Southwest sales-what happened?

[roliepolieoliefan]

It depends on the dates. I used points from the SW credit card for flights 4/28 to 5/4. Our flight down on 4/28 is $149 (first flight of the day), I think there were some $95 flights later in the day. Our return on 5/4 is $95 (last flight). I got these in December, probably more now.

Well we're going a little earlier. 4/19-4/28.

I have been checking those dates since SWA released their fares and they have remained the same. We are stuck and non flexible because of the cruise. We have a SWA credit card and are holding out a little longer but may use them for this trip because I hate the thought of driving.

 

[KarlaG4Kids]

I know when I am watching I check the fares 2-3 times a day. Sometimes they come down for no obvious reason (such as an advertised sale) and then they pop back up. It is easy to miss one of those temporary price drops!

 

[Anal Annie]

Last Sept. Jet Blue beat both AT & SW for our spring break trip so I booked them even tho it was out of Dulles rather than BWI. I got a great deal for flying at that time of year at $628.20 for 3 round trip tix!! I felt this was an especially good deal since we got free assigned seats & free checked bags (although we try to travel in carry-ons sometimes we may want to check 1 shared bag).

Now I am searching for August. I used to be able to book round trips on either AT or SW for around $119-$129 now that is looking like the normal one-way fare. I was truely disappointed with the SW fares when they came out last weekend as I really wanted to use BWI. It is closer and easier to get to for us BUT....SW is running $818 + $60 for the EBCI feature for a total of $878. AT is running $264 pp or $792 plus fees for seats & checked bags. Jet Blue out of Dulles is running $863 for 3 tix and they have super crappy flight times for some reason (only 2 non-stops per day). United of all things is running only $210 pp from Dulles for a total of $629 (only 60 cents more than what we're paying for spring break). I will shoot to pack in carry-ons only but if we need to I can check 1 shared bag & even with the extra $50 luggage fee we'd still be $199 less than SW.

(United is even less @ $174 for their crappier flight times.)

 

[Anal Annie]

OMG. Talk about frustrating. I decided to join the stooooopid United Mileage Plus thing before I booked our tix and when I went back to purchase all of their fares had gone up by $10. Should I wait & see if it's just a mid-day fluke?

 

[Friendly Frog]

I would only be guessing at what you should do...but my airfare has doubled in price since I booked it!

 

[Macca1111]

My August trip is looking like 230$ down per person and 230$ back per person

You must live somewhere by me! I loved Southwest for their low prices, but my end of March trip was nearly $600, and May is looking to be $400...I went with United for March and used half miles and half money.

Our flights on SWA are ridiculous.

$160 per person one way.

I would take that $160 in a heartbeat now - I don't think I'm going to be able to get to Orlando for less than $350 anymore, when I went in January for about $250. I've been really frustrated this year by that.

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

I would take that $160 in a heartbeat now - I don't think I'm going to be able to get to Orlando for less than $350 anymore, when I went in January for about $250. I've been really frustrated this year by that.

Thx but there is no way I'm paying those prices. I refuse to pay over $300 a person to fly to Orlando from Pittsburgh.

We are a 17 hour drive away. As much as I detest the thought of driving all those miles with my Type A husband and 2 kids , it would be well worth it for the savings alone.

With airfare and transportation to the port , we would be at $1500 before we even got on the ship.

Anytime there was ever a thread about driving on the Dis, I would always say you people are crazy, I would never drive. I have now learned, never say never.

 

[princesspiglet]

No, I'm finding it to be true at my airport too. In fact, none of the recent sales have decreased the prices of the flights I'm watching. We aren't flying until June so maybe the sales are better closer to the time of flying. I remember when we got flights for $54 each way. I miss those days.

Just wanted to say hi neighbor I live in Palmyra.

 

[Fastpaks]

They went up another $16 this morning out of STL. For our Dec trip it will look more and more like we are going to end up flying Conteninal with a stop in Houston for about $150 less total. 150 one way vs 172 round.. almost a no brainer.

 

[AnjieNet]

Actually went down out of MCI (Kansas City) this morning by about $30 for a Sept flight. BUT they also took away the 7:00 am non-stop. Hoping that's something temporary as we were hoping for the early flight out in October.

 

[KarlaG4Kids]

Actually went down out of MCI (Kansas City) this morning by about $30 for a Sept flight. BUT they also took away the 7:00 am non-stop. Hoping that's something temporary as we were hoping for the early flight out in October.

I love that early am nonstop from MCI too. It's great to be checked in and having fun by about 1pm!

 

[Thumper_Man]

Looking at prices today. Holy Cow! DW, D'Sis and myself are going in December. Right now Southwest is only booking through November 2nd. But if the current prices are any indication of what the prices will be like in December, then I may actually fly Continental. I was comparing prices and on Kayak, I can get a Continental flight much cheaper than I could on SW. Even if I check a bag Continental is still cheaper. That's usually all we check anyways.

SW has already eliminated the only direct flight from our airport to Orlando. This is the one thing I loved about flying SW. They were the only airline that offered a direct flight. Not anymore. So since we'll have to change flights no matter what, I started looking at other airlines. I'm a pretty loyal fan to SW. I have the RR credit card and they're the only airline we'll fly. Here's hoping I can earn enough points for a free flight. Otherwise my loyalty to SW may be slipping away.

 

[Tara]

We had a run of several good years where I could get tickets on USAir's Metrojet or Delta Express for about $100 round trip out of Albany. They went under, but Southwest got really competitive in our market and I flew to Orlando a bunch of times for $49 each way. I try to remember just how many great trips I took with those low fares when I see fares like $178 each way to MCO now.

As it stands, Southwest is still my carrier of choice. They are the only one with nonstop flights to MCO and their fares are often to the penny the same as those offered by Delta and United, but no baggage charges need to be added on top of those fares. Plus their 737 fleet means more comfortable flights over what often ends up being regional jet service on one leg or even both if we fly another carrier.

 

[emmabelle]

I just paid $1300 for four flights from Providence to Ft. Lauderdale for July 4th week. Last year I paid $850. Oh well, didn't want to drive. Jetblue was like $1600.

 

[rwdavis2]

For the places we fly to (Orland, West Coast) Southwest has just about become the most expensive airline there is.

 

[Thumper_Man]

For the places we fly to (Orland, West Coast) Southwest has just about become the most expensive airline there is.

Same holds true for us. If we fly to the West Coast (since we live in the Southwest) SWA is the cheapest option for us. Fly out to the East Coast and SWA is right up there with the other airlines. Even more expensive for our WDW trip. We'll see what May 21st. brings.

 

[GAN]

I just paid $1300 for four flights from Providence to Ft. Lauderdale for July 4th week. Last year I paid $850. Oh well, didn't want to drive. Jetblue was like $1600.

We just booked PVD-MCO(mid August) today, 4-tickets ..$1158. Not what I was hoping for, but with the threat of increased gas prices I figured now was the time. It's about $100 more than what I could have paid last week -still hoping rates might dip as the dates get closer and they try to fill flights.

 

[bookwormde]

SW really good fares are few and far between and definitely not outside the 3 month window.

I found a PHL to SJC (califoronia) for $99 for late february and there was a MDW to ATL for $59 last week for spring but that have been the only 2