online check-in at Southwest

[Diamond_Girls]

Does anyone know how this works? I want to try to be in the first group that boards so I can insure my family gets seats together in the front. It used to be that you had to arrive very early and get in line for one of the first group of boarding passes. Now it appears that we can do this online? I appreciate anyone's help... thanks!

 

[disneyfor3]

If you booked as a group you need to call southwest and ask them to separate your reservations so each of you has a separate reservation no. You can then check-in online after midnight of the day you are leaving. I did this recently for some family members flying to CA and they all got A passes. For security reasons apparently once in a while not everyone can get a pass online and you might need to still get a pass for that person at curbside check-in.

 

[Diamond_Girls]

Thanks! So you are saying, since I booked us all together we cannot do the online check-in, correct? I'll call to get us split apart. Does the A pass mean you are in the first group to board?

 

[disneyfor3]

Correct. Southwest has A, B, and C boarding groups. They also have preboarding for parents with children 4 years of age and younger. It would be preboard, then A, then B, etc.

 

[dancemom3]

Also, getting A boarding passes does not guarantee sitting up front. My family of 5 had A's, and we sat just behind the wing when we flew into Tampa last month. On the return flight (with A passes again), there were a lot of preboarders, and we sat nearer to the back. We were all together, though!

 

[Gillian]

If only 2 people are flying can their reservation be together to check in online? we didn't book yet.

I'm totally new to southwest! Thanks!

 

[gigi1313]

nope, only individual ressies can be checked in online!

"A" boarding passes are not the *first* to board... preboarders go first and they include elderly, handicapped, unaccompanied minors and families w/children 4yo & younger... after that group boards the A people board... even w/A boarding passes you can end up near the back/middle... we had soooo many pre-boarders on our last trip that the first row w/three seats together and one across the aisle was just in front of the emergency exit... and we were first on line! that being said, an A is better than a B or C, but i just did not want you to think you'd be walking on to an empty plane!

 

[psimon]

So as I understand it, an A just means you get to chose your seats before the B's and C's, B means you get to chose before the C group, and C's mean you get the left overs! ... and regardless of all of this, the handicapped and those with small children have us all beat and get seated first.

Based on that, I have a question....

We are a family of 5, with DD8, DS8 and DD15. How do ensure they are sitting with one of us (the parents). None of the kids want to or should sit by themselves.

All thoughts appreciated....

---Paul in Southern NJ

 

[gigi1313]

my best advice would be to get there early, hopefully get an A pass and then when it comes to getting on the plane look for a row that is unoccupied, and scurry in... since most swa planes sit three across on either side of the aisle you best configuration would be to have rows across from one another or sit one in front of another... we've done it both ways, prefer to be across the aisle from each other...

the other option is to have your reservations separated into individual reservations and check in online, almost assuring that you get As (although there was someone on line next to us at mco that had Bs and had done online check in, so getting there early is really the only sure bet! or find a toddler to take w/you! LOL!) personally, i would not split our ressie and was glad that we were reserved as a family when it came to rebooking our flight after hurricane frances... had we been separate, we would not have been guaranteed the same flight home... which could have been a problem!

 

[Kimberlyfamilyfv]

sky captains are the most underused way to get A boarding passes. just get there two hours early use the curbside check in . i have always got A boarding passes doing this..

one note is generally standard practice to tip the sky captain one dollar per bag and sometimes a little more if the service warrents it.

sure beats lugging suitcases thru the airport too.

 

[gigi1313]

skycaptains? is that the same as curbside check-in? if so, we always use them... doesn't everyone? where else would you check in if not at curbside? (or is that why we always get A passes?)

 

[Pinnie]

Keep in mind that if your flight is a connecting one that departed from another city (for instance Detroit to Nashville to Orlando) the pax that boarded in Detroit and are bound for Orlando do NOT deplane. They get first pickings of the seats after the FA's do a head count. Generally, most of them move to the front of the plane or to the EXIT rows.

That is why sometimes on SWA when the A group boards, there are not a lot of choice seats left.

pinnie

 

[Ilovedisney]

I just received this in an email tonight from Southwest ......

3. Online Checkin Now Available For Multi-Passenger Reservations!

Now when you are traveling with multiple passengers on the same reservation you can check in online and request boarding passes for everyone! We are excited to bring this convenient feature to everyone traveling on a single-passenger or multi-passenger reservation. So whether you are planning a business trip or a family trip to Grandma's for the holidays, southwest.com delivers the tools to make your travel experience even easier.

 

[Mark P.]

Originally posted by Ilovedisney
I just received this in an email tonight from Southwest ......

3. Online Checkin Now Available For Multi-Passenger Reservations!

Now when you are traveling with multiple passengers on the same reservation you can check in online and request boarding passes for everyone! We are excited to bring this convenient feature to everyone traveling on a single-passenger or multi-passenger reservation. So whether you are planning a business trip or a family trip to Grandma's for the holidays, southwest.com delivers the tools to make your travel experience even easier.

Wonder why we didn't receive an emai as well?
And, how exactly does one do this on SW's site? Unless I went to the wrong area on SW's site, this is what I saw today (11/13), and dind't mention anything new:

Online Checkin @ southwest.com
Step-by-Step Instructions
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Determine if you are eligible.
Online Checkin/Print Boarding Pass is available beginning at 12:01 AM local time on the day of departure and ends one hour prior to departure.
If any of the following items apply, your reservation does not qualify for Online Checkin:

**More than one person is traveling under your confirmation number. **

Thanks,
Mark