DELTA or SW

[L*hd]

Been a long long , long time since I do not fly
I have been looking for an early flight to MCO from San Antonio in October ( really early ) and this is what I got:
Delta
Depart 5:45 am arriving to MCO at 11:30 am

SW
Depart 9:30 arriving 2:40 pm.

Both airlines are around $ 200.00 dlls rt so price would not mark a difference but I am not sure about service.

any experiences you may wanna share to help me deciding Delta or SW?

 

[Jestocost]

One thing to consider is that the Delta price doesn't include checked baggage fees. Delta charges $15 for the first checked bag (per person) and $25 for a second checked bag each way. So one checked bag each way adds another $30 to the cost of the flight and two checked bags bumps it by $80. Southwest allows two checked bags per passenger at no charge.

A second point of difference will be that Delta offers assigned seating, whereas Southwest uses "open seating." That means with Delta you will have specific seat (or seats) that is yours and it will be there whenever you board (unless Delta scrambles or deletes the assignments, which they have been known to do when they tweak their schedules a few times per year). With Southwest, you can check in online starting 24 hours in advance of the first leg of your flight and you get a letter/number combination—A, B or C and 1-60—based on when you check in. Then, passengers board in order based on their letter/number combination starting with A1. Once on board, you select whatever seat you want from what isn't already occupied.

A third point of difference is that Delta can and does change its flight schedules between when you book and when you fly. If you book a year in advance, they may change the schedule three or four times before you fly. Sometimes the changes are moving a departure time ahead or back a few minutes, but sometimes they are more substantial. With Delta and Northwest merging their schedules, it's likely that Delta will have more substantial schedule changes in the coming months. Southwest does not change their schedules after they release their flights for booking. Your flight on SWA will be the same on the day you fly as on the date you book.

Finally, Delta is a participating airline in the Resort Airline Check-in service for guests at Disney-owned resorts. That allows you to check bags and get boarding passes at your resort on your day of departure. Southwest does not participate, so you need to get your bags to the airport with you. The front desk at all Disney resorts and the guest services locations in the parks and at DTD will help you with your online check in for Southwest, however.

 

[ancestry]

Jestocost gave you some really good advice.

One other thing to keep in mind with your early flight is that you are expected to be at the airport two hours before your flight departs (although most people usually do 1 1/2 hours). With a 5:45 AM flight you would need to arrive at the airport around 3:45 AM (or 4:15 AM if you choose to go with 1 1/2 hours). I like early mornings too but arriving at the airport at 3:45 AM means I have to wake up around 2:00 AM which is way too early for even an early bird like me.

 

[snowbunny]

5:45 am?

Take the Southwest flight which is at a better time and additionally two checked bags will be free.

 

[L*hd]

wow !! thank you for your opinios.. I have never tought of a baggage fee for Delta.. good one . I do not mind the early flight since we driving from home to SAT all night... but.... SW will be.. I woud rather stay with my reservation than thinking it will change someway or other.....
WDW .. here we come in October

 

[DebbieB]

Another factor - SW does not charge a fee for changes. Delta will charge you $150 per ticket. Last fall I had a flight on SW and decided I would rather take an evening flight instead of the afternoon I had booked. The fare was the same for the evening one, so I was able to change it at no charge.

 

[lacrosse_lady72]

I HATE Southwest... a lot! My dad is even a frequent flyer and was going to fly me acouple places on points and I declined and gladly paid OOP for my tickets on another airplane.

I kept getting stuck in cat 3 seating which leaves the crappiest spots left with the people you don't want to sit with... and in the back. NO THANK YOU!

I want to pick my seats, it doesn't matter how much it costs. I don't like sitting in the back, I don't like sitting in the middle of the row, I don't like being anywhere near an exit row or a wing and the only way to guarentee this is if I can pick my seat ahead of time.

 

[snowbunny]

I want to pick my seats, it doesn't matter how much it costs.

You can also pay for a business select ticket on SW which guarantees an A boarding pass.

But if you're traveling alone, whether you select your seat ahead of time or not, there is no way to ensure you will not be sitting next to "people you don't want to sit with." At least on SW you can get up and move if you feel you need to.