Southwest Release Fare Strategy

[Mich Mouse]

I have read that SW will release fares next week for April.
Does anyone know the typical scenario? Will the fares open at midnight? 6:00 am? How does this usually work?
The fares are very high for the week I need them and I want to be ready to get the tickets before they sell out.
Is the release the 23rd or 24th?

 

[LisaS]

For a couple of years now they have been releasing the schedule at or shortly after 6am eastern time. Sometimes the schedule was released as early as 6:10am and other times it has been 6:20am or maybe a few minutes later than that.

However for the most recent schedule release I think it happened later in the morning. I hope that someone will post here and let us know when the schedule was released last time.

I'm planning to be online, ready to book at 6am eastern time since that has been the usual release time for quite a while now.

 

[Mich Mouse]

Thanks for your response. I just checked and the release date is the 27th, next Tuesday....don't want to confuse anyone with my incorrect dates above.

Good luck!! Let me know how it goes.

 

[NHDisneyFan]

A few months back the release was 6am. Be ready and be fast. I had my first choice disappear while in the cart no more than 2 minutes after release.

 

[n2mm]

Thanks for your response. I just checked and the release date is the 27th, next Tuesday....don't want to confuse anyone with my incorrect dates above.

Good luck!! Let me know how it goes.

Thanks for the info. I'll be in WDW that week, so will have to try to do it with my ipad for next April.

 

[DisDadDVC]

For the previous fare release, SW started all weekend flights VERY high. This was a departure from what they have done in the past. They then lowered the fares over the next month or so. My guess is they will do it again this time.

 

[zilp]

For the previous fare release, SW started all weekend flights VERY high. This was a departure from what they have done in the past. They then lowered the fares over the next month or so. My guess is they will do it again this time.

Just curious, do you remember what the prices were?

 

[DisDadDVC]

Just curious, do you remember what the prices were?

Yes, I do. I fly out of BDL or PVD to MCO. Every weekend (and Monday) in March and April was $299 one return. After about a month, they lowered some to as low as $99. All went under $200.

 

[zilp]

Yes, I do. I fly out of BDL or PVD to MCO. Every weekend (and Monday) in March and April was $299 one return. After about a month, they lowered some to as low as $99. All went under $200.

wow, thanks for the heads up. First time we are going on spring break to FL and am surprised to hear that ticket fares sell out so quickly. Add in sky high prices will make me rethink about buying right away. Fingers crossed for good prices out of the gate.

 

[jerseygal]

Will new fares only be released on the 27th through end of April? Looking for May. TIA!

 

[stormer]

They released the fares for Feb. back in August. I set my alarm to be ready to go at 6 AM because we were traveling over President's week. It was probably about 6:10 when the fares were loaded. I chose a flight that was $139 per person from NY to Orlando. In the few seconds it took me to input the names and birthdays of my family of four the fare was gone. I got a message saying I couldn't complete the transaction because the fare was no longer available. The price jumped to $428 per person in a matter of a minute! It was ridiculous. I didn't buy the tickets. I checked recently and the same flight is now $309 per person. Still high, but not as bad.

 

[DisDadDVC]

Will new fares only be released on the 27th through end of April? Looking for May. TIA!

"We are currently accepting air reservations through April 11, 2016. On October 27, 2015 we will open our schedule for sale through June 3, 2016. This date is subject to change! Please check back frequently."

https://www.southwest.com/html/travel-tools/

 

[DisDadDVC]

In short, SW appears to have 2 diff fare strategies.

1) Start high. Get as many people to take the bait. Lower prices over time to fill the plane. This appears to be used for popular travel times. Holidays, etc.
2) Start low. I believe there are 8 diff WGA fare buckets. Once they sell out of the lowest, they move to the next. $114, $139, $159, etc. Occasionally there will be a sale along the way, but generally day 1 is the lowest non-sale fares. This appears to be used for weekday and off season travel.

So, if the flight you want is $299, hold off. If it is $119, jump on it. They will probably both end up around $159-189 in the end.

 

[jerseygal]

"We are currently accepting air reservations through April 11, 2016. On October 27, 2015 we will open our schedule for sale through June 3, 2016. This date is subject to change! Please check back frequently."

https://www.southwest.com/html/travel-tools/

THANKS!

 

[Mich Mouse]

Southwest flights are open! My round trip from NY was less than 300.00 per person....not bad for Spring Break! The prices are already up quite a bit in an hour and a half.....Good Luck to everyone booking today.

 

[katriscari]

My options suck right now...no non stops at all....$147 each way with a layover in atlanta

 

[ToddyLu]

Our nonstop from New Orleans stayed the same in price but I was able to get an earlier flight than usual. for the return trip home I paid 40$ less per person and got a mornng flight around 10:35 a.m., which will make DH hapy.

 

[katriscari]

we are looking out of cleveland & akron/canton....we have to fly....will never do that drive. So, needless to say I am not booking now & will be waiting....if they don't go down I will cancel and vacation elsewhere I guess / We have lots of time though until the end of April

 

[theworldneedscolor]

My options are terrible at them moment. $285 with long layovers (flying MCO to PDX, so didn't expect non-stop). I found some flights with United for $177, so even with 2 checked bags it would be $50 cheaper. But I've never had any experience with that airline, so I'm still considering. Also trying to decide if the Southwest fares will drop, or just keep rising/sell-out.

 

[vacation_junkie]

For the previous fare release, SW started all weekend flights VERY high. This was a departure from what they have done in the past. They then lowered the fares over the next month or so. My guess is they will do it again this time.

The past few years we've found our cheapest price the day they were released. Where 3-4 years ago it paid to wait.
(Normally a Friday departure BUF-MCO. Sunday return MCO-BUF.)

The day our flights were released for our next trip they were $107 pp/pw/direct.
Since August the lowest they have been are $187 pp/pw/direct Right now they are sitting at the $209 mark pp/pw/direct.