OMG--Anybody look at Southwest flights between FEb. 27-March 1?$$$

The new block of Southwest tickets just became available on July 22 (through March 7). I didn't have time to book on Monday, but I did note that the flight I wanted on March 1 from Chicago to Fort Lauderdale was showing as $220.

I clicked on the SW site tonight and none of the Wanna-Getaway fares are available! The flight at the prices they were showing would be in the 400s!

So I just started punching in a few random flights (Chicago to Houston, Tampa, LA, etc.) and saw that the third category (Wanna Get Away) were not showing for any of them on March 1.

Glitch or something worse? Anyone else encountering this?:(

So many people swear by Southwest so I tend to check out their prices but I have never ever found them cheaper. They have stop overs and for more money. I just don't get the fascination. I figure my time is worth "X" amount of dollars. For the extra 2-5 hours that it takes to do the flight... well, for the extra $20 I would rather not.

WN isn't the end all be all that people make it out to be. For certain markets, it works, but for others it doesn't.

You snoozed, you lost. They had a limited number of seats available at that teaser price; the rest are at the normal rate. Sorry.

I'd still check other airlines. I had too many bad experiences with seats on a change of flight on WN to use them again.

Just like reward tickets there are a very limited amount available on most flights. Not sure about the US but here in Canada March is unniversity break time. I believe Fll is a very popular place with spring breakers. Could it be that the inventory of cheap seats has sold out?

Just like reward tickets there are a very limited amount available on most flights. Not sure about the US but here in Canada March is unniversity break time. I believe Fll is a very popular place with spring breakers. Could it be that the inventory of cheap seats has sold out?

It was not just Florida destinations. I even checked Chicago to St. Louis (not a hot spot!) and there were no Wanna-Get-Away fares.

So I called SW and they told me the fares had not yet been downloaded. This has been over 24 hours now. I think someone has messed up at SW!

Just like reward tickets there are a very limited amount available on most flights. Not sure about the US but here in Canada March is unniversity break time. I believe Fll is a very popular place with spring breakers. Could it be that the inventory of cheap seats has sold out?

March is spring break time in the USA for not just colleges/universities, but also for grade schools. Lots of people on vacation then.

Most people who fly SW love it because bags fly free. Look at the fare of another airline, then tack on the price for 2 bags,unless its JetBlue which lets you have the first bag free.

My needed flight on Sat. March 1 is also higher than I want. Going out I caught a "wanna fly" special with another special and got $140 for BWI to LAX on Jan 29 non stop good hours. I just figure that I need to wait a bit and let the fares settle. They just posted the flight to mid-march so they always let the people who were waiting with baited breath (LIKE ME) pay for priviledge of booking first. Thanks for the reminder that spring break is around that time. Also check if flying another day would work. But then you have to consider the costs/pleasure ratio for that.

I will check out other options and pick one but maybe not just yet. I already have all the flights booked for the other flights in this trip to New Zealand.

I really miss the "good old days" when WN had cheap gas and put out fares that even forced other airlines to compete or match out of BWI a major hub. Now many times other airlines are cheaper. Make sure everything is included. Bags/seat selection/etc. I even consider the cost of parking (Reagan DCA is $22 day and BWI is $12:)) or taxi ($50-$70 each way $45 to BWI or free if a friend will drop -- nobody offers to drop at DCA!). If all else is equal I go to BWI in that it is a bit closer. International go IDA because of number of destinations but can do EWR too. (use the train to go to airport). Save 100$ but loose it in parking/bags/taxi is not a saving.

It was not just Florida destinations. I even checked Chicago to St. Louis (not a hot spot!) and there were no Wanna-Get-Away fares.

 

So I called SW and they told me the fares had not yet been downloaded. This has been over 24 hours now. I think someone has messed up at SW!

Oh my! The all powerful and cheap WN made a booboo :rolleyes:;)

You're assuming that all tiers of fares are released on every route for every flight, every day. There's no guarantee that *any* W-G-A fares will be released for a specific flight/route/date if forecast supply vs. demand says there won't be any problem filling seats at higher fares.

I checked Monday on flight from PHX to Nola and also found decent prices but didn't have time to book. I checked today and found the same "unavailable" on 2/21 and 3/5, so it's not just FL. I also checked some other random routes and found the same thing so was wondering whether there was a glitch, also. For them to say the haven't downloaded them yet doesn't make much sense since they were there on Monday.

I checked Monday on flight from PHX to Nola and also found decent prices but didn't have time to book. I checked today and found the same "unavailable" on 2/21 and 3/5, so it's not just FL. I also checked some other random routes and found the same thing so was wondering whether there was a glitch, also. For them to say the haven't downloaded them yet doesn't make much sense since they were there on Monday.

Exactly Terri! The fares showed up briefly yesterday, I called my sister (because we have to coordinate flights) and while I was waiting for her to return my call, I clicked back on the site and ALL of the Wanna Get Away fares were missing again.

Thanks for confirming that it was not just me. I think they have a problem with their site (there could not be several days missing like this) but they are somewhat unconcerned about addressing it!

By the way, I've been checking off and on today and the fares are still not reshowing. So frustrating!

Maybe they were loaded in error.

Maybe they sold 'em all.

And maybe they will add more when the revenue management wizards and their scientific voodoo magic determines they need more of those fares.

Maybe they were loaded in error.

 

Maybe they sold 'em all.

 

And maybe they will add more when the revenue management wizards and their scientific voodoo magic determines they need more of those fares.

That's what I am hoping. Listening for Ding or some other sale. I have the first leg of the trip from BWI to LAX on Jan 29 reserved at $140. Hoping to match on the way back March 1 a Saturday. The flights in the middle are also booked to Tahiti and on to New Zealand. I get back to LAX, I will at some point in the next 6 months figure something out or become a resident of the left hand coast.

I also noticed the same thing. But I need to fly out on Feb 28 and not return until March 9. The dates through March 9 have not opened yet. So I am worrying that I won't have a chance at a cheaper rate because all of the Feb 28 "deals" will be gone.

I saw a price on my outward flight that worked well for me and I knew that waiting a month or maybe 2 months depending on when they opened the next section for the return might mean higher price. I bought the one ticket out to LAX separately. Price is the same. Just 2 pieces of paper instead of one. I still can not but the idea that all must be on same ticket (return). I happily accept any good luck and will get a return ticket only before I come back. SWA does not have change fees so if find it cheaper in future just cancel and buy the cheaper fare. Must use credit in one year.

Just 2 pieces of paper instead of one. I still can not but the idea that all must be on same ticket (return). I happily accept any good luck and will get a return ticket only before I come back.

Nowadays it's more like "200 kilobytes of data instead of 100 !" ;)

SWA does not have change fees so if find it cheaper in future just cancel and buy the cheaper fare. Must use credit in one year.

Totally true, and there's a separate thread going that discusses credits in more detail. You know the details but they sometimes take people by surprise.

I checked Monday on flight from PHX to Nola and also found decent prices but didn't have time to book. I checked today and found the same "unavailable" on 2/21 and 3/5, so it's not just FL. I also checked some other random routes and found the same thing so was wondering whether there was a glitch, also. For them to say the haven't downloaded them yet doesn't make much sense since they were there on Monday.

Very possible they were sold to pax who DID have time to book. It's really not at all out of the realm of possibility.;)

Very possible they were sold to pax who DID have time to book. It's really not at all out of the realm of possibility.;)

It's not, and historically I've made a point to jump on flights/cruises/etc. if I see a good rate or flight time, last week was just one of those weeks! I do think it unusual that every single flight time in the category is marked the same "unavailable". But, as they're not "sold out" who knows what might change. And I would've just chalked it up to Mardi Gras if it wasn't the same story for non-Nola flights.

It's not, and historically I've made a point to jump on flights/cruises/etc. if I see a good rate or flight time, last week was just one of those weeks! I do think it unusual that every single flight time in the category is marked the same "unavailable". But, as they're not "sold out" who knows what might change. And I would've just chalked it up to Mardi Gras if it wasn't the same story for non-Nola flights.

Yield management. If that particular time you are looking for cheap flights is during all the various spring breaks, baseball Spring Training, Mardi Gras, Easter, whatever, ALL the airlines will severely limit the number of whatever they call their cheapest fare class. If they know a lot of people are going to want to fly during that time, they are going to be charitable and make those cheap fares available to a lot of people. Who knows, WN may have had ONE of those cheap seats up for grabs (because of revenue and yield management) and someone took it rather than hemming and hawing over whether or not a cheaper rate would be coming up.

Yield management. If that particular time you are looking for cheap flights is during all the various spring breaks, baseball Spring Training, Mardi Gras, Easter, whatever, ALL the airlines will severely limit the number of whatever they call their cheapest fare class. If they know a lot of people are going to want to fly during that time, they are going to be charitable and make those cheap fares available to a lot of people. Who knows, WN may have had ONE of those cheap seats up for grabs (because of revenue and yield management) and someone took it rather than hemming and hawing over whether or not a cheaper rate would be coming up.

That all makes sense. And I didn't delay waiting for a cheaper rate, I just let life get in the way of cruise planning...I won't let that happen again, lol!

BUT, the WGA fares for my outbound flight are back and I am booked! No I just have to keep an eye on the return. :D

If you want non-stop, it will cost you.

The cheapest I found was 3/1/14 from ORD/BOS/FLL via Jet Blue and from FLL/ORD via AA for $345.00. The bad news is that this flight will not work for you as it arrives at FLL at after 8pm.

Flying out on Friday 2/28/2014 goes for $440 as of this minute.

If you fly on 2/27/2014 the price is $362.00

I'm flying on Airtran soon. If you book Airtran on southwest.com the SW baggage policies apply. Anyway, the prices were really good in early June for SW and Airtran, but have been creaping up ever since. My flights have doubled. I expect prices to drop soon for future flights, as I have never seen them so high.

Anyway, the prices were really good in early June for SW and Airtran, but have been creaping up ever since. My flights have doubled. I expect prices to drop soon for future flights, as I have never seen them so high.

Don't know what route you're flying or when....but curious why you expect the fare to drop? The "creeping up" says that seats are selling out at that price and/or the airline's projected fuel cost is higher than expected and they're pricing it in.

I don't doubt that you've "never seen them so high"...but was that in the past 1-2 years? The airlines have figured out that limiting supply (reducing routes, frequencies, and parking planes in the desert) while demand is increasing with the economy, is profitable. The days of 2001-2010 "loss leader" leisure fares are over. Welcome to the "new normal" :)

and parking planes in the desert)

I have to laugh. There is a "refurbisher" (they primarily convert old planes into cargo planes or dispose of them) located at the Goodyear airport in Goodyear, AZ. There are usually a couple of 747, a few 777 and 767 and a lot of smaller planes. I dream every time I go by that they are converting one of them for me a la Donald Trump/John Travolta (that is not their business but I can dream, can't I).

There is approx 800 acres of desert with one runway. Normally, there are about 20-30 planes out in the field. Now, there must be about 100. The fields next to Davis Monathan, Tucson must be full. I have never seen so many planes parked in Goodyear.