Southwest Price fluctuation

[disneyboy123]

Do any of you watch the southwest prices and try and time the fluctuations to get it at a low point? I was about to pull the trigger on a good price, but as i was checking out the site errored out and the price went up $25 as i tried to check out again. Someone must have beat me to it. When i try to book with 1 person i get the cheaper price though, so looks like only 1 seat is left at that price. I called in and was told there were about 20 seats left on the plan, and when i try to book 8 people the price is still at the $25 more price. If i wait it is there a chance they would release more seats at the lower price?

 

[Cinderumbrella]

Yes and no.

They are willing to sell 1 (or maybe even 2-4) seat at the lower rate but not 8. Will they change their mind? Perhaps or perhaps not. If the plane truly is that full, perhaps not, especially if the flight is soon.

FWIW, I have my best luck purchasing SW fares on Tues, Wed or Thurs. So perhaps wait until tomorrow?

 

[msjprincess]

I swear I check the website at least 20 times a day. The flight I'm on keeps going up and down. It went from $140, $125, $110, $140, $110, $235. In a matter of days.

I originally booked at $125. When it dropped to $110 they only had 4 seats available. So I canceled the five of us and rebooked 4 of us at $110 and one of us at $125. The next day it dropped to $110 again so I changed the one ticket.

I still haven't booked my trip home because the late flights are all over $200. I finally decided I was going to add a night and take a flight home the next morning because it would actually be cheaper. That flight had been $121 for weeks. I went to book it yesterday and it's now up to $151. So now I'm just waiting and hoping they drop.

If they only have 20 seats and you need 8 I would book now and maybe get a credit down the road. But that's me, I wouldn't want to risk the flight selling out.

 

[disneyboy123]

i only need 2 seats. What i meant to say was i was changing flights and not booking new. I checked 8 to see if there would be any price changes. Since the price didn't change for the 8, i'm guessing i have time to wait it out and at last resort change it to the higher price. It is an earlier flight which is why i want to change. I was able to do the same thing for the flight i am on now, as it went up, but i waited a couple days and it went down. Hoping the same thing happens for this...

 

[Cinderumbrella]

i only need 2 seats. What i meant to say was i was changing flights and not booking new. I checked 8 to see if there would be any price changes. Since the price didn't change for the 8, i'm guessing i have time to wait it out and at last resort change it to the higher price. It is an earlier flight which is why i want to change. I was able to do the same thing for the flight i am on now, as it went up, but i waited a couple days and it went down. Hoping the same thing happens for this...

So it is the same price for 2 seat or 8 seats? But it was lower price for 1 seat?

Then, yes, look later today and/or tomorrow. I would say you have a decent chance of getting the lower fare for 2 seats.

 

[disneyboy123]

So it is the same price for 2 seat or 8 seats? But it was lower price for 1 seat?

Then, yes, look later today and/or tomorrow. I would say you have a decent chance of getting the lower fare for 2 seats.

crossing my fingers. stinks how its only a credit if you price adjust and it can't be used towards EBCI.

 

[disneyboy123]

anyone know if the 'Ding' app is available for android and if it is useful?

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

The price changes a lot.
Last fall my flight dropped a few days before I left.

Then 3 weeks ago I got back to the room after midnight and decided to check my flight status and in doing so I found out the price dropped by $76. and my flight was leaving in 8 hours. when I did the 24 hour check in the price was still the same as what I had paid so in less than 24 hours the price changed. And yes I was able to get a credit for $76!

So they change all the time.

 

[ccgirl]

Do any of you watch the southwest prices and try and time the fluctuations to get it at a low point? I was about to pull the trigger on a good price, but as i was checking out the site errored out and the price went up $25 as i tried to check out again. Someone must have beat me to it. When i try to book with 1 person i get the cheaper price though, so looks like only 1 seat is left at that price. I called in and was told there were about 20 seats left on the plan, and when i try to book 8 people the price is still at the $25 more price. If i wait it is there a chance they would release more seats at the lower price?

No. I usually book the day the fares are released. I like specific travel times and direct flights. If the price goes down, I just get the credit to use on my next flight. Chances are it's the 8 people thing that is affecting the price though. There are only so many tickets at each price point though. You can try 4 and 4 to see if that would work. But, I would be too afraid that the seats would sell out before I got to the next reservation. I would just pay the increased fare. YMMV.

 

[ccgirl]

anyone know if the 'Ding' app is available for android and if it is useful?

I haven't seen a ding fare for Orlando in years.

 

[HelenParr]

While I do not think the system is random, whatever variables it uses to adjust price are often a mystery to me. I'd swear that sometimes I've affected it myself by checking a price 10 times in a day, and it resets the next day. I've also found two single tickets can price lower than 2 or more on same reservation (but not all the time).

I agree with PP that I book when I get the flight I want, almost without regard to price. And try later for reduction in price to get SW credit for next time.

 

[msjprincess]

I haven't seen a ding fare for Orlando in years.

And even the Dings! I have seen aren't deals. I saw one last week ISP-Tampa "starting at $133"

Nothing like the $42 Dings to MCO 5 or 6 years ago

 

[disneyboy123]

Yea, I don't mind getting the credit. But the fact that I have to use it within a year makes it inconvenient. I don't travel that often, so having to wait it out a bit is what i need to resort to.

I'm really hoping my method is correct though. I just need 2 tickets, and so far if I price out the ticket with 8 people the price is consistent, which i guess means they still have a reasonable amount of seats left. So hoping they'll release a few more seats at the cheaper price over the coming days.

 

[kinggoofy]

So it is the same price for 2 seat or 8 seats? But it was lower price for 1 seat?

Then, yes, look later today and/or tomorrow. I would say you have a decent chance of getting the lower fare for 2 seats.

Hey fellow four feather fan !! How have you been ?...How about our Hawks !?!?!

I am so fed up with SWA..now that they have air Tran they basically have no competition from Midway and they are setting their own market.

BTW...I see you are going from June 5 to June 19th....3 words for you.,..STANLEY CUP FINALS....you will miss the finals for vacation ??? No way !! (just teasing of course.)

 

[Cinderumbrella]

Hey fellow four feather fan !! How have you been ?...How about our Hawks !?!?!

I am so fed up with SWA..now that they have air Tran they basically have no competition from Midway and they are setting their own market.

BTW...I see you are going from June 5 to June 19th....3 words for you.,..STANLEY CUP FINALS....you will miss the finals for vacation ??? No way !! (just teasing of course.)

I was going to PM you to get your advice on parking at Midway!! DH is coming down for the last 4 days of our trip so he will parking rather than using a car service. We have never parked there before so do you have any recommendations?

Now that he has decided to come (his first time EVER in the summer) that will DEFINITELY be the week of the Stanley Cup! DS and I were down there last time they won it, so I was grateful that it was on NBC so I could see it.

It's been a fun season to watch, especially since, for awhile, it really looked like there wouldn't even be a season...

ON TOPIC:

As for the SWA prices out of Midway, they are definitely higher this year than I have had in the past, but still way better than the legacy carriers and their luggage fees. We travel midweek, almost exclusively, and I am paying $111 each way (when I can normally get it for $85-$95). I can't touch a legacy fare for under $250 roundtrip out of Midway or O'Hare, plus I would still have luggage fees.

The key to SW is patience. (I know, not an easy feat!! ) I check my airfares daily. I also keep an eye on earlier month's fares, especially when the sales are happening, to give me a rough idea about how low I can expect them to go. I know for some markets, its best to buy the day they release. I have never found that to be the case with Chicago/Midway. They are sometimes almost double what they should be

 

[Tigger2ntinkerbell]

I saw your comment(original post) and double checked my one-way tickets(for 3 Adults) for this Sept.
And I could not believe how high they have jump in 24 Hours . I double check again to see if using SW on a round trip instead, NOPE higher than before .

ONE-Way Tickets price:
FNT- MCO
SouthWest: Sept 22 was $155 - Now $175(same flight,same time)

MCO - FNT
Delta Airline: Sept 27 was 125.80 -Now $185.80(they change my flight #,but the time is the same). That's $120.00 more per ticketx 3 = $360.00

If this keeps up we"ll have to do only 1 trip a year.

 

[disneyboy123]

Yea the prices can be random. Its more likely to go up than down since only a certain number are allocated at a certain price. Once they are gone it will go up. Ita weird though. I randomly check different dates with different number of seats and the prices are really random. Flights with less than 5 seats left will be $120 each for 2 or less, but 3 -5 it goes up to $350 each

 

[kinggoofy]

I was going to PM you to get your advice on parking at Midway!! DH is coming down for the last 4 days of our trip so he will parking rather than using a car service. We have never parked there before so do you have any recommendations?

Now that he has decided to come (his first time EVER in the summer) that will DEFINITELY be the week of the Stanley Cup! DS and I were down there last time they won it, so I was grateful that it was on NBC so I could see it.

It's been a fun season to watch, especially since, for awhile, it really looked like there wouldn't even be a season...

ON TOPIC:

As for the SWA prices out of Midway, they are definitely higher this year than I have had in the past, but still way better than the legacy carriers and their luggage fees. We travel midweek, almost exclusively, and I am paying $111 each way (when I can normally get it for $85-$95). I can't touch a legacy fare for under $250 roundtrip out of Midway or O'Hare, plus I would still have luggage fees.

The key to SW is patience. (I know, not an easy feat!! ) I check my airfares daily. I also keep an eye on earlier month's fares, especially when the sales are happening, to give me a rough idea about how low I can expect them to go. I know for some markets, its best to buy the day they release. I have never found that to be the case with Chicago/Midway. They are sometimes almost double what they should be

If the injury to Sharpie is the only major injury this year...Hawks will be ok. Sharp should be back at the end of March.

There is a place by MDW west of the airport on 55th Street & Massasoit. It used to be an old wonder bread warehouse. I would park there. I think its 10 a day plus its inside. I will drive by it tomorrow and get the phone number for you and send it to youl.

 

[disneyboy123]

Woohoo!!!
As I predicted the price dropped and I was able to change to an earlier flight for the cheaper price. After checking out the price went back up again so looks I got the last seats at the cheaper price. Had to double, triple, quadruple check I was checking out the right flight and price since it was just after waking up and I was so groggy lol
So excites! Now to plan out my touring plans!!

 

[hsmamato2]

SWA is great,b/c they allow so many changes... but they do change often.... I have some flights booked, last week I switched 3-4 of them twice b/c of price changes....(all one ways)