First time-ish on Southwest... questions!?

[egospotter]

Just booked awesome rate with Southwest - Milwaukee to Orlando for two people, $381!!!

Anyway, the last time I was on SW was with my mom and I didn't do any of the planning. All I know is they operate a little differently than other airlines.

From what I understand, the time that you check in corresponds to when you can board and it's open seating. Correct?

So I know you can pay $10 and be in the first group, how does that work... do you still have to check in early or just at any time and you are still in that group?

Also either with or without the $10, on your way back from the World, how do you check in? I have a smart phone so I guess I can check in that way, but how do you print boarding passes?

Any other SW tips would be greatly appreciated!

[wildernesslady]

You may begin checking in at exactly 24 hrs. prior to your departure time. Trust me, there are many that do it at that time. Sometimes we do the early bird check-in for the return flight only and print the boarding passes at the airport. Some resorts do offer airline check-in for southwest and they will give you your passes when you check your luggage. Southwest is our preferred airline. I don't think you will be disappointed and there are no baggage fees for the first two bags per person.

[KylesMom]

We're flying Southwest both ways this year - previously we've only flown into MCO with SW since Wilderness Lodge didn't offer Resort Airline Check-In with them until recently. I know for certain that Pop Century does have Resort Airline Check-In.

If you do not purchase Early Bird Check-In ($10), you'll want to log on and "check in" for your flight at exactly the 24 hour mark. You will receive a number of where you will be in the boarding line.

If you purchase Early-Bird, SW will contact you within 36 hours before your flight to let you know where you will be in the boarding - in other words, they pre-assign your number so that you don't have to try to log in at the 24-hour mark. If I was a solo traveler, I wouldn't worry about it. However, as a family, we're going to try Early Bird this year.

If you plan on utilizing Resort Airline Check-In they will print your boarding passes for you and handle your luggage. Otherwise, you can print out from the kiosks located at the airport.

[btharvey]

Yeah ... SWA doesn't charge for bags, but they will get you with the early-bird. However, I've been at the 24-hour mark a couple of times and gotten numbers in the 50s, so we do the early-bird.

It's worth the $10/person/flight IMHO.

We try to ONLY fly SWA.

[LisaP]

Newbie here too ... so thanks for all the info!

[CajunDisneyDad]

Same here, will be flying out of New Orleans to Orlando! I am more worried about TSA in New Orleans than I am about MCO or Southwest lol. Seems TSA at MSY keeps making the news.....

[ThanxForNoticin]

If you purchase Early-Bird, SW will contact you within 36 hours before your flight to let you know where you will be in the boarding - in other words, they pre-assign your number so that you don't have to try to log in at the 24-hour mark. If I was a solo traveler, I wouldn't worry about it. However, as a family, we're going to try Early Bird this year.

I'd just like to offer a clarification here. If you purchase the Early Bird with Southwest, your seat assignment happens automatically 36 hours before your flight, but SW does not actually notify you about your assignment. You find out what it is when you check in. And with Early Bird, you can check in and get your boarding pass 24 hours in advance - or if you choose, you can get your boarding pass when you check your bags at the airport - it's still the same number SW assigned you at the 36-hour mark. I hope that's clear and that I didn't just confuse things more!

I total agree with KylesMom. If I'm traveling myself, I tend to not worry as much about the Early Bird. But if we're traveling as a family or group, it's worth it to us so we improve our chances of sitting together.

[egospotter]

So can you add the early bird at any time? Because I already got my tickets.

[KylesMom]

If you purchase the Early Bird with Southwest, your seat assignment happens automatically 36 hours before your flight, but SW does not actually notify you about your assignment.

Thanks for the clarification! It appears that I interpreted the program incorrectly. I would have been freaking out, awaiting some type of confirming e-mail before we left!

So can you add the early bird at any time? Because I already got my tickets.

I believe you can add Early Bird up to 25 hours before the flight departs.

[Fangorn]

yes, you can add the Early Bird option at anytime (well, it has to be more than 36 hours before the flight). "When" you book the EB option is part of the formula for assigning your boarding number - the earlier you book the option, the lower (better) your number will be.

I've posted on this some previously. Click Here to go to a previous discussion that has greater detail that might be helpful.

Steve

[MuchLovedMama]

I've never used the the early bird check-in and we always get incredible seats/position in line. As long as you are able to do the check-in at the 24 hour mark I don't see a need to.

If you personally don't have access to the internet then you are able to go to the front desk at any resort or guest relations at any of the parks at the 24 hour mark and they can check you in. If you do it this way they'll print out your boarding pass but if you do it yourself as we do then you can just print them out at the airport quickly and easily.

[egospotter]

Ok, one more question.

We have a plane change in St. Louis on the way down - it's only 25 minutes between flights... does that mean that we are kind of SOL on seat choices no matter what our number is?

I don't really care where we sit as longs as it's together (2 of us) at least on the way down

[RBrooksC]

If you have one stop on the flight that is only 25 min on the ground, then you will have the opportunity to switch seats once all the other passengers have deplaned and the through count is completed.

They only way you wouldn't be able to sit together is if the flight is very full and your boarding passes are in the "C" group. At that point you are looking at mostly middle seats. If that happens, when you get to STL, just switch seats when the Inflight crew gives you the OK.

[egospotter]

It's a different plane though.

[White Rose]

Ok, one more question.

We have a plane change in St. Louis on the way down - it's only 25 minutes between flights... does that mean that we are kind of SOL on seat choices no matter what our number is?

I don't really care where we sit as longs as it's together (2 of us) at least on the way down

I can answer this one! I had a plane change in Arizona when I flying back from Orange County in the summer of 2009 on Southwest.

When you do 24 hour check-in for your "first flight," it automatically gives you a boarding number as well for the plane change, as well. I would definitely recommend having both boarding passes with you (before boarding the first leg of the flight) especially as you'll have such a small amount of layover time. I will admit I'm unsure of how this would work with Early Bird Check-In, as I didn't use it, but I imagine it would do the same thing.

Hope that helps!

ETA: One more, just for added, explanation...when I checked in for my flight, I was assigned 35A for the first flight and then 2B for the second flight at the plane change. I wasn't sure how clear I was on that.

[RBrooksC]

It's a different plane though.

First off, that is strange. Usually, SWA will not schedule flights with less than an hour between flights. While I don't know what day you are flying, I took at look at some of the scheduled flights from MKE to MCO and the closest time between flights in STL is 65 minutes.

You may want to check how much time you have between scheduled flights.

With that being said, if you are switching planes, you will get a boarding pass for each flight, so it all depends on when you check-in for the flight and the number of people on the flight as to what boarding group and number you will get.

But what still stands is if you get an "A" or "B" boarding pass, you should be able to sit together. If you get a "C", you have less of a chance of it.

[Fangorn]

First off, that is strange. Usually, SWA will not schedule flights with less than an hour between flights.

Not true. It depends on a number of factors, including the number of gates SWA uses and how spread out (or not) those gate are. I've never seen SWA do connecting flights with less 25 minutes, and 35 is pretty typical in most markets. I've also seen 2 hours - it just depends on when and where you're going.

But what still stands is if you get an "A" or "B" boarding pass, you should be able to sit together.

Generally, this is true, but again, it can depend on when and where you're going. If the second flight has 90 through passengers already, even having an "A" boarding pass may not get you 2 seats together. I've had it happen, but it's pretty rare.

Southwest does have a tendency to arrive early and leave on-time. So even though the schedule says 25 minutes, chances are really good that you'll actually have more time than that.

Steve

[egospotter]

RBrooksC - The plane lands in St Louis at 7:30am and our next plane takes off at 7:55am, so 25 minutes.

My concern is that by the time we land, get off the plane and get to the next gate they will already be boarding so it won't matter what our number/letter is because we'll be "late".

Thanks for all the answers everybody, you all rock!

[ValenciaCalling]

I'm glad I read this because it answered so many questions I had! I have kind of an interesting situation going on with my flights.

My old roommate from the college program and I decided to take a reunion trip to Disney this October. I'm flying out of Philadelphia, and she's flying out of Raleigh, and we were lucky enough to find a flight that starts in Philadelphia, and changes planes in Raleigh!

We both did early bird check-in, so we're hoping this will make it easier to find two seats together on the Raliegh flight to Orlando. Do you think there's a good chance that will work out?

[Fangorn]

You'll should be fine. With your friend starting in Raleigh, she'll be there to board on time, even if you're not. Whichever one of you gets on first should be able to grab two seats together.

Have a good trip.

Steve