

I had an interesting experience with Southwest while booking tickets for a CME course I will be attending in April. I booked several months ago, as soon as the schedule was open for the time I was flying. My meeting is the Wednesday after Easter until the Saturday after Easter, and is in Anaheim. I am flying from Indianapolis to John Wayne airport. My original plan was to fly
in on Tuesday and then leave on Sunday. For some reason, there were no low cost flights on Tuesday, so, I am leaving on Monday instead. I could stay in the hotel room an extra day for what I saved on the airfare. The cost of the ticket is still twice what it will be to fly with my family to Orlando in June. But, of course, I can't change the dates of the meeting, and my hospital is paying for the trip. The meeting is at the Anaheim Convention Center so, I will be going to Disneyland on Tuesday, which of course, the hospital won't pay for.

So, if I had a choice, I would avoid the spring break time frame. My son is already back in school during the time of the trip. Last year, it coincided with his spring break, so the whole family went.

 

[taraaplin]

Glad I waited until today! Prices went down about 80 dollars total for the five of us. I got 5 round trip tickets for 320 a piece. Not too shabby. And they are direct flights and we arrive to Orlando at 11.... Works for me!!

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

I just booked my April flight because SW is having a sale and it was the cheapest price I've seen (Plus I'll get 2 free checked bags!).

I think if you know when you are going, are planning on flying SW and might fly them again in a year - I'd book now.
Then keep an eye on the rates and call them to get credit if the flight costs go down.

I've never flown SW before so I'm looking forward to it - trying a new airline for me. LOL