Southwest Question

[sjedelen67]

We are looking to fly to MCO in June for our cruise. Does Southwest let you get your boarding pass on the ship before we leave? I know it says you can check in online 24 hours before flying, but if we are on the ship how do we accomplish that? Thanks for any help. Steve

 

[kcashner]

If you are in a concierge suite, the concierge will do it for you. If you are in a regular cabin, you can go on line from the ship (75 cents per minute) and do the onboard check in. You can pay the extra $10 and have Southwest do it for you automatically. Or you can give your flight info to a trusted friend or family member at home and ask them to do it for you. You can print out the boarding passes at the airport at no charge.

Guest Services will NOT do online check in for guests on the ship who are on Southwest.

 

[sjedelen67]

The extra 10 dollars, is that for each person, or each reservation? Do you sign up for that before the trip? Thanks.

 

[TDC Nala]

The extra 10 dollars, is that for each person, or each reservation? Do you sign up for that before the trip? Thanks.

Per passenger, and yes, you must sign up for it in advance. you can sign up for it when you book your flights, or add it later.

 

[sjedelen67]

We are a family of four. Is it difficult to get seating together on the plane? We have always flown Delta with assigned seating. Thanks for such quick replies.

 

[TDC Nala]

Depends on when you end up boarding. If you are OK with the back of the plane, then you're probably good with a B boarding pass. However, if you can't check in at 24 hours, there are a lot of people on the early-bird check in or a lot of those who CAN make it to check in at 24 hours and you end up with C passes, you might end up scattered. I don't think I would really count on other people who have already boarded giving up their seats so your family can sit together.

I have this problem but I am a solo flyer and my only desire is to not end up in a middle seat, so I'm going to do it without the early bird check in, but depending on how I feel later I might just change my mind and sign up for it.

 

[DisneyOHFan]

We are a family of four. Is it difficult to get seating together on the plane? We have always flown Delta with assigned seating. Thanks for such quick replies.

If you pay the $10 for the automatic boarding #, you will be in the first group to board, so it should be easy to sit together.

 

[kcashner]

We are a family of four. Is it difficult to get seating together on the plane? We have always flown Delta with assigned seating. Thanks for such quick replies.

Family boarding (for those with children under 5) is between the A and B groups. If you check in on line 24 hours ahead OR pay the $10 per person, you will usually have A boarding (paying the $10 will always get A).

There is no promise that you'll be together if you have a higher boarding number. If you don't want to pay the $40, is there a grandma, friend, or travel agent who can do your on line check in for you? The cabin crew will encourage someone to move so you can sit 2 and 2 (one adult with each kid), but they aren't going to move people with earlier boarding to put 4 of you together.

 

[disneyfaninaz]

If you pay the $10 for the automatic boarding #, you will be in the first group to board, so it should be easy to sit together.

This is not necessarily true. Paying $10 will let Southwest check you in 36 hours before your flight so you don't have to be at a computer 24 hours before your flight to check in. It does not guarantee an "A" boarding pass and it certainly doesn't put you in the first group to board.

However, it is convenient not to have to worry during your vacation about checking in 24 hours before your flight.

 

[DisneyOHFan]

This is not necessarily true. Paying $10 will let Southwest check you in 36 hours before your flight so you don't have to be at a computer 24 hours before your flight to check in. It does not guarantee an "A" boarding pass and it certainly doesn't put you in the first group to board.

However, it is convenient not to have to worry during your vacation about checking in 24 hours before your flight.

You are right, it isn't a guarantee, but I fly SW extensively and have always been placed in A. So for us, it is certainly worth it.

 

[camarks1234]

I have a Southwest app on my iphone that allows me to check in straight from the phone. You might have to pay roaming charges for that though.

 

[Queen of Oakville]

hmmm, never thought to ask a friend or family member to do our online checkin for us.

I love the stuff I learn here!

I also have the apps on my phone and have used that. Probably with cruising though is that you don't always have access to (Free) wireless.

 

[mookie]

The way I'm looking at it...if someone else wants to sit by my crabby kids....let 'Em!

I never thought about this check in problem for the cruise, but since we have kids under 5, I guess I'm not going to stress about it too much. Plus, as long as there is one kid to one adult, I'm fine with that.

 

[Glitzytraveller]

We are a family of four. Is it difficult to get seating together on the plane? We have always flown Delta with assigned seating. Thanks for such quick replies.

Just so you know, paying the $10 per person makes you Business Select. Which means you can board first. So, you will get seats together. Plus you will get a drink coupon.

 

[aan1701]

Just so you know, paying the $10 per person makes you Business Select. Which means you can board first. So, you will get seats together. Plus you will get a drink coupon.

OP do not listen to the quote above. I work for SWA and this is just not true. Let set the record straight for you. You may purchase Early Bird Check In for $10 per person, each way. So it would be $20 each person round trip. What the above poster is talking about is our fully changeable, fully refundable Business Select product. You can upgrade to this but it may cost you in the hundreds of dollars depending on how much you paid for each ticket. Yes you get a gaurented A 1-15 boarding pass. You also get a lot more Rapid Rewards credit. But it will for sure cost more than $10 a person. I hope you enjoy your flights and vacation.

 

[JohnsonsFour]

I went ahead and added the Early Bird check-in to our flights home. Will we need to still print our boarding passes once we arrive at the airport?

Thanks for any insight!

 

[disneyfaninaz]

Yes, you will be able to print your boarding pass at the airport when you check your bags.

 

[JohnsonsFour]

Yes, you will be able to print your boarding pass at the airport when you check your bags.

Thank you

 

[magic458]

I would just pay the $10 extra, BUT I have to say that you might be over concerning yourself.

I guess I have never seen the benefit of early boarding. If you have young kids they will move people to get you a seat, but for us it is a race to find a place to sit down a plug in a DVD and veg for the flight.

 

[mom2brooke76]

I wanted to add that I fly SW monthly to Orlando and the family boarding has always been announced as 4 and under. Also, you can't rely on family boarding in Orlando since they've been known to suspend it if there are too many families with small children.