Southwest Airlines - booking through Jan 9, 2009

[Bonnie Voyager]

Bonnie: When in August will you be on the Monarch?

 

Yes, I love the Monarch. Not the run of the mill RCCL ship. She's older, not as big as some, but she has the BEST crew I've ever met!:D

 

 

I'll be sailing August 11th. I can't wait! :D It will be nice to try something different!

[tinkerme1]

pbhunt: The "new" SW RapidRewards program is a little restrictive now. Same rules, though, with some new "twists".

 

1) You can use only one-half of your reward for a one-way flight and preserve the other half if you can book a "standard award". This has not changed.

 

2) They now have a "reward" called a 'Freedom Award" which lets you book any flight, anytime. To obtain a Freedom Award, you need to "combine" two "standard awards".

 

3) I have found that you can use a "standard award" when the schedule first comes up for booking, but as flights fill up, you can only use your "Freedom Award". There are exceptions, especially when SW releases their "DING" fares. I highly suggest downloading DING to your computer if you use SW for your flights.

 

I've been using SW RR since the beginning of the program and comparatively, they are still better than most.

[tinkerme1]

Bonnie, have a fabulous trip! It should be lots of fun!

[Merion_Mom]

pbhunt: The "new" SW RapidRewards program is a little restrictive now. Same rules, though, with some new "twists".

 

1) You can use only one-half of your reward for a one-way flight and preserve the other half if you can book a "standard award". This has not changed.

 

2) They now have a "reward" called a 'Freedom Award" which lets you book any flight, anytime. To obtain a Freedom Award, you need to "combine" two "standard awards".

 

3) I have found that you can use a "standard award" when the schedule first comes up for booking, but as flights fill up, you can only use your "Freedom Award". There are exceptions, especially when SW releases their "DING" fares. I highly suggest downloading DING to your computer if you use SW for your flights.

 

I've been using SW RR since the beginning of the program and comparatively, they are still better than most.

 

And you deserve only the best! ;) :)

[Merion_Mom]

I saw Celia's thread too late yesterday, and all of the "cheap" fares were gone already, so I missed out on those, but still booked SW.

 

THEN I looked at USAir. I could actually get our three flights (roundtrip for my daughter, one way for me) between Philadelphia and Orlando for December for the Mariner for $100 less on USAir. (because I missed the *special* fares on SW).

 

But you know what?

 

The luggage fees on USAir would eat up that $100.

 

Amazing, isn't it?

[tinkerme1]

Oh Carol, I'm so very sorry you missed the early fares, however, looks like you did okay anyway! Isn't booking airfare fun now? LOL!

[betsyl]

betsy, I have a question about award tickets. I just used one today for a R/T to Tampa but haven't used one on SWA since the program changed a few years ago....

 

Can you still the use the other half of your award ticket on another flight, since it is split in to 2 one ways...or is it now used up?

 

Or can you can keep checking on your 12/21 flight to see if "award" seats might open up? Could you use it then and apply your purchased flights to ticketless travel funds?

 

I am still puzzling out their new (to me) awards program. Thanks. :)

I used one "whole" reward ticket for me and my husband's 1-way ticket to Ft. Lauderdale. If I had booked it only 1 way for myself, the other one-half would have been available to use for a future flight.

[betsyl]

I used one "whole" reward ticket for me and my husband's 1-way ticket to Ft. Lauderdale. If I had booked it only 1 way for myself, the other one-half would have been available to use for a future flight.

Also, for the other question you had, you can keep checking for a 12/21 free spot to open up, and if it did, book and then cancel your paid reservation -- you can use the credit for a future flight. But I wouldn't count on anything opening up -- that's too close to Christmas -- they probably only made like 1 or 2 seats available for "free" ticket-people.

[Hamburg Avon Lady]

Hi: Thanks for checking but Jet Blue has a direct flight from Buffalo to Orlando

which I think we will take - no transferring of luggage or people. I thought I would wait before booking as we still have a lot ot time left - but DH said "prices won't be going down" so book now.

[Hamburg Avon Lady]

Air Tran is great - I just wish their fares from Buffalo to Orlando next Jan. were better.

[Coralc]

I used one "whole" reward ticket for me and my husband's 1-way ticket to Ft. Lauderdale. If I had booked it only 1 way for myself, the other one-half would have been available to use for a future flight.

 

Thank You Celia and Betsy for explaining how the award tickets work now. As I mentioned, we haven't had any SWA awards for a few years. DH had a couple of business trips and a family thing, so we had one to play with.

 

Fortunately we were able to use it (with the $50 extension) to book the R/T for our November cruise. So the price for one fare...divided by 2 wasn't too bad. I do have Ding on my home computer, so I can check for price drops. It's a bummer that we can't install foreign software on the work computer....I miss a lot! :D :D :D

[mom2bcr]

I'd been patiently waiting for the new schedule so I could use our 2 free SW tickets from Dallas to Ft. Lauderdale 12/12, returning 12/21. I got on line within 1 hour of their postiing the new schedule, and they were already out of the "free" seats on 12/21 :rolleyes: -- so we get to go free 12/12 but have to pay for our return on 12/21 -- oh, well -- still a savings of over $400:cool:

 

I'm beginning to wonder if there is something going on w/SW on 12/21....We need to fly Norfolk to Orlando leaving 12/13 and returning 12/21...When I first checked fares on 12/21, there was a 10:00 AM flight which is too early or a 5:35 flight that was fine.

 

I went back to book that 5:35 flight the next day and ALL three fares were listed as unavailable. :eek: Not sure what's going on!!

[Sue L]

I'm beginning to wonder if there is something going on w/SW on 12/21....We need to fly Norfolk to Orlando leaving 12/13 and returning 12/21...When I first checked fares on 12/21, there was a 10:00 AM flight which is too early or a 5:35 flight that was fine.

 

I went back to book that 5:35 flight the next day and ALL three fares were listed as unavailable. :eek: Not sure what's going on!!

 

 

It is three days before christmas, that is why they are gone, pure and simple supply and demand. If you see a good fare on SW you can't wait you have to grab it then and there at holiday times especially.

[mom2bcr]

It is three days before christmas, that is why they are gone, pure and simple supply and demand. If you see a good fare on SW you can't wait you have to grab it then and there at holiday times especially.

 

That's what Ithought, too.

 

However, :D I just went back on SW and the fares are there today; so, I am going to go ahead and book.

 

Anyone know that if the price drops and you catch it, if you can get the lower fare??

[Merion_Mom]

That's what Ithought, too.

 

However, :D I just went back on SW and the fares are there today; so, I am going to go ahead and book.

 

Anyone know that if the price drops and you catch it, if you can get the lower fare??

 

SW allows you to re-book with NO fees charged. They put the "savings" in your little account with them, and you have a year to use it on another ticket purchase.

 

Say, for example, that you booked a flight today for $250. Tomorrow, they show it for $180. You can re-book, and they will put the $70 aside for you. Save your original confirmation number, and when you book another flight, you apply those funds to your new ticket.

[mom2bcr]

Thanks!!

 

I was hoping to catch a "cheapie" fare that they keep running from ORF to MCO for $125...but I'm not willing to take too many chances in waiting for fare since we are traveling right before Christmas!!

 

Also, the SW fights are Nonstop for us and have no baggage fees. Both are big perks for us!!

[TPKeller]

Question for you Southwest experts out there... assuming the same good fares are still available for a flight I have booked as a "round trip", what is the best way to change the flight to two individual "one way" tickets with lowest risk of losing the good fares I already have?

 

Thanks!

 

Theron

[Sue L]

Question for you Southwest experts out there... assuming the same good fares are still available for a flight I have booked as a "round trip", what is the best way to change the flight to two individual "one way" tickets with lowest risk of losing the good fares I already have?

 

Thanks!

 

Theron

 

 

Southwest only prices as one ways so not sure what your question is, you are NOT getting a penny discount for booking roundtrip rather then one way like most airlines. Is this what you are wondering about?

[TPKeller]

Southwest only prices as one ways so not sure what your question is, you are NOT getting a penny discount for booking roundtrip rather then one way like most airlines. Is this what you are wondering about?

Well, not exactly... since there is no disadvantage to booking "one-ways" over "round trips", I tend to do that, if for no other reason that in the event I need to change one end or the other, it's slightly less hassle with only one flight involved... but in booking my last ticket I plain forgot... so was going to split them out. So asking what is the best way to do that. :)

 

It's not critically important.

 

Theron

[Sue L]

Well, not exactly... since there is no disadvantage to booking "one-ways" over "round trips", I tend to do that, if for no other reason that in the event I need to change one end or the other, it's slightly less hassle with only one flight involved... but in booking my last ticket I plain forgot... so was going to split them out. So asking what is the best way to do that. :)

 

It's not critically important.

 

Theron

 

 

On Southwest if you want to cancel it it can be done by each way, if that is not your intention you would have to cancel and rebook and hope in that few minutes that the cheap fares don't disappear. They are so easy to deal with I wouldn't bother. Any changes can easily be made right on the website.

[G'ma]

I just checked Long Island to Ft Lauderdale for future cruise and the fares were not bad ranging $129/140 each way. I think that's pretty good considering what other airlines are charging.

 

These fares will probably get better in another month or so and later into the summer....They rarely put many seats on sale at the lowest prices when they first open up......a few "teaser" seats on each flight seems to be the norm.

 

Sign up for their emails, join their Rapid Rewards program and you will be first notified when the sales start coming....usually give you a coupla days notice.

 

Right now, in the Florida market, from Philly (and other places), sales are going on starting at 69.00 each way, plus tax. These are for summer flights ending August 30-mid-September...... So, I'll sit tight.....

[tinkerme1]

If you booked a r/t with SW, and want to split it into two one-way fares, I would just call SW and ask them to do that for you. Be aware that if that fare you booked is a discounted fare, and the fare has gone up, you'll then need to pay the higher fare! If the fare is the same, they can split it out for you.

 

Since each way of your flight is considered a "one-way" fare, regardless if you broke them into two separate one-ways or not, really wouldn't make a difference in fare pricing. I'm a little confused why you think this would be advantageous.:confused: Maybe you could help by explaining further? :D