Southwest Airlines

[Kaycee1]

:confused: Does anyone know when Southwest airlines will be posting past March 9th? I have a cruise booked on th Enchantment for March 12-17. I have been checking everyday, sometimes twice. I am getting kind of nervous because the other airlines are filling up. Spring Break.

Thanks,

Kaycee

[M&M CRUZERS]

:confused: Does anyone know when Southwest airlines will be posting past March 9th? I have a cruise booked on th Enchantment for March 12-17. I have been checking everyday, sometimes twice. I am getting kind of nervous because the other airlines are filling up. Spring Break.

Thanks,

Kaycee

 

Kaycee, just keep doing exactly what you're doing, checking every day, and one day to your surprise Southwest will have changed their dates again. Have a great cruise!!!

[Sue L]

Just so you know Southwest changes/add to their dates at midnight. It should be soon. I was also waiting but I chickened out and booked with Jetblue because they were filling up. I wouldn't be too nervous because spring break in the northeast is not until 1st week of April or the second week depending on which districts do the break before or after Easter.

[thxcollins]

I've called SWA when trying to book 6 months out and they were more than happy to tell me the date that they would be updating the website to include those dates.

[Sue L]

I've called SWA when trying to book 6 months out and they were more than happy to tell me the date that they would be updating the website to include those dates.

 

 

Wow, they gave you a straight answer...I think it might be a first as they are usually so tight lipped as to their release dates. :D The response I ususally get is 4 or 5 months out.

[signman]

Historical data for you.

 

Oct 27/05 - open to Mar 31/06

Dec 20/05 - open to Jun 9/06

Feb 23/06 - open to Aug 3/06

Apr 19/06 - open to Sep 12/06

May 26/06 - open to Oct 27/06

Jul 13/06 - open to Dec 10/06

[realtorron]

:) I've sometimes have found better prices with Kayak.com. Most of the time you are linked directly with the airlines and the airlines give kayak a kickback for the referral.

 

http://www.kayak.com/

[golferkinda]

The Southwest agent does not have an exact date that new fares will be their system. They are not trying to deceive you, they actually do not know. Trust me. Been there, done that.

[FLASHINGLIGHTS83]

it should be soon....a friend of mine is a higher up at southwest in orlando....it will be soon...i promise....

[Dafydd]

I always use southwest going to my cruises. However, when we book the day it comes online, it seems they never have the really cheap fares. I check back daily and usually the prices and the times keep varying. We are leaving Nov. 19 on Explorer, and I have already had my price drop several times on southwest even though it is thanksgiving weekend. They credit you towards a future flight. Even after they show all sold out on a particular day, I go back and spots open up again.

[Sue L]

it should be soon....a friend of mine is a higher up at southwest in orlando....it will be soon...i promise....

 

 

any hints??????????

[FLASHINGLIGHTS83]

any hints??????????

 

i was sworn to secrecy about it....sry....

 

lol

 

he told me awhile back how long before they open up...but i honestly forgot....and we havent talked in awhile.....but i would say by the end of nov AT THE LATEST....more likely this week or next....but keep checking everyday....

[2theship]

I don't think there's a set pattern to the release dates. It seemed that we waited ages for Southwest to open up for our December 16 travel date. Then, about a week later, they were booking through March. As someone has already mentioned, their prices will often go down but you can get a refund in the form of a credit towards future flights. We just got a $300 credit because the prices went down on our December flights.

[laginog]

Someone on their Frequent Flier board is predicting this...

 

My new prediction is November 9 for the extension to a conservative schedule horizon of April 1 or so. 10 AM Central Time as usual. A delayed extension also increases the likelihood that it will occur on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Friday instead of the usual Thursday.

[bahami]

Does anyone know if Southwest will be flying into Miami anytime in the near future?

[sal7202]

I doubt they will fly into Miami, they have been flying into FLL, and the 2 airports are so close it wouldn't pay to add MIA. Besides, FLL is a much nicer airport in my opinion.

[WhiteSoxFan]

Southwest usually updates there schedule horizon on Thursdays at 10AM central time. flyertalk.com has a thread concerning schedule extensions and those who follow seem to believe it will be either tomorrow, 11/9 or next Thursday 11/16. Typically they extend the schedule to April 1st ish but this extension seems to be a little later than the historical usual so maybe they will extend it a little longer. I too am waiting for the last week in March for some tickets to Orlando.

[thxcollins]

The Southwest agent does not have an exact date that new fares will be their system. They are not trying to deceive you, they actually do not know. Trust me. Been there, done that.

 

I beg to differ, the agent has information as to when they can start offering/selling the tickets over the phone and this date should not differ from the available dates that you can book online.

 

I was able to jump online and grab tickets for a wedding the day they went on sale by using the date the CSA gave me.

[msbunny]

I am also anxiously waiting for them to change the date. We leave on the Enchantment on March 17. It is 5 of us going. Some of them may fly Friday just to be sure. I feel perfectly fine getting an early flight Sat. morning. Never had a problem with SW. This is a "girlfriends" trip- leaving our hubbies home with the kids, and I think 5 nights is the limit right now for me to be gone! (at first it was going to be a 4 night cruise...somehow turned into 5- wish it was a week!)

 

Do most people fly down on Saturday or Friday? (Balto. to Ft. L.)

[Sue L]

I am also anxiously waiting for them to change the date. We leave on the Enchantment on March 17. It is 5 of us going. Some of them may fly Friday just to be sure. I feel perfectly fine getting an early flight Sat. morning. Never had a problem with SW. This is a "girlfriends" trip- leaving our hubbies home with the kids, and I think 5 nights is the limit right now for me to be gone! (at first it was going to be a 4 night cruise...somehow turned into 5- wish it was a week!)

 

Do most people fly down on Saturday or Friday? (Balto. to Ft. L.)

 

 

We always fly in the day before, you never know what might happen to delay your flights. Weather in your area is not the only factor that could be an issue. A weather problem completely across the country could affect your flight. If you are there the day before you also won't waster your first cruise day recovering from the travel.

[lojill]

I'm waiting patiently everyday. I have southwest on my cell phone voice command so if I'm at work or in my car i can call them right then.

[WhiteSoxFan]

One point I forgot earlier is that sometimes the schedule horizon covers your outgoing flight date but not your return. This is no problem with Southwest because when you buy a round trip ticket from them you are really buying two one way tickets. They are priced and ticketed that way so you can go ahead and book your outbound flight now and wait until the next schedule extension to book your return with no problem or significant price increases. Another benefit is if you do not use the outbound flight you can still use the return, unlike round trip tickets on other carriers.

 

Everyone remember to check tomorrow at 10AM central time.

[lojill]

Well everybody Thursday passed and nothing happen. I guess we will have to keep on checking. I looked at Delta and US air and they are priced way out there. I'm flying from Columbus .Ohio to FT lauderdale florida next March.

[rburns44]

Have you tried Jetblue? They have some pretty good rates and go from CMH to Fll.

 

Becky

[JRA382]

FYI, we are from Columbus and go to Florida often. Just be careful about waiting to long, flights to Florida in the spring (especially Miami and FLL) fill up fast (spring break) and they usually don't come down in price that often. In the past we have booked our flights to Tampa for the spring by October ($270-300, MIA and FLL are always more) and I know with two kids, it adds up. We were in the same situation trying to get flights to FLL and a hotel because we were planning a cruise with our kids the week of 3/17 (at the time couldn't find flights under $360) decided to take a cruise out of Galveston (we wanted a shorter one (5 days), and our kids are younger... so opted for a balcony room for a similar price as going out of FLL...and also able to use reward points for free hotel stays where FLL dates were blacked out extremely high)

Jetblue may have good deals but you do have to fly to LaGuardia (NY) for all connection so you may have to chance the weather and other delays.

If you don't mind driving, I know that we are only an hour drive to Dayton, and I believe that Air Tran also has competitive prices.

 

I know last year my husband and I took a cruise last April and our flight CMH to MIA were 360.00 (I think we left around 3/30 -first week in April) but my friends went a flew weeks later and flew from Day to FLL for 180 per person (I think Delta)...so you never know.