Southwest Airline Early bird special savings??

[postmanrings]

Southwest airlines has a deal where you can spend $12.50 for the ability to check in online up to 36 hrs before you flight. That is 12 hrs before those that do not purchase the special.
Reading online about it in the FAQ's, someone asked if everyone on that itinerary has to buy the early bird?
The answer was no, unless you added the early bird special at the time of booking the airfare, but if not you would have to add it later and omit others.

SOOO if I'm correct and there is a trick I'm not getting, I should not add it to my booking at the time of the airfare and just add it later to one in the party. Since it's just for my wife and I, I could board and put a bag on the seat beside me and save it for her after everyone boards. I understand if for some strange reason someone cut a fit and wanted me to prove that seat did not have the special bought, I would have to give it to them. Can't imagine that happening, but would gladly give it up! Anyone else think of that and did it?

 

[Marionnette]

Southwest airlines has a deal where you can spend $12.50 for the ability to check in online up to 36 hrs before you flight. That is 12 hrs before those that do not purchase the special.
Reading online about it in the FAQ's, someone asked if everyone on that itinerary has to buy the early bird?
The answer was no, unless you added the early bird special at the time of booking the airfare, but if not you would have to add it later and omit others.

SOOO if I'm correct and there is a trick I'm not getting, I should not add it to my booking at the time of the airfare and just add it later to one in the party. Since it's just for my wife and I, I could board and put a bag on the seat beside me and save it for her after everyone boards. I understand if for some strange reason someone cut a fit and wanted me to prove that seat did not have the special bought, I would have to give it to them. Can't imagine that happening, but would gladly give it up! Anyone else think of that and did it?

If you're okay with sitting apart, then why bother paying for EBCI at all? Just check in at the 24-hour mark for both of you and board the plane together. Chances are very good that you will find 2 seats together easily unless you end up in the C boarding group.

 

[disneylove69]

On a long flight I did that so I was guaranteed a seat of choice and was able to hold one for a friend. She was in the A's so she would have received the seat we wanted anyway. Just make sure at the 24 hr mark the one who does not have the special checks in. With all the A-listers, and those who pay more to get better seats chances are the second person will get a B or C. If they get a C ... for center...... you may not sit together.

 

[Madteaparty001]

Southwest airlines has a deal where you can spend $12.50 for the ability to check in online up to 36 hrs before you flight. That is 12 hrs before those that do not purchase the special.
Reading online about it in the FAQ's, someone asked if everyone on that itinerary has to buy the early bird?
The answer was no, unless you added the early bird special at the time of booking the airfare, but if not you would have to add it later and omit others.

SOOO if I'm correct and there is a trick I'm not getting, I should not add it to my booking at the time of the airfare and just add it later to one in the party. Since it's just for my wife and I, I could board and put a bag on the seat beside me and save it for her after everyone boards. I understand if for some strange reason someone cut a fit and wanted me to prove that seat did not have the special bought, I would have to give it to them. Can't imagine that happening, but would gladly give it up! Anyone else think of that and did it?

While technically correct, saving seats is always a frowned upon practice. Either buy both of you the early bird check in or don't buy it at all, why bother with the stress and uncertainty? Some people on the travel forums have bought the EBC and stated those in their party who didn't buy it and checked in at 24 hours got a better boarding category, so it's all speculation anyways.

 

[hsmamato2]

OP don't bother buying it for just one,then you have 'seat saving stress' and if you don't care about not sitting together then why bother? just check in at 24 hours and you should be ok.... since SWA has a stupid policy about saving seats,and sometimes enforces it and sometimes doesn't,that just creates stress....and since the whole plane gets there at the same time, why pay extra?

 

[HeatherC]

We used it for our flights over April Break. What I found out is that even if you buy EBCI you are NOT guaranteed an A boarding position. It is apparently based on how many EBCI's they sell and when you purchase them. We only purchased them two weeks before our flight....out of five of us, only one got the last A position and four of us were the first four numbers for the B group on our flight down. Coming back, we all had A positions.

If you have to sit together, I would just buy them when you book instead of waiting for the day before flying.

On our flight back from MCO, we had many annoyed people on the flight because they paid for EBCI two days before the flight and wound up with C passes anyway.

Hope this helps!

 

[jiminy14]

It is not just based on when you purchased your tickets. I purchased EBCI for my daughter two months after I purchased it for DH and myself. She got a higher A boarding number than we did. I asked the agent at the check-in desk how this could happen and she told me that it is based on several factors. One is when you purchased EBCI and another is the cost of the ticket. The higher priced tickets get checked in first. That was true for us because my DD's ticket cost more than the tickets for DH and myself.

 

[hpfan100]

Not sure if you have seating preferences that are popular ( exit row, first 5 rows) but if not then you don't need to fuss th the early check in. just check in at 24 hours and should get an A or high B pass which will be fine for most flights. When you get to the airport check with the gate agent about how full the flight is. If it is ask about upgrading to a1-15 codes. It costs 40 dollars and you board right after pre-boards.


Just so you know if you didn't already...southwest boards like this. First are pre-boards, then business select which is A 1-15, then A listers, then people who bought early check in, then every one else in the A group, family boarding, then Bs and Cs in order 1-60.

 

[scrapquitler]

Keep in mind that it matters how many people pay for the early board check in. On our last trip, we did NOT pay for early bird, and I checked in 23 1/2 hours before our flight, and we got boarding numbers in the C30s. I think that almost everyone must have paid for the early check in option. You might pay for early check in and still not be in the A group.

 

[Laurie75M]

I was on 5 minutes before our 24 hour window opened up. I kept refreshing the page until I could check in so I was within the first minute and still got B11-14.

I wouldn't mind saving a spot for 1 person. However, when we flew last week 1 lady was holding spots for 6 other family members. That ticked me off. I was tempted to sit down in the seat next to her with my 3 year old daughter just to prove a point.

 

[jedijill]

There is no official seat saving policy from SW. However, I personally think its rude with passengers save seats for others because they didn't want to pay for the Early Boarding. Technically, someone has the right to sit in the seat you saved based on the first come, first served boarding.

Just my humble opinion.

Jill in CO

 

[Jaime4004]

Southwest airlines has a deal where you can spend $12.50 for the ability to check in online up to 36 hrs before you flight. That is 12 hrs before those that do not purchase the special.
Reading online about it in the FAQ's, someone asked if everyone on that itinerary has to buy the early bird?
The answer was no, unless you added the early bird special at the time of booking the airfare, but if not you would have to add it later and omit others.

SOOO if I'm correct and there is a trick I'm not getting, I should not add it to my booking at the time of the airfare and just add it later to one in the party. Since it's just for my wife and I, I could board and put a bag on the seat beside me and save it for her after everyone boards. I understand if for some strange reason someone cut a fit and wanted me to prove that seat did not have the special bought, I would have to give it to them. Can't imagine that happening, but would gladly give it up! Anyone else think of that and did it?

SW does not have a policy against saving seats, so go for it if you want. And I doubt anyone would be annoyed by one seat being saved. It's the people who save ROWS that are really annoying. My father complained to SW because it happened to him on both ways, multiple people saving seats, one saving 3 rows! They said (in not so many words) that they didn't have a policy against it, so deal with it...
I really hate their boarding process but like everything else about them. I heard jet blue was coming to our nearest airport soon (not many choices here), can't wait to try them.
Edited: Right after I wrote that, I saw that jet blue is now charging for the 1st checked bag. I should stick with driving to FL.

 

[CMNJ]

SW does not have a policy against saving seats, so go for it if you want. And I doubt anyone would be annoyed by one seat being saved. It's the people who save ROWS that are really annoying. My father complained to SW because it happened to him on both ways, multiple people saving seats, one saving 3 rows! They said (in not so many words) that they didn't have a policy against it, so deal with it...
I really hate their boarding process but like everything else about them. I heard jet blue was coming to our nearest airport soon (not many choices here), can't wait to try them.
Edited: Right after I wrote that, I saw that jet blue is now charging for the 1st checked bag. I should stick with driving to FL.

If I got on and someone was saving a seat I would just keep going (assuming there were seats together further back) However if someone was trying to save multiple rows and I ver well might sit there-southwest may not have a policy forbidding seat saving but they also have an open seat policy-if the seat is not occupied when you get on the plane it is up for grabs

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

I was very happy with our decision to use the EBCI on our recent trip to Washington, DC. I bought our tickets (flying into BWI) in late February for an early June trip. I added the EBCI at the time of ticket purchase and we were between A25 and A30 for each flight. It was nice to not have to worry about remembering to do our online check-in for our return flight while touring DC. Definitely worth the extra $100 it cost us.

 

[SMD]

Just the other day I was in C and managed to find a middle and window together on an oversold flight. So it does happen. On the way back the flight was oversold but my friend had an A and did save seats. I was B4 and probably could have met her on the jetway but I just stayed in my spot. That flight was delayed and at one point they made an announcement that no seats were left in the back of the plane, so if someone tells you a seat is saved, take it anyway. I was glad to already have a seat as I imagine it might be unpleasant to have to sit next to someone who you just told you're going to take a seat they thought they were saving.

 

[austinwildflower]

If you have to travel next to the person, then line up next to the person. Saving seats is cheating if you're using it to keep from paying everyone's EBCI fees. You're keeping other passengers who paid from taking the empty seat of their choice.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I understand if for some strange reason someone cut a fit and wanted me to prove that seat did not have the special bought, I would have to give it to them.

It's not a matter of having the special* bought. SouthWest has open seating. If there isn't a body in the seat, it's open.

since SWA has a stupid policy about saving seats,and sometimes enforces it and sometimes doesn't.

SW does not have a policy against saving seats,

SouthWest has no policy on saving seats. It's neither allowed nor prohibit.

If you have to travel next to the person, then line up next to the person.

Exactly. At the higher boarding position - such as a pay with A21 and A49 would board together at the A49 position.

*Not a special at all, an option.

 

[Angrose]

As a PP mentioned before, I really like that with the EBCI they will automatically check you in early for your flight so you don't have to worry about it yourself. That, to me, is worth it when we are out at the parks the day before our flight and we just don't have time or forget to check-in when the 24hr window opens. I have always paid for our whole family to do the EBCI since I don't think it's really fair for only one person in your party to get it if you are all traveling on the same itinerary.

 

[DCbride]

I find it interesting that there is no policy. We boarded one time and a lady saved the exit row and the row behind. We put our stuff in the bin, asked if someone was sitting there, she said her family would be. I looked at the flight attendant who was a row away and she simply said "we have open seating, if there is an unoccupied seat you may sit there" so we did. The lady was not happy, but having run the half marathon that morning we were!

 

[DisneyCowgirl]

Paying for one Early Bird and saving seats is not great. I am usually pretty liberal about what is and is not OK, especially by DISboards standards (e.g., I have allowed my then-toddler to open their snack and eat it while grocery shopping BEFORE we paid for it), but I really think buying one EB and saving seats is not right. I buy EB for my whole family. We have PAID to get to pick our seats before the other people that did not buy EB.