Saving $$$ with SWA

[BigRedDad]

I woke up to a $60 savings on SWA. Since I got the tip from here, I want to pass it along to others.

If you are flying with SWA, you are better off buying sets of one-way tickets. If a lower fare comes around for one of the legs, canceling and placing a new order is quick and easy. However, if you booked as a round trip, you would have to rebook both legs and the other leg may now be more expensive. There is only a slight cost difference in purchasing two one-way trips rather than a single round-trip. But, the savings can be great.

My original tickets were $140 on the way down. This morning, they were $120. I know it is not a big difference, but it was painless to save $60. Since I am flying again in November, it is now $60 less for those flights :D.

Here's how you do it (or at least how I did it):
1. Open two separate browsers (you can use a single browser with tabs or two separate computers if you have that luxury)
2. In the first browser, book the new flights with the lower fare. Get all the way to the point where it asks for payment and/or vouchers
3. In the second browser, go to Travel Tools >> Cancel Reservation
4. Follow the easy steps to cancel the reservation.
5. Go back to the 1st browser and enter the voucher/credit details.

[Ian]

That's actually really good advice. I had this happen to me in December, actually. I had r/t tickets from Philly to Orlando and got a DING! notification that cheaper rates were available.

So I went in to re-book, but it turned out that only one leg was eligible for the DING! fare. The other leg actually had gone up to the point that re-booking would have been a wash.

Had I booked one-way I could have saved like $20 on each ticket.

[scootch713]

Do they charge a cancellation fee??? or do you get full credit when you cancel? tks

[BigRedDad]

You get a full credit. There is no cancellation fee. This is another reason I choose to fly SWA.

[DizneyRox]

Actaully, unless you book a fully refundable from the start, you will get a credit towards future flights that will expire a year from the original booking date (NOT the flight date).

But yeah, I've been telling folks to book one way flights because of this reason.

[scootch713]

thanks... :)

[Sean Riley Taylor's Mom]

We have always done this with SWA!

We actually got a price difference for our flight in September which allowed me to fly in December for $19!! :party:

[adoptionislove]

I love SWA!

Thanks for the advice...I am going to try that!

[swampfox28]

Whoa! I'd heard that people often book the 2 one-way trips, but I had no idea WHY...!

I wish I'd done that - but now I'll keep an eye on it. Even though it's round trip, I suppose it's possible for it to drop (though I think I got a pretty good deal - not AWESOME - but pretty good.)

We're flying from New Orleans to MCO (2 of us) R/T for $300 total ($150 each).

I will DEFINATELY do the one-way thing now that I know WHY! I appreciate the explaniation.

-Sarah