ftnoob

SWA intends to extend their schedule horizon on Thursday, November 2, 2017, pushing the end of booking window out from June 5, 2018 to August 6, 2018.

In other news, the airline is stepping up its aggressive defense (against Alaska Airlines) of its California turf. The formerly targeted CP after one use offer has been opened up to all qualified CA residents. See https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/sout...visa-card.html

Furthermore, a new RR points sweepstakes for CA residents was rolled out on November 1. As noted in the thread (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/sout...promotion.html), a much smaller sweepstakes is open to those living elsewhere.

A test of allowing Companion Pass Holders and designated Companions to board together has begun, as reported in the thread Southwest testing CP’s boarding together. Could wider implementation follow?

Need an idea for starting a new thread of your own? Take a look at this loyalty program status matching offer from National Emerald Club Status and alert your fellow FTers about it!

nsx

Southwest continues to battle Alaska Airlines in California with a second $29 flash sale. Travel T or W 2/27/18 – 5/23/2018 for $29 or approximately 1000 points. Points price drops to 750-ish for very late departures in LAX-OAK and possibly other markets. Your $29 cash fare will earn you a whopping 83 points plus the all-important segment credit.

This deal is as good as it gets. Sale ends Wednesday night. Join the discussion at $29 2-day California Sale


Separately from the $29 sale you should check your favorite city pairs for low points redemption prices on flights departing after 10 PM. In the LAX-OAK market those late flights are pricing at 55 points per dollar of base fare. This is a new best redemption rate in history for Rapid Rewards points.

Caveat: If you buy a late night flight but use your A-list status to standby for an earlier flight, expect your ticket to be re-fared at the normal 72 points per dollar, erasing your time of day savings. This is an eminently fair policy, assuming that it's policy and not just a software limitation.

Join the discussion at Point Breaks come to Rapid Rewards? Was 60, now 55 points per dollar!


Californians have all the luck. A few Californians who applied for the Rapid Rewards Visa with 60k bonus points around November 1, 2017 received an unexpected gift: A Companion Pass good through 2018. Apparently the database sweep for Companion Pass credit card applicants flagged these accounts in addition to the accounts of people who applied for the 40k plus Companion Pass offer. If you live in California and you applied close to the end of the expiration of the 60k offer last year, check your Southwest account for a surprise package! See https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/sout...l#post29317618


The next schedule extension is now expected on Feb 15, 2018 for travel through Oct 1, 2018.

nsx

Two weeks ago alert FlyerTalk member shtimseht discovered that Southwest's website was giving a full 12 months of life to new reservations booked using old ticketless funds. Nothing like this has happened before. I for one am surprised that Southwest has not either repaired this apparent software bug or announced a new relaxed policy on funds expiration.

It's a difficult judgment call whether or not to announce a hot deal to the world. Co-moderator ftnoob and I have discussed this decision and we agree. Regular readers of the Southwest forum have had a full two weeks to refresh their old funds. Once all your funds are refreshed there's minimal further benefit to be had. I would be willing to bet that Southwest is already aware of this situation and working on repairing it. So it's time to let others share the benefit for as long as it lasts, which I don't expect to be more than a day or two after this newsflash.

Here's the method. Do not use Change Reservation. Cancel your old trip if that's the source of your funds. Start creating a new reservation. Apply your old funds. Check your email confirmation for the new reservation. Its expiration date will be either the date of your oldest fund (the way it has always been) or March 29, 2019, a year from today.

Up to 3 old funds can be used, or 2 old funds plus credit card for the rest of the purchase price. If you cancel the new reservation immediately (actually, any time within exactly 24 hours) you can request a refund of the credit card portion. In this way you can combine pairs of small funds, then combine those, two at a time, and so on until you have one large ticketless fund.

I wish Southwest would retain this feature. Ticketless funds lock the customer into flying Southwest at some point in the future, while expiration of funds.alienates customers. Give the customer an easy way to extend funds and you will keep that customer for years and years.

nsx

View From The Wing reports today that Southwest intends to reduce redemption ratios to 78 points per dollar for Anytime and Business Select fares and to increase the current 72 to 78 ratio for all WGA fares to the same level. As of this moment, low WGA fares are still available at 72 points per dollar. The change from 72 to 78 is an 8% devaluation. Our consolation prize is that we will finally be able to redeem points for Anytime fares without sacrificing the value of our points.

If you were planning a trip using points, book it now. Immediately.

Join the discussion at https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/sout...ollar-now.html

nsx

FT member chuckworth posted that there is a non-targeted double points promotion for travel April 6 through June 13, 2018. As usual, you will need to register and then re-book any trips during this period to earn the extra credit. See https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/sout...6-13-18-a.html

Southwest has $35 fares between LAX and SFO on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays with less than a week's advance purchase and through most of August. See https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/sout...gh-august.html

FT member Critterlynn posted that Chase Bank (presumably with Southwest's concurrence) has changed its policy on signup bonuses for Rapid Rewards credit cards. Now you are not eligible for the bonus for a new personal card if you have received the bonus for any Southwest personal card, Plus or Premier, in the past 24 months. You can still get a bonus for one personal card and a business card, but these days Chase will ask you for business documentation. See No more double dip on Southwest personal credit card signup bonuses

Southwest plans to release its Thanksgiving and Christmas flights (through January 6, 2019) on May 31. Don't expect the best fares to be available then, but this might be the best opportunity to buy peak flights which will sell out at high fares.

We expect to see Southwest's anniversary sale Tuesday through Thursday approximately the second week of June. Based on past years travel dates will be in the Fall, except Fridays and Sundays and around Thanksgiving.

nsx

Southwest's anniversary sale has just begun. The details are not announced but fares have appeared August 21 - December 12 except Fridays and Sundays and except Thanksgiving week. Complete your bookings before midnight Central Time Thursday evening. See Sale is Live! was: Plan for the big anniversary sale starting tonight June 4-5

In other news:

Southwest extended the schedule on May 31, 2018 for travel through January 6, 2019.

The Spring Double Credit promotion has been extended to June 30, 2018. If you were booked a trip before April 6 for travel between June 14 and June 30 and the fares have not increased, consider canceling and rebooking your trip to capture the extra credit. See Extended!! National Double Points Promotion - 4/6/18 to 6/30/18 (was: to 6/13/18)

ftnoob

It may be more useful to view the fully formatted version of this news flash in your web browser.

SWA currently intends to extend their schedule horizon on Thursday, August 30, 2018, pushing the end of their booking window out from March 6, 2019 to April 5, 2019. By historical norms this is an unusually short booking window extension (less than a full month). As with all schedule extensions since earlier this year and until it finally happens, we all have to wonder whether Hawai'i will finally be bookable. If so, it is reasonable to speculate that:If you want a leg up on grabbing a low introductory fare to Hawai'i, a good idea would be to bookmark one or more low fare calendar searches from your likely origin city/cities to your preferred Hawai'i destination(s). Here is an example for a flight from SJC to HNL in March, 2019:
(Because SJC-HNL fares are not yet loaded, the URL above will currently redirect to a calendar search input page; it won't return any fare results.)

Copy the URL above and modify it to suit the time frame of your choice, and your origin and destination cities, then bookmark it for use when the schedule extension happens (and frequently thereafter if Hawai'i bookings do not become available this week).

In other news:

nsx

Southwest has major 3-day sales twice a year, in June and October. See the discussion at $49 and up winter sale

• Purchase from October 2 through October 4, 2018, 11:59 p.m. in the respective time zone of the originating city.
• Domestic travel valid November 28 through December 19, 2018, and January 3 through February 13, 2019.
• Travel to/from San Juan, Puerto Rico valid November 28 through December 6, 2018, and January 4 through February 28, 2018.
• International travel valid November 28 through December 12, 2018, and January 8 through March 6, 2019.
• Domestic travel is not valid on Fridays and Sundays.
• Travel to Florida and Nevada and from Florida to Nevada is valid only on Sundays through Wednesdays.
• Travel from Florida and Nevada and from Nevada to Florida is valid only on Tuesdays through Fridays.
• Travel to/from San Juan, Puerto Rico is valid Monday - Thursday.
• International travel is valid only on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
• Fares not available to/from Orange County, CA (SNA) .

Tip: If you would prefer your Tier Qualification Points to post in 2019, book a round trip with the return flight in 2019. When you cancel or fly that return flight your points will post.

In other news:

1. On June 29, 2018 the schedule was extended through March 6, 2019. On August 30, 2018 the schedule was extended through April 7, 2019. Neither of these extensions included service to Hawaii. The next extension is expected November 15, 2018 for travel through August 5, 2019.

2. Rules for Emotional Support Animals were tightened as of September 17, 2018. See the discussion at Changes to emotional support animal policies effective 9/17/18

3. Southwest now offers FREE messaging on WiFi if you use WhatsApp or iMessage. See the discussion at Free messaging coming in October

nsx

Southwest is offering a fast track to a 2019-only Companion Pass with one credit card. You have to spend $4000 in 3 months and you get 30k points. This time you do not have to be a California resident. See the discussion at New 2019 Visa Offer: Quick Companion Pass + 30k points, NOT limited to California

Targeted credit card spending bonuses (15% more points than usual) are appearing. Check your promotions under My Southwest. See the discussion at 15% bonus points promotion

Southwest's beloved founder Herb Kelleher has died: Herb Kelleher has died, RIP

Southwest's plans to serve Hawaii are being delayed by the partial government shutdown: Southwest Airlines Hawaii plans delayed by government shutdown

On November 15, 2018 the schedule was extended through August 5, 2019. The next extension is expected February 7, 2019 for travel through September 2, 2019.

The FlyerTalk Wiki page for Southwest has been updated for several recent changes, including simplified funds re-use. If you see that further corrections are needed, please make them. It's your Wiki too!

nsx

About 15 minutes ago Southwest began selling tickets to Hawaii! Visit the Southwest forum for the latest discussion and celebration: Hawaii ticket sales start: $49 OAK, $29 interisland

In other news, on February 7, 2019 the schedule opened for travel through October 1, 2019. The next extension is expected March 13, 2019 for travel through November 2, 2019.

ftnoob

If you have any upcoming flights you would like to change for any reason, but have been dissuaded from doing so by the usually required fare upcharge, be advised there is a short-term system-wide waiver of the fare upcharge. The waiver could be extended, so please visit https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/sout...ystemwide.html regardless of your particular circumstances.

nsx

In case you missed it, Southwest extended the no-upcharge systemwide Change Reservation window from March 18 to March 31. If you booked a flight for March you can move it up to 14 days in either direction for free. You can even change to a co-terminal city (e.g. BWI to DCA, BUR to LAX). This opportunity is unprecedented, as is the grounding of 5% of Southwest's fleet. You can move your low-fare trips to the high-fare dates and times you prefer. 'Tis an ill wind that blows no man to good. Discussion at MAX8 concerns trigger "no fare upcharge" changes for *everyone* systemwide thru 3/31

Flights originally scheduled to utilize MAX8 aircraft have been blocked from futher ticket sales. They show "Sold Out" only for this reason. When the MAX8 fleet returns to service those flights should reopen for sale. In the meantime we do not yet know to what extent Southwest will rearrange its assignment of aircraft to flights. Certainly some shuffling is necessary, so your non-MAX8 flight could be canceled to enable that aircraft to serve a formerly MAX8 flight.

In the midst of this chaos, Southwest extended its booking window this morning: "We are currently accepting air reservations through November 2, 2019. On May 23, 2019 we will open our schedule for sale through January 5, 2020."

nsx

Southwest's anniversary sale is due to begin this Tuesday or next Tuesday. Expect great Autumn fares late August to mid-December except Fridays and Sundays and except Thanksgiving week. Complete your bookings before midnight Central Time Thursday evening. See https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/southwest-airlines-rapid-rewards/1972554-plan-southwest-s-anniversary-sale-starting-tonight-june-3-4-a.html

In other news, Southwest extended the schedule on May 30, 2019 for travel through January 5, 2020. That extension was two hours late, around 8 AM Central Time. For the first 20 minutes of so the only way to buy a ticket was a back door:

nsx

Southwest today removed MAX8 flights from its schedule through the end of September. In order to prevent a crush of phone calls, Southwest has enabled free online changes for any flight from August 5 through September 30.

Just begin the normal Change Reservation process. You should see a banner allowing a free change within plus or minus 14 days for the same cities or co-terminal cities. So the new travel could be in late July or early October. I have even been able to re-change a flight I already changed or one I just bought. This opportunity will end without notice, perhaps today, so act quickly.

See the discussion at https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/sout...nges-july.html

nsx

Southwest has again enabled free online changes, this time for any flight in September.

Just begin the normal Change Reservation process. You should see a banner allowing a free change within plus or minus 14 days for the same cities or co-terminal cities. So the new travel could be in late July or early October. I have even been able to re-change a flight I already changed or one I just bought. This opportunity will end without notice, so act quickly.

See the discussion at https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/sout...l#post31251051