First let me say this is not an endorsement for Southwest airlines. I use Southwest for many reasons. But not because of any monetary gain on my part from them.
Ok so let me explain some reasons I use Southwest before I tell you how I 'save' by changing flights. First is convenience, I don't like lay overs, Southwest has nonstop service from Columbus to Las Vegas and back. Two to three flights a day are nonstop, with a couple more that are stop flights with no plan changes. They run about 10 flights a day total from Columbus. This is convenient for me. This actually allows me to be very flexible in a given day which is the basis of ' flight change savings'. All airports have different flight patterns for Vegas travel that work best for that airport. So you'll have to find the airline that fits your needs at your airport. I have nothing against any airline as I have used most of the big airlines to get other places such as Belize and Bonaire for scuba vacations. Yes I go to places other than Vegas. Amazing I know. Anyway as I said I like nonstop flights because the less time I have traveling the more time I have to spend where I'm going. Why waste time if you don't have to. And the nonstops are usually cheaper. Which to me makes no sense but I am good with that.
Next is the Southwest booking site. Specifically the 'Low Fare Calender'. This calendar shows airfare for a month and the lowest flight price for each day. It shows these for both the initial flight and the return flight. This allows me to quickly check price patterns and prices for all booking dates offered and specific days so I can check daily easily within 2 minutes.
Third is Southwest's online booking and reservation management. This is the 'hub of easy' when it comes to booking and changing flights. This reservation system has always worked for me and I have no complaints.
The other thing that makes Southwest affordable is the 'gotta get away' fares. Which for the most part are offered on all flight up to a week in advance. No charge for 2 checked bags under 50 lbs also. Although my satchel and carry on are enough usualy for a 6 day trip and are always packed.
Now to the meat of the matter. If you only go to Vegas once a year this tip will not work ...so go more than once. For a refresher the premise of this blog is to help you get to Vegas multiple times a year on what you were spending on one trip before. So here's how I book. I take a window of time or a couple windows and I look everyday at the low fare calender until the fares fall in line with my budget. At this point I can make a good guess when those times will be but sometimes they drop fares randomly. So I check 1-2 times a day. Again it takes two minutes. Then I book my flights simple right. Well this is the trick. I check 1-2 times a day after that right up to the travel date. Why you say when 'gotta get away fares are non refundable. Because they are non refundable not non reusable. Southwest also doesn't charge penalties for changing flights they just charge more if the flight is more and the great part is they credit the reservation if the fares are lower. The stipulation is that the leftover funds for cancellation or changes must be used within one year of the booking date. Which is why I said you can't just fly once a year and do what I'm about to tell you. Get it? So let's say in july I book a reservation for 2 that falls in my budget parameters when fares are down. Let's say I spent $155 from CMH to LAS and then $135 for the return flight, the flight is booked for mid September and the initial flight is the midmorning nonstop and the return flight is the late morning nonstop. Total for two people $580 plus TSA fee. TSA fees are per flight so they carry on the changed reservation but when you use the leftover travel funds for a new reservation you will have to pay a new TSA fee. So you do not loose it. HUH you say? How am I saving money? Well first that is a good fare for a nonstop flight from CMH to LAS so I am safe with my dates and safely in budget so if the fares don't drop til I fly I am good. BUT......If the fares drop I can change flights even during the same day and receive a credit for future use. Sometimes the flights get cheaper on the day before or day after and if the schedule works bonus I get to stay longer and get money back as a credit. So here is exactly how it works. Let's say the second Tuesday in august I check the low fare calender and the early non stop is $105 and the Afternoon non stop is $125 on the return the next day. I log in and change my flights. So now I have new flights, an extra day in Vegas and a $120 credit that I have 11 months to use before it expires. Do that 4 times and you have two round trips paid for. Or just use it on the next new booking to cut the initial price and do the same thing again. Simple. We will cover the resort reservations in subsequent posts. But this is a good way to save your flight dates by booking and get a rebate later for more travel. If you say how is that possible or it can't be done in this modern corporate atmosphere. All I have to say to that is I will see you in Vegas in September ...oh yea and October ...oh yea and November ...oh yea I have southwest credit sooooo. You get the picture.
Just for reference the same thing applies visiting your loved ones in Columbus Ms. Tanzania. Still haven't figured out why her son lives in Columbus but I will print this and leave it for her at her work when I get back out in September. Maybe she can get back to see her son a little more often. Small world huh.
Don't even say what your thinking. Yes I live 40 miles from her son ...but my heart was kidnapped and currently resides in Vegas Baby!!!
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