Will Southwest prices come down?

[kdkbrebel]

We have never flown SW before. On our previous trips we have always flown american. However they now charge for bags and do not offer any nonstops from STL to MCO. So we are going to try SW for our June trip. Right now the best I can get is 131 there and 182 back per person that is around 1330 for the 4 of us. I keep hoping it will come down any chance? I also don't want to wait to long and have it go up Any suggestions?

 

[DebbieB]

It depends on how full the planes are. I know I went last June PIT-MCO on SW and the price was around $360 roundtrip originally and never went down, it went up to close to $400. The flights were full both ways so there was no reason for them to drop it.

 

[Michael623]

Unfortunately it hasn't been the trend the last 18 months or so. I always used to wait for a price reduction before I booked but if anything prices seem to go up after the initial prices are released. The Dings haven't been any help either.

 

[momofsamandeden]

When I researched sw three weeks ago it was 149 each way. Today it is 79 each way for flights in May from MSP to MCO so who knows!

 

[kdkbrebel]

When I researched sw three weeks ago it was 149 each way. Today it is 79 each way for flights in May from MSP to MCO so who knows!

Cool thanks for the info I hope I can get a break.

 

[richmo]

Remember also that SW is one of the few airlines that allow you to rebook yourself at a lower rate without getting killed with a change fee.

A couple of caveats though:
- You don't get cash back; you get a credit towards a future flight.
- That credit is only good for a year and its from the booking date, not the flight date.
If you fly on Southwest at least once or twice a year, you should be OK.

If that all applies, you should go ahead and book yourself and keep checking if rates go down. You definitely don't to wait too long; quite often fares will do nothing but go up.

 

[npierce25]

check priceline. i was looking southwest for a while, but checked there and even with bag fees it is a lot cheeper. like im getting less than $500 for 3 of us when southwest is over 700.

 

[kdkbrebel]

Remember also that SW is one of the few airlines that allow you to rebook yourself at a lower rate without getting killed with a change fee.

A couple of caveats though:
- You don't get cash back; you get a credit towards a future flight.
- That credit is only good for a year and its from the booking date, not the flight date.
If you fly on Southwest at least once or twice a year, you should be OK.

If that all applies, you should go ahead and book yourself and keep checking if rates go down. You definitely don't to wait too long; quite often fares will do nothing but go up.

can someone else use the credit? for example my sis in law flys all the time but we don't if i got a credit could i transfer it to her?

 

[Tnkrbelle565]

can someone else use the credit? for example my sis in law flys all the time but we don't if i got a credit could i transfer it to her?

Yes you can! Anyone can use the credit.

 

[thechesters420]

When I went a couple years ago Southwest was one of the airlines that you couldn't pre-check your bags with at the resorts. Is that still the way it is?

 

[Tnkrbelle565]

When I went a couple years ago Southwest was one of the airlines that you couldn't pre-check your bags with at the resorts. Is that still the way it is?

Not as of this spring. All resorts are slowly starting to all check in for Southwest now

Here is the posted schedule

Here is the SWA/RAC expansion schedule....

GF, PO - Feb 23
CONT, WL, FW - March 2
Coronado - March 9
Y&B - March 16
BW - March 23
AKL - March 30
OKW - April 6
PO - April 20
CB - May 4

 

[saraheubanks1]

We're flying out of AR in June, and right now for my famuly of 4 it's over $1400. I'm watyching everyday, but if it doesn't go lower we may just have to drive.

 

[tree320]

Not as of this spring. All resorts are slowly starting to all check in for Southwest now

Here is the posted schedule

Here is the SWA/RAC expansion schedule....

GF, PO - Feb 23
CONT, WL, FW - March 2
Coronado - March 9
Y&B - March 16
BW - March 23
AKL - March 30
OKW - April 6
PO - April 20
CB - May 4

Will the resort also be able to check us in 24 hours ahead of time, or will we still have to do that?

 

[thechesters420]

Not as of this spring. All resorts are slowly starting to all check in for Southwest now

Here is the posted schedule

Here is the SWA/RAC expansion schedule....

GF, PO - Feb 23
CONT, WL, FW - March 2
Coronado - March 9
Y&B - March 16
BW - March 23
AKL - March 30
OKW - April 6
PO - April 20
CB - May 4

Thank you sooo much for this info!!

 

[kdkbrebel]

We're flying out of AR in June, and right now for my famuly of 4 it's over $1400. I'm watyching everyday, but if it doesn't go lower we may just have to drive.

I know it is 1330 for us right now. I see 74$ flights for other times but not ours lets hope we both get lucky

 

[geenerbell]

I am a loyal Southwest flyer. Lately I've notice the prices really spike closer to the fly date. If I were you I'd book and then keep watching the rates so you can get that credit. Remember Tuesday is usually the cheapest day to fly on any airline.

 

[iwrbnd]

They are still cheap out of Kansas City. Can you drive there and fly out?

 

[ksloane]

Keep watching. Since we booked our WDW dates, I have pulled up SW site (and subscribed to their email) almost daily and sometimes a few times throughout the day, by carefully watching I've gotten about a $40 cheaper per ticket each way on ours than when I first looked..

After posting this I went to check SW again and we now have a $75 credit as prices were cheaper when I clicked through the email I received today!!

 

[deerhart]

We have never flown SW before. On our previous trips we have always flown american. However they now charge for bags and do not offer any nonstops from STL to MCO. So we are going to try SW for our June trip. Right now the best I can get is 131 there and 182 back per person that is around 1330 for the 4 of us. I keep hoping it will come down any chance? I also don't want to wait to long and have it go up Any suggestions?

you have to check just about every day. I have been waiting for one leg of our STl/MCO journey to drop from 131 to 74. The home flight had dropped but not the going (we were at $900 for 4). Now the return flight is back up.

I won't worry until I hit mid April and still haven't booked. I know last year it wasn't until about 6-8 weeks out of our last trip that I got both legs to be $74.

Also look at the date your flying in/out. Sundays will always be higher priced then other days.

 

[ksloane]

Also look at the date your flying in/out. Sundays will always be higher priced then other days.

This is very true. I had us originally planned to leave Disney on a Sunday in June...when I saw how high the airfare was and did the price comparison in SW, it was cheaper for us to stay another day at Disney than fly back on Sunday..