I want to fly SW
Jan 28, 2020, 11:09 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Iowa
Posts: 721
I want to fly SW
I keep thinking I'd like to fly Southwest because their website shows a lot of destinations available from DSM but when I search for availability for many of them, there are no flights available. Is the SW website not accurate regarding flight routes when using the List View of the Route Search Tool?
Jan 28, 2020, 11:57 am
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Nashville -Past DL Plat, FO, WN-CP, various hotel programs
Programs: DL-MM, AA, SW w/companion,HiltonDiamond, Hyatt PLat, IHF Plat, Miles and Points Seeker
Posts: 11,072
Not sure what you are trying to do, but if you try to book using normal booking (not list view), what do you get?
I just did a sample DSM to LAX and found this
I just did a sample DSM to LAX and found this
Jan 28, 2020, 12:01 pm
#3
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Peoria
Programs: Southwest, Best Western Gold, La Quinta, Dollar
Posts: 819
If I'm seeing correctly, there are just a few small handful of flights into and out of DSM on Southwest, mostly to St. Louis (although the poster above me found they go to Las Vegas too). Even to an enormous hub such as MDW, you have to change planes in STL. Not super handy.
I would say, try American which looks to be the dominant carrier there.
I would say, try American which looks to be the dominant carrier there.
Jan 28, 2020, 12:37 pm
#5
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: St. Louis, MO
Posts: 1,411
Southwest flies non-stop from DSM to DEN, LAS, PHX, and STL. You can find this information for any city by going to this page: https://www.southwest.com/flight/routemap_dyn.html, clicking on "list view," and checking your departure city.
Edited to add: Looks like PAX62 beat me to the list of non-stop cities.
Edited to add: Looks like PAX62 beat me to the list of non-stop cities.
Jan 28, 2020, 3:35 pm
#6
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OP talked about LOTS of destination... which there are.
Not sure where they want to go, but like from many cities, you have to connect somewhere.
Not sure where they want to go, but like from many cities, you have to connect somewhere.
Jan 28, 2020, 9:10 pm
#8
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Location: Nashville -Past DL Plat, FO, WN-CP, various hotel programs
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Harlngen is a very, very small airport. And DSM is not exactly a hub.
Sorry.
Jan 29, 2020, 6:19 am
#9
Join Date: Oct 2001
Programs: LTP, PP
Posts: 8,698
You CAN do it, you'll need to build your own routing and potentially stay overnight somewhere. First step is to determine the city (cities) they fly to/from BZE, then position yourself there. Whether it makes logistical or financial sense is up to you. For many of us flush with points or a CP, it can skew the equation.
Jan 29, 2020, 6:19 am
#10
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Peoria
Programs: Southwest, Best Western Gold, La Quinta, Dollar
Posts: 819
Southwest's website doesn't work well (if at all) with overnight stays en-route. But sometimes you have to do it the old fashioned way: Do it yourself.
Book DSM-STL on Flight 546, Depart DSM 4:30PM, arrive STL 5:10PM. Sleep in the terminal or at nearby hotel.
Next day, on a separate reservation, fly STL-BZE on flight 4783, changing to 629 at FLL. Depart STL 5:10AM, arrive BZE 12:25PM.
This is based on a few random dates I picked in February.
When you have only a VERY few flights a day out of DSM, you are limited by whatever connections are still available at those few airports you can fly to.
Have you considered flying American?
Book DSM-STL on Flight 546, Depart DSM 4:30PM, arrive STL 5:10PM. Sleep in the terminal or at nearby hotel.
Next day, on a separate reservation, fly STL-BZE on flight 4783, changing to 629 at FLL. Depart STL 5:10AM, arrive BZE 12:25PM.
This is based on a few random dates I picked in February.
When you have only a VERY few flights a day out of DSM, you are limited by whatever connections are still available at those few airports you can fly to.
Have you considered flying American?
Jan 29, 2020, 6:38 am
#12
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Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 23,021
It doesn't work at all because Southwest doesn't allow for overnight connections (or anything over 4 hours) on one fare. That is why you need to book as separate reservations (or use multi-city). The legacy carriers allow for connections up to 24 hours on international itins which permits more flexibility with connections to destinations which get only one flight per day. There are also often cases where there are valid connections, but Southwest won't price it out or doesn't have any published fares on the route.
Last edited by xliioper; Jan 29, 2020 at 6:48 am
Jan 29, 2020, 6:45 am
#13
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Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 23,021
Yes. They both start March 7th. PHX is Saturday only and only lasts through April 11th. DEN is once daily and continues through end of schedule.
Jan 29, 2020, 7:01 am
#14
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Peoria
Programs: Southwest, Best Western Gold, La Quinta, Dollar
Posts: 819
Jan 29, 2020, 9:00 am
#15
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Southwest's website doesn't work well (if at all) with overnight stays en-route. But sometimes you have to do it the old fashioned way: Do it yourself.
Book DSM-STL on Flight 546, Depart DSM 4:30PM, arrive STL 5:10PM. Sleep in the terminal or at nearby hotel.
Next day, on a separate reservation, fly STL-BZE on flight 4783, changing to 629 at FLL. Depart STL 5:10AM, arrive BZE 12:25PM.
This is based on a few random dates I picked in February.
When you have only a VERY few flights a day out of DSM, you are limited by whatever connections are still available at those few airports you can fly to.
Have you considered flying American?
Book DSM-STL on Flight 546, Depart DSM 4:30PM, arrive STL 5:10PM. Sleep in the terminal or at nearby hotel.
Next day, on a separate reservation, fly STL-BZE on flight 4783, changing to 629 at FLL. Depart STL 5:10AM, arrive BZE 12:25PM.
This is based on a few random dates I picked in February.
When you have only a VERY few flights a day out of DSM, you are limited by whatever connections are still available at those few airports you can fly to.
Have you considered flying American?