BDL Bradley to MCO Orlando Southwest Boarding question

[Badamon]

I am wondering for those of you that have traveled BDL to MCO on SW how you did with boarding position? We are a family of 4 and hoping to sit together (or at least 2 and 2), although our kids are old enough to sit by themselves (boys 14 & 17). Our flight leaves BDL on a Wednesday at 630 pm. We return from MCO on a Thursday, 955 pm. I have read on their website about early bird check in and just wondering how we'll do without purchasing it. Never used SW (unassigned seating) so your input is appreciated!
Thanks and Happy New Year!

 

[PCFriar80]

I am wondering for those of you that have traveled BDL to MCO on SW how you did with boarding position? We are a family of 4 and hoping to sit together (or at least 2 and 2), although our kids are old enough to sit by themselves (boys 14 & 17). Our flight leaves BDL on a Wednesday at 630 pm. We return from MCO on a Thursday, 955 pm. I have read on their website about early bird check in and just wondering how we'll do without purchasing it. Never used SW (unassigned seating) so your input is appreciated!
Thanks and Happy New Year!

We [Just 2 of us] use SWA regularly [4 times a year] out of BDL for our travels to MCO. Always on the first AM non-stop flight and do purchase EBCI. Our experience with EBCI has always gotten us in the mid - upper "A's" for boarding position. The AM flights are always full and I have no experience with the PM flights. Without EBCI you'll need to check in right at the 24 hour mark for any chance of a reasonable boarding position [either A or B]. I would assume and I know that this is a big mistake, that the PM flights may not be as crowded as the AM flights. Same holds true with the return leg. Hope this helps and any other questions, fire away. We'll be leaving on Tuesday, 7:00 AM!

 

[tink&stitchmom]

I am wondering for those of you that have traveled BDL to MCO on SW how you did with boarding position? We are a family of 4 and hoping to sit together (or at least 2 and 2), although our kids are old enough to sit by themselves (boys 14 & 17). Our flight leaves BDL on a Wednesday at 630 pm. We return from MCO on a Thursday, 955 pm. I have read on their website about early bird check in and just wondering how we'll do without purchasing it. Never used SW (unassigned seating) so your input is appreciated!
Thanks and Happy New Year!

As long as you only have 1 confirmation #, if you check in at the 24 hour mark you should be fine. About 5 minutes before checkin time put in your information and attempt to checkin so that all your info is ready. Then as I get within a minute I keep attempting to checkin and eventually it is accepted. I usually get a high A or a low B.
If you have a smartphone download their app for return flight checkin.

 

[Rpsemont]

What are your dates of travel? President's week - even though you're flying midweek, will be much busier than next week or early Feb.

If you check in right at the 24 hour mark, you should be fine. We fly BDL-MCO all the time, and usually get under B30 at the 24 hour mark. And most of the time, if you're under B30, you can get two seats together. We even gotten seats together with B46!

 

[Badamon]

We're flying on 2/12 and return 2/20 (Yes, President's week) so you are right, it will most likely be busier even though we're leaving on a Wednesday eve. We do stop in Baltimore, no plane change, so hoping the first leg isn't too crowded.
Where do you prefer to park? I'm looking at Roncari Valet this year. We've done the airport lot B in the past, but think Roncari is better value (and they will clean the car off if it snows! )
Thanks for all the info! Very much appreciated!

 

[tink&stitchmom]

We're flying on 2/12 and return 2/20 (Yes, President's week) so you are right, it will most likely be busier even though we're leaving on a Wednesday eve. We do stop in Baltimore, no plane change, so hoping the first leg isn't too crowded.
Where do you prefer to park? I'm looking at Roncari Valet this year. We've done the airport lot B in the past, but think Roncari is better value (and they will clean the car off if it snows! )
Thanks for all the info! Very much appreciated!

If you aren't able to sit together for the first leg, you'll be able to move your seats after the Baltimore passengers disembark.
Can't help you with parking as we always get dropped off/picked up--sorry.

 

[crc76]

We are flying from BDL to MCO with a layover in Baltimore on 2/22. It is an late morning/early afternoon flight. I have been wondering the same thing about boarding positions. We have a 5 year old, and there will be 3 of us. We didn't get EBCI. It is a must that at least one of us gets to sit with our DD. It is a mistake to not get EBCI? If I got it now would it make any difference?

Thanks for the help!

 

[francie57]

We are flying our of BDL Thurs on SW on the first flight of the morning. We always purchase the early check-in and have always been mid to high As. Just make sure you check-in right at the 24 hour mark and hopefully you will get a good number. Even if you are in the Bs you will probably still be able to get 2 and 2, which would probably be better since the seats are 3 and 3 and that would leave 1 on the other side of the aisle if you could get them all in one row. We do 2 and 2 in row one in front of the other. As far as parking, we always use Roncari and love it. We have never had any problems and their shuttles run continuously. Upon your return after retrieving your luggage you call them and usually there will be a shuttle pulling up as soon as you walk out the door. Also, if you have AAA, Roncari has a good discount for your membership.

 

[EskiLvr]

I swear by EBCI.

We have two boys who are 14 and 15. When we're getting ready to go on vacation, I'm usually so busy wrangling them and their idea of packing (!!) that EBCI saves me on the outbound leg. And for heading home, the last thing I want to have to do when we're enjoying our last day of vacation is to try to remember to have my iPhone out and the SW App queued up for me to check us in *right* at the 24 hour mark. We're heading back to the House of the Mouse in June, and I've already bought EBCI for all of us for the in and outbound legs.

We fly SWA out of the midwest all of the time, and my parents recently flew it from BDL to a couple of different destinations. The EBCI is something they've fallen in love with as well (and my dad doesn't pay extra for *anything*.) The funniest thing is that my boys (who have literally been flying since they were toddlers on trips back to CT) prefer SWA over "traditional" assigned seating - hearing their perspective on how passengers handle the boarding experience with the different seating models has been entertaining.

Enjoy your trip!

 

[Badamon]

We [Just 2 of us] use SWA regularly [4 times a year] out of BDL for our travels to MCO. Always on the first AM non-stop flight and do purchase EBCI. Our experience with EBCI has always gotten us in the mid - upper "A's" for boarding position. The AM flights are always full and I have no experience with the PM flights. Without EBCI you'll need to check in right at the 24 hour mark for any chance of a reasonable boarding position [either A or B]. I would assume and I know that this is a big mistake, that the PM flights may not be as crowded as the AM flights. Same holds true with the return leg. Hope this helps and any other questions, fire away. We'll be leaving on Tuesday, 7:00 AM!

Thanks for the info and have a GREAT vacation!

 

[Badamon]

Thanks, all!

 

[lolobug]

Can someone tell me what EBCI costs? We are also a family of four (2 years and 4 year old kids) I just assumed we would be together... Ugh!

 

[suffieldhockeymom]

Can someone tell me what EBCI costs? We are also a family of four (2 years and 4 year old kids) I just assumed we would be together... Ugh!

You will be able to board after teh A group and before the B group because of your toddler. Early Bird check-in (EBCI) checks you in ahead of the 24-hour mark. It is $12.50 extra per person per flight. http://www.southwest.com/flight/early-bird-retrieve-reservation.html?clk=HOMEICON1EARBIR131018

We used it for 1 of our tickets last trip and it only got us a A30 boarding postilion and the rest of us got B12-18. I used the app on my phone and was able to quickly check us in on the last night while we were waiting in line for Soaring and then printed our boarding passes the next morning at the hotel.

 

[Huff]

We've never used the earlybird check in. I've always checked in at exactly 24 hours. As others stated, I log in on PC or on Phone using Southwests APP, key in all needed information and wait until just before 24 hours and keep trying until it goes through. I've always gotten an A or B boarding pass. Even a B pass will allow you to board with plenty of seats remaining to choose from.

On the return flight we're usually at a park 24 hours before our departure. I use my phone to check in while at a park. You can also go to guest services at the park, or to any resort counter and they can check you in but its important that you do so exactly at 24 hours prior in order to get an early boarding pass.

Paying the extra $'s can get expensive as its per person each way. But for some its worth it as you do not have to worry about checking in. It's all automatic and you'll end up with an A or low B boarding pass.

 

[lolobug]

You will be able to board after teh A group and before the B group because of your toddler. Early Bird check-in (EBCI) checks you in ahead of the 24-hour mark. It is $12.50 extra per person per flight. http://www.southwest.com/flight/early-bird-retrieve-reservation.html?clk=HOMEICON1EARBIR131018 We used it for 1 of our tickets last trip and it only got us a A30 boarding postilion and the rest of us got B12-18. I used the app on my phone and was able to quickly check us in on the last night while we were waiting in line for Soaring and then printed our boarding passes the next morning at the hotel.

Just to clarify, I will be able to sit with my kids then? I don't really care where we are seated, just as long as we are together (trust me, my fellow passengers will also REALLY want us to be together!)

 

[TeachTink]

Just to clarify, I will be able to sit with my kids then? I don't really care where we are seated, just as long as we are together (trust me, my fellow passengers will also REALLY want us to be together!)

There is never a 100% guarantee that you will all be able to sit together, but if you spring the $12.50 for Early Bird, you will most likely get put into boarding class A (the higher part of it). The earlier you get on the plane, the more likely you are to find seats together.

 

[suffieldhockeymom]

You will not have a problem finding seats together if you board between A and B groups because of the kids ages or are in group B. Your best bet is to sit in groups of 2, one behind the other (each section is 3 across on either side of the isle). We had a group of 8 last July and sat 3,3,2 one behind the other. Set an alarm for 5 or so minutes before your 24 hour mark and you will be set in any case to check in.

 

[lolobug]

You will not have a problem finding seats together if you board between A and B groups because of the kids ages or are in group B. Your best bet is to sit in groups of 2, one behind the other (each section is 3 across on either side of the isle). We had a group of 8 last July and sat 3,3,2 one behind the other. Set an alarm for 5 or so minutes before your 24 hour mark and you will be set in any case to check in.

Thank you!

 

[TeachTink]

You will not have a problem finding seats together if you board between A and B groups because of the kids ages or are in group B. Your best bet is to sit in groups of 2, one behind the other (each section is 3 across on either side of the isle). We had a group of 8 last July and sat 3,3,2 one behind the other. Set an alarm for 5 or so minutes before your 24 hour mark and you will be set in any case to check in.

She won't get to do the family boarding between A and B because her kids are way too old. You have to have a child 4 years old or under. I agree though that if you have a late A or early/mid B pass you should all be able to sit together. I can't imagine a problem at all with 2 and 2.

 

[lolobug]

She won't get to do the family boarding between A and B because her kids are way too old. You have to have a child 4 years old or under. I agree though that if you have a late A or early/mid B pass you should all be able to sit together. I can't imagine a problem at all with 2 and 2.

I have two kids ages 2 and 4 so family boarding should work