Early Bird Check in

[yankebabie]

If you purchase early bird check in & have to cancel your trip, will they re-Imburse you the cost of do they just give you a sw credit

 

[mjdis17]

I recently had to cancel a trip where the airfare was paid for with SW points and the early bird check in, as well as the post 9/11 service fee, was paid for on a credit card. When we cancelled it, we got the service fee refunded back to the credit card and lost the money paid for the early bird check in. We did not get a SW credit or a refund to our card. Maybe this varies if you don't book the flights with points?

 

[yankebabie]

I booked with points too. Don't want to pay for early bird & lose $60 should something happen and I have to cancel. Well if my grandson is 5 years old will they let us board between A & B, which in that case won't need early bird because we could find seats together or is 5 years old not eligible for family boarding

 

[mjdis17]

Family boarding would be helpful for you as it's for families with children 6 and under, however only one adult is allowed on per child. So if it just you and your grandson, then family boarding would be perfect for the two of you. If there are more people in your party, then you will not all be able to board during family boarding, although some seat saving techniques could be used to allow your party to sit together. For what it's worth, I've typically never had an issue getting seats together on a Southwest flight unless I was in the low B or C categories.

PS- Early Bird can be added to a reservation up to 36 hours before flight departure. If you are concerned then you can book it closer to your flight so the risk of something happening and losing that $60 is not as likely.

 

[yankebabie]

It is just me and my grandson so family boarding would be perfect for us! Thank you

 

[LisaS]

I recently had to cancel a trip where the airfare was paid for with SW points and the early bird check in, as well as the post 9/11 service fee, was paid for on a credit card. When we cancelled it, we got the service fee refunded back to the credit card and lost the money paid for the early bird check in. We did not get a SW credit or a refund to our card. Maybe this varies if you don't book the flights with points?

I think the policy is the same whether you purchase with points or cash. The security fee is fully refundable but the EBCI fee is lost, there is no refund or travel fund credit.