Southwest not cheaper even with free bags

[connie254]

I just checked SW website for next trip. Pittsburgh to Orlando nonstop in Sept. roundtrip. Even picking out seats on Airtran(their partner), and allowing 3 bags total for two of us, still cheaper than SW.

 

[rgf207]

I just checked SW website for next trip. Pittsburgh to Orlando nonstop in Sept. roundtrip. Even picking out seats on Airtran(their partner), and allowing 3 bags total for two of us, still cheaper than SW.

sometimes southwest doesn't have the cheapest flights.

 

[mickeymaker2003]

With Southwesy you have the option of two bags per person.

I wanted Southwest because of the no change fees. If I get a full time teaching job, I will have up change my dates and Southwest is the only one who won't charge me a fortune if I need to adjust the dates. From MSP to MCO it was $60 more than the cheapest other option (and that is before you include the bag fees). I wish they had more convenient flights though.

 

[JennSaint]

I wouldn't worry yet. You still have alot of time and flight prices could come down.

 

[Sugar Jones]

Southwest from Flint to Orlando is $700.00 cheaper than Delta for us. However they are only booking up to the 27th of September and our return is the 28th!

I don't know whether to book one way for the way down and get that price or just wait until the 28th comes out and book round trip's.

I am new to flying so I don't really know what to do!

 

[Anal Annie]

I have found the SW prices to be a LOT higher ever since they announced they were buying Air Tran. It also seems like they don't offer as many non-stop flights. We haven't used them in ages because bag fees or not they're still as high or higher than if we use another airline / airport. If I am going to pay the same amount then I'm going to use an airline that at least lets me pick my own seat without an extra fee.

 

[HarperAnnesNana]

I understand your frustration. We are planning a trip in December flying back in January and it's hard to wait for the flights to become available.

 

[Anal Annie]

Southwest from Flint to Orlando is $700.00 cheaper than Delta for us. However they are only booking up to the 27th of September and our return is the 28th!

I don't know whether to book one way for the way down and get that price or just wait until the 28th comes out and book round trip's.

I am new to flying so I don't really know what to do!

I find that Delta, American & United will generally charge more for one-ways than the so-called "budget airlines" like SW, AT & JB. Did you price them for a whole round-trip? Sometimes they're cheaper for round-trip booking. I was freaking out over rising airfare for our summer trip to CA & HI because it was going up by the day - I felt like I was going to have a stroke. After watching & watching & calculating I finally worked out a scenario out of a diff. airport that was considered "reasonable" for HI and I booked it. Two days later one of the flights (Delta) went up by $130 pp. Then another day later our return flight (on Alaska Air) started going up... I hate the airfare game...good luck!!

 

[Wanna be Ariel]

Southwest from Flint to Orlando is $700.00 cheaper than Delta for us. However they are only booking up to the 27th of September and our return is the 28th!

I don't know whether to book one way for the way down and get that price or just wait until the 28th comes out and book round trip's.

I am new to flying so I don't really know what to do!

We have the same problem. I am going to book the onw way down there today (their is only 1 non stop flight and I need that) and then wait to book the return when those come out. I hope that the flight I book will drop and I can use that saving of money and have it applied to our return flight.

 

[mommy2jack]

I just checked SW website for next trip. Pittsburgh to Orlando nonstop in Sept. roundtrip. Even picking out seats on Airtran(their partner), and allowing 3 bags total for two of us, still cheaper than SW.

Have you thought about flying on Spirit Airlines out of Latrobe, PA? They have non-stop flights to Orlando and are WAY cheaper than SW out of PIT. We flew with them last year and had no problems. Booked with them again this year for our upcoming May trip. For 4 people it came to $730 round trip. That includes taxes, bags and picking our own seats. SW was almost double that and the flights were not always non-stop. We really liked Latrobe's Airport too... it was such a breath of fresh air compared to PIT... FREE parking, small waiting area, SHORT security lines. People complain about Spirit's customer service, but everyone we encountered was nice.

 

[Sugar Jones]

There are 13 of us going so really want to book the one way flight there, or see book round trip from the 21-27 instead of the 28th. My sister is reading the fine print and is going to call to see if we book the round trip, and then when the 28th prices come out we can switch. However we don't want to do that if we are going to get charged a huge amount. The prices are 115 pp each way on the Wanna Get Away web prices. Plus no baggage fee's!

 

[Blessed_wth_Triplets]

Does anyone know the info for when the next SW release will be and to what dates?

 

[amomma23]

Does anyone know the info for when the next SW release will be and to what dates?

from southwest.com

"On March 4, 2013, we will open our schedule for sale through November 1, 2013. This date is subject to change! Please check back frequently."

 

[connie254]

Have you thought about flying on Spirit Airlines out of Latrobe, PA? They have non-stop flights to Orlando and are WAY cheaper than SW out of PIT. We flew with them last year and had no problems. Booked with them again this year for our upcoming May trip. For 4 people it came to $730 round trip. That includes taxes, bags and picking our own seats. SW was almost double that and the flights were not always non-stop. We really liked Latrobe's Airport too... it was such a breath of fresh air compared to PIT... FREE parking, small waiting area, SHORT security lines. People complain about Spirit's customer service, but everyone we encountered was nice.

I looked it over. It is cheaper, but only one flight to Orlando, it is later in the day. Total savings would be 70 for two of us. But we are halfway between Cleveland and Pittsburgh, so another 1 plus of driving. I always pick nonstop simply because my son wants to get on the plane and land at final destination.
I flew a smaller airline one time and got burned because the pilot had already flew 8 hours and if he flew us back to Pittsburgh it would have exceeded his flying limit-so we were stranded at Orlando airport overnight while the airline tried to get us on another airline since they only flew one day a week. To top it, it was Palm Sunday and all flights were booked solid, a nightmare to get home. No compensation except a free stay at the hotel in the airport. Never again. I stick with bigger names and very good reputation airlines.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

Airtran out of Akron to MCO is running as low at $109.00 each way. And they have non stop flights