Risks when using a non-published route
 

Traveling PLS-MCI in July. Southwest publishes routes on Saturdays and Sundays with at least a 2:10 layover. I will travel on Thursday. If I book PLS-FLL and separately book FLL-HOU-MCI with a layover longer than 2:10 in FLL, am I at risk for anything besides a missed connection that would be my fault, or bags not checked all the way through? Anything else I'm not considering?

It think you've correctly identified the risk of separate bookings. As far as the check in agent at PLS is concerned your final destination is FLL. Unlikely you would get bags checked to MCI, and besides you will have to claim your checked baggage at FLL for US Customs inspection.

You can book this using Multi-City on one PNR, looks like 2+45 at FLL. That would protect your onward connections.

Thank you! Didn't know about multi-city existed, and I'll definitely do that.

Tried to book this route multi-city and receied a message "We are unable to price the flight you selected." All flights are on the same day. Any ideas?

Welcome to Southwest IT where they calculate schedules and fares for most city pairs, plop it in a database and just leave it there, instead of scheduling and pricing on the fly.

Try calling them. Worst case scenario is they give you the same answer "sorry, can't be done".

No luck there either. Rep said all itineraries like mine have to be booked as multiple one-way records. When I asked how multi-city search could be ticketed, she wasn't able to answer.

I've done published and make your own multi US cities before with ease, perhaps its the international angle that is ,messing this up?

Using July 9 as an example, I was able to get to the purchase page. Were you able to get this far?

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...687ca08533.png

Yes I am able to get to the purchase page. It's when I click on Purchase that I get the error message "We are unable to price the flight you selected"

Looks like it's back to two bookings. :( As joshua362 noted, it probably is the international leg that is gumming things up. I also wouldn't be surprised if it is a holdover from the merger that the first segment was a legacy FL flight, while the next segment was legacy WN, and Amadeus still can't process that.

The silver lining is that you are another flight credit closer to A List.

Yep - you get another segment.

No matter if a through flight or two separate flights, when you return to the states you will have to collect your bags for customs. So, no big deal there at all.

Likely not the case as PLS was never served by FL, it was started by WN in 2018 (a year after the Amadeus transition).

Then I am surprised! ;)