SWA odd occurence when checking flight fares

[pickles]

I have been fare watching from Kansas city to MCO for april 28

the first flight in the am has remained steady around $130 or so

however, the other flights have been up and down and there were about 8 total flights listed.
Then one day, just a few days ago..there were like 15 flights listed, all as non stops and all for like $70

I had to wait 2 days to book and the added flights all disapeared and then the price jumped up for all flights to around $125!!

then this am flighst were at $92 and this eve at $89

now, my questions are..what happened that day and to those flights? just a boo boo somewhere?

also, what are the odds the fee will go down before april 28? thanks!

 

[Bummbok]

I think it's just kinda the way they do it to sell people on their "Ding" low fares warning application. We had something similar happen last year execpt we made it in on the other side, I caught it at 80per (one way) instead of 109 or something.

 

[DonnaL]

I don't know if I would wait much longer to book your flights. Travel the end of April....that's about 5 1/2 to 6 weeks out. In my experience, prices will only start going up now.....with the exception of getting a last minute DING fare....in which case you just cancel and re-book at the DING price. One tip I do have....book one way fares rather than round trip....then, if you get a DING fare for only one way you're not jeopardizing the pricing on the other leg of your trip.

 

[Tara]

First, I wouldn't wait any longer. Yes, they might go down, but at least you can rebook for the credit. It's highly likely they'll only go up at this point, though. I am traveling March 20-23 and watched flights diligently for a long time. The flight home on the 23rd stayed at $137 for over 2 months while the flight down on the 20th bounced all over the place, from $187 to $211. It dropped to $170 one day and I snagged it, but held out on the flight home thinking it might drop to $99 or $119. (Or that the flight down would drop and then I could apply credit from that to book the flight home.

Well...the flight home jumped to $187, then to $211 the next day. Then to $235 on the Friday 5 weeks out. In the game of chicken with Southwest, it was SWA=1 and me=big ol' goose egg. At this point I was up the creek already, so I priced out one ways home on other carriers (none are nonstop) and realized at worst I could take one of those and it would be a little less with baggage fees, but with the connection. I decided to wait until Monday - it went back down to $211 and I grabbed it. Of course, it then proceeded to drop twice, eventually netting me a $42 credit. But what a huge waste of time and energy. And a lot of time spent mentally kicking myself for not taking the $137 when I had the chance.

In case that wasn't clear - my advice is to get the $89 while you still can. IF you still can.

Second, the 15 flights thing sounds like a glitch to me. They didn't just decide to double the number of nonstop flights out of KC. While I watched my fares, I wanted either the first (n/s) or second flight (cxn thru BWI) to MCO that morning, and one day, the 2nd flight miraculously dropped to $99. But when I looked closely, I saw they had added a new flight that went first to Chicago, THEN to BWI then to MCO. Noooo thank you. So I think even if they did add some flights for your city unexpectedly, it would be a case like that where they suddenly started showing some more unusual routes. But what you were nonstops - that's why it sounds like a glitch to me.

Also, you can book one ways if you want but you don't have to in order to take advantage of a DING fare - a round trip flight is easily separated into 2 reservations so you can rebook one without endangering the other.

 

[loveswdw]

I'd book. If you are waiting for a DING fare for the end of April, then you're probably too late. DINGs running now start May 1st. I've never seen them go backwards on DING. Once they've started running DINGs into the next month, I've not seen them drop back dates. They probably won't offer April DINGs again.

 

[NEV2OLD4DIS]

I hope you grabbed your tickets at the lower price while you could! I'd be very nervous about grabbing a lower fare than $89 at this point, considering your travel time is next month.

I booked our tickets from PVD to MCO for the end of June last week when the price dropped to $104 each way. That fare had come down quite a bit from the original, but I still am not used to paying that much. I'm hoping they will come down, but I really am not seeing any Dings before that date for less than $99 during the month of May. However, I'm relieved to have tickets knowing that they might not come down to that again.

At the moment, ALL flights for the same dates we booked are $139-both ways! I looked at MHT also, as we are from MA, and they are ALL at $149. That leads me to believe that it is not a glitch being all the same price, but wonder if SW had some sort of pricing strategy in the past few weeks to make it look like less seats were available or to get the public to book on less desirable flights due to some of the flight times. I'm waiting to see how the fares change after they are not all one price, and I'm just speculating that it will be within the next day or two, since this pricing strategy is in its second day.

 

[Lewisc]

http://travel.southwest.com/specialoffers/topOffers.html?int=GNAVSPCLOFFR
SW has weekly special offers. The sale only last a few days.

How much lower then $70 are expecting to pay? Your trip is next month. I would have jumped on the fare. I'd book the $89 fare now.

 

[pickles]

I figured out the initial glitch..typo error instead of MCO I had typed midway..good thing i didnt book those cheap flights!!

anyways, I did try for the $89 today but something happened while booking. it authorized credit payment(I see it on my cc account), but never gave me a confirmation number. so I need to call them and see what is up

as far as what price am i expecting..well last year i snagged $59 ones..get I was spoiled

 

[jmartinez1895]

When the prices drop tht low, they only stay like that for a few hours. BOOK NOW!!! If you don't it will do back up and you'll be regretting it.

 

[pickles]

for those who fare watch at swa

I had debated about buying them at $89, but since everyone suggested I do so, i did. So, last night I bought 3 adult and then another 3 adult. while processing it the first 3 adults were at $89 and the others switch exactly while I was paying(so much so i didnt know until my receipt came) and the tickets had gone down to $72!!
so i got 3 at that price by sheer luck and 3 at $89 I found this out this am , so fixed my first 3 and now have a $51 credit
waiting isnt always a bad thing even when 39 days out from your flight