Is Early Bird Check In worth it on SW?

[goofy4tink]

Do you guys think our family will be OK without EBCI? We are a family of 4 with 2 kids ages 2 and 4- we will be able to board after the A group. Our flight is only 2 hours and we are ok if we aren't all 4 together as long as we can at least have 1 adult and 1 child together. It doesn't look like our flight is a continuing flight so it should be an empty plane. Just kind of feel like we may spend $100 for the check in and it wouldn't make that much of a difference. We will online check in at 24 hours ahead in hopes of getting in the A group. We don't care what part of the plane we are in- just want to not have our kids sit alone!

You will 'most likely' be able to find seats together. Of course, with four, someone is going to be sitting alone if you find a whole empty row. You could split up...one parent, one child per row. Put the child in the window seat. Or if you get the entire row...parent in the middle, child on each side, with other parent across the aisle.

In all probability, you will be able to board in between the A and B groups going to Orlando. Going home could be an entirely different story. With so many families flying out of MCO, there are times that SW does away with family boarding. So...you are going to be sure to be near a computer at that 24 hr window for your return flight....just in case you aren't allowed to do family boarding.

 

[Blessed_wth_Triplets]

I'm really glad we chose not to pay now...10 days out and our flight still isn't full...even when I try to buy 8 seats!

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

I'm really glad we chose not to pay now...10 days out and our flight still isn't full...even when I try to buy 8 seats!

That doesn't mean anything; lots of people buy last minute tickets. Your flight could be completely full 10 days from now.

 

[drinkme]

That doesn't mean anything; lots of people buy last minute tickets. Your flight could be completely full 10 days from now.

I definitely agree. People who travel for business may purchase their tickets late. When we fly with 2 adults & 2 kids we sit 2 and 2. When I fly with 3 kids I will put the kids together in one row and I take the aisle seat across from them.

Btw, I always ask the gate attendant if we can board with the family boarding group even though the youngest isn't under 5. They always have let us. If I'm flying with just the older kids I don't ask.

 

[jayhawk74]

There have been occasions where, when the flight has a lot of families flying, they don't do the Family Boarding at all.

I'm a pilot with Southwest and have talked with OpAgents, these are the people at the gate who collect the boarding cards, at numerous cities. They have all told me that Family Boarding must be done, even at Orlando, as it is a requirement from Corporate HQ. So if there are instances where Family Boarding isn't being done it is in violation of Southwest policies.

 

[Hoopfamily]

So I did not read all the posts, but here are my thoughts.
-If you want to sit together get EBCI
-If you want to board before most people get EBCI
-If you want to sit near the front of the plane get EBCI
The above are all important to some but not all. I prefer to sit with my family, get on the plane firstish, and sit near the front. Sitting near the front is one of my musts. I prefer first 4 rows. When I sit in the rear, I feel like it takes FOREVER to deplane.
While there is no guarantee you will get any of this with EBCI, the odds are in your favor.

 

[chicagodisneyfan]

I'm really glad we chose not to pay now...10 days out and our flight still isn't full...even when I try to buy 8 seats!

That flight is almost full - they are predicting only 1-5 seats available at departure time.

Good luck - you may need it.

 

[JanaDee]

I'm really glad we chose not to pay now...10 days out and our flight still isn't full...even when I try to buy 8 seats!

As long as you are fine if you aren't sitting by your kids, you're ok. Your flight will more than likely fill up in the next 10 days.

However, don't expect other people that *did* pay for EBCI to move just so you can sit by your kids.

 

[goofy4tink]

So I did not read all the posts, but here are my thoughts.
-If you want to sit together get EBCI
-If you want to board before most people get EBCI
-If you want to sit near the front of the plane get EBCI
The above are all important to some but not all. I prefer to sit with my family, get on the plane firstish, and sit near the front. Sitting near the front is one of my musts. I prefer first 4 rows. When I sit in the rear, I feel like it takes FOREVER to deplane.
While there is no guarantee you will get any of this with EBCI, the odds are in your favor.

I would like that as well. The only time I have been in the front 4 rows, was in the first year EBCI was offered. I got A18 and there were no business or medical preboards. Lately? Even though I always book EBCI when I book my flight, and that is very soon after the window opens, I seldom get anything lower than A35 or so.
If I have checked bags, I don't mind the long time it takes to empty the plane. If I have carryon only? I usually don't book with SW and fly JB so I can get priority boarding and that overhead bin and a seat much closer to the front.

 

[telecomguy]

So I was trying to avoid EBCI, but I'm not sure I can at this point. In talking with my co-worker today who flies fairly frequently, he said that even getting a B check-in will make it hard to sit together.

There are 5 of us in my family; me, DW, DS(11), DD(8), and DD(4). I am the only one that has flown before, wife is very apprehensive about flying. Not sure about either of the kids, I'm just hoping we don't have any breakdowns or meltdowns. Wife really wanted to sit in the row with a misaligned or no window because she does not really want to even see outside at all, but there are only two rows for that, and those are towards the front (row 7 & 10). I didn't want to be seated across the aisle from each other, would prefer to be one row in front of the other.

We are flying out the day after Thanksgiving from BWI @ 10:30am, both "Business Select" and "Wanna Get Away" fares are sold out, the only thing that is left is "Anytime", but we have a stop-over in RDU so I'm not sure how crowded the plane will be on the first leg of the flight. Would it be okay to get EBCI for me and the older 2 kids and my wife do the family boarding with our youngest? Or is that even a gamble?

 

[sam_gordon]

So I was trying to avoid EBCI, but I'm not sure I can at this point. In talking with my co-worker today who flies fairly frequently, he said that even getting a B check-in will make it hard to sit together.

There are 5 of us in my family; me, DW, DS(11), DD(8), and DD(4). I am the only one that has flown before, wife is very apprehensive about flying. Not sure about either of the kids, I'm just hoping we don't have any breakdowns or meltdowns. Wife really wanted to sit in the row with a misaligned or no window because she does not really want to even see outside at all, but there are only two rows for that, and those are towards the front (row 7 & 10). I didn't want to be seated across the aisle from each other, would prefer to be one row in front of the other.

We are flying out the day after Thanksgiving from BWI @ 10:30am, both "Business Select" and "Wanna Get Away" fares are sold out, the only thing that is left is "Anytime", but we have a stop-over in RDU so I'm not sure how crowded the plane will be on the first leg of the flight. Would it be okay to get EBCI for me and the older 2 kids and my wife do the family boarding with our youngest? Or is that even a gamble?

I would say that's still a gamble. It's even possible your EBCI (if you decide to purchase it) would have you board AFTER family boarding. I would not count on being able to sit in one of the "offset window" rows.

Personally, I'd get three EBCIs and hope you can get family boarding for one of the adults and the youngest. When they get on, they head to the back of the plane and take a window & aisle seat (leave middle empty). When the other three board, more than likely the middle seat will be empty so you put the 8yo there. The other adult & 11yo "hope for the best"

If for some reason you can't do family boarding, three board with EBCI, again head for the back and get a window/aisle. The other two board in the slots they get and one is in the middle and the other is on their own.

 

[telecomguy]

I would say that's still a gamble. It's even possible your EBCI (if you decide to purchase it) would have you board AFTER family boarding. I would not count on being able to sit in one of the "offset window" rows.

Personally, I'd get three EBCIs and hope you can get family boarding for one of the adults and the youngest. When they get on, they head to the back of the plane and take a window & aisle seat (leave middle empty). When the other three board, more than likely the middle seat will be empty so you put the 8yo there. The other adult & 11yo "hope for the best"

If for some reason you can't do family boarding, three board with EBCI, again head for the back and get a window/aisle. The other two board in the slots they get and one is in the middle and the other is on their own.

I was fairly sure we were not going to get one of those offset or no window rows. She wants to be wined up that morning (hopefully she doesn't yak), so hopefully that will go ok. I think the kids will be okay, because they seem excited.

In talking to my co-worker some more, he talked to his wife and she said that we should all get to board with the family boarding since we have the 4 year old. I also did some searching on the internet, and it seems to be the consensus that we'll all get to board as well, although some have said that it has been limited to one adult and the 4-and-under child because of the amount of 4-and-under children on the flight. Has anyone had much experience with this? I don't really want to ruffle too many feathers, and if we have to pay then we will have to pay. But if I don't have to, I would prefer not to.

 

[sam_gordon]

I was fairly sure we were not going to get one of those offset or no window rows. She wants to be wined up that morning (hopefully she doesn't yak), so hopefully that will go ok. I think the kids will be okay, because they seem excited.

In talking to my co-worker some more, he talked to his wife and she said that we should all get to board with the family boarding since we have the 4 year old. I also did some searching on the internet, and it seems to be the consensus that we'll all get to board as well, although some have said that it has been limited to one adult and the 4-and-under child because of the amount of 4-and-under children on the flight. Has anyone had much experience with this? I don't really want to ruffle too many feathers, and if we have to pay then we will have to pay. But if I don't have to, I would prefer not to.

There have been reports of gate agents limiting family boarding. It's up to the gate agent as I understand, so you're gambling again. You simply have to ask yourself "do you feel lucky"?

 

[goofy4tink]

For the majority of people, the entire family can board together in family boarding. Now...if that group is too large, with extended family members, the gate agents may ask those that are not immediate family to move to their assigned spots. But, we seldom hear of families having to split up. You should be fine. If I were you? I would put your wife in an aisle seat, with the two girls next to her. You and your ds can take the aisle and middle seats across the aisle or behind them...whatever is open. That way, your wife won't feel as closed in, and won't be able to see outside very easily.

 

[DisneyFan2013]

If you can commit to checking in on-line exactly 24 hours before your flight, then save yourself the money and forgo early bird. You will most likely receive an assignment in the B group, where your party will still be able to sit together but you might not end up in your favorite section of the plane. The only time you need to worry about being separated from your family/friends on Southwest is when they place you in the C group.

I checked in today exactly 24 hours ahead of time and ended up with B32 so I'll probably do EBCI next time if I have any problems.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

So I was trying to avoid EBCI, but I'm not sure I can at this point. In talking with my co-worker today who flies fairly frequently, he said that even getting a B check-in will make it hard to sit together.

There are 5 of us in my family; me, DW, DS(11), DD(8), and DD(4). I am the only one that has flown before, wife is very apprehensive about flying. Not sure about either of the kids, I'm just hoping we don't have any breakdowns or meltdowns. Wife really wanted to sit in the row with a misaligned or no window because she does not really want to even see outside at all, but there are only two rows for that, and those are towards the front (row 7 & 10). I didn't want to be seated across the aisle from each other, would prefer to be one row in front of the other.

We are flying out the day after Thanksgiving from BWI @ 10:30am, both "Business Select" and "Wanna Get Away" fares are sold out, the only thing that is left is "Anytime", but we have a stop-over in RDU so I'm not sure how crowded the plane will be on the first leg of the flight. Would it be okay to get EBCI for me and the older 2 kids and my wife do the family boarding with our youngest? Or is that even a gamble?

If it is that important to sit together, you really should fly an airline with assigned seating.

The official rule for family boarding is one adult per 4 or under aged child. Will the gate agents let the whole family board then? Who knows? You're flying on a day when it's a certainty your flight will be sold out. They may not even offer family boarding.

 

[mumzie2three]

I checked in today exactly 24 hours ahead of time and ended up with B32 so I'll probably do EBCI next time if I have any problems.

Thanks to this thread, I decided to pay the $62.50 for the 5 of us and get EBCI for our TPA-PVD flight home after Thanksgiving. Just one less thing to worry about.

 

[LisaS]

Wife really wanted to sit in the row with a misaligned or no window because she does not really want to even see outside at all, but there are only two rows for that, and those are towards the front (row 7 & 10).

I was fairly sure we were not going to get one of those offset or no window rows. She wants to be wined up that morning (hopefully she doesn't yak), so hopefully that will go ok. I think the kids will be okay, because they seem excited.

Most of the windows have shades. I'm not sure about the emergency exit rows but with small kids you won't be sitting in those rows anyway. If she's seated next to a window she can just close the shade. That would be a better solution than getting "wined up" and possibly being denied boarding or being unable to stay awake and keep an eye on the kids during the flight.

 

[JanaDee]

I was fairly sure we were not going to get one of those offset or no window rows. She wants to be wined up that morning (hopefully she doesn't yak), so hopefully that will go ok. I think the kids will be okay, because they seem excited.

I wouldn't suggest the "wined up" route. Just have her close the shade.

 

[goofy4tink]

Shades should be up for take-off and landing.