| Southwest Airlines is a great option for air travel. | | | | these very time sensitive deals. The software is |
| While low cost fares are routine for Southwest, they | | | | quick to install and has no adware or spyware to bug |
| also offer deep discounts and many special deals and | | | | you. Best of all it is compatible with Mac and nearly |
| programs. You may have encountered Southwest | | | | any PC operating system for easy use. It is also a |
| deals while using the usual travel discount sites, but | | | | fairly small program that won’t eat much disk |
| the best bet may be to search their own website | | | | space. A small Ding! Icon will alert you visually and |
| first. You can hardly beat the Rapid Rewards | | | | audibly when a special is available. A small envelope |
| program Southwest has for regular flyers on their | | | | appears for you to click on and the sound alert can |
| carrier. Earning a free ticket only requires a mere | | | | be silenced if you prefer. Clicking on the icon takes |
| eight round trips for budget fares, and those who | | | | you directly to the special on the Southwest website. |
| use the Business Select Class need only four round | | | | You only get alerts for destinations that you choose. |
| trips to earn a free flight! | | | | You enter your home zip code and can load up to 10 |
| There is also the companion ticket program called | | | | destinations on your alert list. You can also change |
| Rapid Rewards Companion Tickets. A member can | | | | the list as many times as you like. All offers on Ding! |
| take along a companion for free! All they must pay is | | | | are great bargains. While Ding! Doesn’t yet come |
| the mandatory Federal airport tax and local tax for | | | | for wireless devices, you can use it at work or at |
| these complimentary tickets. Couples and business | | | | home and mostly will not have firewall problems |
| associates may find this especially desirable. Unlike | | | | although support will help you if you do. The system |
| other air carriers, Southwest does not load rewards | | | | has a very helpful FAQ page as well. Ding! is also very |
| travel with many restrictions and tickets are handled | | | | easy to remove should you choose to discontinue |
| like regular ones. About the only difference is that | | | | using it. Don’t get too upset if you miss an offer |
| you don’t get a roundtrip credit on a free or | | | | since new ones come up quite frequently. Ding! has |
| companion flight. There is no short expiration date to | | | | such low fares it is really worth giving it a trial. |
| worry about and can be used even at the last | | | | If you don’t want to use Ding! and install |
| minute, requiring only one hour before a flight departs | | | | software, there is an e-mail alert program called |
| to be valid. | | | | “Click’n’Save.” You simply sign up |
| The website for Southwest has a great many other | | | | and get special offers and deals in your email on your |
| specials in addition to the great rewards program. | | | | computer or e-mail enabled wireless device. You need |
| There is a “Destination of the Day” offered | | | | not be part of any other program to use |
| at a great price and this always is an especially low | | | | Click’n’Save. Sign up for this program is free |
| fare. Prices may be as low as fifty percent of the | | | | and simple. You may not get quite as great deals as |
| usual fare for these daily specials and can be used | | | | with Ding! but there is no need to install a thing. . |
| for advance purchase in most cases. It’s worth | | | | Southwest fares change with the seasons and there |
| checking out each day! Southwest also offers a | | | | are always discounts for 14 day and 21 day advance |
| special price class called “Wanna Get Away?” | | | | purchases. Special offers now can be even cheaper |
| that can also be half or sometimes even less than | | | | than driving with current gas prices, like Houston to |
| other fares on the same flight. For these specials | | | | San Antonio for a mere $29 each way or the same |
| seating is limited and unlike regular fares tickets can | | | | fare from Dallas to Tulsa as examples. Even if you |
| not be refunded. They can however be exchanged | | | | don’t care to use Ding! or Click’n’Save |
| for credit for future travel. These seats are only | | | | you can find these specials just by checking often |
| available directly on the website and are the | | | | for the specials right on the Southwest Airlines |
| cheapest “routine” fares offered. | | | | website. Southwest is well known for friendly and |
| You can also sign up for what is called the | | | | professional staff and customer service but perhaps |
| Southwest Ding! system. These are the best of all | | | | they should be even better known as the home of |
| deals and you install software on your computer for | | | | really cheap fares with no tricks and few hassles. |