Strategizing for 2017 SW Companion Pass using Marriot Travel Packages

James from BNA

VR Jacket Guy
Not a good first experience with SW. In short: we're still in Cleveland. Flight was delayed, then delayed again, then canceled. Weather was certainly tricky, but no other flights were canceled that we could see. Then we heard (apparently just a rumor) that there was a bombing at the BWI airport ... all I see was a minor, short-term issue with an abandoned bag in a parking garage that was cleared quickly.

I've booked a replacement flight for tomorrow, but it does mess with our plans a bit. We'll see what we can salvage. I'll also note that I booked it while on extensive hold waiting for a CSR, and it listed at 11k more miles than today's flight was. I instead paid with cash in the form of a GC ... well, partly because I was afraid of losing the flight to some of the other displaced passengers from today, and I didn't have enough miles left (the canceled flight had not yet returned points to my account).

Anyway. 30 minutes on with a CSR finally (mostly on hold) to make sure our return flight did not get canceled. I paid $22 extra for Business Select only to get an A-02 boarding position. This didn't help my wife on the CP, who scored a middle-class B-47. I'll grab a window seat mid-front plane and try my bag in the middle seat for as long as I can.

So, we'll try again tomorrow.

Question: I have cash and I have "surplus" UR. Surplus means I have enough UR and United miles for a RT in business to China (or most other places; need to recalc with the new United prices). By current calcs I have 52k (corrected) UR to spare. Who would use their UR @ 1.6 cents per point? I figure this is pretty uninspiring. Anyone disagree?

I've burned tons of UR's each year for Southwest for the past 5 yrs or so. They have the most non-stops from Nashville and we always get double CP. Now that UR's are tougher to get cheap with the OD deval, I'm going to start using my Amex Plat with Southwest as preferred airline to book all my WN flights so I can get the 30% rebate. USB Flexperks grocery spend is also a good option.
 

knick1959

Level 2 Member
I too am sorry to hear of your flight troubles.
Well, we made it there and back, albeit losing a day up front and shortening our little trip. I was sure we lost the Hyatt cert for the first night, since I did not cancel until 9pm - ish the night we were to arrive. However, I did officially cancel (as opposed to a no-show) and the cert seems to be back in my account. It will be tricky using it in the next 1.2 months before it expires, but I do have 1 chance.

Fortunately, I checked our return flight once we got there and settled in. The CSR had in-fact fixed my record so I had a flight home. My wife, on my companion pass, did not. Somehow they had simply deleted her return flight. Fearing a sold out flight, I quickly added her again as my companion. We also opted to pay for early boarding for each of us. In hindsight, this was dumb, but the up-front stress it relieved was worth it I suppose.

Return flight left on time and with A-32 and A-33 positions, we were sure to be in good shape. As it turned out, the flight was only about half full (82 seats sold out of 154), so the math says everyone should be able to score a non-middle seat. Still, there were people up front in the middle. Whatever the case, we netted a window and aisle and nobody was interested in the between seat, so it was a comfortable (short) ride home.

I still have not had my RR points returned for the flight that THEY canceled. I've emailed their customer support. I'll call over the weekend if I get no action before.

Overall we were not very impressed. We are, however, pretty married to SW for the next 18 months, so opinion molding is wide-open. I am sure already, tho, that I do not like their seat non-assignment system at all.

Side note. The women in the aisle seat in front of us managed to save a whole row until the very end. She then released these seats when her travel buddies didn't show (or that was the story). Oddly, this was one of the few rows that filled even in the middle. I'll note that at least 20 people asked her about the window seat and only 1 made a face when she said she was saving it. No fights, tho :).
 
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Suzie

Level 2 Member
Our flights over the weekend went off without a hitch, except for a stop on the runway on takeoff for a coyote crossing!

Did you fly on the 4th? Did they announce free drinks? They usually offer free drinks on holidays, but we noticed they didn't announce them on either flight. When we asked, however, they said yes and served us free.

I hope your future experiences are better. We've had mostly good flights over the years. FA's friendly, plane clean. Usually on time.
 

knick1959

Level 2 Member
Our flights over the weekend went off without a hitch, except for a stop on the runway on takeoff for a coyote crossing!

Did you fly on the 4th? Did they announce free drinks? They usually offer free drinks on holidays, but we noticed they didn't announce them on either flight. When we asked, however, they said yes and served us free.

I hope your future experiences are better. We've had mostly good flights over the years. FA's friendly, plane clean. Usually on time.
We flew home on 7/4, middle of the afternoon. No free drinks announced but I was just happy to be comfortably seated for our 1:15 flight. Flying home on 7/4 was probably much of the trick to the plane being half empty (or half full ... not sure which one makes me an optimist :))
 

knick1959

Level 2 Member
I have done both. When I have my companion with me, I have to call, but when it is just me, I do it online. I would also call when I am driving and want to make the change then.
So, if you have an attached companion and want to rebook due to a lower price (I see about 2k I can save ... not huge, but hey) ... and you do it online.

Can I (should I) try to rebook a new flight for myself (and add my companion) before I cancel my existing flight?

My worry is that I cancel and somehow can't rebook! What's the safest way to do this?? Thanks!
 

heavenlyjane

Level 2 Member
I don't think you can Have a person ticketed twice on the same flight. You can open more than one window to lessen the time between the two transactions. Unless it's a high traffic day like Thanksgiving weekend, you should be fine.
 

Josh F

Level 2 Member
Charity Forum Mod
So, if you have an attached companion and want to rebook due to a lower price (I see about 2k I can save ... not huge, but hey) ... and you do it online.

Can I (should I) try to rebook a new flight for myself (and add my companion) before I cancel my existing flight?

My worry is that I cancel and somehow can't rebook! What's the safest way to do this?? Thanks!
I always check to make sure there's still tickets left for sale and cancel/rebook immediately. I guess in theory you could get burned, but I figure the odds are so minimal... You can call and they'll do it for you over the phone as a change (which is what I would do if the flight was showing as sold out). The only caveat there is that as a change (with the new reservation system) that your taxes/fees become non-refundable. That wouldn't matter to me for the minimal US $5.60 fee as I'm sure I'd use that (and even if not - it's $5.60), but something I avoid doing on International Flights - where that $ can be more significant (especially since there are 4 of us).
 
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