SouthWest questions

[Tigger2ntinkerbell]

I was looking at SouthWest and realized that the flights from Detroit to Orlando are getting longer, or maybe I just haven't noticed.
Has anyone else noticed this?? 6 to 7 hours to travel one way.
Does and know if its better to wait for the price and length of travel time to book.

 

[rwdavis2]

There has to be at least one stop on the way if it's taking that long. It's only 6 hours to the west cost from the DC area. When to book is totally up to you and what you want: cheaper price or maybe shorter flight.

 

[Debbie Jean]

You do realize that these are not direct flights and you have to make a connection?

 

[Tigger2ntinkerbell]

Didn't SW have non-stop from DTW to MCO???
Yes, I know these are connecting flights but the layovers are getting longer.

 

[Debbie Jean]

Southwest cut all their non-stops from Newark to MCO this spring so all they have available now are connecting flights... through Midway in Chicago flight times are over 8 hours. LOL

I'm looking at other airlines.

 

[siren0119]

Didn't SW have non-stop from DTW to MCO???
Yes, I know these are connecting flights but the layovers are getting longer.

I've noticed that nonstop flights from BOS-MCO seem to be fewer, but the layovers were mostly an hour-ish. What makes me crazy with flight layovers is when you are given 45 minutes for a layover in places like Midway-Chicago where there are decent distances between terminals. I would rather have a longer layover and be able to relax about my connecting flight than run with a mad panic through a busy airport.

 

[Tigger2ntinkerbell]

Yep checking different Airlines and see which one have non-stops.
I don't like having to rush through the airport, my DH has trouble walking.
DH hates long layovers.
Joy's of travel. LOL

 

[kristenrice]

Delta has non-stops to MCO from DTW and I have found that they are about the same price as SWA charges.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

When to book is totally up to you and what you want: cheaper price or maybe shorter flight.

Actually that's not the case in every market. In my market nearly all the time the non-stop option is the cheapest option The catch is getting the non-stop, if it exists from the airport to the destination, to work time-wise.

In terms of connections is honestly varies in terms of price to travel time duration ratio.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Yep checking different Airlines and see which one have non-stops.
I don't like having to rush through the airport, my DH has trouble walking.
DH hates long layovers.
Joy's of travel. LOL

When are you trying to travel?

There are def. route adjustments in markets going on but sometimes it's a seasonal thing not just for the non-stop availability but also the amount of flight options and stops.

 

[mcd2745]

Where the heck is SW re-routing all their planes??? Several threads have bemoaned the lack of direct flights to MCO (and other Florida airports) compared to years past.

 

[georgina]

I've noticed that nonstop flights from BOS-MCO seem to be fewer, but the layovers were mostly an hour-ish. What makes me crazy with flight layovers is when you are given 45 minutes for a layover in places like Midway-Chicago where there are decent distances between terminals. I would rather have a longer layover and be able to relax about my connecting flight than run with a mad panic through a busy airport.

I haven't connected in Midway in a while. Does SW have more than one terminal there? I have had several 45 minute connections in Atlanta, but all the SW gates are close together there.

We still have 4-5 non-stops out of PIT to MCO each day.

 

[siren0119]

I haven't connected in Midway in a while. Does SW have more than one terminal there? I have had several 45 minute connections in Atlanta, but all the SW gates are close together there.

We still have 4-5 non-stops out of PIT to MCO each day.

At Midway arrivals and departures are in different wings. It's a real pain in the rear when you have to make a connecting flight.

Boston is more like Atlanta, where arrivals and departures are in the same area for the same airline. Much easier to naviagte.

 

[Ralph&Pam]

At Midway arrivals and departures are in different wings. It's a real pain in the rear when you have to make a connecting flight.

Boston is more like Atlanta, where arrivals and departures are in the same area for the same airline. Much easier to naviagte.

Actually, SW at Midway has gates in the A and B concourses. They are the dominant carrier there and hav almost all the gates in A and B. They are adjacent, separated by a food court. Both arrivals and departures occur in both, since an incoming plane (arrival) will then depart from the same gate to its next destination. It’s possible that one might make a connection that departs from the other concourse, but equally likely that the connecting flight will depart from the same terminal. In any case, getting from one concourse to the other is easy, since you do not exit from the security zone when doing so, in fact, it could be a shorter walk from a gate in A, say A1 through A5 to a gate in B, say B1 through B5, than the walk from a low-numbered gate in either concourse to a high-numbered gate in the same concourse. I think there are about 19 gates in A and 26 gates in B.

 

[siren0119]

Actually, SW at Midway has gates in the A and B concourses. They are the dominant carrier there and hav almost all the gates in A and B. They are adjacent, separated by a food court. Both arrivals and departures occur in both, since an incoming plane (arrival) will then depart from the same gate to its next destination. It’s possible that one might make a connection that departs from the other concourse, but equally likely that the connecting flight will depart from the same terminal. In any case, getting from one concourse to the other is easy, since you do not exit from the security zone when doing so, in fact, it could be a shorter walk from a gate in A, say A1 through A5 to a gate in B, say B1 through B5, than the walk from a low-numbered gate in either concourse to a high-numbered gate in the same concourse. I think there are about 19 gates in A and 26 gates in B.

That;s good to know - in the last two years every time I have had a connecting flight at Midway (8 times in the last few years) I have always had to hustle from one concourse to the other for my connecting flight!

 

[Ralph&Pam]

That;s good to know - in the last two years every time I have had a connecting flight at Midway (8 times in the last few years) I have always had to hustle from one concourse to the other for my connecting flight!

Unfortunately, your connection may continue to have this same pattern. It seems to me that many of the SW flights use the same gates pretty consistently, so we find ourselves at the same high-numbered gate area flying MDW to MCO two or three times a year. When arriving from MCO, we’re happy if we avoid the long walk once in a while. I suppose a different destination’s flights might be consistently departing from a gate in the B concourse, so a connection might require a hike.

 

[jdisnut]

I recognize that many users of this forum have decided to fly Southwest exclusively. I question that rationale. If Southwest doesn't have flights available on your days of travel, you would undoubtedly be better served looking for flights on another airline like Delta.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I recognize that many users of this forum have decided to fly Southwest exclusively. I question that rationale. If Southwest doesn't have flights available on your days of travel, you would undoubtedly be better served looking for flights on another airline like Delta.

I can't speak for everyone but I would agree on checking out other airlines in terms of see if price and travel times and duration would work better.

I do think with SWA people do get used to not worrying about luggage fees so that would be something to consider if switching to another airline. Delta and some other airlines have introduced Basic Economy (or the equivalent) so that needs to be taken into consideration when comparing prices. You do NOT get the same benefits with SWA as you get with Basic Economy.

For my airport SWA and Spirit are the only two airlines that have a non-stop option to Orlando International. Allegiant has a non-stop to Sanford. All other airlines right now to Orlando requires a stop (which I avoid if possible).

 

[siren0119]

I recognize that many users of this forum have decided to fly Southwest exclusively. I question that rationale. If Southwest doesn't have flights available on your days of travel, you would undoubtedly be better served looking for flights on another airline like Delta.

I'll always fly Southwest when it makes sense - my points earned go a lot further there and I have always had a good overall experience.

But I always shop around for best rate/best times. Case in point, when we go to WDW in August we are flying down on Delta and flying home on Southwest.

The only airlines I absolutely will never fly are Spirit and United. American is an "only when necessary".

 

[maxiesmom]

I recognize that many users of this forum have decided to fly Southwest exclusively. I question that rationale. If Southwest doesn't have flights available on your days of travel, you would undoubtedly be better served looking for flights on another airline like Delta.

And that is exactly what my family has done. I can find comparable prices on Delta with much shorter travel times. Southwest has gone crazy with not only the layover times, but the flight starting times as well.