Post all SW questions concerns, etc. here...

[Mrs.AMC]

I've tried to search because I do feel like I've read this info here over the years but I couldn't find it so I'm asking again, and apologize for a repeat question in advance
Regarding companion tickets, designated companions and changing said companions.
I know they can be changed up to 3 times.
The blurb mentions it can take 21 days to take affect.
Is this actually been your experience, if you've gone through this process?
I'm considering flights with a friend but DH and I have a trip planned exactly 1 month before. By the time I wait till that trip is over it will be cutting it very close if it's a full 21 days before I can add on the new companion. I'm thinking we'll be ok, but it's close

 

[katallo]

I tried a search without luck. Before I book a Wanna Getaway Plus seat I want to ask how this works. Let's say I book a 8:00 am flight but decide to try for a later one. I'm assuming this will be done without an upcharge for the new flight. But, when do you go online to check for availability? 12:01am the same day? Or do you have to call? Thanks!

 

[aokeefe]

Lots of medical pre board this morning. The first 8 to 9 rows of the plane were taken up pre board. This was flying into MCO. We've never had that many flying into MCO.

Could it be a big snowbird population? Seems like the week after Thanksgiving is when a lot of people head south.

 

[EACarlson]

I tried a search without luck. Before I book a Wanna Getaway Plus seat I want to ask how this works. Let's say I book a 8:00 am flight but decide to try for a later one. I'm assuming this will be done without an upcharge for the new flight. But, when do you go online to check for availability? 12:01am the same day? Or do you have to call? Thanks!

Yes, after midnight local time at point of departure you can attempt a same day change online. If there are available seats you would be confirmed at no additional charge. You would have to check in again and most probably have a low C boarding position.

 

[dobball23]

Due to the cost of my flights going down multiple times, I now have a bunch of $10-$50 credits for Southwest. I also have some vouchers that have multiple hundreds of dollars on them. Since you can only use 3 forms of payment for a flight, my best option to combine these credits would be to book a flight I don't intent to use and just cancel it, right? Are there any other more efficient ways to get my credits combined?

 

[jcarwash]

Due to the cost of my flights going down multiple times, I now have a bunch of $10-$50 credits for Southwest. I also have some vouchers that have multiple hundreds of dollars on them. Since you can only use 3 forms of payment for a flight, my best option to combine these credits would be to book a flight I don't intent to use and just cancel it, right? Are there any other more efficient ways to get my credits combined?

In my recent experience, if your travel funds are from the same confirmation number, then you enter that single confirmation number as one form of payment, and it will use as many of the "individual" credits as possible. Much better than it used to be where each credit was treated as a single form of payment.

 

[Lsdolphin]

Due to the cost of my flights going down multiple times, I now have a bunch of $10-$50 credits for Southwest. I also have some vouchers that have multiple hundreds of dollars on them. Since you can only use 3 forms of payment for a flight, my best option to combine these credits would be to book a flight I don't intent to use and just cancel it, right? Are there any other more efficient ways to get my credits combined?

I book my flights one way so I can use up to 3 travel funds on each flight.

 

[Mrs.AMC]

In my recent experience, if your travel funds are from the same confirmation number, then you enter that single confirmation number as one form of payment, and it will use as many of the "individual" credits as possible. Much better than it used to be where each credit was treated as a single form of payment.

This. No longer is each credit treated separately. Each confirmation number now gets combined to be 1 credit.

 

[Mrs.AMC]

Due to the cost of my flights going down multiple times, I now have a bunch of $10-$50 credits for Southwest. I also have some vouchers that have multiple hundreds of dollars on them. Since you can only use 3 forms of payment for a flight, my best option to combine these credits would be to book a flight I don't intent to use and just cancel it, right? Are there any other more efficient ways to get my credits combined?

If they have separate confirmation numbers, yes.

 

[shu24]

I was under the understanding that for family boarding, a child under 6 and o
Two parents were allowed to board between A and B. Last Sunday in MCO, there were multiple families some with 5 or 6 members who boarded together. Several of the families had one possibly under 6 and 2-3 teenagers along with both parents boarding together Has the policy changed? There were over 40 people in family boarding

Southwest at MCO does this far too often. Most of my trips from MCO back home I have experienced the same thing. It is crazy, when you figure that most flights out of Orlando stand a good chance of being full of families, they need to play by the rules they set so that it is fair to every passenger. I think this 'I need to board early ' business is out of control. On my flight last week a guy demanded early boarding due to a tree nut allergy, Since SW doesn't serve peanuts, I'm not sure how early boarding would be needed. On my flight last week there were several teens and grandparents lined up along with the parents and under 6 yr olds as well as a guy with an enormous dog (and the dog was in bad need of a bath and the plane smelled like wet/dirty dog), and the tree nut guy. It was insane. Unless you have A boarding, you are not getting a decent seat out of MCO.

 

[ultimatefans]

I've tried to search because I do feel like I've read this info here over the years but I couldn't find it so I'm asking again, and apologize for a repeat question in advance
Regarding companion tickets, designated companions and changing said companions.
I know they can be changed up to 3 times.
The blurb mentions it can take 21 days to take affect.
Is this actually been your experience, if you've gone through this process?
I'm considering flights with a friend but DH and I have a trip planned exactly 1 month before. By the time I wait till that trip is over it will be cutting it very close if it's a full 21 days before I can add on the new companion. I'm thinking we'll be ok, but it's close

My experience is that the companion switch was effective immediately after I called. I've switched a few times and never had an issue booking a new flight right away. I think March of this year was the most recent time I did this - no issues.

 

[Mrs.AMC]

My experience is that the companion switch was effective immediately after I called. I've switched a few times and never had an issue booking a new flight right away. I think March of this year was the most recent time I did this - no issues.

Thank you!

 

[teawar]

Southwest at MCO does this far too often. Most of my trips from MCO back home I have experienced the same thing. It is crazy, when you figure that most flights out of Orlando stand a good chance of being full of families, they need to play by the rules they set so that it is fair to every passenger. I think this 'I need to board early ' business is out of control. On my flight last week a guy demanded early boarding due to a tree nut allergy, Since SW doesn't serve peanuts, I'm not sure how early boarding would be needed. On my flight last week there were several teens and grandparents lined up along with the parents and under 6 yr olds as well as a guy with an enormous dog (and the dog was in bad need of a bath and the plane smelled like wet/dirty dog), and the tree nut guy. It was insane. Unless you have A boarding, you are not getting a decent seat out of MCO.

I agree that a lot of people tend to stretch the family boarding rule. On our flight out of MCO on the Saturday after thanksgiving, they made several announcements about the rule and remind people at the gate what they expectation was. It seemed like it was followed. I know it varies from situation to situation. Sometimes I’ve seen it abused, other times strictly followed. FWIW, I’m a parent of a 10 year old, and we loved family boarding when she was younger. It took some stress off getting the A group/beginning of B.

 

[catsinawindow]

Southwest at MCO does this far too often. Most of my trips from MCO back home I have experienced the same thing. It is crazy, when you figure that most flights out of Orlando stand a good chance of being full of families, they need to play by the rules they set so that it is fair to every passenger. I think this 'I need to board early ' business is out of control. On my flight last week a guy demanded early boarding due to a tree nut allergy, Since SW doesn't serve peanuts, I'm not sure how early boarding would be needed. On my flight last week there were several teens and grandparents lined up along with the parents and under 6 yr olds as well as a guy with an enormous dog (and the dog was in bad need of a bath and the plane smelled like wet/dirty dog), and the tree nut guy. It was insane. Unless you have A boarding, you are not getting a decent seat out of MCO.

When I was using the family boarding out of MCO, I noticed the same. Trying to find the end of the family boarding line (with my two small children), I passed an older couple and a single man who both insisted they were waiting for family boarding. No children ever joined them in line and they weren't stopped from boarding with the families. There was still plenty of room once we got on, so it didn't bother me much, but I would have been ticked if I had problems sitting with my kids because of them.

 

[MichelleRenee76]

Is there a sticky somewhere to learn about all of this. We just started our Southwest Journey and I want to maximize doing allll the things

 

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

Is there a sticky somewhere to learn about all of this. We just started our Southwest Journey and I want to maximize doing allll the things

Oh man, I'm sure there are blog posts out there, but I can't think of a sticky in here. Info is split between here and the credit card thread, too.

How large is your travel party? How many times do you expect to fly in the 2023-24? Are you willing to consider opening multiple credit cards to maximize rewards?

You're jumping in at a good time if you want to play the credit card game to generate points or earn a companion pass (free flights for 2nd person)...

 

[Erica Ladd]

Can someone remind me of the best use strategy for my 2 LU V vouchers? If I use them to buy more expensive WGA Plus tickets can I then use the travel funds for anyone? And can I use them on lesser WGA fares? Thx!!

 

[teawar]

I believe LUV vouchers can be used for anyone, while flight credits are attached to an individual person. The WGA plus is transferrable, but I don’t know if flight credit from before the new magical transfer date will stick with the new reservation or old one…

 

[FCDub]

Is there a sticky somewhere to learn about all of this. We just started our Southwest Journey and I want to maximize doing allll the things

Agree with the other poster. Your best bet is to start asking questions here and people can point you in the right direction. Lots of variables.

 

[Erica Ladd]

I believe LUV vouchers can be used for anyone, while flight credits are attached to an individual person. The WGA plus is transferrable, but I don’t know if flight credit from before the new magical transfer date will stick with the new reservation or old one…

I’m assuming it will turn into non expiring travel funds. But if I book WGA Plus fares for myself and then it changes to TF, will I be able to make the one time change and let someone else use the travel funds?