SW: when do you pull the trigger?

[mrsheppo]

I have been looking at airfare for awhile for our May trip from Reno, NV. As of Thursday, it was $189 each way and we needed 3 tickets. Yesterday morning, SW had reduced the fare for RNO-MCO to $90. I jumped on that fare and made my reservations. Still waiting on a better fare for the return trip, but at least I was able to get a great fare for one half of the trip. I was even able to get the flight time I wanted for the special rate.

 

[keishashadow]

Southwest, from what I've read, was able to offer great fares for quite a while because they had locked in (via futures contracts) low per gallon fuel costs back when gas was hitting $4/gallon (and every other kind of fuel was high). Now, the shoe is on the other foot: they locked themselves into future contracts when fuel was way higher than it now is, thinking, I guess, that fuel was just going to go higher and higher, and with the sudden fall of fuel prices, they are stuck with these higher than market costs of fuel.

Bottom line: check fares daily, those of SW and all other carriers. It looks like SW is at a disadvantage in the short term because of the fuel contracts they are now stuck with.

depends which analyst u read, while it was a blip when prices dropped last quarter of '08, they r positioned well for many years; think it will go in their favour in the long run once the oil markets stabilize

heard they were considering buying/opting out of their fuel hedge contract if things got much worse

here is their most recent rate schedule:

2007 is 95% hedged at $50/barrel;
2008 is 65% hedged at $49/barrel;
2009 is over 50% hedged at $51/barrel;
2010 is over 25% hedged at $63/barrel;
2011 is over 15% hedged at $64/barrel;
2012 is 15% hedged at $63/barrel

back to original OP's Q

u need to research your specific market, the rates out of PIT/PHL r widely divergent...with PHL getting all the LUV & know if the dates & flights u want to book r @ high demand.

since we travel on the most popular fights/near holiday seasons (early arrival & late departure) and on Saturday & Sunday, rarely do i see in any sales of out PIT, let alone a DING

i buy the 1st hour they r announced, have seen them jump substantially in the past if i didn't , figure worst case we'll use the credits for next trip

the time i did cancel & book via vouchers i had on AirTran, i was able to sell said credits on eBay in past, appears as though that market is closing

 

[ibouncetoo]

I also book SW the day my 'window' opens. A couple of times I've been able to get my fare lowered later on. But I like to lock in my favorite flight times as soon as I can. I'm lucky to get it under $400 round trip from Phoenix.

With that in mind....does anyone know when the next 'window' is due to open (it's currently through August 14)? I'm flying early September.


.

 

[NC State]

It opens April 7th, I'm looking for early September too.