Flying Southwest for the first time - questions

[mandypta]

My family will be flying southwest to get to WDW in March. We've never done this before, and I'm not sure how it all works.

I saw that I could pay extra for assigned seats. Is this something I should do, or no? I didn't do it, but can add it later, I think. I'm flying with my husband and 2 kids - ages 6 and 3.

Does SW regularly "overbook" flights so that we might get bumped? I definitely do not want that to happen!

What else do I need to know? (We're flying out of Louisville, if that makes a difference)

 

[Huff]

You won't ever have assigned seats on SW. You're given a boarding pass which shows a group (A, B or C) and a number. They board group A, then B and finally group C. The number is the order within a group you'll board.

Groups and numbers are assigned when you check in for your flight. The earliest you can check in is 24 hours prior to departure. Easiest way to check in is online using a PC or web enabled phone. If you do so right at 24 hours you'll most likely get an A or B boarding pass. You should not have any trouble finding seats together for your family unless you checked in rather late and got a C pass.

The early bird check in costs $10 per person each way. Southwest then automatically checks you in at 36 hours before flight which would almost always give you an A pass.

In my experience as long as you check in right at 24 hours theres no need to buy the early bird service. Doing so is a convenience so you don't have to worry about it especially for return flight.

For return flight I use my cell phone to check in at 24 hours. You can also go to any resort desk or guest services at any park and give them your flight confirmation number and they will check you in and print boarding passes.

All this may see confusing or a hassle but it really is quick and simple. It allows planes to be boarded much faster than other airlines in my experience thus more ontime departures.

 

[mandypta]

Very helpful! Thank you!

 

[paults]

Since one of your children is only 3 yrs old you can board after the A group and before B group.
you would still need to check in on line to get BP's so even if you get a C pass you can still board after the A group.

My family will be flying southwest to get to WDW in March. We've never done this before, and I'm not sure how it all works.

I saw that I could pay extra for assigned seats. Is this something I should do, or no? I didn't do it, but can add it later, I think. I'm flying with my husband and 2 kids - ages 6 and 3.

Does SW regularly "overbook" flights so that we might get bumped? I definitely do not want that to happen!

What else do I need to know? (We're flying out of Louisville, if that makes a difference)

 

[disneyfaninaz]

These might help.

http://www.southwest.com/flight/early-bird-retrieve-reservation.html

http://www.southwest.com/html/customer-service/airport-experience/boarding-school/

SWA, like every other airline, overbooks. However, if you are at the gate on time and ine up with your group and get on the plane, you are very unlikely to ever get bumped. Every once in a while SWA will offer an incentive to give up your seat, but not just bump you. If you arrive late, or after the plane has boarded, you are more likely to get bumped.

 

[vacationclub]

I would get EBCI. Since they started offering it, more and more people are getting it, so if you DON'T get it, even if checking in at exactly 24 hours, you could be at B31 or more, as we have been. By the time we got on the plane there were just a few pairs of seats together....and that's with a check-in at exactly 24 hours. (refresh, refresh, refresh....ah...check in!!) They really have a horrible seating system, IMHO.

What I want to know is, how do they prioritize the early bird check ins? Let's say the entire plane pays for it....who get's on last...first?

 

[ToddyLu]

DH and I always pay for EBCI (early bird check in) on our SW flights. I am working usually during our 24 check in time and then don't want to worry about it on vacation. There is an outside skycap desk at MCO so on the way back if you have EBCI--they check you in at 36 hours, then the skycap gets your bags and you are on your way before you even go in the airport--awesome!! SW is really cool and is the only direct flight within 150 miles of us for around $250 each rd trip.

Have a great time--EBCI is the best $40 we spend...well almost.

 

[mb187143]

Since one of your children is only 3 yrs old you can board after the A group and before B group.
you would still need to check in on line to get BP's so even if you get a C pass you can still board after the A group.

Not necessarily - in some cases yes, the whole family can board between A and B, but I've seen family boarding restricted to an adult and a child under 2, while the rest of the family boards at their boarding pass group, and I've also seen them not offer family boarding where there are a lot of families with small children.

OP, we do ECBI every time, and are always in A group, or very high B group, and have never had a problem finding seats together.