Post all SW questions concerns, etc. here...

[scrappinginontario]

How were they able to text unless they paid for WiFi? Southwest does offer free messaging using the iMessage or WhatsApp but both them and yourself must be using the same app.

I wasn't on the flight (I was at home here in Canada) when suddenly messages began to appear from both the husband and the wife while I knew they were in flight! I had sent them a text saying I'd was following their flight on flight tracker so I was shocked when suddenly they both started to text me back. We were all on iPhones and Shawn said there was something on the screen about being able to message so he tried and it worked! i don't know details other than we were able to communicate while they were in flight both on the way down and on their flight home also. This is a new, free service offered by Southwest and actually was not formally announced until a few days after they found it by accident during their flight.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/trav...ssaging-texting-imessage-whatsapp/1410277002/

 

[elgerber]

I wasn't on the flight (I was at home here in Canada) when suddenly messages began to appear from both the husband and the wife while I knew they were in flight! I had sent them a text saying I'd was following their flight on flight tracker so I was shocked when suddenly they both started to text me back. We were all on iPhones and Shawn said there was something on the screen about being able to message so he tried and it worked! i don't know details other than we were able to communicate while they were in flight both on the way down and on their flight home also. This is a new, free service offered by Southwest and actually was not formally announced until a few days after they found it by accident during their flight.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/trav...ssaging-texting-imessage-whatsapp/1410277002/

Delta offers this also, free iMessages in flight, without a wi-fi package. As long as you all have iPhones you can text for free.

 

[Pixiedustspreader]

Just rebooked and received a credit for my Sunday after Thanksgiving return. Always a high ticket cost / busy travel day. Every bit helps! Have stalked the prices ever since I booked the day they released the dates (May31). Second time I've rebooked the exact flight - now up to $121 credit to use for a future trip. Keep checking those fares!

 

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

Anyone know how much early bird costs for the dca-mco route?

I’m trying to come up with a total price to compare with jet blue.

Thanks!

 

[Iowamomof4]

Anyone know how much early bird costs for the dca-mco route?

I’m trying to come up with a total price to compare with jet blue.

Thanks!

I've checked 2 or 3 different airports and all have been $25 each way to Orlando. I'm just guessing that's going to be the standard price for that (POPULAR) destination.
Edit #1:Oops! I just checked a flight from dca-mco and saw that it was $20. So ignore me. Does anyone know if it's always the same though?
Edit #2: Okay, the first flight I checked was in November and it was $20. I checked another flight in February and got the same price.

 

[pickypiratepete]

Hi. Southwest opens up flights this week for our 7/4 vacation. For the last couple of months BDL-MCO has had direct weekday flights at 6:00 am, 4:00 pm and 7:00 pm. Is there any historical info or any way to know if this schedule will remain or do they change things around for summer? I’m trying to be ready to book right away, but I’m not loving these times. Thanks so much!

 

[Fangorn]

Hi. Southwest opens up flights this week for our 7/4 vacation. For the last couple of months BDL-MCO has had direct weekday flights at 6:00 am, 4:00 pm and 7:00 pm. Is there any historical info or any way to know if this schedule will remain or do they change things around for summer? I’m trying to be ready to book right away, but I’m not loving these times. Thanks so much!

Past schedules are not a good indication of future schedules. SWA changes things virtually everytime they open a new block of flights. This is due to how SWA manages and schedules their aircraft. A reduction in flights at one airport or the addition of flights at others has a ripple effect throughout the entire system. It's all based on demand and how best to use the aircraft they have.

I've flown SW for over 20 years (not just to MCO) and I can't recall ever having schedules stay the same from one release to the next. Often close, but just as often radically different.

Steve

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Hi. Southwest opens up flights this week for our 7/4 vacation. For the last couple of months BDL-MCO has had direct weekday flights at 6:00 am, 4:00 pm and 7:00 pm. Is there any historical info or any way to know if this schedule will remain or do they change things around for summer? I’m trying to be ready to book right away, but I’m not loving these times. Thanks so much!

Along with what the other poster mentioned SWA also has seasonal flight times so you might see the exact same flight times like clockwork for months and then it changes to different flight times. Not always drastic flight changes though.

My husband went through that when he was on a field assignment in MD and went through BWI. He was doing that for 8 1/2 months from Jan through mid-August. The flight times were the exact same time and time again but then after a few months it switched to different flight times. It wasn't a release-related flight schedule change it was a seasonal shift.

In any case the crux is the schedules are not set in stone but there's no guarantee that you'll get the flight time you really want.

 

[TNKim]

A question about using Southwest credits. I purchased a flight on 9/27/18, then a few weeks later, the price dropped significantly on one of the legs. I jumped on the new price and now have $178 in Southwest credit to use by 9/27/19. When I book a brand new flight to new destination (using the $178 credit and paying the balance of the flight by credit card), if this new flight drops in price, resulting in another SW credit, will I have to use this new credit by 9/27/19 also, or do I have a year from the date of the second transaction to use the new credit? Hope this isn't too confusing!

 

[shoreward]

A question about using Southwest credits. I purchased a flight on 9/27/18, then a few weeks later, the price dropped significantly on one of the legs. I jumped on the new price and now have $178 in Southwest credit to use by 9/27/19. When I book a brand new flight to new destination (using the $178 credit and paying the balance of the flight by credit card), if this new flight drops in price, resulting in another SW credit, will I have to use this new credit by 9/27/19 also, or do I have a year from the date of the second transaction to use the new credit? Hope this isn't too confusing!

When you combine funds from changed/canceled tickets, there will be one year from ORIGINAL booking date to complete your travel.

It's usually best to book your travel as one-ways, so that there is more flexibility to use funds.

 

[Fangorn]

A question about using Southwest credits. I purchased a flight on 9/27/18, then a few weeks later, the price dropped significantly on one of the legs. I jumped on the new price and now have $178 in Southwest credit to use by 9/27/19. When I book a brand new flight to new destination (using the $178 credit and paying the balance of the flight by credit card), if this new flight drops in price, resulting in another SW credit, will I have to use this new credit by 9/27/19 talso, or do I have a year from the date of the second transaction to use the new credit? Hope this isn't too confusing!

Think of it this way: When you use a credit for a new flight, the "booking date" of that flight becomes the date you booked the flight that got you the credit. (If you use credits from two flights, it's the oldest date). So in your case, and new credits that might come from the new flight will also have a 9/27/19 expiration date.

Steve

 

[huskies90]

Has anyone ever seen this message? I tried to re-book a flight that was booked on points because the price went down. I have done this literally dozens of times as I am sure many of you have. What does this message mean? Screenshot:

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

Has anyone ever seen this message? I tried to re-book a flight that was booked on points because the price went down. I have done this literally dozens of times as I am sure many of you have. What does this message mean? Screenshot:

View attachment 364887

Yes i have seen this many times. You are okay to rebook it will not affect your points at all. If after you rebook you decide to cancel the ticket the points will go back to your RR acct and they will not have an expiration date. So go ahead and make the change you will be fine.

 

[cassie58]

I just got the same message, but trying to modify with credit card, not points. But if I am in a Wanna Get Away fare, wasn't it already non-refundable? I mean if I cancel I get that 1 year credit in my account, but wouldn't get a refund anyway, do is this just for the higher fare categories?

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Has anyone ever seen this message? I tried to re-book a flight that was booked on points because the price went down. I have done this literally dozens of times as I am sure many of you have. What does this message mean? Screenshot:

View attachment 364887

This is related to a system limitation that used to exist (and was recently repaired but the fix was not retroactively applied to old reservations). On points reservations is specifically is referring to the $5.60 fee which would become non-refundable IF you changed your flight AND your flight was originally booked prior to 10/10/2018.

Basically...if you went through with it, your $5.60 probably isn't refundable now. Other than that, no worries.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

I just got the same message, but trying to modify with credit card, not points. But if I am in a Wanna Get Away fare, wasn't it already non-refundable? I mean if I cancel I get that 1 year credit in my account, but wouldn't get a refund anyway, do is this just for the higher fare categories?

With regards to "cash" fares you are correct, it would only apply to the higher fare categories where by changing a flight one could actually turn a refundable ticket (i.e. Biz Select) into non-refundable. This has since been fixed so it should not be an issue going forward.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

With a release coming on Thursday...Here is my usual Historical Southwest Release Dates (for planning purposes) comment:

• NEXT RELEASE: 11/15/18 - travel through August 5th, 2019
• 9/27/18 - travel through June 8th, 2019
• 8/30/18 - travel through April 7th, 2019
• 6/28/18 - travel through March 6th, 2019
• 5/31/18 - travel through January 6th, 2019
• 3/8/18 - travel through November 3rd, 2018
• 2/15/18 - travel through October 1st, 2018
• 11/2/17 - travel through August 6th, 2018
• 8/28/17 - travel through June 1st, 2018
• 7/27/17 - travel through April 6th, 2018
• 6/22/17 - travel through March 7th, 2018
• 5/18/17 - travel through January 7th, 2018

This could be useful to approximate when your travel time may become available for upcoming releases, however they don't always follow the exact same pattern (as you can see above). We should know the next release date Thursday - unfortunately if they follow last year’s pattern that next release may not occur for 3 months.

 

[Iowamomof4]

I am constantly checking flight prices as we haven't booked yet for our May trip, but I'm wondering if SW ever has particularly good deals that post around Black Friday/Thanksgiving week? Just curious if anyone has noticed a pattern.

 

[scrappinginontario]

With a release coming on Thursday...Here is my usual Historical Southwest Release Dates (for planning purposes) comment:

• NEXT RELEASE: 11/15/18 - travel through August 5th, 2019
• 9/27/18 - travel through June 8th, 2019
• 8/30/18 - travel through April 7th, 2019
• 6/28/18 - travel through March 6th, 2019
• 5/31/18 - travel through January 6th, 2019
• 3/8/18 - travel through November 3rd, 2018
• 2/15/18 - travel through October 1st, 2018
• 11/2/17 - travel through August 6th, 2018
• 8/28/17 - travel through June 1st, 2018
• 7/27/17 - travel through April 6th, 2018
• 6/22/17 - travel through March 7th, 2018
• 5/18/17 - travel through January 7th, 2018

This could be useful to approximate when your travel time may become available for upcoming releases, however they don't always follow the exact same pattern (as you can see above). We should know the next release date Thursday - unfortunately if they follow last year’s pattern that next release may not occur for 3 months.

Thank you for this! We are booked to visit again in Sept 2019 so it’s goid to know April timeframe when out flights may be released.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

This is related to a system limitation that used to exist (and was recently repaired but the fix was not retroactively applied to old reservations). On points reservations is specifically is referring to the $5.60 fee which would become non-refundable IF you changed your flight AND your flight was originally booked prior to 10/10/2018.

Basically...if you went through with it, your $5.60 probably isn't refundable now. Other than that, no worries.

Yes the $5.60 will be refunded. Just select the refund option when canceling. I just did this last week and it work as it has in the past with no issues I got the money refunded.