Southwest ending Senior Fares
Oct 10, 2019, 10:13 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 6,286
Southwest ending Senior Fares
Looks like Senior Fares are going away.
I can't imagine they sold many. Simplification? Still, not the best optics.
Senior Travel
Notice: As of December 11, 2019, Senior fares are no longer available for purchase. Our Customers mean everything to us. We’re committed to providing friendly, reliable service and low fares with heart. You’ll still get all that with our other fare features.I can't imagine they sold many. Simplification? Still, not the best optics.
Oct 11, 2019, 10:52 am
#4
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Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: MCI
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I sometimes book flights for my mother (age 70) and honestly never thought about the senior fares or even where to look for them.
Oct 11, 2019, 2:27 pm
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 6,286
By definition Senior Fares were a discount off of the Anytime fare. When I occasionally checked for relatives, that discount was usually quite small, 5% or so. They did vary widely, in an indiscernible way, and used to offer a greater general discount years ago compared with more recently.
Oct 11, 2019, 4:55 pm
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 6,286
Did the senior fare vary widely (with respect to the lowest "regular" WGA fare)? I was always under the impression that it was a few bucks off a walk-up fare.
I sometimes book flights for my mother (age 70) and honestly never thought about the senior fares or even where to look for them.
I sometimes book flights for my mother (age 70) and honestly never thought about the senior fares or even where to look for them.
Oct 12, 2019, 10:32 am
#12
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Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: MCI
Programs: AA Gold 1MM, AS MVP, UA Silver, WN A-List, Marriott LT Titanium, HH Diamond
Posts: 52,574
Thanks for the explanation. I messed around with it for a bit, ex-MCI to the only two places my mother would ever have to go in an absolute emergency situation (family in Chicago and Minnesota). Chicago is the basic 5%. But MSP is a more-generous 20-ish%
We thankfully have never needed to buy these fares, but I can see where the people who have (and who have used the higher discounts) will miss them.
We thankfully have never needed to buy these fares, but I can see where the people who have (and who have used the higher discounts) will miss them.
Oct 13, 2019, 5:40 pm
#15
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 6,286
I suspect that Children and Infant fares haven't also been eliminated because they are often used operationally, as a "discount" offered when a parent shows up with an unverifiable lap child and is forced to purchase them a seat.