SW smartypants!

[bubba's mom]

SW thinks they are a smartypants! A couple of months ago we were planning a trip in Feb. or March down to Fla. Well, after tossing around dates and rates, we settled on a good time (Jan. 31-Feb. 5) Lemme tell ya, we almost cancelled the whole thing after seeing how much a rental car and airfare was going to be! SW wouldn't open up the $79-$99 fares for the times we needed to travel and for the 3 of us round trip would have been almost $300 more than what we usually pay! So, for the hecks of it, I check AirTran and USAir. Ended up booking on USAir for what we normally pay. Now, I am because this means we can go and not have to cancel the trip! Well, low and behold, SW has now released lower rates for our dates. (appx. $60 total) Upsetting? Sure. But, since they were greedy not releasing the rates at the times I wanted to fly, their competitor now has my business and SW doesn't get ANY of my money! (Well, at least till June rates open up! )

 

[DVC Grammy]

Last year, I did the same, but booking Delta, because they were $49/ow when SW was higher. Never again ! The flights kept getting changed (without notification), assigned seats were lost, teeny-weeny airplanes from our airport, and then, Delta's connection (Freedom) hadn't renewed the contract for the baggage at that time. (And of course, during that time SWA came out with matching Dings! )
I learned my lesson............since we fly at least 3-4 times/year, always on a SW route, I go ahead and book the trip as soon as our dates open. When a Ding comes, I just use the Ticketless Funds towards the next trip.
With our type of travel, we're always better off with SWA.

 

[owtrbnks]

Last year, I did the same, but booking Delta, because they were $49/ow when SW was higher. Never again ! The flights kept getting changed (without notification), assigned seats were lost, teeny-weeny airplanes from our airport, and then, Delta's connection (Freedom) hadn't renewed the contract for the baggage at that time. (And of course, during that time SWA came out with matching Dings! )
I learned my lesson............since we fly at least 3-4 times/year, always on a SW route, I go ahead and book the trip as soon as our dates open. When a Ding comes, I just use the Ticketless Funds towards the next trip.
With our type of travel, we're always better off with SWA.

DITTO! Except we fly about 20 times a year!

 

[matysgrandma]

Last year, I did the same, but booking Delta, because they were $49/ow when SW was higher. Never again ! The flights kept getting changed (without notification), assigned seats were lost, teeny-weeny airplanes from our airport, and then, Delta's connection (Freedom) hadn't renewed the contract for the baggage at that time. (And of course, during that time SWA came out with matching Dings! )
I learned my lesson............since we fly at least 3-4 times/year, always on a SW route, I go ahead and book the trip as soon as our dates open. When a Ding comes, I just use the Ticketless Funds towards the next trip.
With our type of travel, we're always better off with SWA.

I agree with you on this one! Last year we booked with USA3000 cuz their rates were so cheap. 5 days before we were to leave (there were 5 of us total), I get a call that they're cancelling the first leg of our trip. So went right over to SWS website, rates were great and they had 5 seats available. I saved over $60 and I will NEVER again book USA300. SWA now has my complete and utter loyalty!

 

[DonnaL]

matysgrandma.....I agree with you totally.....SW also has our family loyalty ..... we had a similar situation several years ago.....we were booked on a Southeast (? at least I think that's what the name was) flight from Allentown, PA for the first week of January. The airline just stopped flying the second week of December......no notification or anything.....just stopped flying one day. Fortunately, our tickets were on a credit card so we did get our money back, but, all of our reservations (DVC, car, etc.) were made and it was too close to change or cancel anything. SW to the rescue!!!! SW had recently begun servicing PHL and we were able to get on flights to and from PHL on our dates.....at a price comparable to what we paid on the other airline. We haven't looked back since.......we gladly make the 2 hour drive to PHL to catch our nonstop SW flight (we still make it to WDW in a shorter amount of time than if we were to fly from our local airport and have to fly elsewhere first to connect).......not to mention the prices ...our last three trips have been anywhere from $110 to $137 rd trp........can't beat SW. And, once their schedule is set......it's set......they don't change the schedule four or five times after you're booked. Yes, SW definitely has our loyalty!!!!

 

[Jynohn]

I was surprised by how high Southwest's prices were when they first opened up my dates too, but I decided to book with them anyway since they had the best flight times for me. I'm so glad I did! Since booking, the price has come down significantly, and I now have over $700 in ticketless travel funds to use for our next trip. I guess it would be irritating if you're not sure when you're next trip will be, but if you know that you'll be traveling again within the year, there's no problem.

On the other hand, I have tickets on a Delta flight that I think I have to cancel due to DH's military schedule. I'm dreading the phone call I'll need to make to change that reservation, plus all the cancellation fees will probably eat up most of the money we'll be getting toward another flight. I won't even get into how many times Delta has changed flight times on me.

My family will be travelling on Southwest all the time now!

 

[bubba's mom]

Don't get me wrong...I sit and wait for the summer SW rates to open and I book as soon as they are available. Normally, we only fly once a year, next is rare and it will be twice. Booking this Jan. flight was new to us, and normally we wouldn't be going to Disney (booked thru AAA). Well, I had to let AAA know by Dec. 1 if we were going or not, or I'd have to pay cancel fees. Next time won't be a big deal, cuz we won't be going to Disney....just Universal. So, come February, I will be sitting here and booking my June flight with SW.....I was just "venting" cuz they were playing their games with me and I'm going anyway.....but not on their airlines.

 

[princesspumpkin]

I love SWA. I book with the cheapest rate at the time, then check the rates occasionally and switch to the cheaper rates. I don't keep the ticketless funds - I always get them credited back to my CC.

I know that waiting for cheaper rates can be nerve wracking - but the extra $$$ calms my nerves in the end

 

[DebbieB]

The fact that they will credit you with ticketless funds if the rate goes down or if you have to change makes it easier to take the chance with Southwest. Other airlines will charge you $50 or $100 to make changes.

That happened for my trip in October. The price was originally $220, I waited it went down to $177, I bought it, then a ding came out for $107. So I have a $70 credit in my ticketless funds. I have a trip planned for late April, the price right now for the daytime non-stops is $269! No way, I'll wait it out.

I don't know if it's "playing games" but just business strategy to see if people will pay more.

 

[Poohbear123]

Last August I booked with Spirit as they were cheaper at the time. However, 3 days later, I got a DING! thru SW, and cancelled the Spirit one, and jumped on the SW one. I got a Voucher to use thru Spirit, and used it this past Dec. 2, BOY do they SUCK!! I had to Board the plane at 6:15pm, and wait to actually take off at 6:55pm. What a bunch of crap that was, I used SW for the return trip, and what a pleasure it was! No waiting, got in the 'A' line and boarded and TOOK OFF!!!

 

[son3disfan]

I love SWA. I book with the cheapest rate at the time, then check the rates occasionally and switch to the cheaper rates. I don't keep the ticketless funds - I always get them credited back to my CC.

I know that waiting for cheaper rates can be nerve wracking - but the extra $$$ calms my nerves in the end

WHAT???
I'm so new to this DING thing..
Are you saying if I book a fare now ( say at $100 one way ) and a ding comes out, Southwest will credit the difference to my charge card??
I thought they are NON REFUNDABLE tickets .I'm not interrested in a credit because we only travel every 12 or 15 months. Could you please clearify??
I'm tryitng to book for March 2007 and I'm waiting for the cheapest rate.Do I book or wait???
Thanks ! (Family of 5 trying to save a buck or two...)

 

[DonnaL]

Some people on the boards have said they were able to get refunded to CC on nonrefundable tickets, however, I've never attempted to do so since we travel several times a year so I just take the ticketless travel funds and use them for the next trip. I do believe, however, from what I've read here most people who have been successful at getting the CC refund have not changed anything about their original flights....the only difference is that SW has lowered the price on the original booked flight, therefore, SW will credit the CC. If you change your flight or date for a lower price you must take TTF. At least that's the way I understand SW policy and it appears that's what most people who have gotten the credit have said.

 

[son3disfan]

Some people on the boards have said they were able to get refunded to CC on nonrefundable tickets, however, I've never attempted to do so since we travel several times a year so I just take the ticketless travel funds and use them for the next trip. I do believe, however, from what I've read here most people who have been successful at getting the CC refund have not changed anything about their original flights....the only difference is that SW has lowered the price on the original booked flight, therefore, SW will credit the CC. If you change your flight or date for a lower price you must take TTF. At least that's the way I understand SW policy and it appears that's what most people who have gotten the credit have said.

Well, I got so excited , I booked a one way for the 5 of us From Buffalo to Tampa...( staying first week in Clearwater, then off to Disney)
For $339.00 ( all taxes in . )That's a $67.00 one way fare, again all taxes in. It wasn't a ding, just an Internet special.The reason I booked it was because it was NON stop, which I hear is hard to come by in March, at least in Buffalo anyway. I'm now hoping for a ding fare home. There are no March 15th return flights to Buffalo that are a good deal. Not yet.Thanks so much for your info though...

 

[princesspumpkin]

WHAT???
I'm so new to this DING thing..
Are you saying if I book a fare now ( say at $100 one way ) and a ding comes out, Southwest will credit the difference to my charge card??
I thought they are NON REFUNDABLE tickets .I'm not interrested in a credit because we only travel every 12 or 15 months. Could you please clearify??
I'm tryitng to book for March 2007 and I'm waiting for the cheapest rate.Do I book or wait???
Thanks ! (Family of 5 trying to save a buck or two...)

Yes, it's true. If you don't change anything about your flight (date, time, etc), and only the rate changes, and you re-book at the new rate, you can get your difference refunded. You call the customer service number (not the 1-800 number) and I have had the refund back on my CC within 7 days. I have done this at least 5 times over the last two years. I've actually done it three times for one flight (those prices kept dropping!). I must say that I haven't done it for a Ding, but I believe others have. Good luck!

 

[C.Ann]

SW is the only way I'll fly.. Super rates - you can change to a lower rate without penalty when it becomes available and bank (or have refunded) the difference - non-stop flights - and they don't play games with changing your flights or times..