What happens in an hours time at Southwest

Headed to Vegas in a couple of weeks. Decided to stay an extra day. My sister is leaving on Thursday, I was leaving on Wednesday. Checked SW rates, and it was only $10 more the flight. Great! Called The Linq to get my extra night. Comped! Great. Ran an errand. Came back, and the flight I wanted went up $50 bucks. Crap.
I still can get the cheaper flight for the later flight. But was really wanted the other because it puts us both at the airport at the same time. She is traveling from WI, me from OR. Haven't booked it yet. Was hoping that it may just go down again. Do they still go down when it is getting this close? Rather save that money for fun.

 

Booking with Southwest is always a gamble as far as the fare. I booked our Jamaica flights today and I book separately so we can both collect points. I book mine and the flight we really wanted is showing unavailable. So I book another, I go to book the GF and the fare shoots up $20 on one and $50 on another. I book anyways, what the hell. I later go back to just check and confirm and now the original flight we wanted is showing available and one we booked is now unavailable. So we switched everything again. Their system fluctuates by the minute sometimes. The best thing is you can rebook as many times as you like if the fare drops.

 

As you get closer, cost will usually go up.

The know last minute folks will pay more. Sometimes double!

 

Check and book through a private browsing window to avoid the website from collecting cookies

 

I always book in a private browsing window. I usually check it in private too.

 

Within 2 weeks, you're usually screwed on fares with SWA unless demand is horrible. I've had one exception in my dozen trips in the last 4 years. We booked SWA from STL for the cheapest ever ($220/rt) in Jun 2012 about 10 days out. Currently 10 days out in STL is a little below $800 round trip. But 4 months out is $414. And $414??? God SWA sucks for STL.

 

Try checking in an incognito browser.

When you visit a site it will save a cookie to your computer and when you go back it will read that tiny but if data from your computer and orice you accordingly.

Clearly you are interested in booking plane tickets because you have checked twice in an hour so they have you in their sights.

Outsmart them with a private or incogito session. it wont access that cookie and you will look like a new customer.

 

karens625,
So what you're saying is, they electronically track your movements. They then later with that knowledge raise the price on you. That's incredible, and one would think it would be illegal.

I've always suspected they do this, when booking my car rentals.

 

Pretty sure CET occasionally does it on hotel rates too. But her main problem is she is near the 2-week deadline for "Wanna Get Away" fares, looking at her countdown clock. Other SWA flyers probably have pushed to book before the 2-week deadline.

 

I am booked already. But coming back on the 28th. Wanted to change to the 29th. Checked and it was $119. Came back in an hour after I made sure I could comp another night, and it was $169. It was the mid day return home. I can still get the $119 fare coming back later at night. Normally that would be fine, but wanted to head to the airport with my sister. Her flight leaves around 3. And yes I was incognito.

 

I just changed our Jamaica flights again this morning to a shorter route. It got me again. $250 when I did mine and then $270 a minute later doing my GF's. Incognito as well, its so frustrating!

 

It is crazy. Anyway. Haven't decided if I am staying the extra day or not yet. Really was doing it to have that extra time with my sister. Will see.
Another question.
Have the early bird for my return. If I do change my flight, will EB go with it? I read the rules and it is a little confusing.
Thanks.

 

I've been SW A-List for years, so don't need to book Early bird with my rezzie(can't help you with that)

But, I HAVE noticied lately, the Change in airfare prices within in minutes of booking one, then another! Annoying and wrong.

This Didn't use to happen!

The way I've gotten around this New snafu........I book One of our SW Airfares.......and then Wait a few hours, to book the other.
Seems to revert to the cheaper price. (But if you wait too long, it goes up and stays up, a couple weeks before flights, or a SW sales over, etc)

Tip-- I ALWAYS Book ONE WAYS. ALWAYS. Much easier to make a change if airfare drops, or I want to cancel that flight, etc.

Lastly, a trick I've done for years......since SW Funds are good for a year........I ALWAYS Book More than One flight out,
and More than One on Return.
This gives me Flexibility in Vegas. I can come and go as I want.

Sometimes Weather is a factor.
High winds, sudden thunderstorm.......I can Cancel that flight that might be a problem,
and take another Return.....
Good luck.

 

Thanks. That is good info. I like the one way idea. Will do that next time.

 

EB will stick with it if you change flights. I think if you cancel, you don't get a credit/refund for EB.

 

Yes, EB sticks with your original booking on a flight when you make a change. Cancel a flight and you lose the EB.

 

[ But 4 months out is $414. And $414??? God SWA sucks for STL.[/QUOTE]
Amen to that. St. Louis is the reason I laugh/puke every time someone refers to SW as a low-fare airline! When they are the dominant carrier, they can apparently charge what they want. Usually cheaper for us in IL to fly another airline from one of our smaller airports and change planes in DFW or ORD than it is to drive to STL and fly SW - even if we have to pay for bags. We have free parking at our local airports so that more than covers a bag cost.

Oh for the good old days when TWA had 4 non stops a day from STL to LV

 

Southwest is killing me. Checked this morning and there was my flight I wanted out of Vegas. Yippee!! Went to sign in to change and I can't get anywhere. Thought is was my computer. Nope. Everything else is working. Can get to the main page of southwest and that is it. Finally see this message.
TRAVEL ALERT:We're currently experiencing connectivity issues with our Airport technology systems. Please arrive to the airport at least two hours prior to your scheduled flight time. We appreciate your patience as we work to resolve this issue.
Why now? That flight better be there when I finally can get back on there.

 

Yes! Finally got it. I had a feeling it pop up at that cheaper rate. Here's to one more day in Vegas.

 

I am trying to understand how this works against the consumer. Yes they know I checked the price of a flight to Vegas 3 times and it was $480, $520 and $500. They also know that I didn't buy at any of those price points. I could be waiting for it to get to a certain price before I buy, if not I won't go. Or I could be checking various times and at some point in time will bite the bullet and buy at whatever the price is by xx weeks before the trip. Or I might buy a flight on a different airline. They have no way of knowing which is true.

I don't know how they "they have you in their sights" because they know you checked prices multiple times and didn't buy. That is like saying that someone goes to buy a car, the first time the sales guy says it will be $30,000 and I say no and leave, I go back and he says it is $32,000...I say no and leave. Does he really expect if I go back a third time and he tells me the price is $34,000 I am going to say, "sure where do I sign"?

I am not saying you are wrong I just don't understand. Sure they know I have priced a flight multiple times...they also know I have not bought at their price. So what?