SWA only released until Feb 3!

[HeatherC]

That is so ridiculous. I just checked the site and they have opened up bookings only until February 3!!! I would have to think that people would get sick of waiting and just book with someone else.

I have tickets on Song for President's Week but my sister and her family are waiting and it looks like now everyone will have to wait longer.
HeatherC

 

[Joan S.]

So SOMETIME around 6pm yesterday(Sept.26th) SWA opened up until Feb.3rd?? I think I stopped checking around 5pm!! I need later dates anyway,but I would have MISSED it! OK, back to checking at least once every HOUR!! Joan (HAPPY for all those that GOT the FARES!!)

 

[antmaril]

It is ridiculous! I was very disappointed when I noticed they had only opened up until February 3rd - come on - one month at a time is really aggravating. They are going to force people to buy tickets on other airlines, even if they have to spend a little more money, just so they can have their plans made and forget about it. I am trying to plan a trip from Detroit to Phoenix in early February. I've been waiting and waiting for them to open up (just like everyone else) and the dates are only to February 3rd - Can you tell I'm bummed

 

[Muffy]

What are they doing over there anyway?

 

[Lewisc]

SW doesn't normally change the schedule once it's been released. The strike at Boeing is delaying delivery of new planes and SW doesn't know how many planes will be needed 1Q next year for New Orleans.

I agree with the previous posters, if another airline has a fare you can live with book it.

 

[vicb]

SW doesn't normally change the schedule once it's been released. The strike at Boeing is delaying delivery of new planes and SW doesn't know how many planes will be needed 1Q next year for New Orleans.

I agree with the previous posters, if another airline has a fare you can live with book it.

That is what I did after watching SW for several weeks. I was able to book non-stop flights on NW for Detroit to MCO for our week in Feb. I was comfortable with the fare, $279. Atleast now I don't have to agonize over SW anymore.... now if only a resort code would be released!

 

[welovedis]

Well, I, for one, was happy that they at least released thruout Jan. I've been sitting around waiting to purchase our return flights and am happy that I was able to get a decent RT fare ($175.40 pp NS flights BUF-MCO). I know that some DING fares were better, but I can't sit around and watch for them all the time.

Just hoping that SWA sticks to their schedules as others have said. We've had not-such-good-luck in the past, but have heard that things are better now.

 

[CarolA]

What are they doing over there anyway?

Running one of the few airlines that is not in finanical trouble???


There are advantages and disadvantages to the SW model. When they release a schedule they really intend to fly it!

I would agree with Lewis that the Gulf Coast hurricanes and related mess have probably messed up SW's scheduling....

 

[5wdwnutz]

Not happy that I will now have to wait another 4-6 weeks to book our flight. I was able to find a $69 flight with USA3000 from PHL-MCO in January when I need it. Unfortunately USA3000 doesn't fly to/from FL on weekends during the off-season as they call it.

Guess we might fly down one airline and come back another.

Anyone booked one part of flight with one carrier and then later on booked the other with another carrier?

Missy

 

[antmaril]

Not happy that I will now have to wait another 4-6 weeks to book our flight. I was able to find a $69 flight with USA3000 from PHL-MCO in January when I need it. Unfortunately USA3000 doesn't fly to/from FL on weekends during the off-season as they call it.

Guess we might fly down one airline and come back another.

Anyone booked one part of flight with one carrier and then later on booked the other with another carrier?

Missy

Yes, I have flown from Detroit to Orlando on Southwest and returned on Spirit. No problem at all. I thought we might experience extra screening at the airports because of the one way flights, but it didn't happen.

 

[BunsenH]

The fare release was good news for me!. I've been waiting for mid-Jan fares and just booked BDL-MCO for $157!. In response, Delta (Song) dropped from $277 to $180 within a few hours but the SW deal and flight times were better.

 

[kelleigh1]

For those of us who had been waiting for January fares...we went through the same torture when they released up to Jan. 9th. I needed flights 6 days later and had to wait what seemed like an eternity...but the price was worth it. Every other fare that I was getting wasn't even close. Up until yesterday, the lowest I could get was around $260 per person round-trip with multiple stops. Today with the SW fares opened up for my date...$310 total for round-trip and non-stop for hubby and I. I was quite happy with that deal. That's almost like getting 2-for-1.

It was worth the wait for me!!

 

[Poohbear123]

I need Feb. 5th.

 

[PaulaSue]

I am so excited they finally came out. Not a bad deal, IMO. I was very worried with gas prices.

Dh called me before 7 and I booked this morning before my DD went to school.

Good Luck to those still waiting for the rest of the month to come out soon.

 

[debm]

Many of you seem very familiar with SW. We've only flown to MCO once. We usually drive. We have rooms booked for a week in Dec. and were waiting for "good" airline fares. I've seen them at $59 but missed them. Now they are close to $99/one way. We need 6 tickets. This is as high as we can afford to pay. I'm wondering if I should grab them or wait. Are the DING specials really that much better? I'm on the computer a lot. I just downloaded it. But I think I will go nuts if it is within weeks of our trip and we don't have a flight yet. Then we can't go and that is NOT an option for me!!

So what do y'all think? Do I grab these tickets tonight???? Thanks!!!

 

[Denezer]

I need May 7th thru May 14th. When can I expect this to be released??

Anyone have any idea?

 

[kelleigh1]

I need May 7th thru May 14th. When can I expect this to be released??

Anyone have any idea?

If I had to guess, I'd say that you probably won't see May rates until sometime in January.

 

[Joan S.]

Many of you seem very familiar with SW. We've only flown to MCO once. We usually drive. We have rooms booked for a week in Dec. and were waiting for "good" airline fares. I've seen them at $59 but missed them. Now they are close to $99/one way. We need 6 tickets. This is as high as we can afford to pay. I'm wondering if I should grab them or wait. Are the DING specials really that much better? I'm on the computer a lot. I just downloaded it. But I think I will go nuts if it is within weeks of our trip and we don't have a flight yet. Then we can't go and that is NOT an option for me!!

So what do y'all think? Do I grab these tickets tonight???? Thanks!!!

Hi, I would grab the tickets now and keep checking the DING,if the rate goes down they will credit you. But the closer you get the less available tickets there will be and less tickets(usually) means higher prices! Also depending on the dates you are traveling, like midweek to midweek will be easier to get than weekend to weekend.Good Luck!! Joan

 

[RayRing]

Other than checking their web site a couple times a day, is there a better (or quicker) way of knowing when SouthWest opens up reservations for the next time period.

We are looking for flights for late February & early March.

We have flown out of Providence, RI in the past, because the airport is a easier to get in and out of, and parking is less than at Logon (Boston). SouthWest is the only airline which fly's non-stop to Orlando from Providence.

 

[kelleigh1]

I fly from Providence too. It is much closer to home. And not only is parking cheaper, but the drive is so much less stressful than to Logan. We could take the train into Boston (like I do for work everyday), but that's just too long to travel before the real travel starts.

Others have posted on other threads about what the normal timeframe is for releasing their fares. Apparently this time around it was later than average. I just kept checking every day. It wasn't too time consuming as you just click on reservations and scroll down to the date area and it tells you what dates they are booking up until. Given when there were just posted and last time there was a release, I'd guess that late Feb. early March are still about 3 weeks away.