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

[Kazi7]

Who else loves to modify your flight when the price goes down but struggles to use the stupid travel credit? I try to book on points so it's not an issue, but I recently booked a cash flight since I had some travel credit to use. The fare has since gone down, and I have $51 credit. But I also have recently accumulated the 100,000 RR points from the credit card. It's so hard to see the travel credit go to waste, but I'm not sure I can justify spending cash on a reservation. Maybe if I can find something really cheap I guess.

 

[ultimatefans]

Who else loves to modify your flight when the price goes down but struggles to use the stupid travel credit? I try to book on points so it's not an issue, but I recently booked a cash flight since I had some travel credit to use. The fare has since gone down, and I have $51 credit. But I also have recently accumulated the 100,000 RR points from the credit card. It's so hard to see the travel credit go to waste, but I'm not sure I can justify spending cash on a reservation. Maybe if I can find something really cheap I guess.

I've definitely lost travel credit before, it always bums me out. Lately I've been looking at Anytime fares. Sometimes the difference is very small and it's worth it to me to spend the extra $. Recently I was able to get $ back on an Anytime fare when the price went down, that was really nice to have it refunded to my card instead of getting travel funds that I might not use. For each trip I take I decide between using points, using a SW giftcard from Costco, WGA or Anytime fare, etc, based on how expensive it is when booking and the likelihood that the price will go down or if I'll need to change or cancel my flight. I really love the flexibility of Southwest and try to use their perks to my advantage as much as possible. I hope you're able to use your travel funds!

 

[georgina]

Who else loves to modify your flight when the price goes down but struggles to use the stupid travel credit? I try to book on points so it's not an issue, but I recently booked a cash flight since I had some travel credit to use. The fare has since gone down, and I have $51 credit. But I also have recently accumulated the 100,000 RR points from the credit card. It's so hard to see the travel credit go to waste, but I'm not sure I can justify spending cash on a reservation. Maybe if I can find something really cheap I guess.

It is a bummer to lose travel credit. i Was happy a few years ago when they let us change our Covid cancellation credits into RR points. Now I try to only book on points, we have a Chase Sapphire card and can transfer some URs if necessary to do a points booking.

 

[mickey916]

It is a bummer to lose travel credit. i Was happy a few years ago when they let us change our Covid cancellation credits into RR points. Now I try to only book on points, we have a Chase Sapphire card and can transfer some URs if necessary to do a points booking.

I wish I had done that instead of just holding onto my credit from May 2020. I did know about the option at the time but not sure why I didn't do it. Just booked our flights for May and they were cheaper than in 2020 so we have credits left over that will expire in September. Don't really think we'll be using the remainder before then...

 

[Cruzin’Sisters]

I wish I had done that instead of just holding onto my credit from May 2020. I did know about the option at the time but not sure why I didn't do it. Just booked our flights for May and they were cheaper than in 2020 so we have credits left over that will expire in September. Don't really think we'll be using the remainder before then...

Here is a suggestion if you have excess travel credits. I booked the anytime fare which was at the time about $50 more then WGA fares and the credits would have gone to waste. The Anytime fares give more miles to your Rapid Rewards account when the trip is complete.

 

[mickey916]

Here is a suggestion if you have excess travel credits. I booked the anytime fare which was at the time about $50 more then WGA fares and the credits would have gone to waste. The Anytime fares give more miles to your Rapid Rewards account when the trip is complete.

That's a great suggestion!

 

[Avery&Todd]

We are flying out to Vegas in mid-May and I check those flights all the time to see if I can get a lower fare...and saw this today - makes me think that they're going to be re-doing the flights out to Vegas and back! I've never seen the higher flight options unavailable leaving only the cheaper ones!



from RDU to LAS:


from LAS to RDU:

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

We are flying out to Vegas in mid-May and I check those flights all the time to see if I can get a lower fare...and saw this today - makes me think that they're going to be re-doing the flights out to Vegas and back! I've never seen the higher flight options unavailable leaving only the cheaper ones!



from RDU to LAS:
View attachment 643594

from LAS to RDU:
View attachment 643595

If I check my May 4th (departure) and May 15th (return) to Orlando it reflects fairly similar to yours. It's possible some tweaking is going on company wide. It's also possible that new tier they kept talking about could be making it's appearance soon (purely wondering out loud here).

 

[Avery&Todd]

If I check my May 4th (departure) and May 15th (return) to Orlando it reflects fairly similar to yours. It's possible some tweaking is going on company wide. It's also possible that new tier they kept talking about could be making it's appearance soon (purely wondering out loud here).

OH YES!! I forgot about the new tier! Maybe that does have something to do with it!

Im secretly hoping that they have some switching up of schedules and reducing the points planned! We paid 38k per ticket to fly from RDU/LAS and we dont have non-stop flights like last year..but they weren't booked as non-stop originally - we had a flight change about 5 weeks prior to our departure..so there is still plenty of time for me to swoop up some non-stops!

 

[DisTXMom]

Our March travel dates have “unavailable” on nearly every flight today. I’m worried they are reducing flights. We are on one of the only nonstop flights, so hoping it’s not cancelled because every other option is challenging. It seems like their current method is have way more flights published than they intend to have and then just cancel a bunch a month or two out. Last time they rebooked us not making it home to our departure city. Cmon SWA, you’re better than that. Needless to say we will be watching closely to see where this heads.

 

[Rich M]

Everyone check your flights if your traveling this week. I see another Travel Advisory effecting a lot of airports. I am flying out Saturday and hope I am not effected. Good luck to everyone.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Our March travel dates have “unavailable” on nearly every flight today. I’m worried they are reducing flights. We are on one of the only nonstop flights, so hoping it’s not cancelled because every other option is challenging. It seems like their current method is have way more flights published than they intend to have and then just cancel a bunch a month or two out. Last time they rebooked us not making it home to our departure city. Cmon SWA, you’re better than that. Needless to say we will be watching closely to see where this heads.

To be fair airlines have been canceling and reducing flights in general. SWA is not the only one. I did see that they cut flights in March (33 flights) for my home airport but so did American (48 flights or 6.7% of their March schedule for our airport) which was announced on 1/28. In recent months Delta and United have cancelled flights too from my home airport.

I don't think they are purposefully having more flights than they intend in the way you are thinking. It isn't uncommon if flights don't get sold enough to restructure them/combine if they don't need a specific plane a flight was for to be at its original destination. That's not what I necessarily think is going on with the Unavailable the PP and I were seeing but I don't think they are doing something nefarious/on purpose with these flights like you might be thinking. I do think things are less predictable than they were in the past due in large part to you know the pandemic.

 

[Avery&Todd]

oh no......these are the dates for our early March trip...

from RDU/MCO


MCO/RDU

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

oh no......these are the dates for our early March trip...

from RDU/MCO
View attachment 643617

MCO/RDU
View attachment 643618

Now that is really crazy.

 

[mickey916]

oh no......these are the dates for our early March trip...

from RDU/MCO
View attachment 643617

MCO/RDU
View attachment 643618

Something is definitely going on, my April and May flights look the same, the only thing available for cash payments are the "wanna get away" flights.

 

[mrp4352]

I've even done this with Business Select fares! I must admit - holding A1 is very, very cool!

Here is a suggestion if you have excess travel credits. I booked the anytime fare which was at the time about $50 more then WGA fares and the credits would have gone to waste. The Anytime fares give more miles to your Rapid Rewards account when the trip is complete.

 

[Rich M]

I've even done this with Business Select fares! I must admit - holding A1 is very, very cool!

I think I wouldn't know what to do with so many choices. I might panic and hate my seat

 

[Gitelfor]

Due to severe weather forecasted for a great portion of the lower 48, this week, Southwest has issued three separate travel advisories for dozens of cities, ranging from Buffalo in the north, to Dallas in the south. Southwest is suspending ops at Love Field on Thursday, due to the impending winter storm.

Cities covered by advisories:

Tuesday-Wednesday, February 1-2

• Albuquerque, NM (ABQ)
• Colorado Springs, CO (COS)
• Denver, CO (DEN)
• Montrose (Telluride/Crested Butte), CO (MTJ)
• Steamboat Springs (Hayden), CO (HDN)

Wednesday-Thursday, February 2-3

• Amarillo, TX (AMA)
• Austin, TX (AUS)
• Dallas, TX (DAL)
• Little Rock, AR (LIT)
• Louisville, KY (SDF)
• Lubbock, TX (LBB)
• Memphis, TN (MEM)
• Midland/Odessa, TX (MAF)
• Nashville, TN (BNA)
• Oklahoma City, OK (OKC)
• San Antonio, TX (SAT)
• Tulsa, OK (TUL)
• Wichita, KS (ICT)

Wednesday-Friday, February 2-4

• Dallas, TX (DAL)

Wednesday-Thursday, February 2-3

• Buffalo/Niagara, NY (BUF)
• Chicago-Midway, IL (MDW)
• Chicago-O'Hare, IL (ORD)
• Cincinnati, OH (CVG)
• Cleveland, OH (CLE)
• Columbus, OH (CMH)
• Detroit, MI (DTW)
• Grand Rapids, MI (GRR)
• Indianapolis, IN (IND)
• Kansas City, MO (MCI)
• Milwaukee, WI (MKE)
• Pittsburgh, PA (PIT)
• Rochester, NY (ROC)
• St. Louis, MO (STL)
• Syracuse, NY (SYR)

 

[Rich M]

Due to severe weather forecasted for a great portion of the lower 48, this week, Southwest has issued three separate travel advisories for dozens of cities, ranging from Buffalo in the north, to Dallas in the south. Southwest is suspending ops at Love Field on Thursday, due to the impending winter storm.
Dallas winter storm to greatly affect air travel this week

Do you think this will effect flights on Saturday? Will Southwest bump others to get the stranded ones home? My flight goes through Austin on Saturday

 

[Gitelfor]

Do you think this will effect flights on Saturday? Will Southwest bump others to get the stranded ones home? My flight goes through Austin on Saturday

Customers with confirmed reservations will not be bumped to make room for others. Of course, it is always a good idea to keep an eye on the status of your flight and to get to the airport with time to spare. Southwest’s counter can have long lines, when there have been cancellations on previous days, but curbside check-in can be a good option, if available, and needing to check bags.

Unless the forecast changes, it looks like things s/b back on schedule by Saturday.