A Few Southwest Booking Questions

[AngieInOH]

Southwest is opening up booking dates soon so I need to get my ducks in a row.

There will be 5 of us flying out of Columbus to Orlando, 2 adults 3 children. I should be able to get 3 or 4 tickets with points I've saved.

QUESTIONS:
1. Is it worth the $12.50 each way for Early Bird priority seating? (An extra $125) We will likely fly out anywhere from 10:00-2:00. My husband and I wouldn't mind splitting up as long as we were close together but our kids would have to be next to us.

2. Do I have to make two seperate transactions to pay with points and then pay with cash?

3. If I'm short on points to get the 4th ticket will it allow me the option to purchase extra points?

I've only flyed with the family twice before and it was only 3 of us 6 years ago. I didn't pay for the Early Bird back then but am not sure this time around.

 

[Apopper74]

1) Is there at least little one under 4? If so you will be able to get family boarding which boards after group A seating. Unless there are a lot, you should be able to find seating fitting your criteria.
2)Yes, two transactions are necessary to book points cash vs. points.
3) Yes and keep an eye out for incentives. Sometimes they offer extra points for a purchase/transfer. I was able to get an 40% in points for transferring my points. But do the math, if you need a lot of points it may not be advantageous to purchase the points vs. using all cash.

 

[AngieInOH]

1) Is there at least little one under 4? If so you will be able to get family boarding which boards after group A seating. Unless there are a lot, you should be able to find seating fitting your criteria.

My kids are all over 4 years old..... 6, 6, and 15. So no Family Boarding.

 

[n2mm]

I would buy early birds then. We are traveling with our grandkids in August and bought the EB because I can't use family boarding and need the grandkids next to each of us. I never gave it a second thought.

 

[goofy4tink]

I guess only you can decide if it's 'worth' it. Buying EBCI certainly will allow you to be sure of getting seats together. Sure, you may still be able to do so if you don't...but the chances of getting all 5 of them together are going to be less likely!
Try thinking of the EBCI fee as a checked bag fee...that's what I do.....hey, it's half what a checked bag would be, right? Flying isn't inexpensive.....sure, we all try to keep the costs down, but sometimes we just have to spend a bit more.

 

[wdwfan1]

It is really nice to have EBCI for the trip home. You don't have to worry about checking in. EBCI does it for you.

 

[disny_luvr]

I'd definitely do EBCI. I don't really give it a second thought. We are a family of four so for us it's an extra $100. I look at it as paying to check our bags. Anyway, we fly out tomorrow and when I checked this morning we got A18, A19, A20, A21. My mind is at ease as I know we will definitely get seats together.

 

[goofy4tink]

I'd definitely do EBCI. I don't really give it a second thought. We are a family of four so for us it's an extra $100. I look at it as paying to check our bags. Anyway, we fly out tomorrow and when I checked this morning we got A18, A19, A20, A21. My mind is at ease as I know we will definitely get seats together.

Nice slots!!!!!

 

[hsmamato2]

1- you may or may not need ebci- if you don't get it for the way down, and check in at 24 hours you should get a low B and be near each other (prob. closer to back of plane) without issues-
2-making a diff transaction is not that hard, just write down and keep track of Conf. #'s etc. (I make separate purchases for each person in our family all the time,you just have to check each sep. Conf.# in at the 24 hr mark)
3- it probably makes sense to pay for the last ticket you don't have points for with your swa cc, get the extra points ,no need to buy more-

 

[Spunky946]

If you have to book separately, I'd buy the early bird because otherwise you have to check in everyone separately and you could end up with numbers spread apart.

 

[JenB1104]

Another vote for the EBCI - if you are booking flights early you are usually in first group to board. We were recently in the first 20 people on - booked flights as soon as they were released for our dates. It was nice to have our pick of seats pretty much. I figure since we aren't having to pay bag fees, it is worth it. Then if you don't have time to check in online within a good time frame you are set.

 

[CarolMN]

I'd get EB for at least the flight home. As previously mentioned, it's really nice not to have to worry about checking in right at the 24 hour mark - especially if it will occur during park time! Since you will have two separate reservations to check in, that's even more reason to let SWA check in for you on the way back.

Going to MCO, you can usually make a point of checking in exactly at 24 hours and my guess is that there won't be a problem getting seats together out of Columbus, even if you get B passes for your party.

 

[mickeynut1]

Southwest is opening up booking dates soon so I need to get my ducks in a row.

There will be 5 of us flying out of Columbus to Orlando, 2 adults 3 children. I should be able to get 3 or 4 tickets with points I've saved.

QUESTIONS:
1. Is it worth the $12.50 each way for Early Bird priority seating? (An extra $125) We will likely fly out anywhere from 10:00-2:00. My husband and I wouldn't mind splitting up as long as we were close together but our kids would have to be next to us.

Another vote for EBCI (at least for the return trip if you didn't want to do both ways). There are 4 of us and I always spend the extra and while we don't have little kids (our boys are now young adults), we do like to sit together. With 3 young kids, I wouldn't hesitate to buy it (that's just me). With that said, EBCI doesn't guarantee you will have seats together (or close by), but the chances are better (IMO) with it than without.

 

[pooh4evr]

We just booked our tickets for October, half with points and half paid. Yes it is 2 transactions with 2 confirmation numbers. I agree with the others, we usually get the ebci - at least do it for the flight home so you don't have to worry about it.

 

[jeweaver]

Southwest is opening up booking dates soon so I need to get my ducks in a row.

There will be 5 of us flying out of Columbus to Orlando, 2 adults 3 children. I should be able to get 3 or 4 tickets with points I've saved.

QUESTIONS:
1. Is it worth the $12.50 each way for Early Bird priority seating? (An extra $125) We will likely fly out anywhere from 10:00-2:00. My husband and I wouldn't mind splitting up as long as we were close together but our kids would have to be next to us.

2. Do I have to make two seperate transactions to pay with points and then pay with cash?

3. If I'm short on points to get the 4th ticket will it allow me the option to purchase extra points?

I've only flyed with the family twice before and it was only 3 of us 6 years ago. I didn't pay for the Early Bird back then but am not sure this time around.

I don't do early bird anymore. If you are staying on disney property, you can opt to have them print your boarding pass for the way home. They are always printed pretty early. I have always had "a" boarding by doing it this way. For the way there, just make sure you go online and check in exactly 24 hours in advance you should be good.
If not staying on disney property, I book early bird for either myself or my husband for the way home. One of us boards earlier and saves the seats.

 

[jeweaver]

You are allowed to buy points or transfer point from one person to another. To buy it is $55 for 2000 points. They have a special going on right now if you buy 4000 or more, you get extra points. With 4000 you get another 1200 free. The special ends July 25.
To transfer points, it is $10 per every 1000 you transfer. You have to transfer at least 2000 to start.

 

[pooch]

I don't do early bird anymore. If you are staying on disney property, you can opt to have them print your boarding pass for the way home. They are always printed pretty early. I have always had "a" boarding by doing it this way. For the way there, just make sure you go online and check in exactly 24 hours in advance you should be good.
If not staying on disney property, I book early bird for either myself or my husband for the way home. One of us boards earlier and saves the seats.

Yes, Disney will print BPs for you but they don't actually check you in. I believe you still have to do that yourself. At least this has been my experience.

 

[AngieInOH]

They have a special going on right now if you buy 4000 or more, you get extra points. With 4000 you get another 1200 free. The special ends July 25..

Thanks for the info. Definitely need to look into this before booking opens up.

 

[AngieInOH]

I book early bird for either myself or my husband for the way home. One of us boards earlier and saves the seats.

I never thought to just book Early Bird for one or two of us and they could get seats for the rest of us. Will the system allow you to just book it for two individuals? Something to think about.

 

[Meeko5]

I never thought to just book Early Bird for one or two of us and they could get seats for the rest of us. Will the system allow you to just book it for two individuals? Something to think about.

You can choose who in your party you want it for when you purchase - I have myself with a lap infant, a 6 year old, and DH. I purchased ebci for DH and DS6 but not myself since ill get family boarding.

And saving seats on SW seems to be controversial, but from what I've read it isn't against policy so you can try but aren't guaranteed it will work.