Southwest Airlines Reservations
Jun 18th, 2005 | 03:28 PM
#1
Original Poster
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 25
Likes: 0
Southwest Airlines Reservations
Does anyone know when I would be able to book a flight on Southwest in November?Right now it says they only accept reservations for up to October 28th. Is there any certain known time these new dates will be available for booking?
It seems like every time I'm looking for a specific date on Southwest, the good fares are always taken before I realize that you're able to book for the date I'm looking for.
It seems like every time I'm looking for a specific date on Southwest, the good fares are always taken before I realize that you're able to book for the date I'm looking for.
Jun 19th, 2005 | 06:00 AM
#3
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 265
Likes: 0
I have tried to get an answer to this question by calling the airline and the agents maintain that they do not know when the dates are changed and that there is no set period in advance that you can book. So it sounds like you have to check every day to me.
Jun 19th, 2005 | 06:27 AM
#4
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 23,073
Likes: 0
I am going a bit OT here, but just two thoughts:
1) What route are you flying? Southwest doesn't necessarily put the cheapest fares (i.e. Promotional & Internet Special Fares) all the time on many of its flights. So, if you don't see a fare, it doesn't mean people have snatched it up, but that they are never available. They may be, later on; or never. You don't know.
2) On many SW routes, if you have this much time in advance, you can find better - sometimes much better - fares on other airlines.
For example, let use the last week that you can book on SW. I priced a BWI-LAX on 10/20. All fares on SW are available, and the lowest is a "Promotional Fare" for $139.20 each way, or about $280 roundtrip. UA's one-stop is $224 for those dates, Continental's one-stop is $229. Southwest does have non-stop.
Even on bread-and-butter SW routes like Houston-Dallas. Continental (IAH-DAL) matches Southwest's HOU-DAL fares almost all the time.
Of course, if you're flying one-way, or if you're flying a route that SW provides much better routing and schedule, then you may want to fly them anyhow...
1) What route are you flying? Southwest doesn't necessarily put the cheapest fares (i.e. Promotional & Internet Special Fares) all the time on many of its flights. So, if you don't see a fare, it doesn't mean people have snatched it up, but that they are never available. They may be, later on; or never. You don't know.
2) On many SW routes, if you have this much time in advance, you can find better - sometimes much better - fares on other airlines.
For example, let use the last week that you can book on SW. I priced a BWI-LAX on 10/20. All fares on SW are available, and the lowest is a "Promotional Fare" for $139.20 each way, or about $280 roundtrip. UA's one-stop is $224 for those dates, Continental's one-stop is $229. Southwest does have non-stop.
Even on bread-and-butter SW routes like Houston-Dallas. Continental (IAH-DAL) matches Southwest's HOU-DAL fares almost all the time.
Of course, if you're flying one-way, or if you're flying a route that SW provides much better routing and schedule, then you may want to fly them anyhow...
Jun 20th, 2005 | 06:47 AM
#5
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,762
Likes: 0
You should sign up for SWA "Ding" to get early notifications of special fares.
http://southwest.com/ding/
http://southwest.com/ding/
