Southwest pricing

[maycee]

I know a lot of you are waiting for SW to open up Dec/Jan dates. My question is, when they are released will you book immediatley? Ok so say the have a internet special or a fun fare is that price most likely to say the same or will it drop?
I'm not sure I'm making sense, but should I book the first day I can or wait a few days. I think book first day as there is limited number of seats at that price. Hubby thinks I need to wait a week to make sure they don't drop
Thanks, Maycee

 

[Lewisc]

What's more important? Price or a specific flight on a specific day? If you're flexible I'd wait but if you're looking for the first N/S on a Saturday morning I'd book fast. SW is starting to offer fewer discounted seats on flights that are likely to sell without deep discounts.

I know a lot of you are waiting for SW to open up Dec/Jan dates. My question is, when they are released will you book immediatley? Ok so say the have a internet special or a fun fare is that price most likely to say the same or will it drop?
I'm not sure I'm making sense, but should I book the first day I can or wait a few days. I think book first day as there is limited number of seats at that price. Hubby thinks I need to wait a week to make sure they don't drop
Thanks, Maycee

 

[mareed]

If it's a peak travel date around a holiday, then I'd probably book immediately. Otherwise, I'm very familiar with Southwest's pricing from my airport and I know I can get a flight for $99 or $109 one-way at the most. If I see a fare at that price I'll go ahead and book it. Then, I keep watch on the prices, and if I see it go down (Ding or Internet special), I'll re-book and keep the credit to use for the next trip. We fly SW 3-4 times a year, so I know I'll be able to use the credit. I've gotten as low as $59 or $69 to Orlando and $44 to Tampa in the past!

 

[PeachesDoesHair]

I know around the 4th of July they had fares from OKC to Orlando for $109. I was very depressed I could not buy them (we were broke). About two weeks later, I got an email offering the same flight for $89 one way. It's just hard to say with SW when they will put things on special.

 

[BNC]

I totally agree, if it's a flight that would fill up book it and when the price does come down you can always rebook it, the extra money you come out with is good for a whole year! I do agree that if you're not going to be flying again in that time then it might not be such a good idea! I have used my extra fare money on short one day trips though just to get the credits when I see a fare that's really low. I had a $62 credit left with SW and I saw a fare for $25 so i made a whole day trip out of it. The whole trip only cost me like $25 extra for lunch and parking. Got home in time to watch the local primetime tv and got a free flight from the credit. Not bad I say!

 

[CarolA]

If you are flying on expected BUSY travel days, book as soon as you can. Looking at the calendar 12/22 and 12/23 are probably going to be very busy as is 1/1.

Yes, you might get lucky, but they might sell out too. Someone was on here recently asking about the Wed and Sunday around Thanksgiving from thier airports and when I looked EVERYTHING except fully refundable was sold out and even that wasn't open on all fights. They were "waiting on a sale" ... I don't think that's coming.

 

[speedyf]

I know I will be booking the day / hour / minute they release the next round of dates. I'm hoping to get a lunchtime flight from New Orleans to Orlando on Saturday, Dec. 16th and return on Saturday, Dec 23rd at around the same time. I know this fare will probably be in high demand, so I am booking at whatever rate is released.

If they offer sales or Dings, I will change over and keep the credit. If I see that we won't use it, I will sell it on eBay to recoup some of my money.

Like other have said...it all depends on when you are going and what is more important (price or flight time). All the good flight times will go first. The fares that are usually discounted the most later on are the real early morning fares on Saturdays or Sundays.

Speed

 

[Disney753]

A QUICK QUESTION FOR sOUTHWEST FLIERS. MY DH,DGD AND DGS ARE FLYING TO ORLANDO ON 12/8 AND RETURNING ON 12/17...I ONLY HAVE MY ONE WAY DOWN AS THE RETURN DATES ARE NOT OUT YET. MY DGS IS 3 AND MY DGD IS 6 WILL I BE ABLE TO BOARD FIRST WITH MY GRAND KIDS OR HAVE TO WAIT FOR MY LETTER TO BE CALLED.
THANKS

 

[gigi1313]

i tend to buy shortly after the dates are opened... then i hope for a fare reduction/ding and use my ticketless travel funds as an "insurance policy" that i will be taking another trip w/in a year! there's no better bargaining tool w/dh than "but we have swa money that will expire!"

 

[DonnaL]

I agree with above posters as to WHEN you're traveling ......holiday times I book as soon as dates are released. This year we're not travelling to MCO during any peak times so I know I can be very flexible with flight times, etc.
We're flying down mid October for F & W with a few friends and I've changed the air ressies a few times (same dates just different flights) to take advantage of better fares. I'm very happy with the $59 ow fares I have now
(down from originally $109 ow), but, looking at the SW schedules for our travel times I won't be surprised if SW runs some $39/$49 DINGS during those times since everything is still wide open and it's 8 weeks off. Really take a good look at your dates and be realistic about waiting for a better fare or grabbing a decent fare when you can. If they come down you can always change to the lower fare and get the credit. Some have said they managed to get a credit on their cc......I haven't even asked for that in the past......since we travel several times a year I just take the ticketless travel funds and use them for the next trip.

gigi1313......I agree about that bargaining tool.......I use it on DH all the time!!!!

 

[TheWog]

I booked right when I got the DING that fares were open for November. I knew the flights I wanted and wanted to make sure I got them. I went in and purchased the flights for the 3 of us and went back to reservations. The $99 one way internet rate was no longer available on my return flight immediately after I purchased. A couple days later the $99 fare was no longer available for my flight to MCO. Now to purchase the same flights it would cost me over $300 more. I say book as soon as they are open.

 

[DVC Grammy]

I also book SWA fares when they open. In general, the prices are not too exhorbitant from our airport, plus we usually have some "ticketless travel credit" from previous bargains through Ding. Since any travel we do by air is a SWA destination, it makes the next trip seem cheaper when we use that credit. Unless SWA changes that policy , we'll always use them, precisely for that "no penalty" deal!

 

[simzac]

Waiting on January 1-8. I will book as soon as humanly possible, meaning as soon as I can get to a computer. Getting the flight I want is more important than saving a few dollars. JMO