When will Southwest relent on insane summer fares? (Answer: June 3, 2016)
#32
#34
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 5,813
Get used to it!
For the last few years there has been a "Summer No Low Fare Zone". As long as they are able to fill planes under the "halo" of infrequent flyers perception of low fares that will not change. The most likely challenger to unseat Southwest is Frontier. Their in flight product is not significantly inferior to Southwest's.
I abandoned Southwest for Frontier in the latter half of 2015. I saved a few thousand dollars and was anticipating becoming a loyal Frontier customer. Unfortunately Frontier's achellilles heal is their tendancy to premptorilty cancel new routes before they have a chance to mature.
For the last few years there has been a "Summer No Low Fare Zone". As long as they are able to fill planes under the "halo" of infrequent flyers perception of low fares that will not change. The most likely challenger to unseat Southwest is Frontier. Their in flight product is not significantly inferior to Southwest's.
I abandoned Southwest for Frontier in the latter half of 2015. I saved a few thousand dollars and was anticipating becoming a loyal Frontier customer. Unfortunately Frontier's achellilles heal is their tendancy to premptorilty cancel new routes before they have a chance to mature.
#35
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: MSP
Programs: AA Plat Pto, IHG Plat, HH Gold, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,536
Of my next 6 one way legs, Southwest got 3 of them. One was only due to introductory pricing on MSP-BWI. In one instance the competition got my money solely due to poor SWA schedule and the others were price driven.
Once the ticket is booked elsewhere that money is not coming back to Southwest. ~$600 lost on those three legs and three legs not crediting toward A List. My goal was to fly Southwest first this year and get A List, that more unrealistic with each OAL booking. I am likely to just book on price and schedule for end of year travel.
The winter fares were amazing but I'll take a happy year round compromise between $41 for 900 miles and $300 for 600 miles.
Once the ticket is booked elsewhere that money is not coming back to Southwest. ~$600 lost on those three legs and three legs not crediting toward A List. My goal was to fly Southwest first this year and get A List, that more unrealistic with each OAL booking. I am likely to just book on price and schedule for end of year travel.
The winter fares were amazing but I'll take a happy year round compromise between $41 for 900 miles and $300 for 600 miles.
#36
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 210
I use them out of MDW and have found that over the past 6-8 months, they are no longer consistently the cheapest option. DL offers better fairs in a lot of cases even though they only have 3 or so gates (compared to the 40+ WN gates) and route everything through ATL.
WN is no longer the low cost airline they market themselves as. At least not out of MDW.
WN is no longer the low cost airline they market themselves as. At least not out of MDW.
#40
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Danville, CA, USA;
Programs: UA 1MM, WN CP, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Gold, IC Plat
Posts: 15,651
Just received a Yapta fare alert: $68 for SFO-LAX after June 15. Does not look like WN is matching. But the current one-way at $123 is not even competitive with the legacy carriers which are all pricing at $112 one-way (and many of us don't need the free luggage).
It's very frustrating because you know that off-peak TU/WE/SA will eventually be discounted, but the airlines seem to be playing a game of chicken with the leisure travelers and betting they will pay more now for certainty rather than roll the dice.
It's very frustrating because you know that off-peak TU/WE/SA will eventually be discounted, but the airlines seem to be playing a game of chicken with the leisure travelers and betting they will pay more now for certainty rather than roll the dice.
#41
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: San Diego, Ca
Programs: AA 2MM LT PLT; AS MVP Gold75k; HHonors Diamond; IHG PLT
Posts: 3,490
One of the few remaining SAN WN monopolies is SAN-LAS, they appear to be taking full advantage of it. Anytime fare is $231 for the nonstop, there are NO WGAs available on 4 flights for the first Sunday in June (6/5), WGA fares on the 6 other nonstops range from $194 - $90 (cheapest for the 5:25 AM, which connects in OAK, turning a 1 hour flight in to a 4 hour adventure. I looked around, there are no major events in either city that weekend
#43
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 148
That's due to the absolutely huge amount of demand and competition between Chicago and MSP. AA, DL, NK, and UA are all also on the route so there is a ton of demand and supply both ways. Good for you, although prices like that for a route like that make me wish it was also available for other routes.
#44
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: SEA
Programs: HH Silver
Posts: 2,400
One of the few remaining SAN WN monopolies is SAN-LAS, they appear to be taking full advantage of it. Anytime fare is $231 for the nonstop, there are NO WGAs available on 4 flights for the first Sunday in June (6/5), WGA fares on the 6 other nonstops range from $194 - $90 (cheapest for the 5:25 AM, which connects in OAK, turning a 1 hour flight in to a 4 hour adventure. I looked around, there are no major events in either city that weekend
#45
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,832
One of the few remaining SAN WN monopolies is SAN-LAS, they appear to be taking full advantage of it. Anytime fare is $231 for the nonstop, there are NO WGAs available on 4 flights for the first Sunday in June (6/5), WGA fares on the 6 other nonstops range from $194 - $90 (cheapest for the 5:25 AM, which connects in OAK, turning a 1 hour flight in to a 4 hour adventure. I looked around, there are no major events in either city that weekend
You want an example of ridiculous fares, try AUS -> HOU/IAH. WN's Any Time fare is $218 - for a 25-minute flight. And you think that's bad? UA's fully-refundable fare from AUS to IAH is $463! Four Hundred and Sixty three dollars! And to clarify, that's one-way!