SWA fares increase as number of flyers increases???

[Svhadden]

We've booked our flights already, but we're watching and hoping to get an earlier flight out if the price comes down. My husband noticed something, though. We're a fam of four, so we always put "4" for number of passengers. This morning, he accidentally left it at "1" and the price was about $40 cheaper!!! HUNH?

I did the same thing here at home a few hours later, and same thing happened...lower fare for "1" and "2" passengers. What's up with that? Anyone know why that's so? I would think the price per fare/seat isn't affected by the number of fares you buy, but apparently I'm wrong .

 

[Minnesota!]

Probably they only have 1 - 2 of the cheapest seats available. I would grab those 2 seats, book em. Then book the other 2 people on the other fare.

 

[smitch425]

We've booked our flights already, but we're watching and hoping to get an earlier flight out if the price comes down. My husband noticed something, though. We're a fam of four, so we always put "4" for number of passengers. This morning, he accidentally left it at "1" and the price was about $40 cheaper!!! HUNH?

I did the same thing here at home a few hours later, and same thing happened...lower fare for "1" and "2" passengers. What's up with that? Anyone know why that's so? I would think the price per fare/seat isn't affected by the number of fares you buy, but apparently I'm wrong .

They only have a certain number of seats for each price point, so that is why you see a difference. On Airtran's site they actually will put "only 3 seats left at this price" right next to the fare.

 

[LBIJim]

There were three or fewer seats still available at the lower price. When that quantity is exceeded, the computer automatically books the entire party at the next fare bracket.

You can play around and see if two or three seats are available at the lower price. If so, you can book those seats at the lower price and the remaining ones at the higher price. It would be two separate reservations, however.

It's not just Southwest. All airlines do the same.

Jim

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

Almost ALL airline booking software works this way. If you ask for 4 tickets, it goes to the booking "software" and looks for the first fare class tha thas 4 tickets. So if they have 1 at "our cheapest fare", two at "a cheap fare" and 5 at the "not so cheap" you get sent to the "not so cheap" group. It doesn't take 1 "our cheapest" , 2 "a cheap" and 1 "not so cheap" to fill your order.
In cases like this I would try booking 1 or two at a time and see what you get. Probably cheaper overall then getting a group at the "not so cheap" level.

 

[Svhadden]

Thanks so much for the replies! That totally makes sense now. We're already booked at a really good rate ($99/each way), but as I said, we are hoping to catch that earliest flight on sale. Here's hoping .