WOW Southwest Just Raised the Price

[1budai]

I just looked at the fares from Kansas City to MCO. They just raised the price by 30.00 for all flights over night for October!!

 

[mdsd8700]

I got an e-mail this morning from a travel site saying that SW lowered fares on many flights up till June 7th. I guess when they lower them somewhere they have to raise them somewhere else. Hopefully these will come back down.

 

[1budai]

Maybe that is the game they are playing.

 

[mickey2000]

Maybe that is the game they are playing.

No game its less seats with fewer flights and higher (future) fuel prices .

 

[champ5601]

Good thing we got our $89 down and $124 back for end of June/beginning of July.

 

[TamaraQT]

Good thing we got our $89 down and $124 back for end of June/beginning of July.

Great Rates for you...congrats!! I am an avid Southwest customer. But this year the Rates were just too high for me and my family. This year I am trying AirTran for the first time. Got rates going down PHL to MCO $79 ($99 on SW) and coming back Saturday of Labor Day weekend for $130 on AirTran.....Southwest 9/3 ($183 !!!! ) The 9/3 are both Non-Stop flights. But the 8/24 both had layovers. I know the $20 difference in price between AT and SW is the baggage fee. But, 7 of us traveling only 3 have a checked bag. So considering that, AirTran beat out SW this year for the first time for me. I am hoping I like AirTran half as much as SW. I am a little nervous since I haven't flown anything but Southwest from PHL to MCO, but I decided that the savings alone was worth a try. I hope I dont regret it

 

[kaytieeldr]

Did you pay for seat selection on AirTran, or are you planning to save that fee and each just accept whatever seats are left when you check in for your flights? And do the people with checked luggage know AT's limits are lower than other airlines?

 

[Neelloc]

Hmmm. My September flights just went down $5 each.

 

[dansyr2514]

We booked southwest because even though the flights are slightly higher in price, you can take 2 bags per person for free. Since I am an overpacker and dbf will bring his golf clubs, it is worth it for us.

 

[TamaraQT]

Did you pay for seat selection on AirTran, or are you planning to save that fee and each just accept whatever seats are left when you check in for your flights? And do the people with checked luggage know AT's limits are lower than other airlines?

I did not pay for seat selection. However, I guess I could have with the money i saved. $99 x 7 = $693(SW) 79 x 7 = $553 + 60(3 checked bags)=$613(AirTran). So I still saved $80. Seat Selection $6 x 7 = $42 I am still ahead of the game. Some people did better with Southwest this year. But it didnt work for me and I wasnt willing to wait any longer and play the "wait for fares to drop" game. I absolutely LOVE Southwest. But I just couldnt afford their fares this year. Also, the $99SW and the $79AT are NOT non-stop flights. AirTran nonstop to MCO is $130 SW nonstop to MCO is $160. Even with baggage fees on the non-stop, for my dates and flight times AirTran is still the least expensive.

Limits are lower? Yes, I did know that. The only thing that is lower is the fact that SW allows 2 checked bags for free where AirTran charges. AirTran also allows one carry-on bag, along with one personal item. (purse, backpack or camera bag). Checked bag is $20 for the first and thats all we have. 3 people in my party will have a checked bag($60) the rest have carry-ons. Not a problem. Even when I flew Southwest, there were only 2 to 3 checked bags for the total party. No matter how you view it, AirTran worked for us over Southwest this year.

 

[Tom Cecere]

I hope now that Southwest is buying Airtran, Airtran will run more like Southwest for bags and seating.

 

[WDWisTheBest]

I hope now that Southwest is buying Airtran, Airtran will run more like Southwest for bags and seating.

It probably will take quite some time for the merger details to be implemented.
But, the bag fees on Air Tran could change. We all hope so.

 

[TamaraQT]

I hope now that Southwest is buying Airtran, Airtran will run more like Southwest for bags and seating.

I hear ya....I am hoping for the same thing.

 

[5boyz]

Good thing we got our $89 down and $124 back for end of June/beginning of July.

Same here!!! I actually only paid $89. down and will watch $124. back...and see what happens. I had to go forward 2 days to get this price but that is ok we will still get our 9 days in at Disney and miss 1 day at Cocoa Beach...oh well we will live... If it was the other way around I dont know if I could.....

 

[kaytieeldr]

Limits are lower? Yes, I did know that. The only thing that is lower is the fact that SW allows 2 checked bags for free where AirTran charges

No. AirTran's size limits are lower than most other airlies before they start charging for oversize luggage. If your checked luggage is larger than 61 linear inches - length + width + depth, including handles, wheels, pockets, and sometimes bulges - they tack on a hefty fee.

 

[stasijane]

I booked my flight last night for oct, round trip from Stl to Mco for $79 each way. I havent seen prices that low in a while.

 

[OThopeful35]

I just checked southwest and our fare on the return trip dropped by $120 I am about to get my credit!!

 

[TamaraQT]

Well as I was about to book with AirTran for our 8/24 flight for $79, they were having computer problems, and I couldnt get my reservation to go thru. A friend of mine was checking for flights for me too. Well she called me up Friday morning and told me Continental Airlines had flights for 8/24 from PHL to MCO for $59!!!! I was sure there was some kind of catch. But, the catch was a layover in Washington, DC for an hour and 49minutes. DH advised me to jump on it, even with baggage fees it was still a GREAT deal. So I booked 7 people on Continental for $562.80.

This year for us it was all about affordability. In the end, I don't believe airfare is as high as predicted if there are still some $59 flights out there. I really expected to NEVER find those fares again. We may not fly this year the way we are used to (strictly Southwest) but hey, we are still getting there and will have another FANTASTIC FAMILY VACATION together and in the end, that is what matters most.

 

[Bobcats2003]

I'd been holding off all week to buy my flight tickets because I was waiting to find out if there would be a govt shutdown (im a federal employee). Airtran and SW are usually the cheapest for my area so those were the two I was considering. Last night after the averted shutdown was announced, I was online around midnight and saw that my SW option went down by $225 and my Airtran option went up by $150!! Needless to say, I booked SW immediately (got $59 one way from Cleveland to MCO for June). This morning when I woke up, I checked again and prices went back up.

I'm wondering if the fact there is no longer a potential govt shutdown has anything to do with prices going up??

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Well as I was about to book with AirTran for our 8/24 flight for $79, they were having computer problems, and I couldnt get my reservation to go thru. A friend of mine was checking for flights for me too. Well she called me up Friday morning and told me Continental Airlines had flights for 8/24 from PHL to MCO for $59!!!! I was sure there was some kind of catch. But, the catch was a layover in Washington, DC for an hour and 49minutes. DH advised me to jump on it, even with baggage fees it was still a GREAT deal. So I booked 7 people on Continental for $562.80.

This year for us it was all about affordability. In the end, I don't believe airfare is as high as predicted if there are still some $59 flights out there. I really expected to NEVER find those fares again. We may not fly this year the way we are used to (strictly Southwest) but hey, we are still getting there and will have another FANTASTIC FAMILY VACATION together and in the end, that is what matters most.

Wow! $59! I thought we'd never see these again. Unfortunately, while I see great rates on so many days, our return flight for Jersey Week is still at a hefty $289 with USAirways and $279 with Spirit. Yep, that's one way pp! Every other day of the week is $99-115 so they are simply gouging us since it's a popular time. I'm patiently waiting for SW and AT to release those dates. If I can't find something under $180, we'll spend that Sun night at the Hyatt and catch a 6am flight home for $115. For $680 savings, they can be an hour or 1.5 hrs late to school.