Those who follow airfare deals...

[Darcy03231]

We got free drinks on our flights with Delta, even without Comfort Plus.

With Southwest, if you have certain measurements, you can check in at the desk and tell them you want to register as a "person of extra size" (it's called something like that). It depends on your measurements - we have a friend who is 6'6" and works out a lot, so he's huge. They will reserve a second seat beside him so he has extra room, and they don't charge extra for it. You even get to pre-board, and your traveling party gets to board with you. You can't choose an exit row when you do that, but it's better than the alternative.

There's "free drinks" and there are free drinks. Soda, water, and juice are always available on Delta while beer, wine, and spirits are pay-for items except in first class (usually - Delta does do this a little differently).

I wouldn't put any stock right now in Southwest giving you a second seat at no charge. The volume of canceled flights bundled with their decrease in revenue as a result (Max 8 plane-related) means that you have to expect every single flight is full. Period.

Comfort+ has nothing to do with free soft drinks. They do get free beer and wine as well as better snack options (sometimes).

Go here: https://www.delta.com/content/www/en_US/traveling-with-us/onboard-experience/delta-comfort-plus.html

Scroll to the bottom and click where it says "Compare Experiences" to see the full comparison chart.

Sorry, I meant free alcoholic drinks. DH has ordered mixed drinks and has never been charged for them in Comfort+.

 

[Darcy03231]

We got free drinks on our flights with Delta, even without Comfort Plus.

With Southwest, if you have certain measurements, you can check in at the desk and tell them you want to register as a "person of extra size" (it's called something like that). It depends on your measurements - we have a friend who is 6'6" and works out a lot, so he's huge. They will reserve a second seat beside him so he has extra room, and they don't charge extra for it. You even get to pre-board, and your traveling party gets to board with you. You can't choose an exit row when you do that, but it's better than the alternative.

This wouldn't work for DH as a lot of his height is in his legs. He needs the extra legroom, not seat room.

 

[FQLover]

Yes, this policy is about fitting in the seat size with the arm rest down. Width not height!

 

[monica9]

I recently read somewhere that the calculated best day to purchase airfare is exactly 76 days before your outbound flight.

BDL is a horrid, horrid airport for getting anywhere (I live in CT and use that airport weekly). Almost nothing is direct and many of the "bigger" airlines fly the smaller planes out of BDL. If you fly American, the ONLY connecting airport you should be willing to sort of tolerate is CLT. If Delta, try and connect through ATL (it's genuinely not a hard airport to navigate even though it's pretty big - I routinely make connections of an hour or less (which means 20 minutes from parking at the inbound gate until boarding of next flight starts).

As much as I abhor Southwest, I prefer them over JetBlue because the return flights from MCO w/ JetBlue always seem to be on the oldest, crappiest plane in their fleet. Most airlines will hamper you if you try and do a "miles plus cash" sort of thing and I don't know that it would actually work on any airline (unless you straight out bought miles).

If you have very good credit, you could look into one of the CC's that the airlines offer where you charge something in the first few months and you get a lot of bonus miles as a reward. I just booked two round trip tickets about two weeks ago for a trip in the middle of May using Delta miles - I had to pay some fees ($25) on top of the 76,000 miles I used.

We are trying to leave out of Bradley too. We also live in Ct. Westchester is closer for us but so expensive and My DH doesn't want to do LGA since there is construction happening. Seems like Jet Blue is the only airline out of BDL that we will fly that is nonstop.

Also, where do you get the info on the airplane being used for each flight? That's interesting to hear about the older planes being used to get to MCO.

 

[monica9]

We chose not to fly southwest (prior to the air max issues). We want to know our seats in advance and the Times didn’t work out for us. I would not book southwest now with the issues - too much up in the air (no pun intended) with flight schedules due to a depleted fleet and with my nerves, I wouldn’t want to be on an air max if it was just reintroduced. We stalked jet blue and ended up getting decent prices 5 months out. It was cheaper for us to fly late afternoon of the day before we wanted to, and booked a value resort for the night. The morning flights just aren’t coming down.

That's what we are thinking of doing. Booking a late flight the night before and then staying at the airport for the night.

 

[EACarlson]

That being said, we recently had to fly Delta for two trips within a week and a half in order to travel for my brother's funeral. It was not terrible, but we did not experience the excellent customer service we are accustomed to with SW. Because I didn't want to pay $75+ extra for each of my family members to select our own seats, they put us all over the airplane. My 7 year-old daughter was seated between strangers, nowhere near DH or me, on any of our 4 flights. When I called to see if it could be changed, I was told "It's a short flight... surely she'll be fine" and "You can just ask someone else to trade seats." Same with my 11 year-old, though I wasn't quite as concerned about him sitting alone. Still... sorry, but no. When you assign seats to families, you are fully aware of what that entails. When we arrived at the gates for our flights, the gate agents were able to at least put one child with each adult, but it was like an act of Congress. My first trip, I took a larger suitcase and paid to check it. Our second trip, we all packed in carry-ons because we didn't want to pay the baggage fees. They still ended up gate-checking everything to our final destination at no cost. I felt like I was ripped off because they did for free what I'd just paid $30 each way for my previous trip. Even my kids noticed a difference, though we tried really hard not to talk bad about the airline in front of them. Getting back on SW this past week was a welcome relief - for all of us.

Why is it a fault of Delta that you purchased Basic Economy where you were told that you will get seat assignments at check in, would not be able to sit together and knew you would be the last to board the plane so overhead bin space would be limited? You certainly had the option to purchase Main Cabin which would have gotten you seat assignments and an earlier boarding position if you wanted to fight for bin space. Being able to choose my seat is one of the reasons that I am flying Delta for our WDW trip this year, it's my kids' first trip in a plane and I want to choose where we sit together.

Comfort+ is a slightly wider seat, more legroom and guaranteed overhead bin space which can be very important to certain travelers.

 

[disneydreamer781]

Jetblue used to be the cheapest to MCO. For some reason that has not been the case flying down in October. Was the same in 2017. Delta is actually cheaper which in the past, has never been the case. I really prefer to fly Jetblue because I really like the option of Even More Speed. I keep checking the prices everyday. Well, this morning a Blue rate of $736 popped up. WTH! Now this is 8 AM and they already have an 8:25A flight so this is very strange and needless to say...ridiculous. The flight before this at 6A is $236 and the flight after at 8:25 is $295. Certainly not great rates but again...WTH!

 

[pooh2001]

We love JetBlue - no accidents for their planes, great service, no over booking

 

[ember1205]

Why is it a fault of Delta that you purchased Basic Economy where you were told that you will get seat assignments at check in, would not be able to sit together and knew you would be the last to board the plane so overhead bin space would be limited? You certainly had the option to purchase Main Cabin which would have gotten you seat assignments and an earlier boarding position if you wanted to fight for bin space. Being able to choose my seat is one of the reasons that I am flying Delta for our WDW trip this year, it's my kids' first trip in a plane and I want to choose where we sit together.

Comfort+ is a slightly wider seat, more legroom and guaranteed overhead bin space which can be very important to certain travelers.

I know you get a little more leg room with Comfort +, but I didn’t think there was any additional width. These seats don’t protrude any further into the aisle than the rows behind them, and I would expect them to if they were wider.

 

[ember1205]

My knowledge of being on what feels like a VERY old Jet Blue plane comes from first-hand experience with them and with taking at least four flights every week for work with a variety of airlines. Delta shows you the aircraft type with your flights, Southwest is all variations of the 737.

We are trying to leave out of Bradley too. We also live in Ct. Westchester is closer for us but so expensive and My DH doesn't want to do LGA since there is construction happening. Seems like Jet Blue is the only airline out of BDL that we will fly that is nonstop.

Also, where do you get the info on the airplane being used for each flight? That's interesting to hear about the older planes being used to get to MCO.

 

[ember1205]

Why is it a fault of Delta that you purchased Basic Economy where you were told that you will get seat assignments at check in, would not be able to sit together and knew you would be the last to board the plane so overhead bin space would be limited? You certainly had the option to purchase Main Cabin which would have gotten you seat assignments and an earlier boarding position if you wanted to fight for bin space. Being able to choose my seat is one of the reasons that I am flying Delta for our WDW trip this year, it's my kids' first trip in a plane and I want to choose where we sit together.

Comfort+ is a slightly wider seat, more legroom and guaranteed overhead bin space which can be very important to certain travelers.

I’m not aware of it being wider... just having more leg room. The three seats on one side of a 737 or larger aren’t any wider than three main cabin or economy seats.

 

[Superchikk]

Why is it a fault of Delta that you purchased Basic Economy where you were told that you will get seat assignments at check in, would not be able to sit together and knew you would be the last to board the plane so overhead bin space would be limited? You certainly had the option to purchase Main Cabin which would have gotten you seat assignments and an earlier boarding position if you wanted to fight for bin space. Being able to choose my seat is one of the reasons that I am flying Delta for our WDW trip this year, it's my kids' first trip in a plane and I want to choose where we sit together.

Comfort+ is a slightly wider seat, more legroom and guaranteed overhead bin space which can be very important to certain travelers.

1. I never said I had a problem with seat assignment at check-in. What I had a problem with was my 7 year-old sitting away from either of us in the plane. Delta should be able to accommodate families with children, even at Economy prices. They ask for the birthdates of my children, and I would assume that's so they would know we needed to be seated together. When I spoke to gate agents about it, they were surprised my 7 year-old was not seated with at least one of us, and told me that was against their policy to seat a child that young away from a traveling parent and should've automatically been done. Again, my 11 year-old would've been fine. I did not choose more expensive fares because the price difference was $75 per person (x4), and as this was a trip to attend my brother's funeral due to his sudden and unexpected passing, my flight options were limited... as was my budget.
2. I never said I cared when we boarded... because I didn't. In fact, when we checked our bags at the gate at the invitation of Delta, we were told to go ahead and board right away... out of boarding group order, and in front of others who had been waiting to board. We chose not to because we didn't feel it was fair to other passengers.
3. I also had no problem with checking my bags at the gate. What I said was that I felt like I had been ripped off on my previous flight, where I paid $30 each way to check a bag, and on all these flights, they were offering to check everyone's bags to their final destination for free.

It's the inconsistencies that drive me crazy. If Delta is your preferred airline, that's awesome. You should definitely do what works best for your family. But after flying SW almost exclusively for several years, it's very easy to see the differences in customer service.

 

[ember1205]

1. I never said I had a problem with seat assignment at check-in. What I had a problem with was my 7 year-old sitting away from either of us in the plane. Delta should be able to accommodate families with children, even at Economy prices. They ask for the birthdates of my children, and I would assume that's so they would know we needed to be seated together. When I spoke to gate agents about it, they were surprised my 7 year-old was not seated with at least one of us, and told me that was against their policy to seat a child that young away from a traveling parent and should've automatically been done. Again, my 11 year-old would've been fine. I did not choose more expensive fares because the price difference was $75 per person (x4), and as this was a trip to attend my brother's funeral due to his sudden and unexpected passing, my flight options were limited... as was my budget.
2. I never said I cared when we boarded... because I didn't. In fact, when we checked our bags at the gate at the invitation of Delta, we were told to go ahead and board right away... out of boarding group order, and in front of others who had been waiting to board. We chose not to because we didn't feel it was fair to other passengers.
3. I also had no problem with checking my bags at the gate. What I said was that I felt like I had been ripped off on my previous flight, where I paid $30 each way to check a bag, and on all these flights, they were offering to check everyone's bags to their final destination for free.

It's the inconsistencies that drive me crazy. If Delta is your preferred airline, that's awesome. You should definitely do what works best for your family. But after flying SW almost exclusively for several years, it's very easy to see the differences in customer service.

Offering to check your bag for you, for free, at the gate is a very common occurrence now. With almost every flight being full, they run out of bin space very frequently. If you were flying American, they would NOT have offered you the option of checking your bag for free as you would not be allowed a carry-on in the first place when you book their ultra-discounted fares.

When you check your bag at the ticket counter, you are more paying for the assured 'convenience' of not having to drag your luggage around during the trip ALONG WITH being able to transports items that aren't allowed through security. I -NEVER- allow them to check my carry-on bag, and now travel using a duffel bag instead of a roller board so they can never even force me to gate-check a bag (small planes with small overhead bins that roller boards don't fit into).

As far as "seeing the difference" in levels of customer service, I assure you that it's a perceived difference only. They all suck, except American seems to be the worst overall with how they treat their passengers (look up Oasis seats) - they ONLY care about the bottom line.

 

[Superchikk]

Offering to check your bag for you, for free, at the gate is a very common occurrence now. With almost every flight being full, they run out of bin space very frequently. If you were flying American, they would NOT have offered you the option of checking your bag for free as you would not be allowed a carry-on in the first place when you book their ultra-discounted fares.

When you check your bag at the ticket counter, you are more paying for the assured 'convenience' of not having to drag your luggage around during the trip ALONG WITH being able to transports items that aren't allowed through security. I -NEVER- allow them to check my carry-on bag, and now travel using a duffel bag instead of a roller board so they can never even force me to gate-check a bag (small planes with small overhead bins that roller boards don't fit into).

As far as "seeing the difference" in levels of customer service, I assure you that it's a perceived difference only. They all suck, except American seems to be the worst overall with how they treat their passengers (look up Oasis seats) - they ONLY care about the bottom line.

I know - everyone is trying to get around paying for checked bags by bringing their allotted carry-on and personal item. I never even carry a purse when I travel - I put everything I can't live without into my backpack with my laptop (I have to carry it with me for work). On our Delta flight, we did all have a roll-on and a personal item... but it was because we were trying to avoid extra fees on an already expensive and unexpected trip. Had we been flying SW, I would've packed all 4 of us into 2 medium-sized suitcases, checked them for free and been done with it.

I do occasionally check bags because I need to take something not allowed as a carry-on. But that's typically a decision I have plenty of time to make in advance and pack accordingly. And with SW, I don't have to pay extra. Their fares are highly competitive with other airlines who fly in/out of my airport, so there's rarely enough difference in a fare to make paying for a checked bag elsewhere worth it. It's just when I have the option of flying SW and then driving 2 hours or flying into the airport 15 minutes from my parents' house that I have this dilemma.

And as far as it being a perceived difference, for a customer, perception is reality. I get that they're all trying to make money - they're a business and I'm fine with that - in theory. But stick to your own policies and treat everyone as a valued customer, and that to me says more about your company than any advertising ever could.

P.S. I had to book a flight on Allegiant for my kids & me this summer. It's going to take some amazing customer service to win me over there. I think if they could charge me for breathing air, they would.

 

[ember1205]

I know - everyone is trying to get around paying for checked bags by bringing their allotted carry-on and personal item. I never even carry a purse when I travel - I put everything I can't live without into my backpack with my laptop (I have to carry it with me for work). On our Delta flight, we did all have a roll-on and a personal item... but it was because we were trying to avoid extra fees on an already expensive and unexpected trip. Had we been flying SW, I would've packed all 4 of us into 2 medium-sized suitcases, checked them for free and been done with it.

I do occasionally check bags because I need to take something not allowed as a carry-on. But that's typically a decision I have plenty of time to make in advance and pack accordingly. And with SW, I don't have to pay extra. Their fares are highly competitive with other airlines who fly in/out of my airport, so there's rarely enough difference in a fare to make paying for a checked bag elsewhere worth it. It's just when I have the option of flying SW and then driving 2 hours or flying into the airport 15 minutes from my parents' house that I have this dilemma.

And as far as it being a perceived difference, for a customer, perception is reality. I get that they're all trying to make money - they're a business and I'm fine with that - in theory. But stick to your own policies and treat everyone as a valued customer, and that to me says more about your company than any advertising ever could.

P.S. I had to book a flight on Allegiant for my kids & me this summer. It's going to take some amazing customer service to win me over there. I think if they could charge me for breathing air, they would.

My comment about being perceived difference is because I hate SW and how they treat me as a customer. I recently had to fly out of BWI on a 9PM flight. I got there earlier than expected and was at the gate of the 5:30PM flight at 5:22. Plenty of seats on the plane, but the gate agent literally laughed at me when I asked if I could board that flight instead of my own (my fare was at full rate, so not going to generate any revenue for fare changes). When I commented that the boarding doors were all still open, she said "they have other things to do" (which translates to standing around kibitzing on the plane while the pilot checks items off before they close the door). If that were American, they would have ignore me until the boarding door closed. If it were Delta, the would have asked me for a $75 payment for "Same Day Change."

So, as you see... they ALL suck. But have their unique ways of doing it. One airline is not actually any better than another, although I do believe that American goes out of their way to be the worst of the lot.

You like SW because their process suits you. I hate being treated like cattle and having to battle for when I'm allowed to get on the plane. It's all perception.

 

[Superchikk]

My comment about being perceived difference is because I hate SW and how they treat me as a customer. I recently had to fly out of BWI on a 9PM flight. I got there earlier than expected and was at the gate of the 5:30PM flight at 5:22. Plenty of seats on the plane, but the gate agent literally laughed at me when I asked if I could board that flight instead of my own (my fare was at full rate, so not going to generate any revenue for fare changes). When I commented that the boarding doors were all still open, she said "they have other things to do" (which translates to standing around kibitzing on the plane while the pilot checks items off before they close the door). If that were American, they would have ignore me until the boarding door closed. If it were Delta, the would have asked me for a $75 payment for "Same Day Change."

So, as you see... they ALL suck. But have their unique ways of doing it. One airline is not actually any better than another, although I do believe that American goes out of their way to be the worst of the lot.

You like SW because their process suits you. I hate being treated like cattle and having to battle for when I'm allowed to get on the plane. It's all perception.

I hate that you had a bad experience with Southwest's customer service. That was a crappy way to talk to a customer. I would have probably brought it to the attention of Southwest via customer complaint. Not that I wasn't able to get on the flight, but at the way I was treated. I don't think there's any excuse for that kind of treatment of anyone, no matter who you work for.

And as I said... to the customer, perception is reality.

 

[tinkerbell615]

I have seen where Southwest flights for the remainder of November should be released on May 23. Does anyone know if that is correct? Waiting to book our flights until we see their rates.
Thank you!

 

[Superchikk]

I have seen where Southwest flights for the remainder of November should be released on May 23. Does anyone know if that is correct? Waiting to book our flights until we see their rates.
Thank you!

Yes, if you got that info from their website, it's usually accurate. They usually release them early in the morning.

 

[tinkerbell615]

Yes, if you got that info from their website, it's usually accurate. They usually release them early in the morning.

Thank you!

 

[PerfessorZ]

I have seen where Southwest flights for the remainder of November should be released on May 23. Does anyone know if that is correct? Waiting to book our flights until we see their rates.
Thank you!

Yes, if you got that info from their website, it's usually accurate. They usually release them early in the morning.

But to add, they sometimes change the release date, so keep checking back.