SW "Unavailable" Question

The SW schedule just opened today for flights through 4/12/13. I am not sure what time the schedule opened up (12:01am this morning?)

2 of the 3 flights I am looking at for coming back from Vegas are listed as "unavailable" (under the "Wanna Get Away" pricing).

Is it possible that they sold out that quickly? or Will they eventually come back as available?

Should I book the last flight coming back to make sure I have a one? We are flying to/from Cleveland and the cost for the flight back alone is $290 - pretty outrageous if you ask me.

The current plan is to book the flight out at a later date since those are very expensive also - ranging from $258 to $345. There are 8 flights out and all available.

We are flying Wednesday (3/20) and coming back Sunday (3/24).

 

i haven't found SWA to be very cheap these days. used to be great, but these days it's just as expensive/more expensive than others and you don't have to deal with their cattle herding.

 

I agree. I'm flying SW this weekend, but it's the first time I've used them for Vegas in a long time, and it was more because they had better flight times for my schedule -- prices were pretty equal. I just really wanted a flight that departed between 11 and 12 and they were the only one that had it.

 

First thing, WAIT.... its still early the prices will jump all over the place for dates that far out. Right now its at its highest prices for dates just released.
Typical price out of Cleveland shouldnt be anymore then around 230.00 each way, without a sale going on

Second, I dont know how far you are from Akron/Canton, but check Southwest out of there. We are going in 12 days and I scored 139.00 each way to Vegas.... Even Christmas time out of CAK was less then what you are seeing right now and MUCH less then what they are asking out of Cleveland.

Kelli

 

I am about an hour away from Akron. I was actually planning on flying from Akron. But when the new block of flights opened up, SW changed their departing times. The middle flight for departing is now 9:10am. I really needed it to be 10 or 11am which is what it was in the previous block flights. The last flight of the day leaves at 5pm, which is too late and will cut into my time out in Vegas.

So are you saying that the "unavailable" flights will eventually become "available" in the WGA fare pricing?

 

To me it sounds like you are getting worried about a flight that doesn't leave for 7 months being booked solid within days of opening. This seems rather impossible to me.


I have no idea if the prices will come down though. That Sunday is probably in the top 3 most popular Sundays in spring. Anything under $200 back to Cleveland I think would be an amazing price. I can't remember the last time I anything back to Austin for under $200 for that weekend. I normally come back Monday now due to the prices and the fact that I want to see the Sunday games.


I'm seeing prices around $250 on every other airline for you for that flight. Therefore, I don't see any reason to hurry and buy a ticket. Plenty of other options exist for you.

 

I'm guessing your odds of winning $1 million next time in Vegas is better than EVERY seat for multiple flights 7 months out selling out in less than a week.

 

I don't know what's going on with other cities, but my flights from Portland OR to Vegas have dropped lower than I have ever seen them before. $57 grand total with taxes and fees for each way. I've rebooked my next 3 flights and stashed enough back into my reward points account to get yet another free round trip out of it......

 

57$, oh that is so sweet. Id be in vegas every other weekend!

Sw is the cheapest from nj I have found unless there is a good deal on hotwire etc. Their normal rates are 170$ but you can find them on sale 150-160$. Cheapest Ive ever seen was like 100$ using a 30% coupon they sent me.

but OP...its too early to be worried about those flights....who knows, maybe they stopped those times, thinking of it, dont have those flights in their system yet, etc.

 

Just wait a bit before booking IMO. On another board (Flyertalk if you want to read up about it) they talk about this issue - its a problem with Southwest software, which apparently isnt very popular right now. (There was a big sale and people ended up getting charged multiple times for the one ticket due to software problems.) I would just wait a bit - keep checking it.

 

I think this part right here might be the key - "under the 'Wanna Get Away' pricing" - this is one of the oldest bait & switch tricks in the airlines' book - they advertise a very low fare, but there are really only a handful of seats available at that low advertised fare on each flight. The flight itself probably isn't sold out, just the 3 seats on it available under that pricing plan.

 

The best advice has been given, "keep checking". Southwest's prices have been up there and others are close in price......until you start paying for seat location, checked bags etc. I also like the convenience of flying from our state airport in a 737, and not a puddle jumper....and I hate United's wide bodies out of Chicago. For the last two years there were no real great systemwide internet specials like the old days. I noticed that prices early on were pretty good with best selection.

This year when the dates opened up for January prices were over $500 from NH. I decided to wait a bit. It was early and the hotels were not lowering prices yet. I kept checking and prices dropped to $362RT and I booked my flight out and the return flight separately. I like to get my flight first and then book a hotel. I phoned Gold Spike and got a price $150 less with resort fees and taxes included less than Kayak.com could do so I booked with them.

I Kept checking back with SWA and the flight out went down $60 so I changed my flight and got the credit. The flight back went up so I continue to watch that in hopes that it may drop as well.

I believe besides their software problems SWA holds some spots for SW Vacations. If these are not selling then they become available later on so don't worry just yet. KEEP checking whenever you have a few minutes. Sometimes the specials last only a day ore even a few hours. I deep checking hotel prices too since my reservations can be cancelled as well. Good luck and happy hunting!

Jimbo338

 

Actually if you haven't flown SW for a while, it's probably less of a cattle herd than other airlines that load by zone. You have a specific # assigned to you and there is a specific spot in the boarding line reserved for you so nobody lines up 30 minutes before loading anymore to try and get the best seat. It's actually quite orderly.

Re; pricing, I just check it every day once we set our dates and a sale always seems to come up where we can get flights for about $350RT from VA which is a pretty good fare from here....plus, SW has great flight times (out at 2:30PM and depart Vegas at 5PM) on non-stop flights both directions for our airport.

 

Yes by all means WAIT.....
I'm horrible about waiting. I hate waiting and I hate checking everyday, but if it means I can get to Vegas and have MORE money to play with, I do... Those flights will open up, exp when they throw them on sale when they start offering a 'sale' for that time period. Lately the sale rates have only been good till about the end of the year.
I do hate that they jump around the times. I just wish it was always the same times all the time, so I knew how to plan!!!!! One time we go, we are ther by noon, the next time, I cant get there till 7... this time I think we arrive at 3:30. Makes ME CRAZY!
Right now, if I didnt have my mind set on Key West for Christmas, we would be going back to Vegas again for Christmas, just because they dropped the rates to Vegas and it makes it really attractive. But our last 4 MAJOR trips have been to Vegas (and surrounding area), I need to see some other parts of America, before I think all Cities should have a 'Strip'