Southwest Pricing trend?

[CJK]

I've been watching late summer prices on Southwest over the last couple weeks. It's more than double the price it has been on previous trips right now for that time period. Is there a general trend for summer sales?

 

[tgropp]

I think that cheap air fares may be a thing of the past. They are feeling the effects of high oil prices and like the oil companies, are raising their prices. A good example. We flew to San Juan, Puerto Rico in Jan 2010 (Thurs-Sat) for a one week cruise. The airfare cost was $335.00 Cdn funds. This past Feb we again flew to San Juan in Feb (Fr-Sat) for $423.00 Cdn Funds. The same flight to San Jaun in January next year is listed at $880.00 in U.S. funds. I dont see a cruise leaving San Juan in our future.

 

[dancin Disney style]

I agree that in general fares are up but it's too early to book a late summer trip. For sure you will pay more right now. We have gone to WDW several years in a row and usually book air around May or June.

Just keep watching. Also, Airtran often has the better price...if you need to check a bunch of bags maybe not.

 

[essom71]

We are going at the end of August so I've been starting to look. We fly out of Detroit. Delta seems to have the best prices as well as bieng direct. Southwest scares me as I have one son that will freak if he needs to sit alone and it is impossible to prebook seats. As well they don't seem to offer a direct flight.

 

[Tower]

Just keep watching. Also, Airtran often has the better price...if you need to check a bunch of bags maybe not.

Airtran was decent for us, but we had to pay $20/bag. SW now owns them however so it's hard to say how that will impact future pricing. It's one less airline to compete with now.

 

[aristocat65]

I think that cheap air fares may be a thing of the past. They are feeling the effects of high oil prices and like the oil companies, are raising their prices..

This is very true. Southwest was able to keep their prices low for years and years by extensive fuel hedging, which saved the company an estimated $1.1 billion in fuel costs in 2008. Apparently the percentage of fuel costs the company has hedged declined beyond 2009, and they are no longer as profitable as they were. They are losing the advantage they had of low cost fuel.

 

[dancin Disney style]

Airtran was decent for us, but we had to pay $20/bag. SW now owns them however so it's hard to say how that will impact future pricing. It's one less airline to compete with now.

SW has not yet been gov approved to take over AT. It will happen, but there will be no changes until mid to late 2012.

 

[boundfordisney]

southwest is suppose to open up the next segment of fares on march14 so I would be checking things out on that day as they usually have sales on for the first day of a new itinerary.