Southwest prices are crazy!

[Superchikk]

Southwest schedule opened up thru Oct. 1 this morning. We have a trip planned for September (Sun. -Sat.), so I wanted to jump on the fares early. Two passengers flying RT PHL<->MCO, ECBI, 30K RR points and $100+ for fees. And they weren't even the best flight times!

If we didn't have the RR points, I'm not sure that we would have booked.

Since they just released through Oct 1 this morning, I checked for my September trip. Over $630 for 2 people flying from DAL-MCO roundtrip (and since the fare is exactly the same every day in September it didn't matter). Sad thing is that DFW-MCO on American Basic Economy is about $20 more. Flying to Tampa costs even more. It's almost half the fare out of Austin, so considering driving the three and a half hours.

I booked Southwest for September this morning, a Sun-Sat trip, as well. We are using points out of Nashville to MCO. I was actually pleasantly surprised, as our outgoing trip was fewer points than I had anticipated. We got each leg for 6,300-ish points, so it's costing us 38,000 & change points to fly the four of us (we have Companion Pass). It's not the best I've seen, but I'll keep watching. Last year, DH & I went in September and had to spend 9,000 points per leg per person, so I feel like booking at about 2/3 of that is much better. Maybe it's just the market, but we still frequently have great prices out of Nashville on SW.

 

[cakebaker]

I booked our May trip a month ago with SW. since then the price has jumped $200 pp,rt. Last fall, I booked many months out and the price dropped so I was left with credits I couldn’t use. If there was a pattern, I’d say booking 2 months out gets me the better price. I am paying about $100 pp more than last October.

 

[Darcy03231]

I had already booked our flight in September for our cruise on JetBlue (just down as their schedule hasn't opened for coming back yet). JetBlue was $98/pp one way on a non-stop flight out an airport about an hour and a half from our house. Southwest at our local airport (30 minutes away) with a stop in BWI is $199/pp. The other plus is that we can park our car for free at the bus terminal (we take the bus into the larger airport) and it's cheaper to take the bus than it is park at our local airport.

 

[bcbmommy]

Well, it's very possible now that we may wait until mid-May to go. My oldest daughter is having a hard time making it work for March, so maybe there's hope for decent airline tickets!

 

[kathy884]

It's been a decade since I've been able to get a good price to Orlando or any other Florida city for the most popular spring break week in our city, St. Louis when trying to fly in and out on a Saturday or Sunday at a decent time. They are our largest carrier with the best flight schedules to Florida and even when I have tried to book the day they open up, flights have been high for the best times for that week right away. Right now we are not on that school schedule, so I have been picking a different week, meaning I can snag other March dates for about $350 round trip with that most popular week running about $200 pp higher or even more if I am not an early bird. Something else that I have done when booking right when they open up and I need to go that most popular week is do a shorter trip, maybe Monday - Friday vs. flights on the weekend for some savings, but those dates go fast too during spring break, so booking early is key. And not everyone is happy to go for four nights instead of seven or perhaps you are doing something like a cruise and don't have the flexibility or time off to not fly on the weekend. Usually Southwest is my best bet, but I always check other airlines too on Expedia. Sometimes for MCO I check Frontier too, but I find the same issues for the most popular weeks that I do on Southwest.

Other things being equal (price being in the ballpark in particular) Southwest is my airline of choice and I have a Southwest credit card and LOVE the flexibility that those Southwest points give (a very fun and handy credit card perk to have those points).

It used to be the only times of year that airfares were out of sight were Thanksgiving and Christmas. Now with supply and demand, the most popular spring break week in our city if you are going to Florida is on that list.

I haven't looked at these for March, but the one market where I have really seen prices go down is St. Louis to NYC or Newark. I can usually snap a $200 round trip fare. Southwest moving to that market, has meant the competition has lowered airfares too. We go there annually to visit relatives, but vary the time we travel from year to year, and here I pay way less than I used to. Thank you Southwest for moving into that market. It has helped my budget for this annual trip considerably.

bcbmommy, I think you'd have a very good chance for decent fares mid-May to MCO. Good luck.

 

[IceSkatingPrincess]

I have noticed Southwest being much more expensive than it used to be as well. It seems far more difficult to find deals! We have a Southwest credit card but have basically stopped using it and switched to the American Express platinum (5x points on fares booked direct with the airline, waived annual fee for military). Delta (even main cabin) was less expensive than Southwest (with many more flight options) for the last flight I needed to book. It is disappointing because I really like Southwest, but not at the prices I have been finding lately. I feel like they aren't really much of a budget airline anymore, prices are frequently on par with or more than other airlines.

 

[mel&me]

We booked back at end of December for the first week of april 2019 $350 pp
I have kept an eye to see if they went down, are currently 400 pp

 

[4kids4karen]

I find better deals with Delta and their rewards card is also better. I always price check between Southwest and Delta. And, with Delta, I get to pick my seats in advance.

 

[Forevermarypoppins]

3 little words: BASEBALL SPRING TRAINING. There are no price deals flying to AZ in March on SW airlines.

 

[Superchikk]

3 little words: BASEBALL SPRING TRAINING. There are no price deals flying to AZ in March on SW airlines.

I hadn't even thought of that, but it makes total sense. My friend's husband is a baseball scout and he spends a lot of time in AZ in the spring. The Detroit Tigers also have spring training in central FL, so that could be part of the issue with spring deals to fly to MCO, though spring break complicates things as well.

 

[3 DD love princesses]

I do one way and each person on their own reservation. I’ve been able to get lower fares by doing this. Yes it’s a pain to have 10 reservations for our family but it’s saved us so much. Many times there’s 1 or 2 seats that go lower. Then the next day another 1-2 go lower.

 

[FindMeInFantasyland]

I love flying Southwest from Grand Rapids airport but ya, they are too expensive now. THANKFULLY, Frontier is now offering GRR to MCO. I just booked a 4 night spring break trip for $90 going and $122 return (before bags, seats etc). Great price! Southwest wanted $800+ a person for same dates.

 

[mom2rose&john]

We booked our flight the day they became available and am so glad because they have gone up by more than $75 pp. I was more shocked at the Early Bird cost of $25 pp each way. Not worth it to do early bird anymore imho.

 

[Monorail_Man_NJ]

Just takes constantly looking at fares to get a good price. I dont usually book RT, I book 1 ways. That way I can make adjustments if need be and am more flexible that way.

I was able to snag Jet Blue $69 dollars 1 way PP to MCO from EWR (Blue Fare). Seat assigments included and carry on. (have to pay for checked bags)
Then a couple days later was able to book my outgoing fare also on JetBlue for $65 PP.

Southwest was 131 PP 1 way out of PHL.
American was $114 PP 1 way of PHL.
United was $80 PP 1 way out of EWR. *But no seat assignments or carry on*

Seems Southwest is having a lot of maintenance issues as of late as well. Saw something last night of rapid decompression on a flight causing peoples ears to bleed.
Part of what keeps their fares low is using only Boeing 737 or 737 MAX airplanes. Maintenance costs are quite low. But I remember reading couple years back that some of the oldest planes in the industry are operated by Southwst.

 

[Darcy03231]

I find better deals with Delta and their rewards card is also better. I always price check between Southwest and Delta. And, with Delta, I get to pick my seats in advance.

Delta and JetBlue are our airlines of choice now. DH really likes the Delta Comfort seats (he's 6'4").

 

[irt9206]

We flew into Tampa last year and saved 200/pp. Might be worth it even including shuttle or 1way car rental ?

We have to fly into Tampa for our June trip. Saving about $350 with a better arrival time. I hear it's a strait shot on route 4 into Orlando. Is this true and how much of a hassle is it getting your luggage and going to the rental car building? Thanks

 

[jewood1234]

We have to fly into Tampa for our June trip. Saving about $350 with a better arrival time. I hear it's a strait shot on route 4 into Orlando. Is this true and how much of a hassle is it getting your luggage and going to the rental car building? Thanks

Pretty straight-forward. It’s an on-site rental car center and around 90 minutes door to door....depending on traffic. We came in mid day and there was even time to stop by Cigar City brewery on the way out of town!! Another plus!

 

[disneymagicgirl]

We have to fly into Tampa for our June trip. Saving about $350 with a better arrival time. I hear it's a strait shot on route 4 into Orlando. Is this true and how much of a hassle is it getting your luggage and going to the rental car building? Thanks

We flew home from TPA in December to save a bunch and it was super nice. They took our bags at the new remote building where the rental car was returned. We then hopped on the monorail thing over to the main building, straight thru security and onto our gate. No waits for anynof it and it was Saturday 12/23!
I would def do it again to save money or for a better flight time.

I assume arriving at TPA would be equally painless.

 

[dclpluto]

Yes sometimes southwest prices are crazy. Sometimes they have really good deals. I go with the cheapest non stop flight. Sometimes it’s southwest sometimes it’s American.

 

[FindMeInFantasyland]

Delta and JetBlue are our airlines of choice now. DH really likes the Delta Comfort seats (he's 6'4").

My husband is super tall too (6'5") and always wants to fly Spirit for the big seats up front. I like them because then we dont have to sit next to a stranger!