When to book with SW for NOLA

Hi all,

We are sailing in June of 2015 from NOLA. We like nonstop or direct flights to make travelling easier. Should I book as soon as the date is available? It seems that nonstop and direct flights are extremely limited to and from NOLA and we don't want to get stuck with the 8:00 pm flight home after our cruise. Does SW add flights if these book up early? I usually book only 2 to 3 months in advance but will book earlier if necessary. thanks for your help:)

A little reading on the board will reveal the cheapest fares are typically when the fares are released.

Airlines don't just add flights. They need gates, planes, crew, etc for each flight. They don't have a lot of spare of any of those just sitting around. So, unless there is something very unusual, like the Super Bowl being held that week, the schedule you see on the first day of booking is the schedule you get.

We don't know where you are flying from, but a little research on fares may reveal SW is not the cheapest out there.

I'm flying from Phoenix and not necessarily looking for the cheapest flights, but the more convenient flights (nonstop). SW has maybe 3 nonstop and direct flights to NOLA and they seem to book fast. I did a quick search online and found very few nonstop flights but will do a more in depth search and see what I can find. Thanks for your response.

I did a quick look at other airlines out of PHX to MSY. Sure 'nough, none have non-stops. So, if you want that nonstop or 1-stop (with no change of plane), keep waiting for that WN calendar to get extended to your dates.

But, I'd keep an eye on DL prices, too; they are the least expensive on that routing right now. You may find that, if the WN pricing doesn't work for your times, they may offer a decent alternative.

slidergirl,

Thanks for checking the availability of the nonstop flights and confirming my search. But I have to ask, not being familiar with all the terms here...what is DL?

DL= Delta Airlines.

By the way, WN= Southwest.

slidergirl,

 

Thanks for checking the availability of the nonstop flights and confirming my search. But I have to ask, not being familiar with all the terms here...what is DL?

Delta Air Lines

DL= Delta Airlines.

 

By the way, WN= Southwest.

You forgot to include

SW = Air Namibia

Being an airline codes person when I first came here I wasn't sure why so many people wanted to fly Air Namibia on this forum.

ok, thanks, I didn't know the codes before.

Hi all,

Does SW add flights if these book up early? I usually book only 2 to 3 months in advance but will book earlier if necessary. thanks for your help:)

Airlines don't generally just "add flights" because demand to go to, in this case, New Orleans on a particular date, increases. To do so, not only would they need to have the aircraft, crew and gate availability as already mentioned, but they'd need an equal increase in demand to go FROM New Orleans TO some other place later that day, and then onward from there and so on and so on.

I did a quick look at other airlines out of PHX to MSY. Sure 'nough, none have non-stops.

I had to check, but you are right. I thought for sure that US Airways would have a nonstop.

With your desire for non-stop, one-stop with no change of planes, I would book as soon as the schedule opens up and don't look back. As you said, schedule and convenience trump price. So don't get locked out.

You forgot to include

 

SW = Air Namibia

 

Being an airline codes person when I first came here I wasn't sure why so many people wanted to fly Air Namibia on this forum.

That says more about you than it does about posters on this forum :D

I had to check, but you are right. I thought for sure that US Airways would have a nonstop.

What, you don't trust ITA??? ;) I was surprised about that, too. Perhaps America West did not have one and one wasn't added, post-merger. But, the Delta non-stop really did surprise me.

One that doesn't show up on ITA is Spirit Air - it does have a 1-stop between PHX and MSY. It has the change of planes in Chicago. If someone were going for the truly lowest cost, and willing to pay for all the extras (which might bring it up to other fares), look at that one.

That says more about you than it does about posters on this forum :D

#sarcasmdoesntworkwellontheinternet

I do think that if people are going to use codes for things (particularly a code-y/abbreviation/acronym industry such as the airlines) they should use the correct ones though, otherwise it just gets confusing...using HRW for London Heathrow or GWK for London Gatwick seem popular here but are just nonsensical.

#sarcasmdoesntworkwellontheinternet

 

I do think that if people are going to use codes for things (particularly a code-y/abbreviation/acronym industry such as the airlines) they should use the correct ones though, otherwise it just gets confusing...using HRW for London Heathrow or GWK for London Gatwick seem popular here but are just nonsensical.

Sorry that you thought it was sarcasm. It was not meant as sarcasm at all. Many people all over the net and even SW itself occasionally use SW as an abbreviation for Southwest Airlines. Ever heard of swabiz.com? The first two letters refer to SouthWest and the site is operated by Southwest Airlines. They also use SW in some press releases after spelling out the word Southwest. Not every member of the traveling public is as anal about stuff like this as many regulars on the Cruise Critic forum or Flyer Talk. Let's cut the posters some slack rather than beat up on them. People are often intimidated coming to this forum...and often for good reason. #checkoutpreviousposts.

Does it really get confusing when Cruise Critic posters asking about air to/from cruise destinations use SW for Southwest Airlines? Last I read, Air Namibia didn't serve any cruise ports, at least any being discussed in threads that reference SW. If I am wrong, please post a link to such a thread. I am extremely curious now about all the confusion you say it causes.

Many people all over the net and even SW itself occasionally use SW as an abbreviation for Southwest Airlines. Ever heard of swabiz.com? The first two letters refer to SouthWest and the site is operated by Southwest Airlines.

Whilst most people here are unlikely to refer to the real IATA code SW, it doesn't help us to help them if there is generally lazy use of abbreviations that are ambiguous and/or incorrect. It's not just airline codes. What if someone posts that they're flying on "7/5/15"? Which date is that?

Sorry that you thought it was sarcasm. It was not meant as sarcasm at all. Many people all over the net and even SW itself occasionally use SW as an abbreviation for Southwest Airlines. Ever heard of swabiz.com? The first two letters refer to SouthWest and the site is operated by Southwest Airlines. They also use SW in some press releases after spelling out the word Southwest. Not every member of the traveling public is as anal about stuff like this as many regulars on the Cruise Critic forum or Flyer Talk. Let's cut the posters some slack rather than beat up on them. People are often intimidated coming to this forum...and often for good reason. #checkoutpreviousposts.

 

Does it really get confusing when Cruise Critic posters asking about air to/from cruise destinations use SW for Southwest Airlines? Last I read, Air Namibia didn't serve any cruise ports, at least any being discussed in threads that reference SW. If I am wrong, please post a link to such a thread. I am extremely curious now about all the confusion you say it causes.

My hashtag was referring to my own sarcasm when I said I wondered why so many people flew Air Namibia ;)

In this case, it's not because the first two letters are SW. It's because the first three letters are SWA - and that is an official code for Southwest, as it's its ICAO code.

 

Whilst most people here are unlikely to refer to the real IATA code SW, it doesn't help us to help them if there is generally lazy use of abbreviations that are ambiguous and/or incorrect. It's not just airline codes. What if someone posts that they're flying on "7/5/15"? Which date is that?

My guess is that far more people confuse 7/5/15 than do SW. I can't think of a single post in this forum in the years I have been following it that anyone seriously thought "Air Namibia" when someone wrote SW. As I said, SW even uses that and not everyone is as savvy about travel and codes as most of us are. I contend it actually HURTS not helps when people hound on something so simple. It turns people off from seeking help or asking questions. Obviously those who don't think so are blinded by it all - I see it over and over again.