Confused with Southwest booking system

[hazeof3dd]

Hey all. I'm going on my first cruise in April aboard Royal Caribbean's Mariner of the Seas Eastern Caribbean Cruise out of Port Canaveral. I am looking to get Southwest's $59 one way fare from PVD to MCO before they get snatched up (will save $1000 dollars and allow us to leave from an airport only 45 minutes away instead of from JFK which is 2.5 hours away). I was thinking that since it currently has schedules up to March 31st, I assumed that it will open up all of April at the end of the month (tonight at midnight). From what I've read here this is incorrect. Can anyone offer some insight? I am looking to book for departure on April 16th and returning on April 23rd.

[sodell]

I too am looking for april airfare. April probably won't be posted for a few weeks. Southwest usually has higher fares during peak season to the "hot spots". That week is after Easter, so it probably won't be a "steal". Tuesday is the first "special" fare day. I would grab the first reasonable fare posted. Also, they sell a limited # of internet specials & limited "special" fares. If you wait too long, only the higher fares will be available. (I learned by experience :) )

Good luck...

[hazeof3dd]

I too am looking for april airfare. April probably won't be posted for a few weeks. Southwest usually has higher fares during peak season to the "hot spots". That week is after Easter, so it probably won't be a "steal". Tuesday is the first "special" fare day. I would grab the first reasonable fare posted. Also, they sell a limited # of internet specials & limited "special" fares. If you wait too long, only the higher fares will be available. (I learned by experience :) )

Good luck...

well i was originally planning to be on at midnight tonight to grab what i could right away..... its been march 31st for a while...

[OBX Bill]

Hey all. I'm going on my first cruise in April aboard Royal Caribbean's Mariner of the Seas Eastern Caribbean Cruise out of Port Canaveral. I am looking to get Southwest's $59 one way fare from PVD to MCO before they get snatched up (will save $1000 dollars and allow us to leave from an airport only 45 minutes away instead of from JFK which is 2.5 hours away). I was thinking that since it currently has schedules up to March 31st, I assumed that it will open up all of April at the end of the month (tonight at midnight). From what I've read here this is incorrect. Can anyone offer some insight? I am looking to book for departure on April 16th and returning on April 23rd.

 

Thre is not set date that SW opens up their schedule. I suggest checking their web page each day AM / PM

 

Also sign up for Web specials and they'll send you specials each Tuesday.

 

And sign up for "Ding" desktop specials they send several times a day.

 

April as you might know is prime pubilc school vacation time in the northeast.

You might check other airline like Jet Blue, Song, Air tran...

 

good luck

 

Bill

[hazeof3dd]

Thre is not set date that SW opens up their schedule. I suggest checking their web page each day AM / PM

 

Also sign up for Web specials and they'll send you specials each Tuesday.

 

And sign up for "Ding" desktop specials they send several times a day.

 

April as you might know is prime pubilc school vacation time in the northeast.

You might check other airline like Jet Blue, Song, Air tran...

 

good luck

 

Bill

 

Jetblue is only available from JFK and Air Tran is only available from BOS and LGA. Song from BDL is looking quite expensive (currently over $400 round trip per person). WN appears to be the best wey to go if I can get it. Spirit may have something to offer out of LGA for somewhere between $300 and $400, not sure what they want for the 1-stop out of PVD.

[slotaddict]

Don't get nervous, I had to wait to book my tickets on Southwest for January because of the hurricanes and the fact they had to move around some of the aircraft. I just checked everyday until the schedule came out. Orrr you can download "Ding" from Southwests website, it puts the tail of a plane at the bottom of your computer, whenever there is a fare sale it posts a little envelope on the tail. Where are you from?

[slotaddict]

Sorry I didn;t see the previous posts about Ding.

[slotaddict]

Also you can call Southwest and they can tell you when the next schedules are due out.

[jcanino]

I am looking to get Southwest's $59 one way fare from PVD to MCO before they get snatched up (will save $1000 dollars and allow us to leave from an airport only 45 minutes away instead of from JFK which is 2.5 hours away). I am looking to book for departure on April 16th and returning on April 23rd.

 

Besides being Easter weekend, it is the beginning of April school vacation for almost all of New England. When Southwest loaded their schedule and fare for February school vacation time, there were no low fares from New England to Florida. I actually checked them for flights from Hartford within an hour of them becoming available, both on their web site (loaded first) and then our GDS. Personally, I don't think they will offer low fares for April school vacation week no matter when they load them.

[hazeof3dd]

i'm from East Lyme, Connecticut (near New London/Groton), anything at this point is cheaper than what I'm getting. best thing i can get right now is over $350 round trip per person, I KNOW Southwest will be better than that. Spoke to a WN Rep and she said that Marketing has not yet told them when they will be released but last year they released dates through May on December 9th, so it should be soon.

[PVDCruiser]

You know you want to fly from PVD, Jesse. :D The memories of betatesting....hehe

 

[zebster15]

Don't count on the $59 fare for April. My kids fly from Hartford to Orlando once a month and April is not a cheap month. For our cruise March 18th, some school system and college break time, they are paying a low of $295 JFK-MCO Jetblue to a high of $422 on Southwest from Hartford-MCO. There are 14 traveling and the average price is $350. Most on Southwest a few on SONG and 2 on JetBlue. Still have 3 waiting to book their flights and they better get to it.

 

I booked the day that Southwest announced the March fares and still....

 

Good Luck

[hazeof3dd]

Don't count on the $59 fare for April. My kids fly from Hartford to Orlando once a month and April is not a cheap month. For our cruise March 18th, some school system and college break time, they are paying a low of $295 JFK-MCO Jetblue to a high of $422 on Southwest from Hartford-MCO. There are 14 traveling and the average price is $350. Most on Southwest a few on SONG and 2 on JetBlue. Still have 3 waiting to book their flights and they better get to it.

 

I booked the day that Southwest announced the March fares and still....

 

Good Luck

End of March Fares on WN PVD-MCO are $59.... but those are just on a few random dates i picked

[zebster15]

Not the weeks we need,:( . My kids are flying 3/16 3/17 3/18 southbound and 3/25 north. 3/26 was prefered but fares were outrageous! Plus WN usual times are BDL-MCO 755p and MCO-BDL 450pm.

 

For March, they are 620pm BDL-MCO and return is not until 745pm. I would prefer these times 51 weeks of the year, but with the cruise the 745pm is horrible. Still haven't figured out why they do these times for only a couple of weeks, Spring and Fall.:confused:

[jcanino]

i'm from East Lyme, Connecticut (near New London/Groton), anything at this point is cheaper than what I'm getting. best thing i can get right now is over $350 round trip per person, I KNOW Southwest will be better than that. Spoke to a WN Rep and she said that Marketing has not yet told them when they will be released but last year they released dates through May on December 9th, so it should be soon.

 

End of March Fares on WN PVD-MCO are $59.... but those are just on a few random dates i picked

 

To be honest with you, $350 for Easter/School Vacation week is not a bad price.

 

You are seeing low fares for the end of March because it is between peak travel times. Don't be surprised if Southwest's fares for your week are just as high or higher when they become available.

 

East Lyme is the only school my daughter's volleyball (RHAM) team lost to during the regular season play.

[greatam]

End of March Fares on WN PVD-MCO are $59.... but those are just on a few random dates i picked

 

Better check those prices again. March 31 cheapest is $137-152 each way. Total with taxes is $300.00+.

 

I just checked loads during your time frame. Today, 71% of the TOTAL capacity (all airlines, including cargo carriers and charters) is already booked. Southwest can check the same load factors I checked. There would be no reason for Southwest to sell any deeply discounted tickets. That is one part of Southwest' business model-wait and see how other airline's seats are selling and THEN set the price.

 

IMHO, I would book the $350+ tickets and be done with it. $157.00 each way IS $350.00 with taxes.

[hazeof3dd]

$59 each way March 29th returning March 30th

[elah]

Word on the Southwest message boards is that Dec 8th the schedule will be extended. In my experience this usually happens around 10 or 11 a.m. central time.

[hazeof3dd]

Word on the Southwest message boards is that Dec 8th the schedule will be extended. In my experience this usually happens around 10 or 11 a.m. central time.

thanks for the info, I will wait until then to make a decision on our flight. Even if it ends up being $350 round trip, at least its a nonstop from Providence which is a million times easier for us then LGA, JFK or EWR.

[greatam]

$59 each way March 29th returning March 30th

 

Only problem with your pricing-you picked Wednesday/Thursday, which are generally two of the three CHEAPEST days to fly. I picked Friday, which more closely corresponds with pricing on Sunday, April 16. Now if you fly Saturday, April 15, you may find some of the cheaper fares. But Friday and Sundays are generally the MOST expensive days to fly-business travelers, people going to and returning from vacation, etc. etc. etc

 

Hope you find a cheap fare, but with load factors as high as they are, the planes are almost 3/4 booked already. No incentive for ANY airline to run a sale.

[kidz_rn]

I have been following this thread with interest. I, too, have been waiting for Southwest to open up for April, but after reading all the posts, I went ahead and booked Spirit Air for April 15 - $325 pp round trip, Atlantic City to Ft. Lauderdale. Past 2 times, we cruised out of Philadelphia (what a pleasure!), but now we have to fly to get to Port Everglades departure.

 

Russ in NJ

[LUCY55]

Interesting. I can book $125 one way MDW-FLL on Southwest on March 26. Our return on April 1 of course isn't up yet.

[hazeof3dd]

Interesting. I can book $125 one way MDW-FLL on Southwest on March 26. Our return on April 1 of course isn't up yet.

see my reply in your other thread

[Headhoncho]

Interesting. I can book $125 one way MDW-FLL on Southwest on March 26. Our return on April 1 of course isn't up yet.

 

The mistake some people make on an overlap like that, is they wait to book a round-trip when the new dates appear. Often the flight to FLL is all booked by that time. In almost all cases with SW, you are booking two one way flights - there and back. There is usually no financial advantage to book there and back (round-trip) at the same time.

 

My advice to those people who find themselves in an overlapping position is to book the 1st flight now and then watch the SW site daily and book your return flight when it becomes available.

[wrp96]

Interesting. I can book $125 one way MDW-FLL on Southwest on March 26. Our return on April 1 of course isn't up yet.

 

Go ahead and book the flight down. If you can't get the return, Southwest is good about letting you apply that fare to another ticket.