What is up with Southwest being so expensive?

[Planogirl]

At least in the Dallas area.

For some time they've been roughly twice the price of Delta when it comes to flights to Orlando in mid August. I'd rather fly with them but can't justify the price difference and I need to book soon!

Is anyone else running into this?

 

[Lewisc]

Southwest doesn't have bag fees or change fees. They need to charge a profitable fare. Sounds like Delta is offering you a better deal. Southwest might make sense if you think you'll be changing your flights otherwise book Delta.

 

[DebbieB]

They are no longer competing with AirTran. One way to get rid of competition is to buy them!

 

[carmiedog]

Every time one leg of Southwest would drop to a great price for our trip, the other leg would go up by equal measure.

We ended up going with Delta for the better price. Great thing is assigned seats so we don’t have to worry about checking in or extra fee for early boarding. We’ll do carry-ons to avoid luggage fee. I think the only time we’ve changed our flights is with Southwest to get a better deal and have the credit.

 

[Planogirl]

Even with luggage fees Delta comes out way ahead of Southwest price-wise. Plus it's true that there are the assigned seats.

I'm not a big fan of Delta but I can't see paying so much more for someone else. I guess that I'll book Delta soon unless SW has a sudden sale.

 

[rpbear]

What prices are you seeing on Southwest from Dallas? I booked my October flight 2 days ago for $114 each way. I thought that was a good price. Now I am off to look at Delta prices to see if they are better.

Lucy

 

[rwdavis2]

I've been seeing this for about 6-9 months now. SW is no longer a "discount" airline. But they are making up for free bags and no change fees by having a higher starting price.

 

[cbsnyber1]

My brief SW fare history: we booked in Dec 2009, from Pittsburgh, at $79 each way. This year, for October, we got the same flight for $109, booked the day the schedule for October was released. That flight now is at $204. In 2009, I believe the fare was at $139 when we flew.

With SW it's all supply and demand. If that flight was not filling up they would put it on sale, or lower the fares. The airport figures into the fare - not a lot of great deals from Pittsburgh these days; in fact, it often is far less expensive to fly from BWI or Dulles for us (we're two hours from PIT, about 3 or so from the other two). But we did get non stop flights, an absolute must, and we are way satisfied with the price we paid.

In both instances, I booked the day the schedule was released. While the lowest fares are not always those out of the gate, in this situation they do seem to be lowest at the release. A different airport might be an entirely different story.

My advice is to research your trip far in advance of it, if you can. You might see a pattern emerge for your future flight that will tell you whether to book right away or wait.

 

[beccasmom]

I've been watching SWA flights for awhile for a mid-August WDW trip. Most of the afternoon/evening flights require stops and/or connections. And the fares were not appreciably less expensive. The non-stops were just way too expensive. We ended up booking with USAirways. We are traveling at decent times non-stop. We'll take carry-ons. I don't mind connections but the SWA fare was pretty high IMHO. I was disappointed but I'll get over it.

 

[DMRick]

Every time one leg of Southwest would drop to a great price for our trip, the other leg would go up by equal measure.
.

I just book one leg at a time.

 

[aubriee]

They are no longer competing with AirTran. One way to get rid of competition is to buy them!

I think this is probably the number one reason. I fly Dallas to Orlando 4-6 times a year, so not all that frequently, but frequent enough to know what DFW/MCO airfare normally ran. Up until Air Tran left Dallas Nov 23rd the base fare for both American and Air Tran was always pretty much around $210.00-$220.00. Air Tran kept American in line and their fares were always pretty close with Southwest, Delta, and Continental always a little higher. With all my searching I never found Southwest cheaper than Air Tran. I usually fly to MCO every May, every Sept, and every early Dec, then alot of times in Oct, Jan, or Feb. By watching airfare just about every night, I was always able to catch airfare at $158.00-$198.00. However, since Air Tran pulled out in Nov airfare seems to have about doubled, just in the last few months. I know for my May 4th-12th trip, all the airlines were running over $450.00 with Southwest about the highest. Spirit opened up a nonstop DFW to MCO route that started in April. Booking last Jan I was able to get flights for both my May and Sept trips for $148.00, compared to the $450.00 everyone else was charging to fly out of either DFW or Dallas Lovefield. Plus there is the fact that it was a nonstop flight and the only other airline that offers nonstop to MCO is American. I still need flights for my Oct/Nov and Jan trips, but so far even Spirit is more than I want to pay at $267.00 (still cheaper than the others though).

 

[Qltrgrl2]

One other option is to use two different airlines. If you find the perfect flight going to Orlando on SW and a return on Us Airways, go for it. Most all the airlines allow one way tickets now. I am watching for November fares at the moment and my dates are not loaded yet for SW. However, I am checking all options just in case. I also travel carryon only so that helps.

 

[capegirl]

SW flights are really high in my neck of the woods too. Just six months ago, we paid $99 each way non-stop....in fact, we have never paid more than this for SW. The cheapest non-stop in late August is going for $250 each way !

 

[Planogirl]

To give everyone an idea of what I've been seeing, we're traveling in mid August and I just checked both Southwest and Delta. I'm booking for two adults.

Southwest is coming up at $229-$236 per person one way. Total is about $940.

Unfortunately, Delta has gone up since my original post and isn't about half this price now. I can get the flights for a total of about $870 plus $50 to check two bags. I shouldn't have waited!

How is anyone getting lower cost flights on SW as a few have mentioned? I've been checking constantly.

 

[Planogirl]

I've been watching SWA flights for awhile for a mid-August WDW trip. Most of the afternoon/evening flights require stops and/or connections. And the fares were not appreciably less expensive. The non-stops were just way too expensive. We ended up booking with USAirways. We are traveling at decent times non-stop. We'll take carry-ons. I don't mind connections but the SWA fare was pretty high IMHO. I was disappointed but I'll get over it.

You mentioned one reason I didn't book Delta. These lower cost flights involved a 4-7 hour stop which to me is a pain.

 

[kinggoofy]

They are no longer competing with AirTran. One way to get rid of competition is to buy them!

BINGO !!!

We were just talking about this last night. Out of Midway, SWA competed with ATA..then ATA went adios....then they competed with Air Tran and then took them over.

SWA has no competition out of Chicago-Midway----- NONE.

They are setting the market on these flights.

I also read somewhere awhile back that SWA has 10-15 years supply of jet fuel stocked up. So rising fuel prices should not be the cause. Gas has been high for years.

The last few years I always said on these boards...that SWA hides their bag fees and bumps up the air fare.

Very close to false advertisement..."BAGS FLY FREE". Do they really ?

I think not !!!!

On 8-25..a one way ticket from MCO to MDW is $167.00. On Airtran---the same flight at 240pm is $135.00 BEFORE checked bag fee of $20 and taxes.

Im not a rocket scientist BUT the bags on SWA are not flying for free.

And this was like this BEFORE SWA took over AT.

 

[jayhawk74]

I also read somewhere awhile back that SWA has 10-15 years supply of jet fuel stocked up. So rising fuel prices should not be the cause. Gas has been high for years.

SWA doesn't have jet fuel stocked up, what they did in the past was to hedge heating oil to offset about 50% of their jet fuel cost. Recently their hedges have been losing money so that program hasn't been helping. As for the cost of the jet fuel on every weather package that the pilots get SWA shows the average cost of the jet fuel for the previous quarter. Last year it was about $1.50 per gallon, for the 1st quarter this year the average cost is $3.44 per gallon. A 737-700 will use about 600 gallons per hour while the older 737-300 will use about 750 gallons per hour. So for SWA the cost of fuel is a major factor in the increase in tickets.

 

[katallo]

I think a lot filters in to the cost increases, but agree they have been very high. The problem I have is the late release times for the schedules. It's really difficult waiting until June to book a November trip! May 23 was late enough, but now it's June 4th.

 

[Disney Ron]

SW flights are really high in my neck of the woods too. Just six months ago, we paid $99 each way non-stop....in fact, we have never paid more than this for SW. The cheapest non-stop in late August is going for $250 each way !

This is the reason why we are driving in September. In September of 2011 my family flew SWA for $59 each way out of PVD now a year later the same flights will cost our family of 4 over $1,200 r/t.

We don't really want to, but 2 weeks ago we bought a brand new minivan and have decided we will drive for this years trip.

 

[vacationclub]

SW is really not much of a discount airline anymore...as some of the legacy carriers have similar prices. The only thing they have is the slight advantage of no bag or change fees, and their schedule, which is off-set by the slight disadvantage of the "every man for yourself" approach to seating.

BINGO !!!

I also read somewhere awhile back that SWA has 10-15 years supply of jet fuel stocked up. So rising fuel prices should not be the cause. Gas has been high for years.

The last few years I always said on these boards...that SWA hides their bag fees and bumps up the air fare.

Very close to false advertisement..."BAGS FLY FREE". Do they really ?

I think not !!!!

On 8-25..a one way ticket from MCO to MDW is $167.00. On Airtran---the same flight at 240pm is $135.00 BEFORE checked bag fee of $20 and taxes.

Im not a rocket scientist BUT the bags on SWA are not flying for free.

And this was like this BEFORE SWA took over AT.

As another poster pointed out, SW hedged on fuel so they had a huge fuel advantage, especially back in 2008 with fuel went through the roof, they still had cheap fares. Those market tactics have not been doing so well lately for SWA, so they're on a near level playing field with other airlines as far as fuel, and their only advantage is running an extremely efficient schedule, which can only eek out so much extra profit. Thus, rising prices. Their planes are slowly going to be converted to loose legroom and incline angle to squeeze in one more row of seats in the aircraft...they are doing anything they can to get ahead of the price curve.

As far as false advertisement, it's not false. Bags do fly free, there is no extra charge for them. (the first 2 anyway). If you have an option for a $300 flight on Delta, and a $300 flight on SWA, then comparatively, bags are flying free on SWA. But it's all relative to the cost of the ticket. Your mileage may vary.