Soutwest in December

[1000th happy haunt]

I've been planning a trip for this December. I already have the room booked (12/8-15), and have been watching Southwest prices out of Philadelphia. They were sitting there at $99. When I checked yesterday the Internet one-way price of $99 was completely gone. Now the lowest price is a promotional fare at $113.

I don't know if this change is exclusive to Philadelphia or not, but if you've been waiting for Southwest to lower fares, you may want to reconsider and book now for December.

 

[ptrbryant]

Typically, SWA has there really low fares available about 60 days out at most. Last year, I bought tix Nashville-Orlando for our May trip...in mid-March, the fares dropped considerably, so I rebooked and used the credits for a family trip to Philadelphia this Sept.

Karla B.

 

[1000th happy haunt]

Would you suggest that I wait, or book the flight to Orlando at $113 (to ensure I get the flight I want) and hope for a cost reduction or DING later?

 

[HayGan]

I booked on SW 2 days after they came out for early December and the one flght I wanted already had gone up so I booked a slightly earlier flight. I booked all of us for $79 each way out of PIT knowing that I could rebook and receive credit for the overage when prices go lower (thru ding or sale.) Now the flights that I booked are at $133 a person each way. I am sooooo glad that I booked when I did. I personally feel much better knowing that I got a good deal that possibly could get better. I would be really stressing right now if I hadn't secured those $79 seats!

 

[Rpsemont]

Would you suggest that I wait, or book the flight to Orlando at $113 (to ensure I get the flight I want) and hope for a cost reduction or DING later?

If there is only 1 flight that you'd be happy with, I would book now and take the credit if a lower flight becomes available. Book OW flights and If you're booking for more than 2 people, you may want to book singly or in pairs.
We're going in Nov and I had much the same thing happen.
DH and I are flying down Sat 11/4, DD and BIl will fly down on Tuesday 11/7. We all Return Mon 11/13. I did not jump right on the sat flights and before I knew it, three of them were sold out at the lowest levels (which weren't that low) I used RR tickets and booked the flights I wanted. If a special comes out, I can always pay and have the RR tickets back. But DH and I need to be there for PFTS that night. Since DD and BIl are flying on a tuesday, I'm really not that concerned. Prices were $99, now the cheapest is $135; I'll continue to wait for a special or a ding. I will buy at $79, but will hope to end up paying $49 or $59. And If I see availability disappearing, I'll pay $99.
For the 11/13 return, I noticed a couple night ago that a couple flights at the $99 were unavailable. I had decided that the next day I would purchase at the $99, but alas, those were not offered the next day, so now I'm waiting again. The worse that can happen is DD will have to miss another day at school and we'll come back on Tuesday.

Good luck!

 

[simzac]

Don't mean to sound like a pessimist, but I constantly read in posts comments like, well this is what has happened in the past. I'm sorry, but with the cost of fuel continuing to rise, what happened in the past doesn't mean squat now. If you see the flight you want and the price is close to what you were looking for, I say buy it. Chances are the price will only go up in the future. Not sure you can even count on Dings anymore, seems like they are really restricted to certain days and flights now. But remember, this is only my opinion, yours may differ.

 

[Rpsemont]

I'm sorry, but with the cost of fuel continuing to rise, what happened in the past doesn't mean squat now.

As far as specific $$ amounts, I think you're right. Internet OW used to be $79 for our market. Now they're $99+. Dings used to be $44-$49 and now they're $59-$64
I try to watch all the time, so I have some idea of when a lower fare is available.
Of Course, IMO flexibility is always the key to getting the lowest fare.

 

[Ub_Iwerks]

My sister works with people in the airline industry. Southwest is one of the airlines that locks into fuel prices years in advance, so they aren't paying more for fuel at the time and at least for another year or so. They may cut back on the number of flights, based more on how many tickets they are selling. The real problem is that people will be flying less just because they don't have as much money to take vacations since gas prices have such a far reaching effect on the economy. But Southwest will want to have each flight as full as possible, which means it's possible that they could have some good discounts. Of course, if other big airlines end up folding, the supply of airline seats available is greatly diminished and that could make prices go way up if the demand stays the same.

 

[CarolA]

My sister works with people in the airline industry. Southwest is one of the airlines that locks into fuel prices years in advance, so they aren't paying more for fuel at the time and at least for another year or so. They may cut back on the number of flights, based more on how many tickets they are selling. The real problem is that people will be flying less just because they don't have as much money to take vacations since gas prices have such a far reaching effect on the economy. But Southwest will want to have each flight as full as possible, which means it's possible that they could have some good discounts. Of course, if other big airlines end up folding, the supply of airline seats available is greatly diminished and that could make prices go way up if the demand stays the same.

I posted a link here several weeks ago to an interview in the USAToday with a SW executive. The "great locks" SW has are expring and the fuel industry isn't being near as generous now! His quote was that even with the contracts they have if they don't raise fees or use less fuel then the increased cost of fuel with be GREATER then last year's profits. So the SW fuel hedges are not going to protect you much longer.....

 

[Tara]

As far as specific $$ amounts, I think you're right. Internet OW used to be $79 for our market. Now they're $99+. Dings used to be $44-$49 and now they're $59-$64
I try to watch all the time, so I have some idea of when a lower fare is available.
Of Course, IMO flexibility is always the key to getting the lowest fare.

I can't say that I agree. I'm paying the same for my airfare to MCO this August as I did last September -- Ding! fares for $49 each way.

Yes, the SW fuel hedging isn't going to last forever, but the fact remains that they would rather fill seats them pay to fly them empty, so I'm sure that deals will remian...but they might be and likely will be less common.

 

[Rpsemont]

I can't say that I agree. I'm paying the same for my airfare to MCO this August as I did last September -- Ding! fares for $49 each way.

Great! I guess there's still hope that we'll get a $49 fare for Nov!

 

[DonnaL]

I just saw a $39 Ding fare yesterday for Sept from MCO/PHL......granted it was for a specific flight, but, for someone who can be flexible ....the deals are still there. I also read an article yesterday about SW and Airtran being the only two airlines to continue to show a profit....granted with fuel prices that most probably won't continue, but, as of second quarter this year they were still showing a profit according to the article I read in the newspaper.

 

[zurgswife]

Ok...I went last sept. Paid $49 about 3 weeks prior. I had scheduled a trip for this Sept book soon after the rates came out. Paid $99 each way. Then rebooked my trip for Aug 3.5 weeks ago. Originally booked at $59 each way then I got another DING for $44 out of PHL.

I'm pretty much paying the same as last year.

I haven't booked my Dec trip as I think things get cheaper on SW as the time gets closer. I could be wrong but I'm willing to take a chance. I watch my DINGS fairly religiously.

 

[pouncingpluto]

I haven't booked my Dec trip as I think things get cheaper on SW as the time gets closer. I could be wrong but I'm willing to take a chance. I watch my DINGS fairly religiously.

Yeah, same here. It makes me a little nervous to wait, but still, I figure there's definitely at least going to be a sale knocking the price from $79 each way to $69 or $59. So I plan to jump on it then and then keep waiting for DINGs.

But the posts about Pittsburgh already being out of the cheapest fare buckets make me wonder. But at least we're travelling on a Thursday and a Monday, so no Fri or Sun.

 

[Corryn]

When the fall schedule opened in May, I initially paid $149 (on our return trip) from Orlando....Then I got Southwest's email a few weeks later with special fares and snagged the $99 fare.
Then our initial $99 fare from LI to Tampa (on our way down) changed to $54!!! So now we have about $400 in SW Credits for our cruise next spring!!!
I do have Ding!, but I'm also subscribed to their email notifications. Sometimes you don't get a Ding! for certain fares.....
Now I'm waiting for a Ding! for either one of these flights....Ka-Chingggg!