Uughh... Total Budget Buster - SWA

[LynnTH]

So, we have a cruise booked for spring break (March). We have gone either to Disney or on a cruise during this time for the past 16 years. We know we needed a budget trip as both kids are in high school this year (it is private high school so double the tuition). We had about half of the cruise paid for by DH's work CC points. The airfare was to be paid for by SW points. In the past we have been able to book RT airfare to Florida for 4 of us for around 50,000 to 70,000 on SW Points.

So, Yesterday SW releases flights for our timeframe. Go on to book right away in the morning and there is not a single "Wanna Get Away" Fare for our dates. They all say unavailable or sold out. Really... I even checked different airports - still the same. This is from MSP.

So, for the flights we need they want 52,000 points per person - each way. Over 400,000 points for tickets ( In dollar value it was about $4000). That is insane.... Now I don't know what to do as we were counting on our airfare being paid.

Sun Country has flights for about $2200. But still not something we were planning on paying. Has anyone else had this happen with SW? This is a first for us and we have flown them for years and always on points with no problems. Very frustrating...

 

[Minnesota!]

That is ridiculous. I would check daily...they seem to release WGA fares overtime.

 

[ktmo]

Yep, I was pricing out Southwest flights yesterday for a Spring Break trip and they are just ridiculously expensive. I was even playing around with dates and couldn't find any real good prices.

 

[mollymeaux]

Same here. I waited for yesterday and the rates blew my mind. We're waiting til October when we will qualify for our companion pass and that will help.

 

[cjnix29]

I would just keep watching. I, personally, haven't found the release date fares to be the lowest. You are still a bit out, so I would just check regularly. Good luck!

 

[skylynx]

Same situation here with SW out of Denver. We fly to MCO every Feb for a Disney cruise and our round trip flights are 50% higher this year than last year for the same dates. Glad we got the SW credit card...I'm madly putting EVERYTHING on it to rack up points to offset these inexplicably high fares.

 

[SandyinMonterey]

We are traveling in March for a cruise over Spring Break too. We've never flown SWA before but thought if the savings was there as everybody says it is, we'd give it a try. I called SWA night before to ask what time the new dates will be released on August 11th. I was told 8 a.m. central time. I got up way before that, logged on, and it was all " not available." I didn't understand that, thought it just wasn't put up yet and called SWA. Customer service said it was all sold out. I asked how that could be because SWA told me last night that it doesn't come up until 8a.m. central time. Customer service said that person should of never given out a precise time because it can be put up at any time. I have to say she was so apologetic, kept saying sorry over and over again. Afterwards, read a lot of threads of people staying up all night and being able to make reservation via phone even though it wasn't showing up on line yet. If we pay SWA now, after the sell out, for our family of 3 would cost a little over $3000 (flying from California). I ended up booking with United for $1000 less and the plus for us is that United is out of our small, local airport. Don't have to drive to San Jose, get hotel and catch SWA. But...would of done that if SWA was going to be way cheaper. We travel only when school is out (daughter in private school too) and frequently falls on Easter Break. This is by far the most expensive we've ever paid for airfare and the highest jump in price we've seen in a years time.

 

[jenf22]

I would just keep watching. I, personally, haven't found the release date fares to be the lowest. You are still a bit out, so I would just check regularly. Good luck!

I agree. I'd just watch the fares. I tend to check every Tuesday and Sunday and I've been known to book one leg at a time and wait on the other. I thought I read somewhere that the magic time was 4-6 weeks before your flight for the best prices. Good luck!

 

[momto2inKC]

We never purchase on release day. I seem to find the best deals 2 months out.

 

[IBelieveInTheMagic]

Very interesting! Although this doesn't apply to me as we aren't traveling this SB, I did check since we were *going* to travel then and I was just curious. I've always booked opening day for SWA when applicable and in my experience, which has included Easter and SB, the rates have been the cheapest on opening day. I also saw EVERY Wanna Get Away fare sold out and the cheapest one way was $347 - I have never ever seen that and we've been flying SWA for at least five years now. WOW. Now that I'm seeing you guys noticed the same makes me feel this can't be normal for this to be so sudden when it's never happened before?

SO - yes, I'd keep checking in case there are issues especially if it's a price you aren't comfortable paying. I've had RT from RDU-MCO for under $300 p/p for the last two SB's, FYI.

Heather

 

[skylynx]

We always book on the release date, knowing that's the worst it can get. Then I watch, and watch, and watch, and rebook if the fares drop. Usually book one-way fares to keep things easy when changing stuff. Used to be most fares experienced some kind of drop, but now it's more likely they go up. And up.

 

[rnorwo1]

Also, make sure you are checking one person at a time. Sometimes (not always), fares go up when I search for all 5 of us at once. Sometimes I've even had to book some of ours the following day. It was like they were releasing the cheaper seats one at a time.

 

[ibob52]

IIRC ... SWA announced a few months ago

That they were going to restructure the Points/Price of SWA Rapid Rewards

* * Destination ~ Time ~ Day of Travel ~ Demand ~ would be contributing factors * *

So that could mean Holidays & other Popular times of the year

would be priced Higher than travel during slower periods of time.

Also some days of the week & some preferred time of day (Flights) would/could be priced higher.

This is *Not* the exact language that was used ... But I thought it was worth mentioning because people

have forgotten that there was an Announcement saying there would be a *new* trend in SWA pricing.

 

[ibob52]

SOUTHWEST AIRLINES
Program Updates
We created Rapid Rewards®because we think you deserve to actually feel rewarded. And, from time to time we must make some updates to our program. Beginning April 17, 2015, the number of Rapid Rewards Points needed to redeem for certain flights will vary based on destination, time, day of travel, demand, fare class, and other factors. However, there are still many flights which will stay at the current redemption rate. And don’t forget that when fares go on sale, so do the points needed for redeeming for a reward flight on those fares.

 

[3boymthr]

I actually watched a TV news expose on SWA a few years ago (I'm not sure what station/show). They mentioned that one of the reasons that SWA was so much lower than other airlines is that they had optioned their fuel for the next x number of years (can't remember how many it was) before Katrina drove the prices up by more than double so it worked out that the price they were paying for fuel was much less than what other airlines were paying and that when the fuel options ran out the ticket prices on SWA were going to see a significant jump. I'm guessing the new pricing strategy has to do with fuel options running out and that the super cheap airfare from SWA as compared to other airlines may just be a thing of the past.

 

[IBelieveInTheMagic]

I actually watched a TV news expose on SWA a few years ago (I'm not sure what station/show). They mentioned that one of the reasons that SWA was so much lower than other airlines is that they had optioned their fuel for the next x number of years (can't remember how many it was) before Katrina drove the prices up by more than double so it worked out that the price they were paying for fuel was much less than what other airlines were paying and that when the fuel options ran out the ticket prices on SWA were going to see a significant jump. I'm guessing the new pricing strategy has to do with fuel options running out and that the super cheap airfare from SWA as compared to other airlines may just be a thing of the past.

I know the story you are referring to but this isn't the case for them now. This was several years ago and I googled it and info said in 2012 they only had 15% of jet fuel locked in so that news story expired shortly after that. From what I understand this is a common practice with multiple air carriers and sometimes it pays off and other times it does not just like the stock market. I knew exactly what you were saying though

Heather

 

[Turk February]

Flight prices seem to up across the board this year. I book JetBlue every year NYC to MCO for $200/pp round trip and this year it looks like I'll be lucky to get that for under $250.

 

[aprilgail]

Flight prices seem to up across the board this year. I book JetBlue every year NYC to MCO for $200/pp round trip and this year it looks like I'll be lucky to get that for under $250.

The day I am looking to fly in April Jet Blues lowest fair is 500.00 one way! Going wasn't bad- 240.00 each but coming home is a killer!

 

[HM]

So, we have a cruise booked for spring break (March). We have gone either to Disney or on a cruise during this time for the past 16 years. We know we needed a budget trip as both kids are in high school this year (it is private high school so double the tuition). We had about half of the cruise paid for by DH's work CC points. The airfare was to be paid for by SW points. In the past we have been able to book RT airfare to Florida for 4 of us for around 50,000 to 70,000 on SW Points.

So, Yesterday SW releases flights for our timeframe. Go on to book right away in the morning and there is not a single "Wanna Get Away" Fare for our dates. They all say unavailable or sold out. Really... I even checked different airports - still the same. This is from MSP.

So, for the flights we need they want 52,000 points per person - each way. Over 400,000 points for tickets ( In dollar value it was about $4000). That is insane.... Now I don't know what to do as we were counting on our airfare being paid.

Sun Country has flights for about $2200. But still not something we were planning on paying. Has anyone else had this happen with SW? This is a first for us and we have flown them for years and always on points with no problems. Very frustrating...

Any chance you can drive to your port? (I have no idea where you live). Sure would save a lot of money.

 

[OhMari]

You may not like this, but fly down to Milwaukee or drive, prices are low right now for that time frame.