A Southwest Convert...lol

[xboxundone]

Southwest is the best and cheapest way to fly just always bring a carryon on with atleast your toiletries and a days worht of clothes incase the inevitable happens. I fly with them about every 3 weeks due to work and never a problem never a lost bag plus the prices are great!

 

[DonnaL]

I love SW!!!! We have a local regional airport practically in our backyard
LOL ....it's actually about two miles away. However, the carriers into that airport don't have any direct flights to MCO (it's either connect in Atlanta,
Pittsburgh, or Cinncinati and takes about seven hours!!) not to mention about triple the cost. So, we willingly make the drive to Philadelphia (a very easy two hours down the turnpike) in order to use SW. We have our choice of about five or six direct flights a day and we're there in a little over two hours.
Our family ALWAYS has a running credit with SW for our next trip!!!!

 

[momsgoofy]

I love SW!!!! We have a local regional airport practically in our backyard
LOL ....it's actually about two miles away. However, the carriers into that airport don't have any direct flights to MCO (it's either connect in Atlanta,
Pittsburgh, or Cinncinati and takes about seven hours!!) not to mention about triple the cost. So, we willingly make the drive to Philadelphia (a very easy two hours down the turnpike) in order to use SW. We have our choice of about five or six direct flights a day and we're there in a little over two hours.
Our family ALWAYS has a running credit with SW for our next trip!!!!

Ya'll sound like us...have a small regional airport nearby...if I walked a straight line from my back door I'd be on the end of a runway in about 1/2 mile...lol We can only get very costly connections to St. Louis, so we drive to the major airport...2 1/2 hrs. to STL, 3 1/2 to BNA, 2 to Evansville, IN (but it typcially is more expensive and doesn't offer much more), or 4 hrs. to Indianapolis, Bloomington, IL or Louisville, KY. I compare the fares, flight schedules, travel cost to get to the airports, and cost we might incur if we spend the night there...which ever has the best all around deal is where we go. Another thing I consider when we travel in the winter is airport location...north or south and the potential for weather delays there.

 

[owtrbnks]

Pedler,
We fly SWA about 18 - 20 times each year, mostly from ALB. Great airport! SWA is the reason we are able to visit our second "home" at SSR so often. Just booked $34 ding fare ALB to MCO for end of January!

 

[Poohbear123]

Love Southwest and their prices, can't beat 'em.

 

[inkkognito]

I am a fellow convert.

Back when ATA flew MDW/MCO, I wondered why anyone would deal with the cattle call of SW. At the time, most of their flights to MCO were not non-stop either. But when ATA bailed, they added a ton of non-stops, and hubby & I had to switch because they were the only ones with reasonable rates.

Now we LOVE SW! We just do our online check-in and get in the A line early, and we always get great seats. I don't like the planes as well as ATAs, but they are fine for a two-hour flight. The FAs are friendly, and best of all, the fares are unbelievably low. We are now definite SW fans.

Barb

 

[Jakesmom504]

Has anyone ever flown SW on a holiday weekend? We are going to WDW next Dec and flying out the day before NYE, it's also a Saturday. I'm paranoid about the rates but want to make sure we get good flight times, the problem is I could just book and then use Ding but we don't ever fly. We haven't flown for five years. How long are the credits good for? I saw on the website that the most expensive ticket was 182.00 for the refundable tickets, is that the most expensive ticket there is or do they charge more? Obviously I don't fly, if you can't already tell!

 

[Pedler]

Pedler,
We fly SWA about 18 - 20 times each year, mostly from ALB. Great airport! SWA is the reason we are able to visit our second "home" at SSR so often. Just booked $34 ding fare ALB to MCO for end of January!

How far in advance were you able to book the flight? Are there any hotel near the airport that let you stay there the night before and park your car for the trip?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Pedler]

I have a question on South West's seating. I understand that they do not have pre assigned seats but if you get there early enough can you mitigate the risks that you won't be seated with your children? My concern is that our kids get separated from us for the flight.

 

[salmoneous]

I have a question on South West's seating. I understand that they do not have pre assigned seats but if you get there early enough can you mitigate the risks that you won't be seated with your children? My concern is that our kids get separated from us for the flight.

We could go on and on for a long time on SW seating, but here's the 30 second version.

If you have kids under 5, you preboard and have no trouble sitting together.

Everyone else boards in 3 groups A,B and C. You get put in a group depending upon when you check in. Within the group, you board the plane in the order you line up.

Experienced SW users know to check in 24 hours online and pretty much guarantee themselves an A pass. No matter where you are in the A line, you should have no trouble sitting together.

If for some reason you end up with a B pass, being at the front of the B line (usually starts forming about an hour before flight, or 30 minutes before boarding) should allow any family to sit together. Even at the back of the B line, you can still get groups of 2 seats together most of the time.

If you end up at the back of the B's on a flight with a ton of preboards, or in the C's, there is a chance that only middle seats will be left. (From the days before on-line check-in I've been in the C's and not had a problem getting 2 seats, but it starts to get iffy). However, in situations where you have parents and kids, the flight attendants work and ask people to move around to be sure kids aren't stuck alone and are sitting with at least one of their parents.

 

[kmjmom]

I just booked our first SW flights. Who could pass up $69.00 each way from Hartford to Orlando! Just sorry there were no codes for our room! It's great to hear all the positive SW chatter! Thanks!