Waiting for SW - good or bad idea?

[lovenmickey]

We leave Dec 1st - and I still havent booked our flights...I am holding out for a good SW flight or Ding....is this a good or bad idea?? Of course I want the best price just like everyone else...but I am afraid that if I dont book what they have open soon that the prices will sky rocket and we wont be able to afford to go.....any suggestions???? What is the latest date that you have booked your flights with a good price??

[WDWFanatic]

We're in the same boat but we leave Nov. 10th and still haven't booked...


I just wish they would come out with the $79 ticket...I'd book in a second! Right now we can't even get the $99.

I wish you could tell how many seats they have sold so far like other airlines!

[LauraF]

The latest I've ever booked on SW was June 12th for my September trip, and trust me I was sweating bullets by waiting that long. And the price proceeded to drop $30 per ticket two weeks later, so I'd rather book a little earlier and get the credit afterwards. It's one less thing to worry about.

[vicster]

I usually book in July for September but for some reason I didn't this year. What a mistake...I checked SW 3 or 4 times a day and the rates went up and the flights I wanted were unavailable. I signed up for DING and kept watching that for weeks. I finally booked something about 2 weeks ago for $74.00 each way out of Chicago and I had to book a 6:30 a.m. flight out which means we'll be at the airport in the middle of the nite. I'll never make that mistake again. I'd book now if I were you.

[Strmchsr]

Well ,there was a big corporate announcement yesterday about SW raising fares, so don't expect a price drop any time soon. Honestly, I'd go ahead and book ASAP. If they lower the fares then get the credit, but you're risking not getting a ticket at all or paying an extremely high premium on some other airline.

[wifey5794]

I purchased my dec flights on July 4th and they have either gone up in price or the good times are no longer available. I'd rather pay a few bucks more and have a direct flight than have to stop so I am glad I bought mine when I did. I have done both - held out and it has worked some and not others.

Sorry - not much help!

[vamaggie]

I would book asap if I were you. Leaving Dec1 and returning later in Dec you are getting dangerously close to holiday travel (esp w/ colleges getting out early Dec for the the break) which mean higher fares and less availability. As another post stated if SW reduces its fare after you book you can always get a credit.

[ThanxForNoticin]

I think you need to understand the theory of the 'ding' fares. SW uses ding fares to fill flights that are light on passengers, so they usually will not go out more then a month or two with those types of fares. When the fares do come out, they will be for particular destinations on particular days at particular times.

If you have looked at SW's web site and know approximately when you are going to travel in December, check and see how many of the cheapest flights are still available. If the far right columns (cheapest fares) are full, then it is very likely there will never be a ding fare for those flights. They don't have to offer discounted seats to fill the plane. If the cheapest flights are still open, then you are probably looking at another 3-6 weeks before there might possibly be a ding fare for those flights. I agree with the above posters - get your tickets now. If there is a 'ding' price later, you can get a credit for the difference (which will have to be used on another SW flight within a year). Hope you have a great trip.

[pugslave]

We too are flying dec 1st (out of Providence) and bought our tickets the day our dates were released. We paid $99 each way, which is A LOT more than I wanted to pay, but I wanted to secure the flight times/non-stop that worked for us. You can book, and have the flight you want, and then can hope for a DING. If you get one, you will get a credit from SW to use for future flights.

[TikiGoddess]

I see you are in NH... does that mean you'd be flying out of Manchester? I booked $59 o/w Ding fares about 6-8 weeks out (booked in Aug for my Oct flight). I've seen some regular fares that low on the website... do remember to check the fares rather than just the Dings, sometimes you can get a better deal just on the website.

I would wait for a good fare -- if you're not going to be flying in the next year or so. If you will be, I would go ahead and book and then wait for a discount.

I am going to have to check out that SW annoucement about fares going up... thanks for the heads up...

TikiG

[DisneyDudet]

I'm such a control freak, that we usually book way before, just to make sure we have seats! I am terribly paranoid that the flights we want will be booked or prices will go up. Sometimes we eat our losses, and often times, we come out on top.

I would book as soon as you have the money and are able to.