Ding! Ever for Immediate Travel?
Jul 21, 2009 | 11:44 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2009
Location: LAX
Programs: AA Gold
Posts: 398
Ding! Ever for Immediate Travel?
So far, all of the Ding! fares that I have seen have been at least three weeks in the future. Are they ever "last minutes" fares, like same week or even next day?
Jul 21, 2009 | 11:53 am
#2
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Programs: WN CP
Posts: 6,360
Yes, as recently at January:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/south...perbowl-2.html
An earlier occurrence:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/south...rrow-only.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/south...perbowl-2.html
An earlier occurrence:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/south...rrow-only.html
Jul 21, 2009 | 3:17 pm
#4
Moderator, Southwest Airlines and Choice Privileges
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Central Texas
Posts: 3,112
Hey, ain't it great to have the ol' 501 starting to feel normal again...seven posts from curbcrusher since early yesterday morning ^ (and two the day before that), after a five day absence. Welcome back to FlyerTalk, curb!
IMO, the Super Bowl-related DING! fares require an asterisk when compared to the spirit of the OP's question; they were only offered on flights that did not exist until a few days before departure, so could not have been purchased at any price weeks in advance.
The huge obstacle to short-notice DING! fares, of course, is the lack of change fees. Another smaller obstacle is the rarity of RT required fares on WN. There are some ways I can see that DING! could perhaps work around that problem, at least to some extent. The details, however, are better suited to the revenue opportunities thread; it has 'been on my list' to write them up for that thread anyway. I'll link the post later.
The technology to implement the suggestions I was going to make likely does not exist within SWA and probably will not exist for an extremely long time, if ever. Absent innovations to work around the change fee issue (or, heaven forbid, actual change fees), I just don't see near term DING! offers ever becoming more than extreme rarities.
IMO, the Super Bowl-related DING! fares require an asterisk when compared to the spirit of the OP's question; they were only offered on flights that did not exist until a few days before departure, so could not have been purchased at any price weeks in advance.
The huge obstacle to short-notice DING! fares, of course, is the lack of change fees. Another smaller obstacle is the rarity of RT required fares on WN. There are some ways I can see that DING! could perhaps work around that problem, at least to some extent. The details, however, are better suited to the revenue opportunities thread; it has 'been on my list' to write them up for that thread anyway. I'll link the post later.
The technology to implement the suggestions I was going to make likely does not exist within SWA and probably will not exist for an extremely long time, if ever. Absent innovations to work around the change fee issue (or, heaven forbid, actual change fees), I just don't see near term DING! offers ever becoming more than extreme rarities.
