Southwest Bump Question

So we are flying out Saturday and I just took a look to see how much the flights are now. There are six flights that day from my location and 5 of the six are SOLD OUT. The last flight costs $514/one way. (We paid $159.)

It looks like this would be an opportunity to get bumped and get some credit toward our fall trip, so I'm trying to get a little info in advance. Does anyone know if they bump you, will they offer you the next flight out, even if it is sold out? (and continue the process down the line...) Or would they offer you the only available flight, even though it would get you there 9 hours later.

I don't mind giving up three hours to get some credit, but I don't think I'd want to give up the whole day (9hrs) without some major compensation. Speaking of, what is the going bump rate, if we paid $159 for the one way flight? $359 each?

Thanks to anyone who has good information to share.

Yes, I believe it would be $359 each, maybe $459. It depends on how desperate they are.

The last time we were offered a bump we turned it down because (a) we only paid $79 for our tickets, and (b), it would have back-tracked from Lubbock to Austin (i.e., gone eastward, not westward), then out to LAS, landing 6-7 hours later than we would have originally. That was a $300 bonus plus the price of our fare, and it was at the height of the rodeo.

This was a rare mid-stream bump, where we were offered the bump at a stop city, Lubbock, rather than the originating city, Dallas. Nobody in LBB wanted it, probably because of the rodeo. So they asked the people already on the plane. We considered it, then said no thanks.

I don't know if the Austin route was the next flight out (there are very few flights out of Lubbock-LAS, so it had to go somewhere else to pick up a Las Vegas route.) But it was landing too late (9:30 pm) for us to really consider. Since it was 9:30pm I am guessing it was the first available, not the next.

Questions to ask yourself:

1. Do I have a car rental/tournament registration/dinner reservation/free-play money/show tickets waiting for me at a certain time? (Never book a show on the first night, anyway.)
2. How many free flights/vouchers/gift cards do I already have, do I reallly need more?
3. Is it more touble than it is worth?
4. Did I carry on, or will my luggage sit waiting for me for 6 hours in LAS?
5. Did I get everything out of the seat pocket before I left (Ipod, earphones)?

Good luck.

- bcc

Here's another one to add to the previous --

Did I pay ($10-$20) for an early bird that will go to waste?
Do I really want to give up this pretty good "A" seat for a possible C middle seat (and have to sit separate from my spouse)?

Sometimes if they are really desperate they will give you preboarding on the flight you eventually take. If you want to be a little pushy, ask for it.

- bcc

Thanks for the information and ideas. Going through your checklist, it seems that I'm in pretty good shape to consider a bump....nothing special planned, used up all of our free flight credits in October, didn't pay for early bird. I like the idea of asking for preboarding...

I think I would consider it worth the trouble if I could score $718 worth of credit for waiting 3.5 hours to the next flight. Any longer and they'd have to jump it way up to be worth it, especially if I had to make a stop on the way.

I appreciate your time.

In my experience with Southwest, you get:

1. A refund for your current ticket at the price you paid.

2. A free roundtrip ticket on a future flight.

3. A free seat on the next available flight.

# 2 may have changed in light of their revised frequent flyer program but that's the way it was a few months ago.

Dan

We have always been offered the next flight out when we took a bump. Once is was only a difference of 45 minutes arrival time. Our bags were waiting on us at the office--looks like the bag has just arrived. They had offered us a preboard pass. Our orginal flight was a non stop--our bump flight had a stop. When we got to our stop we were able to catch an earlier flight than what was scheluded at no cost to us. It was so Amazing race LOL. OUr worst bump--managed to get the emergency exit seats, then they came on and ask us to take the bump--of couse we took it. I am so greedy. Took a extra hour and a half to get to Vegas. Well worth the trouble for the $$. We have always got our purchase price plus another $200 each. Not to bad of a start to a Vegas trip.

My last bump was a $200 voucher, plus the price of the ticket. And, they will try to get you out on the next available flight.

Last time they were asking for people it was to stay overnight and get out on the next flight in the morning = $200 plus the price of your ticket.