Westjet: late December 2019 ?

[Starwind]

We are looking at booking WestJet flights for late December 2019, but everything from December 17 on shows as "sold out", which apparently actually means it hasn't been released for sale yet.

Normally WestJet releases dates for booking at about the 330 day mark. We are now inside that, in some cases by several days.

I've asked WestJet when they may release them and they just tell me to keep checking back.

Does anyone have a more definitive idea of when late December 2019 dates will be available for booking on WestJet ?

Thanks !

SW

 

[chris1212]

I would wait. We booked flights last July for a trip to Palm Springs in November. Early August Westjet released their winter flight schedule, which looked totally different than what had been previously posted. We no longer had direct flights, the days direct flights flew were totally all changed around.

Luckily we could switch the days of our trip to get back onto the direct flights, but if we had booked non-refundable hotels we would have been stuck.

I know this is Palm Springs, but I'm pretty sure the Orlando and other flights all had changes as well.

 

[Starwind]

The only thing we have left to book for the trip are the flights, the dates are not really changeable for us. Hotels are refundable, but availability is already seriously limited -- no rooms available in the room type we have booked on either side of our dates.

Thanks for the reminder about WJ changing their schedules around. They did that to us our last trip -- no more evening direct flight for the return. The way they have the schedule set up now for the days we can see in December there is no direct flight anyway, so not too worried about that. We really miss the evening direct returns, as the early afternoon return means you basically loose that whole day.

We're also booking Premium seats, and there are only so many of those, so want to book them sooner rather than later so we know we have them, and have ones sitting together.

SW

 

[grantclaire]

WestJet does this at March break as well, they freeze the schedule. Frustrating when you are waiting to book flights. Air Canada has late December out all ready so WJ could be soon.

 

[Starwind]

They released through December 23 today

 

[Starwind]

WestJet does this at March break as well, they freeze the schedule. Frustrating when you are waiting to book flights. Air Canada has late December out all ready so WJ could be soon.

Good to know re: March break. Definitely really frustrating.

And waiting too long once they are released is not always a good idea either... For one of our legs, 4 of the 12 seats were already sold, and 4 of the remainder are exit rows, which I can't sit in. While I realize they rest may sit like that for months potentially, not a risk I want to take.

And yep, I saw Air Canada looked like they had into January out.

SW

 

[Minniemoo15]

I would wait. We booked flights last July for a trip to Palm Springs in November. Early August Westjet released their winter flight schedule, which looked totally different than what had been previously posted. We no longer had direct flights, the days direct flights flew were totally all changed around.

Luckily we could switch the days of our trip to get back onto the direct flights, but if we had booked non-refundable hotels we would have been stuck.

I know this is Palm Springs, but I'm pretty sure the Orlando and other flights all had changes as well.

I agree.

I don’t even consider WJ until they release their winter schedule late summer. They change their routes and schedules so drastically each year it’s crazy. AC and Air Transat schedules are more reliable a year in advance. I usually end up booking with them as long as the price is right.

 

[DizzyDis]

Yep, I was also in the camp that lost their direct WJ flight when they switched the schedule. I had booked through AM as was running a Dis race the next day, so I couldn't change my dates, but was not impressed about it. I would not book right now.

 

[Starwind]

Update: a couple days ago WJ released dates through Dec 23 for booking. We were able to book our flights.

Since we are flying premium, not economy, there are a limited # of seats on the plane. In addition, one of our legs is on a Westjet Encore flight which further limits seating since the first couple rows are emergency exit which I cannot sit in [leaving 1 row, total 4 seats to book/choose from]. We have learned that for us it is better to book early when there is a better chance of seats being available than to wait until their final schedule is sorted when there is a good chance the premium tickets will be sold out or we won't be able to sit together or will run into the emergency exit row issue.

For others, especially if flying economy or trying for sale fares, the above would not be a consideration and waiting may well make sense.

SW

 

[Carolynleanne]

We wait to book flights til 4-6 months out. I've been tracking flights and the BEST deals happened about 3-4 months out to Orlando from Vancouver.