Waiting for SWA - 12/31/05 Flight

[cakolb]

I still need to book flights from MDW to FLL for 12/31/05 - returning 1/8/06. I have been waiting for Southwest to open their schedule. The cheapest flight now is $279 on ATA. All others seem to be going up every time I look. Should I wait for SWA to open their schedule and hope for a better rate? Their times fit perfectly. There are 5 of us and I can't afford much more than the $279. I assumed SWA would be cheaper than that, but don't know if I should take the chance.

[cruiseguy2]

The ITA Software shows a lowest rate of $233 on American Airlines with a stopover in DFW. Southwest has a fare in the farthest-out date of $79-$89 per way.

 

-Chris

[suznf]

I'm waiting on SWA too. Anybody know when they will release more dates?

[Margie1983us]

Last year we flew on Southwest from midway to fll on new years eve, 3 of us for $550. Beats the crap out of $279 pp. I'd wait!

[greatam]

The ITA Software shows a lowest rate of $233 on American Airlines with a stopover in DFW. Southwest has a fare in the farthest-out date of $79-$89 per way.

 

-Chris

 

ITA prices are inclusive of taxes and fees. Southwest adds taxes and fees. So for maybe $10-15.00 more, tops, I'll take AA with a confirmed seat and not nearly as much chance to be bumped over Southwest ANY day. Every Southwest flight I have flown in the last 6 months (5 trips to LA from Phoenix) has been oversold and I have been bumped involuntarily twice.

 

Other than from some markets, mainly in smaller cities in the Midwest and South, Southwest is usually more expensive and more inconvenient than any other carrier. People need to look at all the options. I personally do not like the cattle car mentality of Southwest. If I wanted to be treated like I was on Greyhound, I would take the bus.

[BaltoTraveler]

Other than from some markets, mainly in smaller cities in the Midwest and South, Southwest is usually more expensive and more inconvenient than any other carrier. People need to look at all the options. I personally do not like the cattle car mentality of Southwest. If I wanted to be treated like I was on Greyhound, I would take the bus.

Don't know where you fly from, but Southwest certainly is inexpensive and convenient from Baltimore/Washington. The cost from BWI to FLL r/t is $176, fees included, and there are *non-stops* getting us there and back at just the right times. Never gotten bounced and always found the employees to be pleasant.

 

I'm checking the site every day to see when they open up dates for our December 18 cruise.

[Frbrdchick]

You may want to check out http://www.usa3000.com They are starting to fly into FLL and I booked the other day and it was $49 each way. Sign up for their newsletter and on Wendnesday's they will send you specials usually for $10 off each way, can't beat $39/way. They have very limited schedules, but if they work for you they are great. They go out of O'Hare, not sure if that is a problem for you or not. I flew them this past April to Ft. Myers and they had movies on board, and gave out sandwhiches, chips and cookies to everyone and I paid $59 each way. Definitly worth seeing if the dates would work for you. Have a great trip!

[Flip2cruise]

ITA prices are inclusive of taxes and fees. Southwest adds taxes and fees. So for maybe $10-15.00 more, tops, I'll take AA with a confirmed seat and not nearly as much chance to be bumped over Southwest ANY day. Every Southwest flight I have flown in the last 6 months (5 trips to LA from Phoenix) has been oversold and I have been bumped involuntarily twice.

 

Other than from some markets, mainly in smaller cities in the Midwest and South, Southwest is usually more expensive and more inconvenient than any other carrier. People need to look at all the options. I personally do not like the cattle car mentality of Southwest. If I wanted to be treated like I was on Greyhound, I would take the bus.

 

You booked 5 trips in the last 6 months and you dont like them?? I use them often and have never had any problems, their business model is different than what is offered by the legacy carriers and most of us who book with them understand that. I have never had a flight time changed with SWA, but my united flight next month has changed about 6 times in the last 5 months.

[greatam]

You booked 5 trips in the last 6 months and you dont like them?? I use them often and have never had any problems, their business model is different than what is offered by the legacy carriers and most of us who book with them understand that. I have never had a flight time changed with SWA, but my united flight next month has changed about 6 times in the last 5 months.

 

I have two choices for direct flights to LA from Phoenix. Southwest or America West. The other 7 times I flew to LA in the last 6 months were on America West. No changes, no bumps, no cancellations. I fly a lot and I understand their business model well. Just plain don't like the cattle car mentality AND they are definitely NOT the cheapest in a lot of markets.

[momesu]

I'm waiting on SWA too. Anybody know when they will release more dates?

 

Called SWA customer service today to see if they had any isea on when more dates would be released as I need a holiday flight. The women I talked with was very nice but said she had no idea but was surprised that holidays hadn't been opened up yet. Last year they opened up through the end of the year on Aug 1. My guess is with gas prices going up daily they are waiting as long as they can. I really want to fly SWA but will only wait so long.

:mad:

[dyanna72]

I spoke with Michelle at Southwest this morning & she told me that rates for Feb & beginning of March would not open up until end of Sept.:mad: I hate having to wait that long. I would rather not have to book a flight on another airline but I might have to if they don't do something soon.

 

Dyanna

[travellady]

I gave up waiting for SWA and booked my flights last week from Seattle to FLL for 12/23-1/1 on American for 400.00 apiece. I've been waiting and watching for several months now and the price has been hovering between upper 300.00's to high 500.00's per ticket. Wouldn't you know it, I checked yesterday and US Air has flights those dates for 203.00 apiece. It made me think it might be worth it to book those instead, pay the change fee on American, and use those another time. Then again, US AIr doesn't have a great reputation, many horror stories from last Xmas with people missing holiday cruises.

 

Waiting for the right airline fare is a guessing game so I just went ahead and decided on a budget and went with that. We really wanted to do a Southern out of San Juan but that is 1000.00 a piece - forget that during the holidays.

[momesu]

I spoke with Michelle at Southwest this morning & she told me that rates for Feb & beginning of March would not open up until end of Sept.:mad: I hate having to wait that long. I would rather not have to book a flight on another airline but I might have to if they don't do something soon.

 

Dyanna

 

Sorry that you would have to wait so long, but since I am looking for a flight at the end of Dec if they say they will open up the end of Feb early March at the end of September then I have hope that maybe they will open up the end of Dec by the end of August which is onlt a few weeks.

[cakolb]

Called SWA customer service today to see if they had any isea on when more dates would be released as I need a holiday flight. The women I talked with was very nice but said she had no idea but was surprised that holidays hadn't been opened up yet. Last year they opened up through the end of the year on Aug 1. My guess is with gas prices going up daily they are waiting as long as they can. I really want to fly SWA but will only wait so long.

:mad:

 

 

Thanks for checking. I am still checking SWA several times a day just in case. I will give them another week or so and will probably book with someone else. I can get AA flights from Chicago to Miami for $213pp. Miami would be even better than FLL since we cruise from there. The only problem is the return flight is 11:52am or 4:13pm. I would love the earlier one, but am afraid we could miss the flight. I would think Southwest is starting to lose holidays travelers by waiting so long to open their schedule. Fingers crossed.

[Flip2cruise]

Sorry that you would have to wait so long, but since I am looking for a flight at the end of Dec if they say they will open up the end of Feb early March at the end of September then I have hope that maybe they will open up the end of Dec by the end of August which is onlt a few weeks.

 

This is the recent history.........

 

Recent schedule extension history:

Mar 13/03 - open to Sep 8/03

May 14/03 - open to Oct 24/03

June 26/03 - open to Dec 13/03

July 24/03 - open to Jan 16/04

Sep 19/03 - open to Mar 6/04

Oct 16/03 - open to April 2/04

Dec 11/03 - open to May 8/04

Jan 13/04 - open to Jun 11/04

Feb 13/04 - open to Aug 7/04

Mar 25/04 - open to Sep 13/04

May 5/04 - open to Oct 29/04

July 15/04 - open to Dec 11/04

July 29/04 - open to Jan 14/05

Sept 23/04 - open to Mar 3/05

Oct 22/04 - open to April 1/05

Dec 9/05 – open to Jun 6/05

Feb 18/05 – open to Aug 3/05

Mar 17/05 – open to Sept 12/05

May 8/05- open to Oct 28/05

July 15/05-open to Dec 12/05

[PVDCruiser]

You may want to check out www.usa3000.com They are starting to fly into FLL and I booked the other day and it was $49 each way. Sign up for their newsletter and on Wendnesday's they will send you specials usually for $10 off each way, can't beat $39/way. They have very limited schedules, but if they work for you they are great. They go out of O'Hare, not sure if that is a problem for you or not. I flew them this past April to Ft. Myers and they had movies on board, and gave out sandwhiches, chips and cookies to everyone and I paid $59 each way. Definitly worth seeing if the dates would work for you. Have a great trip!

 

I've hear bad things about them. One of my friends flew them to Florida and they were using an all-paper system. :eek: He said the service was bad too.

[rocks]

Hi!

I have been waiting for Southwest too!

I am cruising Dec. 3-18th - want to fly to Ft. Lauderdale the 2nd - but still can't book the flight home.

I keep checking & am hoping that Aug. 18th (Thurs.) they will have flights to Dec. 18th. That is only 4 months out!

Wonder why they are taking so long to make a schedule for the busy month of Dec.??

rocks

[cakolb]

I called SWA today and the Customer Service still has no idea when their schedule will open. She said they are getting a lot of calls regarding their schedule (or lack there of) and they (workers) are being told nothing. She said just keep checking daily.

[rocks]

I saw it posted on another thread...but just in case someone didn't

December 2005 is open for booking.

I got just what I wanted & happy that I waited!

rocks

[Frbrdchick]

Have any of you subscribed to the Southwest DING fares? On Monday they had fares to Tampa, Orlando and Fort Lauderdale $34 each way.

[momesu]

Yea!!! I finally got my tickets to FLL for our Christmas cruise. Certainly not $34 tickest but still much better than I was finding on other airlines. Just over $1000 for 4 of us to fly round trip over the Christmas holidays is not too bad. Certainly better than 19 hours each way on I-95 over the Christmas holidays. :)

[cakolb]

SWA finally opened their schedule through Jan 9th!!!! Booked my flight today from MDW (Chicago) to FLL for $209pp total.

[greatam]

SWA finally opened their schedule through Jan 9th!!!! Booked my flight today from MDW (Chicago) to FLL for $209pp total.

 

And ORD/FLL/MIA on AA has been running $233.00 total forever. Sale fare two weeks ago were $169.00 + taxes, which makes the fare less than $200.00. I'll take the confirmed seat, the better planes, the non Greyhound bus mentality and the chance to upgrade EVERY time. Sorry, I just detest Southwest. Too much like Greyhound.

[cakolb]

And ORD/FLL/MIA on AA has been running $233.00 total forever. Sale fare two weeks ago were $169.00 + taxes, which makes the fare less than $200.00. I'll take the confirmed seat, the better planes, the non Greyhound bus mentality and the chance to upgrade EVERY time. Sorry, I just detest Southwest. Too much like Greyhound.

 

I have been checking AA also and their times have not been as good for us for the cheap fares (although I never saw the $169). The best I got was $213 and I was getting to FLL 5 hours later. The combination of times and price on SWA work well for us.

[momesu]

And ORD/FLL/MIA on AA has been running $233.00 total forever. Sale fare two weeks ago were $169.00 + taxes, which makes the fare less than $200.00. I'll take the confirmed seat, the better planes, the non Greyhound bus mentality and the chance to upgrade EVERY time. Sorry, I just detest Southwest. Too much like Greyhound.

 

Best I could do AA was $216 + taxes for a one stop flight. I'll be dogonned if I'm going to fly to FLL through O'Hare especially in the winter. At least our SWA is non-stop. Best we could do with any other airlines non-stop that time of year was $325 +tax per person. At $100 savings per person we can have a few nice drinks while on the cruise:D