nsx

Other than promo codes usable for RT only I've never seen it on Southwest. I doubt the website even has the capability to charge differently for RT.

toomanybooks

Just thought of another one. If you book a new flight B using only part of the TTFs from a cancelled fare A, as I understand it WN does not credit you for points earned from B until you use up the rest of the TTFs associated with that A PNR.

Booking one-ways would mean you have 2 TTFs of ~half the amount each, so that you can use up the first half faster and get the points sooner.

Of course, booking as a round-trip means you'd use the TTFs up later, and maybe you can thereby shift points from one year to another for CP-management purposes.

Has anyone actually done the latter?

saneman

I wouldn't think in the case of AirTran or WN.

But I came across a shocking display of RT being much cheaper on DL which I assumed did away with RT specific pricing. Since FL no longer flies ATL-DFW, I was checking the WN fare to DAL. It was 150 -200 each way even with advance notice and they were all one stop flights, something I have no desire to do. So I looked at Delta and was shocked to see $500 one way fares!!!! So I complained on the Delta board and one poster helpfully directed me to the RT fares on the ATL-DFW segment for non stops. And the RT fare for the same combination of one ways cost only $210!!!!!!!!!! Cheaper than 2 WN one ways and MUCH MUCH cheaper for the same exact itinerary comprised of two one ways on the very same DL. Funny thing is DL has started to price some international one ways on a more prorated basis finally. THen I see this bit of idiotic outdated pricing.

lougord99

I don't believe that is true. I know there are situations where they will not credit you until you 'use it up' but I don't think this situation is one of those.

toomanybooks

Sorry. I tried to do a search but could not come up with good keywords.

So can someone tell me under what various circumstances you have to "use it up" to get your points?

pinniped

Here's one for the wayback machine: you couldn't refare one-half of an R/T to a Ding fare. @:-)

If you were one who used to watch for Ding fares, you were best off booking each passenger and each segment separately. Four of us flying MCI-DAL-MCI = 8 PNR's. That way, if my flights popped on up Ding - even only a single direction and even if for only a seat or two - I could easily refare.

But I suppose that reason is moot these days...does Ding even exist anymore?

FindAWay

For international bookings, check the Transportation Tax and see my description in this thread: International - Book Round-Trip Instead of One-Ways to Save Int'l Transportation Tax

InkUnderNails

Big bump, but new info.

This is a narrow application, but there may be wider implications.

I researched BNA-OAK-BNA as RT (easier for pricing and picking dates) but forgot to go back and book one ways. When I realized it, my regular and XS had already been linked. So, too much trouble to fix I'll just do the RT. What could go wrong?

I booked with points. I booked the XS with points. On the return, I could not check in because the system had mishandled the refund for the XS which I had not yet requested. It took an hour on the phone with Dallas to get me on the plane. The agent re-booked me on an ITA and assured me that she had taken care of the points refund for the XS. Nope. Not there. Now I have to get on the phone with CS and get my 33K+points back.

Yes, (almost) always book one way. I learned my lesson. Good thing I was early.

AFAM-DFW

Not dumb. I do it too.

If I have a RT ticket, I highlight the flight I'm taking on the confirmation and put it in both places.

Makes my life easier with fast or complicated trips.

AFAM-DFW

Yes but before the IT upgrade. I did have a fail when I booked a BS RT and flew OW last year and refunded the BS this year.

Probably safe if you actually fly the return.

pinniped

My main reason for booking one-ways was back in the era of Ding. You couldn't refare a regular R/T to a half-Ding R/T. (Dings were often one direction, not both.)

Kind of a moot point in 2016...

B747SP

With the $29 CA fare sale, I booked round trips in order to avoid the fare being sold out while I was building one ways.

elevatorgeek

Here's another reason:

https://consumerist.com/2015/03/09/s...-on-the-plane/

Had this happened with two one-ways, all he would have lost is the points from the outbound leg.

tin369

braddqq

My understanding is the only benefit of purchasing one-ways vs round-trips is you don't have to call customer service to cancel one leg of a round-trip (i.e. with one ways you can do it yourself). In terms of price changes, it doesn't matter how you book it. However, one thing to keep in mind - if Southwest changes the time of one leg - my understanding is if you had a round-trip you can change the times/dates of BOTH flights for free, whereas if you had one-way, you can only change that one-way.

I think that's about the only difference but I am sure I am missing something.