ticket prices

[ccumm2909]

does anyone know of a better time of day or week or month to purchase tickets for the best price

[ksharbono]

I've been finding that Tuesdays & Wednesdays have the best prices.  If I know that I've got a trip coming up (within a couple of months), I start researching daily.  Every once in awhile you'll find a good deal to purchase tickets on a Saturday. 

[skidz]

In my experience it usually comes down to purchasing around 2-3 weeks in advance.  

You can use the "Flexible Dates" option on the website to get an idea of the different fares offered on the flight you're interested in.   Prices vary a lot more based on when you want to travel vs when you book.

The great thing about Southwest tickets is if you book a flight and the price goes down you can always re-book it at the lower price.  Assuming you're buying the cheapest fare class that means the diference in price will be as a credit you can use towards a future flight.

[jeichas]

I find Sunday/Tues nights to be the best time to check for cheaper fares.  However the farther out you can book, the more reasonable the flight cost will be for example a flight currently I looked at in May was close to $350.00 but same flight in September is $127.00.  Also the glorious thing about Southwest is if you check back and the flight you booked is cheaper you can "change and rebook" the flight and SW will hold the difference on account for your next flight, I check back often on flights I have already booked just for that reason. 

I am currently keeping my eye out for the end of Nov flights to open up.....if you book right away you will get the best prices!  Happy hunting!

[chgoflyer]

General advice: Ticket prices are often very high when the schedule extension is first released. Then they drop a bit. The "sweet spot" seems to be about 6 weeks out. After that point, they start rising again, as it gets closer to the travel date.

This of course varies widely, depending on you location/destination, and date of travel. Prime travel periods (Spring break, around the holidays, etc.) tend to not drop as much from their initial price.

Southwest's fares fluctuate often, so it's best to check often and re-fare if it's dropped since you booked.