SW Ding Experts - From phone to Ding

[Dizz42]

I made my reservations over the phone. A better flight time came up on the regular SW web site and I wanted to change. I tried to do it on-line and it came up that I couldn't (little man with the crossed flags - "please call..." etc., etc.) So I did call and got the change, no problem.

Now, I'm watching the Ding and hoping for a cheaper rate. If one comes up, will I have to call to cancel and then quick get the Ding on-line? Do you think I'll be able to cancel on-line in one window and snag the Ding in another open window?

Dings for November should be coming soon. I'm stressing and it could be for nothing, right?

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

Yes, I believe that's the only way you'll be able to do it. Did you book your trip as one-ways, or round-trip? Because that's the other thing that creates a big snag with DING fares. They sometimes have a lower fare on only one portion of the flight, but you can't just change one leg of a r/t that was purchased with DING and keep the other leg as is. I've learned this lesson first-hand on about four occasions now. Have already saved $100 on four tickets, but could have saved at least $100 more if they were one-ways that I had more flexibility with. Wish they had DING-ology 101!

 

[Dizz42]

Thanks, calypso*a*go-go (love your name!)! I thought I'd have to call and cancel first and then be ready to snag the Ding fare online. Fortunately, I did book one way trips. After having to cancel a flight with US Air and rebooking with SW and then having to cancel that one (October trip fell through), someone here on the DIS recommended flyertalk.com. I went over there and it has a kinda Ding-ology 101 FAQ. Perfect term for it!

Now we're booked BWI to MCO 11/23 - 11/28. Hope, hope, hoping for a Ding! Thanks again!

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

I'm sure something will turn up between now and then.

 

[kehouse]

you only have 5 minutes to book your ding flights. i opened my ding window, went to sw and cancelled my other flight went back and the man came up so i called and she said i only had 5 mins to complete. the flight i wanted was gone . i was freaking out . lucky for me there was another flight that same day just a little later. i would have had 7 other people very upset with me if i told them i lost their ding.

 

[Dizz42]

Ohmygawsh...I guess you gotta be fast! Thanks for that very important piece of info!

 

[MiaSRN62]

Thanks, calypso*a*go-go (love your name!)! I thought I'd have to call and cancel first and then be ready to snag the Ding fare online.

This is exactly what I just did a couple weeks ago. I had a great DING, PHL to TPA. But a DING , PHL to MCO popped up & I preferred flying in/out of MCO. I could not figure out how to cancel the original DING, so I called SW....precious moments were ticking by. The SW agent (this was at 11 pm), cancelled by Tampa flights over the phone and then informed me I was free to rebook my Orlando DING immediately. The credit went through on the web site within seconds. I was sweatin' for a few moments, but it all worked out.
Good luck !

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

Isn't it great when these things actually turn out?