Southwest Help

[teacherme]

We are planning on going to Disney in Dec. 2021. Southwest are suppose to release their flights beginning to mid June for our trip. My question is when is the best time to book our flight for the best deals? Should we book as soon as they are released or wait a while?

 

[aokeefe]

Southwest is releasing flights through 1/5/22 on June 10th- usually between 7 and 9 am. Personally for me, flights have always been the cheapest as soon as they are released. I suggest looking at the fares when they are released and if you are comfortable with the price, book it. You can follow some more tips and suggestions on the pinned Southwest thread.

 

[CookieandOatmeal]

As a teacher, I'm limited to the days that I can travel so I always book on opening day. Since I'm traveling at peak times, I've found that when the dates first open it is the cheapest.

 

[Fangorn]

Whether SW fares are cheapest on the day they are released or not, depends on a number of factors, the most important one being the airport pair you're traveling between.

Based on the numerous comments on these and other boards, it appears that for many East Coast airports, folks swear that opening day is crucial.

My experience, from the West Coast and the southwest, is that fares are high and never cheapest on opening day. They will always be lower at some point before the flight. Where that point is, of course, always a mystery.

Steve

 

[kevgraub]

My experience, from the West Coast and the southwest, is that fares are high and never cheapest on opening day. They will always be lower at some point before the flight. Where that point is, of course, always a mystery.

Steve

We are in the midwest, and that has been my experience as well. Flights on SW from our airport are never cheapest right away.

The good thing about Southwest, even in non-Covid times, is that if you see that the price goes down, you can get a credit for the difference. Now, if you do not fly a lot that may not be a huge bonus to you, because that credit does expire after a year (although I think you can get it extended, maybe?). But if you are someone who is pretty sure they would/could fly with Southwest again in a year, then there is no harm in booking right away and then watching for fares to go down and grabbing a credit for the price difference.

 

[spiders]

I would book early. This year is proving to be different than other years. We're going in mid November. I booked last month. Delta's lowest fare was $215 but required early flights. I think I booked at $250. Now the cheapest is $297. I will also add that Delta isn't always the best indicator for what Southwest is going to do. Delta used to really compete more with price but over the years have slowly backed off. They generally weren't eager to fill up a plane from Atlanta to Orlando for $69 to run out of seats for people who want to travel from much much expensive places. You can't sell Rome to Orlando for $850 if you sold the domestic flight for $60. But obviously times are very different right now.

 

[Fangorn]

We are in the midwest, and that has been my experience as well. Flights on SW from our airport are never cheapest right away.

The good thing about Southwest, even in non-Covid times, is that if you see that the price goes down, you can get a credit for the difference. Now, if you do not fly a lot that may not be a huge bonus to you, because that credit does expire after a year (although I think you can get it extended, maybe?). But if you are someone who is pretty sure they would/could fly with Southwest again in a year, then there is no harm in booking right away and then watching for fares to go down and grabbing a credit for the price difference.

You're right, but with a couple of caveats.

1) if you get a credit, it is good for 1 year FROM THE DATE OF PURCHASE not the date of the flight. So if you buy a ticket on 1/2/21 for a flight on 7/20/21, and subsequently get a credit, that credit will expire on 1/2/22. Not on 7/20/22.

2) if you then, on Oct 17, 2021 book a second flight d for 2/03/22 using that credit plus additional cash of $150, but later have to cancel that flight entirely, you'll receive a credit for the entire amount (the original credit plus the $150) but the entire credit will expire on 1/2/22

3) flight credits can usually be extended for a year, but a) it costs $100 to do so and b) it can only be done after the credit has expired.

Steve