Wondering about Soutwest air for 5/14/07 -do people buy 1 way fares and then wait?

[Terry's Angels]

Hi everyone,

I know that I'm not the only one waiting for SW to open up the schedule past May 10, 2007 but I'm starting to get antsy. When I checked fares today all of the cheap fares for our departure day 5/7/07 are gone. I'm thinking that I should have bought the cheaper one-way fare when it came out. I don't know - I just feel really unsettled until I buy our airfare. Any advice?

 

[zurgswife]

Definately should purchase each leg as they become available. Don't book as a round trip so if the price goes down you can get the discounted price with out having to rebook everything. You should definately watch the Dings or book now and how to get a cheaper price later.

 

[I'mNoPrince]

I think Thurs is going to be the day.( I hope i hope ).

But yes like ZW stated do the one-ways .

 

[adirtbikeshop]

Be ready to book as soon as SW puts the fares up. When SW put the airfair on sale for March, I missed doing RT from Kansas City to Orlando. So we ended up flying into Tampa and will leave from Orlando.

Seemed like it might be bad but after giving it much consideration, we decided that we could drive up to orlando from Tampa. That way we can go to some outlets, the grocery and Playmobil store. We can then turn our car in at WDW and et a shuttle back to the POP.

We also had to go Friday to Friday. But when you are going to the world you do what you got to do.

 

[Terry's Angels]

Thanks for the advice. I'm really regretting that I didn't get the fares earlier.

 

[iluvepcot]

my exp with SW is that the fares are not gone and closer to the date you will see the fare go down. If you are flexible with times and even a date or two you will see fares go down. They are not gone. I think SW is trying to get higher priced bookings.

 

[jennib5426]

I booked my March fares as one ways. The out bound to MCO was available 4 weeks before the home bound flight. My dates happen to fall across the days they cut off.
I was able to get each leg for $59 but if I had waited to do a round trip the outbound leg would of doubled in price.

Buy it now!!!!!

 

[nikkistevej]

Do you think this go-around with Southwest will include September? I would like to book 9/9/07-9/22-07 to Orlando.

 

[DonnaL]

No I don't think this next round will include September.......my guess .....probably mid to end of July......and then the next round will open to about mid to late September. I don't think the next round will be until sometime in early to mid February. I wish it were sooner because I'm waiting for mid May myself, but, I don't think so. There is a thread on SW's
history of releasing dates somewhere here on the DIS.....

 

[I'mNoPrince]

Here's what I saved from that thread Looking at that pattern I would think any time now and opened until Mid July.

SWA release dates



5-11-05 released dates through 10-28-05
7-14-05 released dates through 12-12-05
8-18-05 released dates through 1-9-06
9-27-05 released dates through 2-3-06
10-27-05 released dates through 3-31-06
12-20-05 released dates through 6-9-06
2-23-06 released dates through 8-3-06
4-19-06 released dates through 9-12-06
5-26-06 released dates through 10-27-06
7-13-06 released dates through 12-10-06
8-17-06 released dates through 1-9-07
9-21-06 released dates through 3-9-07
11-16-06 released dates through 5-10-07

 

[disneyfanfamily]

We have only flied 2 times prior to this time. Never have flown SW. I notice some of you buy tickets, and then find the same flight at a lower price. Do you get credit for that amount? And how do you do this? I am waiting for the dates of June 27 (Wednesday) through July 7 (Saturday). So, I should get one ways for each of them if I find a good rate, is that correct?

Sorry for the stupidity, but we just don't fly often. We live in NW Ohio, so if you have suggestions from past experience, please let me know. We have been checking Detroit, Dayton, Columbus, Cincinnati, Indianapolis.

Nothing good so far, so we are waiting for SW. Hopefully we will get decent rates because we have spent a lot on this vacation already!

 

[I'mNoPrince]

We book our flight as soon as they come out. They have been either $79 or $89 each way from our Hometown airport.

Then if it's just a sale you can make the change through the travel center on SWA. You get a Ticketless travel voucher good for 1 year from date of original purchase ( others have gotten returned to CC as long as flight hasn't changed ,date or time).

If it's a DING price it gets a bit tricky as you have to cancel the original then book the Ding using the TTV.

I'm sitting on $400 in vouchers from our past 2 trips so I'm good for our June trip.

Always book one-ways as it's easier to make changes.

SW also doesn't charge you ANY fees for making changes .You can do everything either over the web or phone with the exception of booking a DING fare it can only be done on-line trough Ding.

 

[minster22]

Anyone here know what the actual policy for have the difference credited back to your credit card if the exact flight times and dates etc go down? We are doing a large family vacation and my SIL is buying 7 tickets and though it would be nice to have a credit for travel, she may not be able to use it and refunding the other families gets complicated etc ( that is a whole other story...why they are not each purchasing tickets themselves ). They are flying 6/25 out of PVD and returning on 6/29. Our flights out of BOS on JetBlue for these same dates started out high at $287 and went up $20 today(do you think they will go down??) and I am thinking she should do as suggested in this thread and buy on Southwest asap. I hate to be the person with all these great tips and then 2 months from now find out she could have gotten them much cheaper. We are all coming from 3 different airports and coordinating our arrivals so our flights times are very specific. Sorry this is full of maybe unneccessary info...just explaining the whys and wherefores.....

 

[I'mNoPrince]

The only official way to get a credit is to book the fully refundable fare ( normally the highest priced ticket).

But as I stated many have recieved refunds as long as the flight number /day / time does not change.

I also know the regular CSRs are not quick to give the refund but there is a special number to call just for that.

It's 1-214-792-4223

You may even want to call them and ask what the official policy is.

 

[disneyfanfamily]

If I would book, and the price changes to the better - not DING, can I call and do this, or there is an acutal place on their site?

 

[I'mNoPrince]

If I would book, and the price changes to the better - not DING, can I call and do this, or there is an acutal place on their site?

Non-Ding price adjustments can be do by either calling or at tha Travel Center on SWA web-sight very easy to do.

 

[disneyfanfamily]

thanks noprince.