nsx

How to get News Flashes

This thread is locked. A moderator will post here when there is a schedule extension, a noteworthy Rapid Rewards promotion, the start of one of the semi-annual "Big Sales," an unexpected and particularly hot sale, or some other news item considered especially important.

To be notified by Email when a moderator has posted any such important news:

1. Log in to FlyerTalk (if you have not already done so);
2. Click on Thread Tools in the lighter blue bar above this post's dark blue header;
3. Click the "Subscribe to this Thread" option from the pull-down menu;
   (Note that if you see instead an "Unsubcribe" option, you are already subscribed for news flashes--in which case you should abandon this process)
4. In the "Notification Type" field's drop down list on the "Subscribe to Thread" form, select either "Instant notification by email" (preferred) or "Daily notification by email," then click the "Add Subscription" button.

If you need to establish or change your email address for Flyertalk, select "MyFlyerTalk" at the left of the blue bar, then "Edit Email & Password".

That's it. You will now be automatically notified of any time-critical Southwest news. Hat tip to ejmelton for posting the idea for this notification method.

Wiki FAQ

The Southwest/Rapid Rewards FAQ is now in Wiki form, meaning that you can add your own material and correct mistakes to your heart's content. LUV it!

The old FAQ will no longer be updated. It has been un-stickied but not deleted, so as not to break links to it.

Popular Long-lived Threads

Here's a list of useful threads compiled by FT member lougord99. With these links you can quickly find these threads even if they currently buried many pages deep in the forum. Please send a Private Message to the moderators if you would like us to add something:

Chase Southwest Visa 50,000 Rapid Reward points offers : http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/south...ts-offers.html

Rapid Rewards 2.0 begins March 1, 2011 : http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/south...-1-2011-a.html

Official Peanut Gallery Thread : http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/south...ry-thread.html

Enforcement of Boarding Order: consolidated thread : http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/south...ed-thread.html

Official schedule extension prediction thread : http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/south...on-thread.html

LUV Stock Discussion Thread : http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/south...on-thread.html

Southwest's new "Evolve" interior adds 1 row, claims to preserve knee room : http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/south...knee-room.html

Systemwide Fare Sales: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/south...e-threads.html

Consolidated "Is this a safe connection on WN?" thread : http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/south...wn-thread.html

Pre-Check is starting! Login and look for Opt-in box: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/south...ater-year.html

Post Your Boarding Card # (non EarlyBird, A-list or BS) : http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/south...d-list-bs.html

WN 14% Devaluation of RR2 points for WGA redemption effective March 31, 2014 : http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/south...31-2014-a.html

Southwest Companion pass 2013-14 : http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/south...2013-14-a.html

Another seat saving hassle and why I hate flying WN: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/south...flying-wn.html

Customizing FT

Did you know that you can restructure FT yourself? It's a feature called MyFlyerTalk, located near the upper left of your screen.

You can subscribe to forums to see what the latest (and perhaps hottest) thread is in any forums you like. You can also auto-subscribe to view new posts any thread you have posted in. I learned this from SanDiego1K and Canarsie. Here's how to do it.

Setting up auto-subscribe to threads in which you post.
Setting up subscriptions to a forum:
Now you have one-stop shopping for all your main interests on FlyerTalk at your MyFlyerTalk page. Enjoy!

Posting Guidelines

FT exists for the benefit of its members, and most members reading a particular airline forum are enthusiastic or at least frequent users of that airline. How do we add value to their experience? By providing new information, new perspectives, and new opportunities. How do we subtract value from their experience? By starting or participating in pointless arguments that add no insight. The need of the few to vent anger does not outweigh the wish of the many to have a pleasant and informative forum.

Being a good FTer means trying to add value with every post. None of us measure up to this ideal, but we can try. This is not to say that the airline deserves a free pass on its mistakes. Far from it. When an airline disappoints members, die-hard fans will apply a more than sufficient pasting.

So what about cheerleading? Is that not equally damaging? In a word, no. It might not seem fair, but cheerleading is not offensive to the large majority of FT members using a given forum. If the cheerleaders find it necessary to browbeat anyone who posts any criticism of the airline, then they become a problem for the moderator to deal with, but that's quite rare.

By the way, people who love to bash have their own forum. It's Travel Safety and Security, which seems to exist for people who hate the TSA. In fact, anyone who likes the TSA incites a ruckus in that forum just as an airline basher disturbs an airline forum.

Please try to make each post add value. Passion and intensity can be a boon to the forum if you take care to channel them constructively.

If you perceive a troll post, use the Alert a Moderator icon. I'll handle it. That's my job. If you try to scold the poster in public, you add to the forum pollution rather than reducing it. I am very accommodating of alerts since so few people use them as a first rather than last resort. I typically do not reply to alerts, but I read each one promptly and I act on at least 80% of them. Sometimes the action is invisible, for example a private message to the poster requesting an edit. Regardless of whether you observe a response, you can be sure that I have considered your alert.

nsx

DING has a rare targeted sale in effect today (11/27/05) through tomorrow. The fares are not exceptional, but they are available on short notice for travel any time in December, and there are sale fares for almost every destination from your home airport. (Orange County appears to be excluded.)

If you don't have DING installed, you might want to do so for this sale.

See items 14(d) and (e) of the FAQ at http://flyertalk.com/forum/showpost....0&postcount=15 for more information on targeted sales.

If any hidden sale fares appear (Ding Daily Doubles, as explained in FAQ item 14c), they will be posted on the Southwest forum at Flyertalk.

Item 15 of the FAQ at http://flyertalk.com/forum/showpost....1&postcount=16 explains how to access DING fares on a computer that does not have DING installed on it.

Look for the next schedule extension into April 2006 on Thursday morning December 1 or December 8.

nsx

Southwest extended the schedule horizon to June 9, 2005 about 10:15 AM Central Time today. The long gap between extensions was matched by a major extension of the horizon.

Last weekend brought some exceptionally good January 2006 fares, mostly on DING. For example, most intra-California fares were $39 for January and the DING sale fares were $24 to $27 depending on the day of the week. These prices have not been seen for over two years. As of today, the California fares are $49 through February 15.

It might be worth your time to check DING fares over the holidays for a surprise gift fare or two. FAQ 14 and 15 have been updated to reflect recent changes in DING and to explain how you can perform multiple installations to have instant access to sale fares for multiple home cities.

Other news: SWABIZ double credit has been extended until March 31, and then it will make its "final departure". Separately, in November some targeted Rapid Rewards members were given double credit at southwest.com through February 15.

nsx

DING has a major sale in effect now through all of Christmas day. The fares are excellent: it looks like everything is $99 or less. Travel dates are January 1 through February 16.

This sale is targeted, meaning that you will only get fares for your home airport. See items 14(d) and (e) of the FAQ at http://flyertalk.com/forum/showpost....0&postcount=15 for more information on targeted sales, including how to change your home airport.

If you don't have DING installed, you might want to do so for this sale.

Item 15 of the FAQ at http://flyertalk.com/forum/showpost....1&postcount=16 explains how to access DING fares on a computer that does not have DING installed on it.

If you find any hidden sale fares (Ding Daily Doubles, as explained in FAQ item 14c), please post them on the Southwest forum at Flyertalk.

You might also want to keep an eye on Ding on December 31 for a possible New Year's Eve sale.

Everybody have a great Christmas! Now if I can just explain to my wife why I'm spending Christmas eve online making reservations...

nsx

Southwest's schedule is now open through August 3, as predicted in the new Official Schedule Extension Prediction Thread: http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=527240

Other news: capacity controls on new award tickets are much tighter than I expected to see. This represents perhaps the most significant devaluation of the Rapid Rewards program in its history. Check out the discussion in the Southwest forum if you have not already done so.

nsx

Southwest's schedule is now open through September 12. This extension occurred three to four weeks later than usual for this time of year. You can see just how bad our guesses were in the Official Schedule Extension Prediction Thread: http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=527240

Ding also announces schedule extensions, so you do not have to wait for manual posting by me. Today's Ding announcement activated at 9:30 AM Central Time, about 15 minutes after the schedule was extended.

One other update: the initially tight capacity controls on new award tickets were apparently due to a programming error that was corrected in late February. Because there are still very few capacity-controlled awards competing for these seats, we do not yet have a clear picture of the eventual usability of these awards. Preliminary indications are encouraging, at least if your point of reference is saver awards on legacy carriers. It appears that if you avoid Fridays and Sundays to and from popular destinations availability will be adequate.

Oh, and the last major source of double credit, SWABIZ.com, dropped to single credit as of April 1. Too bad it's not an April Fool's joke.

nsx

Southwest's schedule is now open through October 27. This extension occurred two weeks later than usual for this time of year.

The next extension should occur in late July. You can check the predictions or add your own in the Official Schedule Extension Prediction Thread: http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=527240

Ding announced this schedule extension as expected, in tiny black letters under the current sale offering. Ding announcements of a schedule extension are displayed for 24 hours.

FAQ 5(a) now includes an upgrade trick posted by alliance. I used this at the gate recently, upgrading myself to A right after the standbys cleared for the earlier flight to my destination. Gate numbers are now shown on kiosk-printed boarding passes (FAQ 6).

FAQ 41 "Can I use an award for two one-way trips?" and FAQ 42 "How can I estimate how long the security lines will be?" are recent additions. The former also explains how to mix travel with capacity controlled (new) awards and old awards.

nsx

As of about 9:15 AM Central Time, Southwest's schedule is now open through December 10. This extension precisely fits the pattern of recent years, which is why everyone predicted the same date in our Official Schedule Extension Prediction Thread: http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=527240

The next extension, covering Christmas, has occurred anywhere from July 24 to August 18, which was last year's date. I expect the extension on August 17, with travel through January 14 or so.

Ding announced this schedule extension as usual in tiny black letters under the current sale offering. Ding announcements of a schedule extension are displayed for 24 hours.

Other items:

If you have version 1.03 or earlier of Ding, I highly suggest that you keep it. If you uninstall it you will lose the ability to remotely access your Ding sales as described in FAQ 15. This ability is not available with a new installation of Ding 1.04.

Some forum members have volunteered to help reorganize the FAQ. If you would like to help, drop me a PM. I am especially interested in some sort of outline structure that will successfully de-randomize the arrangement of information, making it easier for a newbie to find the appropriate question.

nsx

As of 10:00 AM Central Time, Southwest's schedule is now open through January 9. This extension precisely fits the pattern of recent years and predictions both here and in our Official Schedule Extension Prediction Thread: http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=527240

The next extension, covering Christmas, has from September 19 to September 26, so I expect the extension on Thursday September 21, with travel through approximately March 1.

Ding announced this schedule extension 20 minutes after it occurred.

Other items:

As of right now, the online reservations system is not allowing anything to be booked, and the phone lines are completely busy with LONG hold times. I don't believe there's any risk of losing your seats if you wait for the online system to come back.

You are running out of time to bag 8 to 10 free credits on a Choice credit card offer. Apply by August 31st. See http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=564971

nsx

As of about 10:30 AM Central Time, Southwest's schedule is now open through March 9, 2007. This extension precisely fits the pattern of recent years and predictions both here and in our Official Schedule Extension Prediction Thread: http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=527240. Ding announced this schedule extension as usual.

The next extension has historically occurred from October 17 to 27, so I expect the extension on Thursday October 20, with travel through approximately April 1.



Other items:

According to this thread, re-issuance of old awards for a $50 fee is now limited to awards expired less than 2 years ago. Your mileage may vary.

The Choice credit card deal is gone, but you can still get 8 credits for $59 with the Southwest Visa at http://www.firstusa.com/cgi-bin/webc...airlines_texas

nsx

A Halloweeen Ding sale just started, through 10 PM Central Time tonight. Travel is limited to Halloween, so presumably you will need to find another Ding sale for the other half of your trip. See the thread http://www.flyertalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=611737 or your own copy of Ding.

In other news: The Wright Amendment will shortly be history, allowing two-step routings to and from Dallas Love Field to be booked as regular connecting fares.

nsx

As of about 10:06 AM Central Time, Southwest's schedule is now open through May 10, 2007. This extension came 2 weeks late, and the schedule horizon is also beyond what I expected. Ding announced this schedule extension as usual.

For guesses on the next extension, please check the Official Schedule Extension Prediction Thread at http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=527240. My initial guess is January 4, 2007 with the new horizon extending to mid-June.

Other news:

1. Ding functionality has been improved slightly. First, the Ding sale page layout makes it easier to find the sale you want. Second, once you click "Book Now" for any Ding offering, you have access to ALL Ding offers in all markets.

Curbcrusher discovered that you can click on Plan Trip at the top left of the window (along the Plan Trip -> Select Flight -> Price -> Purchase -> Booked horizontal bar) then select any city pair you like. Then look for the Ding fare column at the right. Enjoy hunting for Ding sale fares that are not listed in the sale announcement! Note: If you select a city pair for which there is no Ding fare, you may get the error message "Currently unable to get itinerary information."

2. fredpeckville has discovered that you can
book some single-day round trips or open jaw trips using only half an award ticket. See http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=617688 for an explanation and discussion.

3. Southwest has added a new feature called My Offers to the My Southwest summary page of some lucky Rapid Rewards members. See http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=622893 for the latest findings.

4. If you would like to be notified promptly when someone finds a great transcon fare on Ding, subscribe to the new Official cheap WN transcons thread at http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=624311. That thread is open to all users, so please post any exceptional Ding sale fares there as soon as you find them and before you spend an hour booking them for yourself!

nsx

As of about 10:06 AM Central Time, Southwest's schedule is now open through August 24, 2007. This extension was later than any in memory, and the delay was the subject of considerable discussion at http://blogsouthwest.com/2007/01/24/...er-in-advance/

On that blog Bill Owen, Southwest's lead scheduler, explains the situation in some detail, even revealing why the schedule tends to open on Thursday mornings. In summary, the schedulers wanted to optimize the May schedule for summer winds aloft rather than having that optimization take effect in June or July. They decided in November to delay the summer release until this optimization was complete.

Given the amount of criticism engendered by the delay, Bill Owen has promised that "Schedule Planning is going to do everything in our power not to allow the booking inventory to fall below 120 days again." Therefore future schedule extensions may not follow the pattern of recent years.

As always, for guesses on the next extension, please check the Official Schedule Extension Prediction Thread at http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=527240. My initial guess is March 22, 2007 with the new horizon extending to mid-September. According to Bill Owen's latest post at blogsouthwest.com, reservation agents might in the future be able to give us an estimated schedule opening date, reducing the need for us to guess and spoiling all our fun.


Other hot news:

1. People often ask how they can use Ding at work or on the road when they only have Ding installed on their computer at home. For the past year we have had no solution, but now we can finally offer some help. See http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=655660 for more information. Now you never need to miss a Ding sale!

2. Speaking of Ding, you ought to make sure you have downloaded Ding and that you have given it your Rapid Rewards number. If your Update Registration screen does not show a blank field for Rapid Rewards number, Ding already has your number. Southwest is running a massive giveaway to Ding users from now through June 22. See http://www.southwest.com/rapid_rewar...ns.html#ding20
The prize will show up in your Rapid Rewards account if you win. You don't need to see the Ding message announcing it, and you don't need to click on anything.

3. Flights to or from California earn double credit if booked online by March 8, 2007 and flown between February 8 and April 4, 2007. You could combine this with the Fly 3, Get 1 Free promotion at http://www.southwest.com/rapid_rewar....html#intracal to get 1.75 awards after 3 intra-California round trips.

4. ATA code share flights to or from LGA or Hawaii are offering double Rapid Rewards credits until April 30. That's 2 credits each way for LGA and 4 credits each way for Hawaii. That $300 round trip to Maui never looked so good. See http://www.ata.com/awards/partners/o..._wn_offer.html

nsx

MDW, DEN, and BWI have $25 and $50 fares to places all over the country. Intra-California travel is $25 too. It's quite a remarkable sale. Download Ding and you should be able to access these fares before they expire at 9PM Central Time today. http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=682518 has all the discussion.

Other news:
The Southwest/Rapid Rewards FAQ is now in Wiki form, meaning that you can add your own material and correct mistakes to your heart's content. LUV it!

nsx

Southwest's schedule should open through November 2 at about 10 AM Central Time today. This was announced at blogsouthwest.com.

This date was correctly predicted by FT member Beckles, who then predicted June 28 for the subsequent extension. Southwest's Bill Owen then revealed that June 28 was indeed the next target date, with booking to extend through early January. It would appear that our Official Schedule Extension Prediction Thread needs to change: we need to predict what Beckles will predict!

Other news:

1. Ding has had some truly outstanding $25 and $50 sales the past two weekends. I recommend watching Ding on weekends until this pattern changes. There was also a $25 and $50 sale for Columbus (CMH) yesterday, possibly indicating the beginning of single-city blowouts as another way of drawing attention to Ding.

2. Because Ding is looking more interesting now, you might want to take the time to set up a portable URL for it. This will let you use Ding at work or on the road. The setup procedure requires access to your home Ding installation. See http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=655660 for more information.