Southwest or Airtran?

[disney_mommy]

I found Airtran tickets for $90 each way. I think that's a good deal for my area, but do you think I should wait for Southwest to come out with their schedule? I'm afraid if I wait, the one nonstop, cheap Airtran fare will be gone. Opinions?

 

[annnewjerz]

What are your travel dates and what is your area?? You'll probably get better responses if you add that info into your original post

 

[kevgraub]

I found Airtran tickets for $90 each way. I think that's a good deal for my area, but do you think I should wait for Southwest to come out with their schedule? I'm afraid if I wait, the one nonstop, cheap Airtran fare will be gone. Opinions?

I guess it depends a little on your area, but $90 each way on Airtran would not be that great out of Kansas City. Most rates there are about $59 each way. I know each area is different thought.

Personally, I'd wait and see what SW comes out with. I doubt that Airtran will go up much if at all before SW comes out. However, if you are happy with the $90 fares and that fits in your budget, I'd go for it and just cross off one other thing you have to worry about.

I suppose one of the big questions is how cheap do the SW flights generally get now in your area. And don't go by what was going on a year ago, as I think SW has made some pretty major changes since they are no longer under the very favorable fuel contracts they had in the past.

 

[Iceman10]

Don't forget to add Airtran's baggage fees (Which you don't have on SW) to your total. That can easily turn $90 into $140

 

[poohbear8]

If you are flying from Dulles, I would wait. I flew last Oct from Dulles to MCO on Air Tran. They kept moving my flight and it really messed up my plans. I chose the cheapest flight, which happened to be a non-stop. The moved it to earlier in the day and had me stopping in Atlanta.

I'm heading back in October and opted to not even mess with them. I have a flight down on SW and my flight back is with United. I would have preferred Jet Blue, but they refused to lower their prices for me.

Do post your dates, that will help with opinions too.

 

[kevgraub]

Don't forget to add Airtran's baggage fees (Which you don't have on SW) to your total. That can easily turn $90 into $140

I would say that "easily" overstates it by quite a bit.

It is true you need to take into account luggage fees on Airtran. However, they are $15 for the first bag per person, and $25 for the second bag per person. Most families can pretty easily get by checking 1/2 bag per family (a family of 4 will usually check no more than 2 bags, a family of 5 is usually looking at 2-3, etc.).

Even if every person in your family had to check one suitcase (in which case I would seriously reconsider what you think you need to take to WDW), that would only raise the $90 fare to $105. If every member of your family had to check 2 bags, that would rasie the fees to $130. Again though, I cannot imagine needing anywhere near this many bags for a trip to WDW.

Be sure you factor in Airtran's luggage fees when comparing it to Southwest, but don't be scared of the fees. At most, it will probably add $15 onto each ticket. Just add that in and proceed like normal.

 

[WINTER]

I waited and waited for Southwest to give me a good eal from Indy and when Airtran came out with $58 each way, I was glad I jumped on it because Southwest never did come through for me. If you think it is a good deal, take it.

 

[stitchlovestink]

I would say that "easily" overstates it by quite a bit.

It is true you need to take into account luggage fees on Airtran. However, they are $15 for the first bag per person, and $25 for the second bag per person. Most families can pretty easily get by checking 1/2 bag per family (a family of 4 will usually check no more than 2 bags, a family of 5 is usually looking at 2-3, etc.).

Even if every person in your family had to check one suitcase (in which case I would seriously reconsider what you think you need to take to WDW), that would only raise the $90 fare to $105. If every member of your family had to check 2 bags, that would rasie the fees to $130. Again though, I cannot imagine needing anywhere near this many bags for a trip to WDW.

Be sure you factor in Airtran's luggage fees when comparing it to Southwest, but don't be scared of the fees. At most, it will probably add $15 onto each ticket. Just add that in and proceed like normal.

Bolding is mine....
Well you certainly don't want to travel w/ me then. Because on our last trip our family of 4 checked 7 bags on the way down and carried on 4 bags plus our 'larger than usual' personal item. I 'forgot to nest a packed suitcase inside of an empty one. So we had to go to Target to buy an extra large duffel bag for the way home. so on the way home we checked 8 bags, plus our 4 carry on's, plus all of our extra 'personal items', some of the carry on did contain med equipment though. And I use pretty much everything I pack. Last year, though, we had one of the smaller suitcases that was just our costumes for MNSSHP.
Back on topic...
And don't forget to add the $6 per ticket seat selection fee if you wish to utilize that feature. I personally, using BWI (but have used Dulles) would definitely wait. I think you will find much better fares w/ SW. but do what your head tells you to do. Have a great trip.

 

[mmackeymouse]

I waited and waited for Southwest to give me a good eal from Indy and when Airtran came out with $58 each way, I was glad I jumped on it because Southwest never did come through for me. If you think it is a good deal, take it.

I am soooooo jealous. We were praying that our dates would come out, while the $58 deal from Indy was going on, but of course the prices skyrocketed like a week before they released our dates......of course....

I am wondering if we will ever see anything in the 50-70 price again through Indy.

 

[Coconuts]

... Because on our last trip our family of 4 checked 7 bags on the way down and carried on 4 bags plus our 'larger than usual' personal item. I 'forgot to nest a packed suitcase inside of an empty one. So we had to go to Target to buy an extra large duffel bag for the way home. so on the way home we checked 8 bags, plus our 4 carry on's, plus all of our extra 'personal items', some of the carry on did contain med equipment though. And I use pretty much everything I pack. Last year, though, we had one of the smaller suitcases that was just our costumes for MNSSHP...

Wow, and DH thought I packed a lot! I figured on our next trip we would conservatively check 4. I have to tell him about you to make me look better when he complains about me overpacking. Thanks.

 

[stitchlovestink]

Wow, and DH thought I packed a lot! I figured on our next trip we would conservatively check 4. I have to tell him about you to make me look better when he complains about me overpacking. Thanks.

Actually, I pack the most clothes for DH as he WILL NOT wear something more than once before it is washed and in general I don't do laundry on vacay. It's my vacay too!
Since we stayed at POP before and after our cruise, I left some luggage there so we didn't have do deal w/ the extra on the cruise. The porter (I guess that's what he was called) asked how long our cruise was when he took our luggage. I responded that it was a four night cruise. He asked if I was planning on moving to the island!
Oh well, my motto... Always be prepared!
Once many many years ago, we were staying at an All Stars, I think it was Music. Anyway, the girls were very young. We had soooo much stuff, it kept falling off of one of those luggage cart thingys. There was a couple in the lobby and as they walked by, one said to the other, "Wow they must be here for a month with all that stuff." we were there for 9 nights!

 

[kevgraub]

Bolding is mine....
Well you certainly don't want to travel w/ me then. Because on our last trip our family of 4 checked 7 bags on the way down and carried on 4 bags plus our 'larger than usual' personal item. I 'forgot to nest a packed suitcase inside of an empty one. So we had to go to Target to buy an extra large duffel bag for the way home. so on the way home we checked 8 bags, plus our 4 carry on's, plus all of our extra 'personal items', some of the carry on did contain med equipment though. And I use pretty much everything I pack. Last year, though, we had one of the smaller suitcases that was just our costumes for MNSSHP.
Back on topic...
And don't forget to add the $6 per ticket seat selection fee if you wish to utilize that feature. I personally, using BWI (but have used Dulles) would definitely wait. I think you will find much better fares w/ SW. but do what your head tells you to do. Have a great trip.

Man, glad I used the word "most" in my post. Whew, that's a lot of stuff. Although I bet that most people going on a cruise would check more stuff than just a typical WDW vacation.

No question some people pack a lot of stuff, but I would still say that "most" families taking a typical vacation to WDW will be able to get by with 1/2 checked bag per person.

 

[mmackeymouse]

No question some people pack a lot of stuff, but I would still say that "most" families taking a typical vacation to WDW will be able to get by with 1/2 checked bag per person.

Well, I think you are absolutely right. Most families COULD get by on half a bag per person. But, there are three females in my family, and my poor soul of a father, and half a bag is just not as easy as it sounds.

When I was younger, it was about having "options." I had to be able to have two or three outfits per day, just in case. What if I tried on an outfit and it made me look fat? I needed a backup outfit. Then another outfit, in case the backup outfit got wet on a ride. And rather than bring 4 pairs of undies, and just doing laundry, which obviously makes the most sense, I would bring like 14 pairs of undies. One for each day, and an extra per day, again, just in case. See the pattern?

Luckily, I have gotten much better as I have gotten older. And considering we are going on a cruise, hopefully, I will have the packing down to a science when we leave. The one thing that is very tempting about Southwest is since it currently offers TWO checked bags, that leaves us an extra souvenir bag, so we actually have room to buy stuff, instead of worrying about cramming it into one bag, then hoping it makes weight, etc etc.