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

[scrappinginontario]

Does anyone know the time that southwest has been releasing flights? i know it is this thursday for the next round but was wondering about time

Just a heads up that the Liw Fare Calendar will be updated first so you’ll want to watch that.

 

[Mome Rath]

Another price drop today on my mid December flight, just FYI.

 

[Avery&Todd]

I just saw this pop up on the SW website today about earning a FREE companion pass from Jan 4-March 4, 2023

I have booked cash flights Oct 16-21st but I'm thinking even if I re-book them at a slightly higher price they won't count towards this since it says here:



but what if I cancel and then re-book - with a new booking # that should work - but is it worth it.....

and I booked these cash flights with credits from other cancelled flights....



here are the details:

 

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

I just saw this pop up on the SW website today about earning a FREE companion pass from Jan 4-March 4, 2023

I have booked cash flights Oct 16-21st but I'm thinking even if I re-book them at a slightly higher price they won't count towards this since it says here:

View attachment 700240

but what if I cancel and then re-book - with a new booking # that should work - but is it worth it.....

and I booked these cash flights with credits from other cancelled flights....

View attachment 700238

here are the details:
View attachment 700239

CP dates are really tight. Will you be traveling again during that time? If so, I would call in and ask the rep on the phone if using a travel credit impacts whether a flight is considered a "qualifying new revenue flight." If you are flying in that window, the free ticket would be worth the hassle.

That's coming from someone who churned the heck out of two SW credit cards Q1 of this year to get two CPs (prepaid a year of water bill, called music instructor and asked to prepay lessons, really hammered it) so I obviously put a high value on a CP. BUT, mine are earned for about 22 months, not just 2...

 

[Avery&Todd]

CP dates are really tight. Will you be traveling again during that time? If so, I would call in and ask the rep on the phone if using a travel credit impacts whether a flight is considered a "qualifying new revenue flight." If you are flying in that window, the free ticket would be worth the hassle.

That's coming from someone who churned the heck out of two SW credit cards Q1 of this year to get two CPs (prepaid a year of water bill, called music instructor and asked to prepay lessons, really hammered it) so I obviously put a high value on a CP. BUT, mine are earned for about 22 months, not just 2...

Technically we ARE traveling in February to Vegas and I've already booked our flights using points (~70.9k points for both flights) so if I did this, then I'd get back about 35k in points...

however, when I booked our October trip it was a cash/voucher combo and the costs were $585.92 for both flights and of that I paid ~ $188 out of pocket. Now, the same flights are $873.92 so if I get credits for the original flights I'd have to pay $288 out of pocket...

and is paying ~$300 for these flights worth getting back ~ 35k in points for the flights in Feb. to Vegas??

and is it worth the hassle??

 

[lionqueen]

Release Date | Time (eastern)
07/21/22 | 7:20am
06/16/22 | 7:30am
03/30/22 | 7:30am
12/16/21 | 7:50am
12/08/21 | 6:45am
06/10/21 | 7:15am
04/01/21 | 9:10am
12/10/20 | 7:15am
08/13/20 | 9:15am

Thank you!!

 

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

Technically we ARE traveling in February to Vegas and I've already booked our flights using points (~70.9k points for both flights) so if I did this, then I'd get back about 35k in points...

however, when I booked our October trip it was a cash/voucher combo and the costs were $585.92 for both flights and of that I paid ~ $188 out of pocket. Now, the same flights are $873.92 so if I get credits for the original flights I'd have to pay $288 out of pocket...

and is paying ~$300 for these flights worth getting back ~ 35k in points for the flights in Feb. to Vegas??

and is it worth the hassle??

With that price differential, probably not. You could always watch and only jump on it if your October flights go down.

 

[Erica Ladd]

CP dates are really tight. Will you be traveling again during that time? If so, I would call in and ask the rep on the phone if using a travel credit impacts whether a flight is considered a "qualifying new revenue flight." If you are flying in that window, the free ticket would be worth the hassle.

That's coming from someone who churned the heck out of two SW credit cards Q1 of this year to get two CPs (prepaid a year of water bill, called music instructor and asked to prepay lessons, really hammered it) so I obviously put a high value on a CP. BUT, mine are earned for about 22 months, not just 2...

Wait - how do I earn 2 CP? I do have 2 SW cards…

 

[Avery&Todd]

With that price differential, probably not. You could always watch and only jump on it if your October flights go down.

I reached out to SW via FB messenger and they did confirm that I'd have to completely cancel and rebook my existing October flights, I couldnt just upgrade my fare and have that count..

but they also confirmed that if I cancelled my existing October flight I could use the credits from that cancellation to rebook and then that would count towards this promotion..

but at this time I'm not thinking its worth it - especially since flights have gone up $200 since I originally booked.

oh well - it was a nice thought!

 

[VandVsmama]

3 1/2 weeks away from the start of our trip and so far, no flight changes.

 

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

Wait - how do I earn 2 CP? I do have 2 SW cards…

One person can't earn two, but spouses can each earn one.

When they ran the really good bonus at the end of last year, Hubby opened his card first but then didn't put spend on it until the statement closing in 2022.

Meanwhile, I waited until the last possible moment to use his support link and also open my card in '21, but have both my support on his card and spending on my card hit in 2022.

The bonus was 100k on $12k spend. With the natural 12k points and the 20k support, Hubby kicked over as soon as he spent 12K. He earned CP first. We didn't do any 2x or 3x category spend for his cards, since he didn't need it. But, we did max out the weeks when Staples ran fee free Visa GCs and dealt with figuring out where and how we could use them without too much hassle.

My card was harder because 100k bonus plus $12k spend only puts you at 112k points, more if you've spent in bonus categories. So, we did things like put SW airfare on my card for the bonus, prepay as much of the water and electric bill as possible for the bonus, prepay a big dump on EZPass as it coded as 2x for commuting expenses, etc. I ended up churning about $17k in total spend to earn the 25k points required to hit the second CP for me.

I'm sorry if my initial post was unclear. I did work my but off this year to earn two CPs, but they aren't both in my name. I have to trust Hubby to keep one of the kids as his companion, too.

 

[buckeev]

Took a little work…and “luck”…but for $11.00, I was able to do some tweaking/canceling/rebooking of our October MNSSHP/HHN Trip…and meet the requirements for the Companion Pass. (Well, at least this portion of the requirements.) Now to figure out how to squeeze in another trip in that early 2023 tight travel window!

 

[Erica Ladd]

So before CoVid I remember all airlines being very strict about carry on sizing. But for the past 18 motive seen people bring all sorts of bags onto the flight that definitely exceed dimensions in one or more ways!!

We have 3 from our family traveling and 2 of our roller carryons are super compliant. I have an older one with the following dimensions.
14.75 wide x 10.5 deep x 22.25 high with wheels

Do you think I will have any problems bringing that as my carryon? I guess it just looks ‘fatter’ compared to our other two and I so don’t want to have to check bags and don’t really feel like shelling out $60-$80 for another one as it’s usually just two of us traveling…

ETA - this is what’s on their site. I don’t remember the dimensions being this generous but I should be ok with the bag above, yes? It’s smaller everywhere but that 10.5”!!! Think they will notice? Need to put that bag on a diet lol

SWA
Your carryon can be no bigger than 24” (L) + 16” (W) + 10” (H). If it’s bigger than those dimensions, it will need to be checked

 

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

So before CoVid I remember all airlines being very strict about carry on sizing. But for the past 18 motive seen people bring all sorts of bags onto the flight that definitely exceed dimensions in one or more ways!!

We have 3 from our family traveling and 2 of our roller carryons are super compliant. I have an older one with the following dimensions.
14.75 wide x 10.5 deep x 22.25 high with wheels

Do you think I will have any problems bringing that as my carryon? I guess it just looks ‘fatter’ compared to our other two and I so don’t want to have to check bags and don’t really feel like shelling out $60-$80 for another one as it’s usually just two of us traveling…

ETA - this is what’s on their site. I don’t remember the dimensions being this generous but I should be ok with the bag above, yes? It’s smaller everywhere but that 10.5”!!! Think they will notice? Need to put that bag on a diet lol

SWA
Your carryon can be no bigger than 24” (L) + 16” (W) + 10” (H). If it’s bigger than those dimensions, it will need to be checked

I agree that I didn't see any bags getting verified on our two recent SW trips. I would expect that one will be fine, although I wouldn't super load it so that it sticks out any farther. (I have been known to shove in to the point that I have to sit on the bag and say a prayer on behalf of the zipper, lol).

And, I'd be prepared to be told you had to check that one, worst case, and not pack any urgent needs or medication in it. I'd guess you're 95% fine on that half inch but I always go in assuming that my rollers *might* have to be checked if overhead space is at a premium.

 

[EACarlson]

So before CoVid I remember all airlines being very strict about carry on sizing. But for the past 18 motive seen people bring all sorts of bags onto the flight that definitely exceed dimensions in one or more ways!!

We have 3 from our family traveling and 2 of our roller carryons are super compliant. I have an older one with the following dimensions.
14.75 wide x 10.5 deep x 22.25 high with wheels

Do you think I will have any problems bringing that as my carryon? I guess it just looks ‘fatter’ compared to our other two and I so don’t want to have to check bags and don’t really feel like shelling out $60-$80 for another one as it’s usually just two of us traveling…

ETA - this is what’s on their site. I don’t remember the dimensions being this generous but I should be ok with the bag above, yes? It’s smaller everywhere but that 10.5”!!! Think they will notice? Need to put that bag on a diet lol

SWA
Your carryon can be no bigger than 24” (L) + 16” (W) + 10” (H). If it’s bigger than those dimensions, it will need to be checked

I've never seen anyone asked to put their bags in the sizer on any of the major carriers. I have seen it on Frontier and Allegiant but not on any of my flights on Delta, United or Southwest. My last flight there were people with big framed backpacking packs that were let on without any hassle. For what it's worth my Samsonite carryon is 21.5 x 10.25 x 14 and I've never been asked to put it in the sizer in the 14 years I've been flying with it.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

although I wouldn't super load it so that it sticks out any farther.

That would be my advice too. Don't over pack it. That's where you tend to run into issues with the height and trying to close the overhead bin and if it's really wide having to fit sideways which that part is only a problem if there isn'tmuch overhead bin space left in the specific area.

Like I mentioned back in May on our flight to Orlando at the first sign of a bag not fitting for passengers in the row in front of us the front FA was like "we're going to have to gate check" while the FA near us went to work trying to get it to fit (and broke the plastic handle while doing so).

I don't think they do precise measuring but they can and do have people gate check.

 

[nekonekoneko]

I've never seen anyone asked to put their bags in the sizer on any of the major carriers. I have seen it on Frontier and Allegiant but not on any of my flights on Delta, United or Southwest. My last flight there were people with big framed backpacking packs that were let on without any hassle. For what it's worth my Samsonite carryon is 21.5 x 10.25 x 14 and I've never been asked to put it in the sizer in the 14 years I've been flying with it.

As long as the overhead bin can close with the carry-on inside of it, Southwest doesn't really care. It's when the hatch won't close is when they have to figure out the offending item.

A few hatches are slightly bigger than others, so that's why it might fit in one plane, and not another. But the sizer for SW is based on the smallest possible cubby that they have.

 

[vwlfan]

Just a heads up that the Liw Fare Calendar will be updated first so you’ll want to watch that.

We all Ed yesterday to ask when booking window would open today. One Sw employee told me it was 8AM EDT. My son in la who is traveling with his family with us called last night. That rep told him it would open at midnight. I tried at that time but the window was not open.forced myself up a few times during the night to try with no luck. 6AM now and still nothing.

undera bit of pressure to book asap, since it’s very difficult to book during the day with work responsibilities.

so maybe it’s 8 after all? After that it gets tacky for us.

ill post here when I see it is open.

wacky system, surely tied to tech capacity I guess.

 

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

Release Date | Time (eastern)
07/21/22 | 7:20am
06/16/22 | 7:30am
03/30/22 | 7:30am
12/16/21 | 7:50am
12/08/21 | 6:45am
06/10/21 | 7:15am
04/01/21 | 9:10am
12/10/20 | 7:15am
08/13/20 | 9:15am

@vwlfan Here are the historic drop times. Past year has been in the 7-8am hour.

People have also found that it shows up on the low fare calendar first. So, search for your party size and airports for a date that's already open, choose low fare calendar, and refresh that page.

 

[vwlfan]

@vwlfan Here are the historic drop times. Past year has been in the 7-8am hour.

People have also found that it shows up on the low fare calendar first. So, search for your party size and airports for a date that's already open, choose low fare calendar, and refresh that page.

Great thanks