When will Southwest relent on insane summer fares? (Answer: June 3, 2016)
Mar 22, 2017, 3:18 pm
#196
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: YXY
Posts: 3,506
This morning, most flights were in the 300s and 500s, with few exceptions. Right now it is looking better.
Mar 22, 2017, 9:24 pm
#197
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Danville, CA, USA;
Programs: UA 1MM, WN CP, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Gold, IC Plat
Posts: 15,722
What dates do we expect for the 2017 summer anniversary sale? I need to book some travel for October, and fares are dropping on other airlines.
Mar 22, 2017, 9:44 pm
#198
Moderator: Southwest Airlines, Capital One
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: California
Programs: WN Companion Pass, A-list preferred, Hyatt Globalist; United Club Lietime (sic) Member
Posts: 21,624
Mar 25, 2017, 1:18 am
#199
Moderator, Southwest Airlines and Choice Privileges
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Central Texas
Posts: 3,039
Graduation season is a terrible time to be booking this close in. That said, with enough research or luck you might score big. Mrs. ftnoob and I lucked out big when we stumbled onto a flight to OAK that was about 1/3 full because it happened to be one week after UC-Berkeley graduation. We heard the same flight one week prior had been busting at the seams. SWA's revenue management department is generally pretty brilliant, but might mistakenly keep fares for dates / situations like that very high until pretty close-in.
Mar 25, 2017, 10:01 am
#200
Moderator: Southwest Airlines, Capital One
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: California
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Posts: 21,624
I just booked the whole summer at $59 each way intra-CA, lower than the last two years. I believe Southwest learned its lesson last year. Those summer flights were as empty as January flights. This year they will be packed.
Apr 17, 2017, 8:32 pm
#201
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: SFO
Posts: 1,754
I am seeing $113 as the new $59. Trying to get to Burbank on 5-29 and to San Diego on 6-9. Nothing cheaper than $113.
From SFO or OAK.
Edit....
And this morning my flight is $77. I am buying.
From SFO or OAK.
Edit....
And this morning my flight is $77. I am buying.
Last edited by returnoftheyeti; Apr 18, 2017 at 9:36 am
May 15, 2017, 10:27 am
#202
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Danville, CA, USA;
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Interesting how WN is now gouging customers at secondary airports that it dominates. Pricing a 7-day advance OAK-LAX = $114 vs. OAK-BUR =$175. Of course there is heavy competition from Bay Area to LAX. I think our only hope for price relief is for AS/VX to continue its expansion in California markets.
Jun 14, 2017, 8:44 pm
#204
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: stl
Programs: AA LT Plat/8.1mm now with 1350 miles left in my account and proud of it.. SPG LT Titanium.
Posts: 3,082
Just booked a ticket (Lga to Stl) for a Saturday in mid August and was able to buy Delta first class non stop cheaper than flights on WN. Doesn't make much sense.
Jun 15, 2017, 7:48 am
#205
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Mid-MO
Programs: Hilton Honors, Southwest Rapid Rewards
Posts: 66
It is hit and miss. I booked STL to MCO round trip a few days after July 4 yesterday. Two pax round trip under $500 non-stop. Only thing less was Allegiantair. Not going there - the conference is close to MCO and means I don't need a car.
Jun 19, 2017, 2:04 pm
#206
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Long Island
Programs: Southwest Airlines, Marriot
Posts: 235
Jun 20, 2017, 11:47 am
#207
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Lone Tree, CO
Programs: United Mileage Plus, BA Executive Club, Hyatt Gold Passport
Posts: 744
Two weeks ago, I paid $279 per person on WN for four pax going DEN-LGB (wanted DEN-SNA but couldn't get it cheap) and SAN-DEN the week leading up to July 4th with connections both ways. I've since been able to get the fare down to $150 per person going DEN-SNA and SAN-DEN, nonstop both ways.
Jul 13, 2017, 9:29 am
#208
Moderator: Southwest Airlines, Capital One
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: California
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Posts: 21,624
Here it is mid-July and there are 51 passengers on my commute hour 143-seater. It's great for napping. Normal pre-summer loads on these flights were 85 to 95%.
I'm surprised that so very many people booked away from Southwest before June 3, but they apparently did. If Southwest's revenue managers don't deduce from this experence that the proper summer premium is closer to 20% than 100% then they are slow learners.
I'm surprised that so very many people booked away from Southwest before June 3, but they apparently did. If Southwest's revenue managers don't deduce from this experence that the proper summer premium is closer to 20% than 100% then they are slow learners.
My flights have been packed the summer, essentially sold out. I figure Southwest could have charged $69 and made more money. The $59 looks like a slight overreaction to last summer's empty flights. But I'll take it!
Jul 13, 2017, 10:46 am
#209
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Blue Ridge, GA
Posts: 5,512
I don't find summer-summer comparisons that compelling. Long-range planning metrics tell the story.
There are glaring caveats. Domestic ULCCs are expanding fast. Frontier, Spirit and Allegiant are increasingly getting frisky in high-density markets.
Brand-loyalty to the airline, not the fare, already may be waning.
Brand-loyalty to the airline, not the fare, already may be waning.
Jul 13, 2017, 11:52 am
#210
Moderator: Southwest Airlines, Capital One
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Location: California
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