Post all SW questions concerns, etc. here...

[SouthFayetteFan]

I am going to be booking flights on Thursday morning for our late March 2019 trip to WDW. I have tried to find the answer on SW website to no avail. I am looking to purchase the tix using credits from 2 different travel funds conf#s and a credit card for the diff. Is this possible? I would be booking the tickets 2x2 meaning myself and DD17 on one transaction and DH and DD20 on the other transaction (for a variety of reasons) and I book the flights one way not round trip. SO each transaction would have 2 travel funds per person and a single credit card for the remaining balance. Is this doable? Or am I limited to one travel funds per person (which would equal 2 for the transaction) plus a credit card for the balance?

TIA

I'm not sure I have enough details to answer because if the travel funds are tied to multiple passengers that adds a layer of complexity. It sounds like you have a travel fund for each person so you when you say: each transaction would have 2 travel funds per person and a single credit card that means you actually will have 5 forms of payment on the transaction (person 1: 2 travel funds; person 2: 2 travel funds & Credit Card) and that likely will not work.

I would just book each ticket on its own as a one way (one traveler at a time) and what you are trying to do will absolutely work.

 

[BlueFairy]

Can someone tell me what they think is going on with SW this morning. I have done the wake-up-early-and-book game before for other destinations. Last night I looked at late Feb/early March flight schedules and found non stop flight times that made sense. Today I'm seeing none of those flights. Almost everything has 1 stop, making a quick hop to MCO now take half the day. The prices are really high. And even those have most Wanna Get Away fares marked Sold Out. Is this normal? Does it usually change? Should I modify my planned dates AND pay more than we budgeted now and hope that things change in the next few days?

Please offer whatever insight you have. Thanks!

 

[cmarsh31]

I'm seeing a mess too. Non-stop flight times are bad, sold out WGA fares...and I can only see them on the website noy the app or mobile. Same thing happened last month too.

 

[Crazyhorse]

Not related to buying tickets but a just an odd SW story. My hubby left Midway this morning on a 6am flight. We purchase EB, he had A41. He sent me a text that he was seated in the 3rd row. I was so impressed...until he told me that they called A30-60 before loading A1-30. He said a lot of people were pissed off! Now why would they do that? He said clearly there were people waiting to board A1-30.......yet they boarded after A30-60.......odd.

 

[Grace&Carolinesmom]

I'm not sure I have enough details to answer because if the travel funds are tied to multiple passengers that adds a layer of complexity. It sounds like you have a travel fund for each person so you when you say: each transaction would have 2 travel funds per person and a single credit card that means you actually will have 5 forms of payment on the transaction (person 1: 2 travel funds; person 2: 2 travel funds & Credit Card) and that likely will not work.

I would just book each ticket on its own as a one way (one traveler at a time) and what you are trying to do will absolutely work.

Well, as it turned out, it worked. I think because the travel funds for each of the two passengers I was booking at a time had the same Conf#. For example, when I went to forms of payment, I clicked on travel funds, put my DH's name and conf# and it populated the travel funds for both him and DD20. I added another conf# to the same purchase and a credit card so it worked perfect. I did the same for me and DD17. I think it would have been an issue had the two passengers been under different conf#s.

 

[TheyCallMeStacey]

I was actually hoping that by some miracle there would be May dates in today's schedule opening. Alas - no dice - so I thought i would see what the availability was like a month out from our trip. What I saw for available flights out of our home airport was laughable....2 flights. REALLY? Hoping that there's just some weirdness that will clear out - or that when our dates do come there's much more availability.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

I was actually hoping that by some miracle there would be May dates in today's schedule opening. Alas - no dice - so I thought i would see what the availability was like a month out from our trip. What I saw for available flights out of our home airport was laughable....2 flights. REALLY? Hoping that there's just some weirdness that will clear out - or that when our dates do come there's much more availability.

Just so you are aware, Southwest will (tentatively) open up their schedule for flights through June 8, 2019 on Sept 27th (that date is subject to change).

 

[TheyCallMeStacey]

Just so you are aware, Southwest will (tentatively) open up their schedule for flights through June 8, 2019 on Sept 27th (that date is subject to change).

I have that date in my calendar with loads of reminders!

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Historical Southwest Release Dates (for planning purposes)

• 5/18/17 - travel through January 7th, 2018
• 6/22/17 - travel through March 7th, 2018
• 7/27/17 - travel through April 6th, 2018
• 8/28/17 - travel through June 1st, 2018
• 11/2/17 - travel through August 6th, 2018
• 2/15/18 - travel through October 1st, 2018
• 3/8/18 - travel through November 3rd, 2018
• 5/31/18 - travel through January 6th, 2019
• 6/28/18 - travel through March 6th, 2019
  
• 8/30/18 - travel through April 7th, 2019
• NEXT RELEASE: 9/27/18 - travel through June 8th, 2019

This could be useful to approximate when your travel time may become available for upcoming releases, however they don't always follow the same pattern (as you can see above).

 

[captaindavidhook]

I just got off the phone with Southwest Airlines. The flights I wanted to depart on April 4th and 5th I always you take the earlier flight everything was already sold out the first light to 6:30 a.m. flight. To me that's a complete joke I was not informed or under the impression that everything would be sold out. Very frustrating dealing with these people. And the only reason I'm going to fly with them again is cuz I have $200 vouchers otherwise I look for other airlines. They do have a 8:45 flight on the day I want to leave but it's for 164 which I think is a total joke and the last time I took a flight at that time was last year before my race and it was delayed 6 hours! So frustrated now.

 

[cmarsh31]

FYI, same thing happened this morning as last release. I was able to book flights on on the website almost an hour before the app or mobile site. By the time the app loaded, a bunch if WGA fares were already sold out, including one I got on the website.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

I just got off the phone with Southwest Airlines. The flights I wanted to depart on April 4th and 5th I always you take the earlier flight everything was already sold out the first light to 6:30 a.m. flight. To me that's a complete joke I was not informed or under the impression that everything would be sold out. Very frustrating dealing with these people. And the only reason I'm going to fly with them again is cuz I have $200 vouchers otherwise I look for other airlines. They do have a 8:45 flight on the day I want to leave but it's for 164 which I think is a total joke and the last time I took a flight at that time was last year before my race and it was delayed 6 hours! So frustrated now.

FYI, same thing happened this morning as last release. I was able to book flights on on the website almost an hour before the app or mobile site. By the time the app loaded, a bunch if WGA fares were already sold out, including one I got on the website.

In many instances, if WGA fares are not showing available the morning of a release, that may be because Southwest feels those particular flights are in demand and they don't need to offer that fare bucket to entice travelers. Tickets with SW are a VERY dynamic thing, you could check back in a few weeks and you may see WGA fares now available for flights previously showing "sold out". The "Sold Out" term may better be understood as "currently unavailable" - now this is also NO guarantee that WGA fares will ever be available for those flights.

Fortunately SW has a very generous change and cancellation policy but that can still be a stressful game to play.

I don't want to trivialize anybody's complaint over flights costs, etc. but it's important to realize that the demand for air travel continues to grow in the US. What once may have been viewed as a luxury is now commonplace for many travelers. I feel that I personally am one such example, I took 3 total roundtrip flights before I turned 18. My 8 year old has taken 17 round trip flights. (Perhaps I am an extreme example , LOL!)

I think that as this demand has increased, Airlines have taken notice and realize that higher demand can support higher prices. They are not having an issue selling out these and Southwest has generated a loyal following. It is rare to fly with Southwest on a plane with many (if any) empty seats. Additionally, many of the busiest airports in the US are operating at or beyond the intended capacity. In some situations, they can't just add more planes and flights to support this increased demand, which again can help support higher prices. Of course the airlines are also analyzing their schedules and flights to make sure they are maximizing their revenue and income as well.

I know that doesn't make people feel any better (nor should it) but if air travel is an important piece of somebody's vacation plans, they need to expect to budget for future increases (while also hoping for great deals )

 

[cmarsh31]

In many instances, if WGA fares are not showing available the morning of a release, that may be because Southwest feels those particular flights are in demand and they don't need to offer that fare bucket to entice travelers. Tickets with SW are a VERY dynamic thing, you could check back in a few weeks and you may see WGA fares now available for flights previously showing "sold out". The "Sold Out" term may better be understood as "currently unavailable" - now this is also NO guarantee that WGA fares will ever be available for those flights.

Fortunately SW has a very generous change and cancellation policy but that can still be a stressful game to play.

I don't want to trivialize anybody's complaint over flights costs, etc. but it's important to realize that the demand for air travel continues to grow in the US. What once may have been viewed as a luxury is now commonplace for many travelers. I feel that I personally am one such example, I took 3 total roundtrip flights before I turned 18. My 8 year old has taken 17 round trip flights. (Perhaps I am an extreme example , LOL!)

I think that as this demand has increased, Airlines have taken notice and realize that higher demand can support higher prices. They are not having an issue selling out these and Southwest has generated a loyal following. It is rare to fly with Southwest on a plane with many (if any) empty seats. Additionally, many of the busiest airports in the US are operating at or beyond the intended capacity. In some situations, they can't just add more planes and flights to support this increased demand, which again can help support higher prices. Of course the airlines are also analyzing their schedules and flights to make sure they are maximizing their revenue and income as well.

I know that doesn't make people feel any better (nor should it) but if air travel is an important piece of somebody's vacation plans, they need to expect to budget for future increases (while also hoping for great deals )

I actually was able to get the WGA fares but it's very strange that for the past two releases now, SW has released flights on the website almost an hour before the APP/Mobile. So much so that the WGA fares are sold out before they're on the app.

 

[DrFacilier]

Anyone else feel that families with younger children (over 6) are getting screwed by the new pricing structure for EBCI? Personally, I am fine sitting anywhere on a plane if I am solo. However, I will not let my DD7 and DD9 sit next to strangers unaccompanied so we are forced to pay EBCI. Even if we check in early on a busy flight we may not be able sit with them unless we shell out 200 for EBCI. Not happy about the $80 I have to add for every trip from here on out.

 

[AngieInOH]

Anyone else feel that families with younger children (over 6) are getting screwed by the new pricing structure for EBCI? Personally, I am fine sitting anywhere on a plane if I am solo. However, I will not let my DD7 and DD9 sit next to strangers unaccompanied so we are forced to pay EBCI. Even if we check in early on a busy flight we may not be able sit with them unless we shell out 200 for EBCI. Not happy about the $80 I have to add for every trip from here on out.

I'm in the same boat and yes it stinks but I can't get prices even close to what SW offers even after factoring in EBCI.

 

[Shanti]

Can someone tell me what they think is going on with SW this morning. I have done the wake-up-early-and-book game before for other destinations. Last night I looked at late Feb/early March flight schedules and found non stop flight times that made sense. Today I'm seeing none of those flights. Almost everything has 1 stop, making a quick hop to MCO now take half the day. The prices are really high. And even those have most Wanna Get Away fares marked Sold Out. Is this normal? Does it usually change? Should I modify my planned dates AND pay more than we budgeted now and hope that things change in the next few days?

Please offer whatever insight you have. Thanks!

I recommend waiting and seeing if availability and pricing improve. SW prices fluctuate a lot. Also check out other airlines, especially Jet Blue. SWA is not always the best deal in town these days.

 

[Shanti]

Anyone else feel that families with younger children (over 6) are getting screwed by the new pricing structure for EBCI? Personally, I am fine sitting anywhere on a plane if I am solo. However, I will not let my DD7 and DD9 sit next to strangers unaccompanied so we are forced to pay EBCI. Even if we check in early on a busy flight we may not be able sit with them unless we shell out 200 for EBCI. Not happy about the $80 I have to add for every trip from here on out.

I'm hoping the pricing reduces the use of it, so that purchsing it will make more of a difference in the future. I'm sick of getting high A assignments most of the time, with the occasional low B, despite booking it months in advance.

 

[buzzrelly]

So I booked our fare from BDL to MCO for April 3. The fare was the nest price I've seen in April in a LONG time…$111/pp. I hesitated for about a second when I saw that they are now charging us $25 pp for EBCI. However, I ended up adding it for all of us because it still brought the fare totals to $136, which is much less than we usually pay for just the fare.

It'll be interesting to see what we get for our flights home when those open up. I think the fact that Easter is much later in 2019 and our Spring Break stays the second week in April is really helping us out!

 

[BlueFairy]

EBCI - If I buy it when I buy my tickets with points but I find a lower fare later, is the EBCI refundable? Or at least moved to the new purchase? Obviously I would lose my place in the EBCI queue.

 

[DrFacilier]

EBCI - If I buy it when I buy my tickets with points but I find a lower fare later, is the EBCI refundable? Or at least moved to the new purchase? Obviously I would lose my place in the EBCI queue.

I did this yesterday to recoup some points. I was told that if you change flights instead of cancelling and rebooking you should have the same confirmation number and will not lose EBCI. I recommend doing it over the phone just to make sure.