Southwest Rapid Rewards - SoutWest Almost Quadrupled there fares for the next 2 to 3 weeks

I just noticed yesterday that SouthWest has almost quadrupled there airfare for the next 2 to 3 weeks. It is been this way for 2 days now does anyone know what happened?

I checked a few routes and they all went way up. The 2 routes I was really checking was from TPA to BWI and from MCO to BWI. The TPA to BWI flight went up from $54 to now $195 one way for the next week and then only drops to $172 for the week after that. This seems crazy aspecially when other major airlines have the same flights for around $70 to $90 one way.

And its not like the flights are full because there are still plenty of tickets on each plane and nothing is sold out on most of the dates. Does anyone know what happened? or when they might go back to normal? I mean at these prices why would anyone fly southwest when you can fly for much cheaper on another airline. I could see them maybe charging a little bit more but $100 more is just crazy.

At less than 3 weeks, fares start going up and go up more and more as the date of the flight approaches. Is this what you are referring to?

At less than 3 weeks, fares start going up and go up more and more as the date of the flight approaches. Is this what you are referring to?


Sort of. I mean now if you want to purchase a ticket within like 2 weeks of flying the wana get away fare has went up 4 times the cost it was. It was $54 and that was even up to the day of departure. Normally it is $69 but now $195 that is just crazy. I hope this gets fixed soon.

Quite simply it would seem WN pulled it's ridiculously cheap MCO and TPA fares they've been running. I picked up some MCI-TPA and MCI-MCO tickets for $49 plus taxes and fees, but I certainly never expected those fares to be around indefinitely, those fares appear to be $99 to $119 now from a quick check I just made.

If you like the fares and service the other airlines offer for the prices they sell their tickets at, I'd say to book 'em while you can, summer vacation is here and despite the economy some people are still traveling.

Sort of. I mean now if you want to purchase a ticket within like 2 weeks of flying the wana get away fare has went up 4 times the cost it was. It was $54 and that was even up to the day of departure. Normally it is $69 but now $195 that is just crazy. I hope this gets fixed soon.

But have you checked the other majors within 2 weeks of flying? I would think their prices may have also gone up.

But have you checked the other majors within 2 weeks of flying? I would think their prices may have also gone up.

Yes, I have checked the other major airlines. They are between $77 and $89 that is why I don't understand the huge increase in price. I booked a ticket yesterday for going home tuesday and I will be using USair because they where only $84.

Hopefully SouthWest will check the other airlines prices and adjust there prices to be about the same. Because I don't see them selling many seats at these hight prices.

As long as you fly WN with any degree of regularity, there is no need to "check" prices.

Buy it when you first look and if the price goes down, rebook and keep 100% of the difference as a credit for up to a year.

Saves time, too.

So I'm confused, I don't see $200 as being "expensive" to fly 2+ hrs from Florida to DC...???? I buy tickets all the time and THAT even sounds like a deal... nevermind the $59 fares. I think those are "promotional" fares.

So I'm confused, I don't see $200 as being "expensive" to fly 2+ hrs from Florida to DC...???? I buy tickets all the time and THAT even sounds like a deal... nevermind the $59 fares. I think those are "promotional" fares.

BWI was my home airport for 4 years -- until recently. In '08 I flew 34 RT between BWI and various Florida airports. Only once did I pay more than $200, so I would say that current fares over $200 tend to be relatively expensive.

I don't have the hard data anymore, but from memory, I would say that I didn't have many fares UNDER $200 prior to '08, especially in '06 and the couple years before then.

So I'm confused, I don't see $200 as being "expensive" to fly 2+ hrs from Florida to DC...???? I buy tickets all the time and THAT even sounds like a deal... nevermind the $59 fares. I think those are "promotional" fares.

$200 is expensive if someone else provides the same service for less. That is no different than any other consumer shopping.

$200 is expensive if someone else provides the same service for less. That is no different than any other consumer shopping.

Yes it is expensive in comparison. However, sans WN, would US Air (or any of the others with their fare sales) ever be so low? Now they are playing catch-up for their very survival and selling price which may be too late. Besides, we'd better all get used to higher fares even in a down economy (sanity in pricing is coming back). The $200 of today could be $300 tomorrow.

Yes, there has been a significant increase in WN's Northeast-Florida airfares in the past week or so.

I have a rez and was fiddling for a "better" flight, but no chance of that now (at any price I'd be willing to pay).

Look at it this way -- it's a sign of a stronger economy. :)

And it isn't like the other airlines will be cheaper -- trust me, they were only selling $49 and $59 fares because WN was. All Florida airfares will now go up.

That said, there will be sales. I'd be shocked if we don't see $69 fares return in short order. The market is fiercely competitive.

But, remember, WN has to make money too. As much as we like low fares, I doubt that anyone is making money selling seats at $59 each way. In addition, I prefer that airlines have a little money leftover to MAINTAIN the aircraft.

There are some $69 BUF-FLL and $49 RNO-LAS fares out there right now.

I noticed that WN has been playing games with the fares since last week. Even the DING! offerings have been lousy these past few days. They're probably trying to increase their cash flow in anticipation of families planning their summer travel.

FWIW, the past 3 WN flights I've taken have only had 55-60 passengers on them.

I wouldn't be surprised if there's another big fare sale in the next week or so because the economy isn't recovering anytime soon (in spite of the Obama propaganda). You just have to be patient and snap the good deals as they come.

Even the DING! offerings have been lousy these past few days.

The Ding fares have been lousy the past few YEARS. :)

I only look anymore when I have a WN ticket booked for the next month or two at a price I think might be beatable. Otherwise, it has become useless. Nobody would ever see a fare and say "Jeez, at that price, I've got to go!"

And I thought that was the purpose of the whole thing.

The Ding fares have been lousy the past few YEARS. :)



I mostly agree, but within the last few weeks I snagged a $59 DING for each way, RT, MDW-MCO. Regular WGA fares were more like $89-109.

Yesterday there was a MDW-IAD DING for $60.

So at least from MDW it's not hopeless.

I only look anymore when I have a WN ticket booked for the next month or two at a price I think might be beatable.
The Ding fares have been lousy the past few YEARS. :)I'm wondering how you can make the assertion in #2 given the claim in #1. ;)

I booked a trip to SFO in March on a cheap DING! and a much cheaper DING! to/from LAX in May. The LAX price was shockingly cheap...and my flights had loads of 128 out and 124 back.

DING! was close to useless for a long time, but deals started to resurface quite some months ago. PHL is one city on my registration list and I haven't noticed much in the way of spectacular PHL DING!s, so it does appear to be market-dependent.

Yes it is expensive in comparison. However, sans WN, would US Air (or any of the others with their fare sales) ever be so low? Now they are playing catch-up for their very survival and selling price which may be too late. Besides, we'd better all get used to higher fares even in a down economy (sanity in pricing is coming back). The $200 of today could be $300 tomorrow.

I do agree. Before WN came to MSP, the price of MSP to MDW was roughly over $400 for a 1 hour flight.

I'm wondering how you can make the assertion in #2 given the claim in #1. ;)

I booked a trip to SFO in March on a cheap DING! and a much cheaper DING! to/from LAX in May. The LAX price was shockingly cheap...and my flights had loads of 128 out and 124 back.

DING! was close to useless for a long time, but deals started to resurface quite some months ago. PHL is one city on my registration list and I haven't noticed much in the way of spectacular PHL DING!s, so it does appear to be market-dependent.

A previous poster found a $59 MDW-Florida DING, and that would be at least worth clicking for. Lately, though, Florida fares have been MORE EXPENSIVE on Ding than their published fares. Of course, now that WN is publishing more expensive Florida fares, Ding MIGHT have more potential.

Otherwise, I still think it's pretty much a tool to reprice close-in trips. If you're willing to do WN transcon, I have seen some $99 dings which would beat most (but not all) published fares. Of course, you might already have ticketed a comparable fare on another airline, so the fact that WN offers it a month before departure won't help you.

I see SouthWest finally got smart and lowered there florida fares again. They are now $99 which make them more compariable to the other airlines.

I see SouthWest finally got smart and lowered there florida fares again. They are now $99 which make them more compariable to the other airlines.

I don't think WN "got smart and lowered there[sic] fares again." I think you're seeing their fare sale expire on a Thursday and their new fare sale show up on a Tuesday.

I see SouthWest finally got smart and lowered there florida fares again. They are now $99 which make them more compariable to the other airlines.

I don't think WN "got smart and lowered there[sic] fares again." I think you're seeing their fare sale expire on a Friday night and their new fare sale show up on a Tuesday.

FWIW, I was able to rebook a $49 SAN-SFO to $38. With the whopping $10 I saved, I can get a whole 10 minutes of parking next to my hotel in downtown. :D

FWIW, I was able to rebook a $49 SAN-SFO to $38. With the whopping $10 I saved, I can get a whole 10 minutes of parking next to my hotel in downtown. :D

A 20% reduction in price, not bad.