jelyfi

I'm looking to get tickets from Hartford to Orlando from Sept 22 to Sept 29. A few weeks ago Southwest had promotional fares, but now they're unavailable on the flights I want. I really want to travel early on the way there and late on the way back, and my flight has to be nonstop b/c I have two small children. Should I wait it out for a "ding" or take what I can get now since my flight needs are so specific? Thanks in advance!

rkkwan

When a cheap fare on WN is gone, it usually means it's GONE. Now, the flights you want are $360.80 each person.

You may want to consider non-stops from alternate airports. For example:

AA 9:00a LGA-MCO and 8:45p MCO-LGA is $188.80;

Or just change airline. DL 7:45a BDL-MCO and 6:55p MCO-BDL is $280.01.

There are other choices from Boston for about $220.

diann24

I don't want to say the wrong thing, or advise wrongly but I would wait it out. I see there flights fluctuate quite a bit but it is taking a chance. I know I almost booked once and it went up then I waited and it came back down again, but this was for JAX Florida.

BeachGirl247

Or, you could do this:

Book your flight with Southwest at the best fare you can get and afford. Then, <i>IF</i> there is a ding deal you can cancel your original booking and book your ding deal using your cancelled funds to pay for your ding deal. That is taking a chance on the ding deal but its not going to go down otherwise.

rkkwan has good ideas if you want to go with a different airline but I love the refund policy and flexibility with SWA.

artlover

BeachGirl,
I wasn't aware that this could be done. Is it only possible with the same airline? Also, I downloaded ding and it's driving me crazy--pops up all the time and is becoming a nuisance. Anyone else having this problem? Anyway to &quot;control it&quot;? (Maybe I need to do this as a seperate post)

rkkwan

Refund policies vary among airlines. Some give you the difference back, some deduct a fee and give you a voucher for future travel, some charge you an extra fee and give you a voucher.

Southwest has a more liberal refund policy than most.

LoveItaly

My experience with Southwest has been if I cancel a flight they give me a 100% credit for the cost of the ticket and I believe that credit must be used within a year. If that is so than if you have a credit from cancelling because a Ding ticket becomes available for a less expensive price you will have the difference credited but to use it you would have to fly with Southwest again within a year. At least that was true two years ago..I don't know if they have changed their rules.

dfr4848

My experience is the same as LoveItaly.

BeachGirl247

Yes, My experience is the same as well. The difference in cost stays with the original booking reference and date and that is good up to a year to use on another SWA flight. You can even give it away if you want.

i_am_kane

I just experienced the same thing: Had to cancel a flight in January 2007, SWA credited me the full amount of the fares. The credit was good for one year from the original booking date.

We used part of the credit last week from BDL to MCO, and still have a credit going forward because the new tickets were only $46 ea. way.

kellyhayes

Same as LoveItaly.
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Have you checked flying out of Providence, RI, on SW?

I just checked the flights from there and got $220 rt at the times you wanted on the 22nd and 29th.

diann24

I would most likely wait this out. Sept. is not the high season for Orlando. School has started or is starting and I would certainly bet without a doubt you will get a better rate.