Southwest rookie needs help!

[laurietg]

We are planning to fly out of Buffalo for the first time next year. What do I do? I am totally lost. Phone #'s, websites, advise...anything would be helpful.

I am also wondering

1. How early before a flight we need to be at the airport.

2. How far in advance to book the flight.

3. What comes first? Hotel booking or flight.

4. Should we just book out of Pearson.

 

[cabmom]

If you want to pay really high prices or be closer to home, then fly out of Toronto.

However, Buffalo is the way to go for cheap flights! Book thru the websites as that is how to get cheaper flights. If you download DING it will be even cheaper!

You only need to be there 1 hour before. You should print your boarding pass off before you get to the airport to get an "A" pass or if your children are young enough you get to preboard. Book the flight as soon as you see it become available. Flights for January have already dropped to $34 if you have DING and catch them. It depends on what kind of deals you get on which comes first hotel or flight. You can change your flight with Southwest if you see it come out cheaper.

Good luck, anymore questions just ask!

Marilynn

 

[usetheforceluke]

We are planning to fly out of Buffalo for the first time next year. What do I do?

Read prior postings here. It may be a pain, but a lot of your questions may have already been answered.

Answers:

1. At least 60 minutes for security. We like to allow 90.
2. As soon as SWA opens up their bookings. I believe they're now accepting June, 2006? (Anyone?)
3. Flight. Then Hotel. Take an hour out of your day and book both.
4. Your choice. Some here won't travel to Buffalo and will only fly from Pearson (if they live in the area). We're going in February 2005, two-round trip tickets for $201.50USD. Try to get that rate at Pearson.

Jim.

 

[pxlbarrel]

4. Your choice. Some here won't travel to Buffalo and will only fly from Pearson (if they live in the area). We're going in February 2005, two-round trip tickets for $201.50USD. Try to get that rate at Pearson.
Jim.

While I agree you will never get that rate leaving Pearson, you also don't have to drive to Buffalo or drive back afterwards. You can also get a direct flight from Pearson. I'm not versed on SWA but are they direct or connecting flights.

That said, I'd probably try SWA if I was flying in the summer but in the winter, I'd still prefer to leave from Pearson. They seem to get way more snow than us in Buffalo.

 

[Debbie]

SWA has direct flights. Air Tran connects in Atlanta.

That said, I'd probably try SWA if I was flying in the summer but in the winter, I'd still prefer to leave from Pearson. They seem to get way more snow than us in Buffalo.

Last January, I flew out of Pearson, my 2 sisters flew out of Buffalo. It was a freezing rain/snowstorm. MY flight was delayed....they held it up for the connecting flight from Montreal (?). So, leaving London at 3:00 in the morning (Robert Q Airbus-prebooked months in advance) to arrive 3 hours prior, for the 9:30 flight, and we didn't leave until after noon. My sisters, on the other hand left Buffalo on time, and were checked in long before I arrived at 5:00. It was a l-o-n-g day! (but not so long that I couldn't do the Late night hours at the parks! lol)

 

[SaraMc]

Southwest is great but what about Jet Blue? We have our seats already assigned to us which is great. We are flying out of Buffalo. We added two days to our vacation just incase we had to drive in nasty snow. The cost diffrence of almost $800 was enough for us to take the hour and a half ride across to Buffalo.

 

[usetheforceluke]

As I mentioned, there are some here that won't fly out of Buffalo, for various and sundry reasons, and that's fine by me. Personally, I don't mind the drive if it means I get super cheap airfares.

I just checked the Air Canada website, and I priced 'equivalent' air travel both down and back for our February trip. (Non-stop both ways, we're going non-stop down, one-stop back.) The cheapest Air Canada/Tango/Tango Plus fares that I could get on the same days for two people totalled $616.64USD. Our confirmed fare is $201.50USD on Southwest; a difference of some $415.14USD, almost enough to pay for the hotel bill at POFQ, where we're staying. While the airfare is roughly double SWA, the "Taxes, Fees and Charges" add some $180.54USD to the bill, and I love to avoid paying taxes, fees and charges.

Southwest has a number of departures from Buffalo to Orlando every day. If one wants a non-stop, then they are available. Two per day if I remember correctly; one first thing in the morning and one 'around' dinner time or so. I'm sure their website would have specifics.

Jim.

 

[R&J]

We tried Southwest for the first time last month...flew non-stop from BUF to Tampa for $435.xxUSD for 4 r/t tickets.

Our flight was a little past 7 AM in the morning, so we stayed at the Homewood Suites the night before and left our car there for the duration of the trip. Took the hotel shuttle to the airport and arrived just over an hour before the flight. Security was quick and we had plenty of time before boarding - but not TOO much time. Our kids are 5 & 2, and all that time spent waiting for a flight can be brutal, but the Buffalo airport has a couple of small play areas for the little ones that help to pass the time.

DH absolutely LOVED the experience of flying from Buffalo. He doesn't mind the drive, and he was even fine with driving home directly after our return flight even though we didn't get in until after 9 PM and it was after 10 by the time we got to our car. Crossing the border was a breeze at that time of day

I am one of those people who worry about weather conditions. A few weeks back Westjet was offering non-stop flights from Hamilton to Orlando for $99 pp each way, the total came to just under $1200 for the four of us, which is not bad. However, there was only one flight per week to MCO and one flight per week returning, so I was concerned about delays/cancellations and didn't book.

But on Christmas Eve I got a great ding! fare on SW so in February the four of us are flying BUF-MCO non-stop, return, for a grand total of - are you ready for this -$373.xxUSD!!! Again, I'm concerned about the weather, but SW has frequent flights to/from Orlando, and we're allowing an extra day on either side of the trip for driving.

So for us the drive to Buffalo is definitely worth the cost savings.

We plan on taking a cruise with my in-laws in the spring, and when travelling with them we will likely fly from Pearson because of my FIL's medical condition. We will be paying through the nose for the convenience, though..last week the cheapest flight I could find was $519CAD pp. We're going in April, though, when I believe flights tend to be more expensive.

 

[sammi]

We love Southwest too! And flying out of Buffalo is fantastic as it's a simple and smaller airport than TO. Also love the fact that we clear customs on the Peace Bridge rather than MCO.

We also gave ourselves a Christmas gift on Christmas evening and booked for Feb for a grand total of $111.00 Canadian each for DH and myself to head down to Orlando! We couldn't resist the Ding fares anymore! We leave Feb 2nd and return Feb 13th and we're so looking forward to getting away for a while from the cold and snow!!!

R&J what are your dates to fly down? Maybe we're on the same flight? We've chosen to stay over in Buffalo and leave on the early flight.DH doesn't want to waste anytime!

 

[CdnDisneyNut]

Question about the Ding fares.
I think I have success fully downloaded it.
Do you get an e-mail or does a Ding window pop up when they are available?

TIA

 

[TimNDansMom]

Mike, after you downloaded the DING program, you should see a little SWA tail icon in your lower status bar. I run Windows XP and mine is in the lower right hand side of the screen. When a DING rate is present, you will see a little message box attached to the icon. Just click on it and a message box will pop up, stating there is a DING offer available...just click on that and a window will open with all the deals. You should see one right now in fact.

 

[CdnDisneyNut]

Julie

Thanks. I also am using XP. I see the SWA tail icon. I click on it and a Ding window pops up. Click on details and then get "page can not be found error"

 

[TimNDansMom]

Mike, have you checked in "Help"? Maybe you are having connection or firewall issues. There's some info in Help about this on the DING message box.

 

[R&J]

Sammi

We are flying out on Feb 6 and returning Feb 13, Monday to Monday. I would have liked to leave a day or two earlier, but by the time I checked my computer and realized there was a ding! fare we could use all the suitable non-stop flights were unavailable for the Sat & Sun.

My DS2 is NOT a great traveller..he's the run-around-all-the-time rambunctious type, and hates being cooped up for any extended period of time. So to any of you flying MCO-BUF about 10 AM on Feb 13....I apologize in advance if he disrupts the flight!!

 

[sammi]

Oh Oh R&J!!!!!We're on the 10:05 AM return flight home with you!!! LOL I'm sure he'll be just fine and he's a normal 2 year old. Isn't that why they call them the "terrible twos"? I've raised 3 boys so nothing surprises me anymore with kids....especially boys!

We couldn't pass up a fare like that and DH will officially be retired tomorrow night so this will be a "celebration" vacation. I'm in the process of booking a vacation villa for us that looks soooooooo nice.

I'll be sure to check for your little guy on our flight back!

 

[Reese]

Hey your two year old and my twenty month old can cause a ruckus together, LOL. We changed our plans also when we got the ding. We're not getting there until later in the day though, I wanted a non-stop flight.

On a side note maybe you can help me. We've never flown before and is there any place to change diapers or just sort of lay them on the sink.

 

[sammi]

Hi Reese! Oh no..........all theses little ones! I'll just bring my ear plugs! (just kidding)

There is absolutely no space in the aircrafts washrooms to change a baby! There's hardly room for yourself to move around in as they are really tight quarters.I don't have little ones anymore so I really don't know what the Moms do to change their babies on a plane.

Wow this will be your first trip to WDW? Oh my goodness are in you for a real treat especially little ones. I hope you and your family have the most wonderful trip and I'm sure you'll love flying Southwest too!

 

[Reese]

Thanks . The kids don't know that we're going either so I'm busting not telling them either.
As for noise I think I'll just dose them up on gravol so hopefully they'll sleep

 

[cabmom]

The restrooms at the back of the plane have a change table!

Marilynn

 

[Reese]

Thank you. I've been thinking how me with my prenant belly was going to fit into the bathroom not to mention fitting a toddler for a diaper change.