SWA fares are out and EXPENSIVE !!

[TheresaNY]

What is the deal with Southwest ? Their fares are insanely expensive ! I have had my in-laws waiting for SW to release their fares before booking their flights for this summer....Midwest was $188 ROUND TRIP...SW is $165 ONE WAY !! They are going to kill me !! Now what ? Do you think SW will come down in price? Should they hold out for a June/July DING fare ??? They are coming from Kansas City. Help !!

 

[poohsmommy4]

I was thinking the same thing. For 6 of us to fly to Orlando it's going to run us $240 per person R/T. I thought they'd be cheaper.

What's a ding?

 

[labst60]

I agree - they are INSANE!
I expected $59-$79 each way - they are $109-$119 each way - last year (same dates) we flew for under $100 each RT (with a ding), I didn't expect to get it that cheap again, but holy cow - nearly $750 for the 3 of us - I don't know what to do - especially after waiting so long (mid-May dates)

 

[TheresaNY]

A "DING" is a special sale price that SW runs that is for very short periods of time - a couple hours a day - that changes a few times a day sometimes. You have to go to the SW website and download the program on to your computer, then it "Dings" when they are offering a sale. Sometimes it is only on a specific Flight, sometimes cities but it is always different.

 

[zurgswife]

Remember their prepaid fuel prices have ended. I imagine the overall average of prices will be up.

 

[NJDad18]

We booked on SW today, but we are flying into TPA. It takes approx 1 hr 20 min. to drive from TPA to WDW. It's a very easy drive and we are paying $164 pp, PHL-TPA. We did this last summer and b/c of the price difference we're doing it again.

 

[TheresaNY]

There is only a $4 savings flying into Tampa, so that isn't worth it. It's $330 SW vs. $198 Northwest. That's rediculous !

 

[debden]

There is only a $4 savings flying into Tampa, so that isn't worth it. It's $330 SW vs. $198 Northwest. That's rediculous !

I cannot beleive it! $333 rt per person to Orlando and $303 per person to Tampa! That is just too unbeivable...How can they charge that much?
This is just not right.Southwest is going to lose alot of customers.Why fly Southwest who has no assigned seating for that much when you can easily get a flight on another airline for the same amount with an assigned seat!
Debbie

 

[tmli]

When SWA opens the schedule they typically open with higher fares. That being said we got $59 each way BUF to Mco for August.

 

[codimouse]

From ANY Texas city that flies into MCO it is expensive on ANY date. I tried all dates possible for us and it is cheaper to drive...so we are driving.
Even into Tampa.
Almost $500+ round trip. We need 4 tickets. LOL

 

[poohsmommy4]

Thank you TheresaNY. I will do that. It's going to cost us an arm and a leg but we have to fly. I don't think all my kids would make it to WDW if we drove.

 

[TJA]

When SWA opens the schedule they typically open with higher fares. That being said we got $59 each way BUF to Mco for August.

We also fly out of BUF and this afternoon it was $59 and I just went to book it now and it's gone. Now airfare for the 4 of us reads $1,335.

 

[TheresaNY]

We also fly out of BUF and this afternoon it was $59 and I just went to book it now and it's gone. Now airfare for the 4 of us reads $1,335.

THAT is just sickening ! I am so sorry for you ! Maybe they will release a Ding fare .....

 

[stnet]

I booked SW this morning for May 5th-May12th from Houston to Orlando for $175 RT that's almost 1/2 what I paid last time on Continental. That being said I checked Continental out of IAH and it was running $225 RT. The last time I booked Continental the day after I booked our flights the price dropped over $100 per person. If you are making the decision to drive I would continue to check the airlines a couple of times a day - maybe something better will come along. Good luck.

 

[DISFANS3]

STICKER SHOCK HERE ALSO. $350.00 From Kansas City to Orlando, I just about fell out of chair, was looking for around $200.00 . Worked out ok for me I just booked on Allegaint out of Spfd Mo, saved me $200.00 plus 4 hours of drive time to KC.. After stalking my Phone and Comp for two months waiting for SW to open, I am glad this is over..

 

[mamacatnv]

I had been waiting for San Antonio or Austin for our Schlitterbahn Waterpark trip this summer - uugh Reno to either $369 per person RT - sooo, I booked Sacramento to Austin for $211 RT - 2 hours of driving, savings of $158 PP x's 4 - worth it.

If something comes along that is cheaper I will trade in or if Reno departure gets more reasonable I can trade up. That is the one big advantage of SWA, ease in changing things

 

[lynninpa]

As it stands right now, a roundtrip Flight on SWA will be 389.70 per person for us this year flying out of Providence, RI. Last year it was about 260.00 RT . And the year before was about 150.00 RT. Yikes!

 

[TheresaNY]

OK Troops, so the million dollar question is:
Should I have my inlaws wait and hope for a Ding fare or book the Midwest flight that are booking up and going up in price. Also, I can't get the direct flights for all 4 of them on Midwest so they would have to have a 3 hour layover ! Ugh ! What a mess !

 

[Disneyhappy]

OK Troops, so the million dollar question is:
Should I have my inlaws wait and hope for a Ding fare or book the Midwest flight that are booking up and going up in price. Also, I can't get the direct flights for all 4 of them on Midwest so they would have to have a 3 hour layover ! Ugh ! What a mess !

My experience has been that the prices have been high when the rates are first released. In the past, SW has had fare sales after the release date. It may take a few weeks, maybe a month or two for later in the summer. Sometime closer to the departure date, they will release DING fares on some flights. The nice thing about SW is if a cheaper fare is released, you can cancel your flight and receive credit. You can then rebook and apply the refund dollars. Any leftover credit can be used towards a future flight. The credit can also be transferred to other people.

This is just me. I am looking for airfare for August. I am not booking now. I will wait for an airfare sale. When one carrier has a sale, the others usually join in. If I can get a roundtrip flight from PHL to MCO for under $200 at times I like, I will book it. If the price goes even lower via a sale or DING, I wil cancel, rebook and keep the credit for a future flight. I fly often for both business and pleasure so I don't mind having a credit for future trips.

It is a gamble so only you can decide. My experience is that there will be some type of sale and the prices will be lower than when they are first offered. Hope this helps!

 

[tacomaranch]

We also paid so much today I can't believe it and we are just hoping we can ding our airfare for May/June later. Right now it was more than Delta. SCL-MCO!!! We have 6 people going. I was shocked that I waited so long and could have done better out of IDA to MCO with Delta or United.

Time will tell, now I must pray to the Ding gods.