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

[LoveToDisney]

SWA tells us there will be 4 fare types but yet opens the new fare window with all the Basic fares in my market as NOT AVAILABLE. The plane I’m on only has about 4 people on it so far once you subtract the seats they x-out to save for special circumstances. I am NOT happy with SWA and they have always been my favorite.
I’ve seen this behavior during Spring break but not on a low usage week. Really irritating!

 

[Dznypal]

Doing some looking and trying to figure this out. I think for basic you can book a standard seat in the back
But will I be able to pick my seat at a cost when I’m booking
I just like to know what to expect going in

 

[eticketplease]

Doing some looking and trying to figure this out. I think for basic you can book a standard seat in the back
But will I be able to pick my seat at a cost when I’m booking
I just like to know what to expect going in

Basic you can not pick a seat for free and one will be assigned at check-in in rows 22 and to the back of the plane.

Looking at the flight from LGA to LAS the flight is $244 for Basic and $280 for Choice which is $36 more.

When going to book the basic fare I can upgrade to standard seats in rows 17-21 for $18 MS or $21 W/A, Preferred Seats are $28 MS or $31 W/A and Extra Legroom for $56, $60 or $61 on MS and $61/$66 on W/A.

If choosing a seat is important to you and you were going to pick rows 17-21 I would pay for Choice.
The Choice fare would be $15 or $18 more than buying basic and then buying the seat but then if flights go down your flight credit would be valid for 1 year from date of purchase instead of 6 months.

 

[LoveToDisney]

Just be aware seat prices are different by markets/flights? I wish I had some of the prices/point cost you all mention in our market. We are so much higher.

 

[eticketplease]

Just be aware seat prices are different by markets/flights? I wish I had some of the prices/point cost you all mention in our market. We are so much higher.

Like anything things will certainly fluctuate in terms of availability and pricing. I just gave an example. No way in the world would I be flying SW from LGA to LAS

 

[SkyGuy]

I flew SW to and from Tucson - just got home today. Every single bin was packed even though none of my flights were full - I had an exit row to myself on the way there and an exit row with the middle seat open on the way back. I flew the 787 Max8, so five suitcases lined up on their sides in most. I was speaking with a flight attendant who said most of them hate the new luggage rules since more are carrying on, and the bins are fuller and heavier so a few of her co-workers have already been injured trying to close them. I also noticed the deboarding process was painfully slow on both legs. I didn’t think about it on the trip there, but I started thinking it might be due to the fact that almost everyone needed to retrieve a bag. Side note: she said that most FAs love the new assigned seating so they don’t have to deal with those “inconsiderate jetway Jesus types who preboard and save three rows of seats.”

 

[focusondisney]

SWA tells us there will be 4 fare types but yet opens the new fare window with all the Basic fares in my market as NOT AVAILABLE.

But is this really any different than when they opened with no WGA fares available from a lot of airports? Seems like just a continuation of their usual practice.

The plane I’m on only has about 4 people on it so far once you subtract the seats they x-out to save for special circumstances.

What I’ve seen it pointed out any time this came up with other airlines…. You really have no idea how full the plane is because you don’t know how many people opted to book without choosing seats.

 

[palhockeymomof2]

This is good to know since so many of us operate with points in more than one account. I'm sure there's going to be lots of little bugs like this as they work out their system.

Both DH and I have SW priority cards, tried to book a flight for him with my points so logged into my account and the system would not allow me to select a preferred seat without paying for it.
When logged into his account I have no issues booking him in the preferred seats, but he doesn’t have enough RR points to book the flight.
Going to call SW when I have time to see what the issue is.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Both DH and I have SW priority cards, tried to book a flight for him with my points so logged into my account and the system would not allow me to select a preferred seat without paying for it.
When logged into his account I have no issues booking him in the preferred seats, but he doesn’t have enough RR points to book the flight.
Going to call SW when I have time to see what the issue is.

Do you have separate cards as in each of you have separate credit cards or are one of you an authorized user to the other?

 

[palhockeymomof2]

Do you have separate cards as in each of you have separate credit cards or are one of you an authorized user to the other?

We have separate cards, no idea what the issue is booking him with my points and selecting a preferred seat

 

[focusondisney]

We have separate cards, no idea what the issue is booking him with my points and selecting a preferred seat

Is his rapid rewards number showing when he’s booked on your account? If not, that might be the issue.

 

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

We have separate cards, no idea what the issue is booking him with my points and selecting a preferred seat

Seems like just a programming error: when you're in your account, the system isn't checking to see if he has a RR credit card. It's just seeing that you aren't putting yourself on the reservation so your card status doesn't apply to the reservation. It's only considering the status of the account that's logged in at time of booking.

Definitely update us when you call.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Seems like just a programming error: when you're in your account, the system isn't checking to see if he has a RR credit card. It's just seeing that you aren't putting yourself on the reservation so your card status doesn't apply to the reservation. It's only considering the status of the account that's logged in at time of booking.

Definitely update us when you call.

The way the benefit is listed is it is based on the primary card holder so the fact that each of them has a credit card might be the issue even though we wouldn't view it as an issue. I asked about the authorized user because they aren't eligible for the benefit meaning they aren't counted as the primary card holder.

If the PP is booking a flight for strictly their husband without them flying it would actually be the case that the benefit it tied to just the husband's credit card which is why it works when logged onto the husband's account but not when logged into the PP's account. If the husband doesn't have enough points that's not on SWA.

If the PP is booking a flight for both of them on the same reservation for both of them to fly then that would present some question marks (including what a PP mentioned about ensuring the RR number is entered) on why the system is matching only the husband.

Basically to me I am personally being cautious in immediately calling out errors because while this is a new system that likely does have issues just because it isn't behaving the way it used to (or that we're used to) or it isn't behaving the way we expect it to doesn't mean it is an actual error. That is a general comment towards us posters as we comment on situations that arise.

 

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

If the PP is booking a flight for strictly their husband without them flying it would actually be the case that the benefit it tied to just the husband's credit card which is why it works when logged onto the husband's account but not when logged into the PP's account. If the husband doesn't have enough points that's not on SWA.

Here's the footnote regarding the booking benefit

Preferred Seat Selection at Booking: When available, primary Cardmembers with a Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card or a Southwest Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card will be able to select a Preferred or a Standard seat at the time of booking, or up to 30 minutes prior to a flight’s scheduled local departure time. If no Preferred or Standard seat is available, Cardmembers will be assigned a seat in accordance with the fare rules of the ticket purchased. When available, Cardmembers will be able to select Preferred or Standard seats for up to 8 additional Passengers on the same reservation as the Cardmember, allowing for a total of 9 Preferred or Standard seats. If the Cardmember is removed from the reservation and there is no primary Cardmember or tier Rapid Rewards® Member with the same or greater seatings benefits, all seating selections for that reservation will be released and seats will be assigned in accordance with the fare rules of the ticket purchased. Benefits may not apply on itineraries booked with partner airlines. Cardmembers should allow up to 14 days for card status to be updated in their Rapid Rewards account to be eligible for this benefit. Authorized users of Rapid Rewards Credit Cards and employee cards of Rapid Rewards Business Credit Cards are not eligible for this benefit. Credit card account must be open and not in default when selecting a Preferred or Standard seat. If your Credit card account is closed or in default before or at the time of travel, the seat selection will be released. Chase is not responsible for the provision of or failure to provide the stated benefits and services.

It does not say that the cardholder must book from their account or use their own points to receive the benefit. As a cardholder, PP's husband has the right to select a seat regardless of whose account is logged in to book his ticket. That's why I'm saying it's an error: the system isn't properly recognizing that the seating benefit applies here because the programming logic isn't recognizing his cardholder status for whatever reason (likely that it's not logged into his account).

Personally, I would book the ticket in my account without selecting a seat, then log back in on his account and go in and pick the seat, since the text clearly indicates that he can book up to 30 minutes prior to departure. That is almost definitely faster than calling.

I hear you on being hesitant to call something an error versus a purposeful choice in the design. But, in this case, if the rule was that the cardholder had to be booking from his account or using his points, that for sure needs to be in the footnote and it isn't.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Here's the footnote regarding the booking benefit

Preferred Seat Selection at Booking: When available, primary Cardmembers with a Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card or a Southwest Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card will be able to select a Preferred or a Standard seat at the time of booking, or up to 30 minutes prior to a flight’s scheduled local departure time. If no Preferred or Standard seat is available, Cardmembers will be assigned a seat in accordance with the fare rules of the ticket purchased. When available, Cardmembers will be able to select Preferred or Standard seats for up to 8 additional Passengers on the same reservation as the Cardmember, allowing for a total of 9 Preferred or Standard seats. If the Cardmember is removed from the reservation and there is no primary Cardmember or tier Rapid Rewards® Member with the same or greater seatings benefits, all seating selections for that reservation will be released and seats will be assigned in accordance with the fare rules of the ticket purchased. Benefits may not apply on itineraries booked with partner airlines. Cardmembers should allow up to 14 days for card status to be updated in their Rapid Rewards account to be eligible for this benefit. Authorized users of Rapid Rewards Credit Cards and employee cards of Rapid Rewards Business Credit Cards are not eligible for this benefit. Credit card account must be open and not in default when selecting a Preferred or Standard seat. If your Credit card account is closed or in default before or at the time of travel, the seat selection will be released. Chase is not responsible for the provision of or failure to provide the stated benefits and services.

It does not say that the cardholder must book from their account or use their own points to receive the benefit. As a cardholder, PP's husband has the right to select a seat regardless of whose account is logged in to book his ticket. That's why I'm saying it's an error: the system isn't properly recognizing that the seating benefit applies here because the programming logic isn't recognizing his cardholder status for whatever reason (likely that it's not logged into his account).

Personally, I would book the ticket in my account without selecting a seat, then log back in on his account and go in and pick the seat, since the text clearly indicates that he can book up to 30 minutes prior to departure. That is almost definitely faster than calling.

I hear you on being hesitant to call something an error versus a purposeful choice in the design. But, in this case, if the rule was that the cardholder had to be booking from his account or using his points, that for sure needs to be in the footnote and it isn't.

I know I've read it and I have it up on my page as well. But in my comment I gave two scenarios. The first being one where the system (IMO) is working correctly that is by which the PP isn't flying with the husband and it's just the husband flying. The PP said "tried to book a flight for him with my points". The second scenario I gave is one of which more questions than answers are brought up if the PP is on the same flight with their husband and they are trying to book two tickets at the same time for the same reservation.

IF indeed the PP isn't actually going to be flying with their husband then all the benefits default to the person actually flying rather than checking what else would qualify which is where the footnotes come into play. That means the system is checking for the status (A-list/A-list Preferred), fare class (Choice Preferred) or card member status (Priority). Seemingly when the PP is logged onto the husband's account it matches both the passenger and the card member status and has no charge for the seat selection but the PP runs into the issue that there isn't enough points to pay for that ticket.

The system is allowing the PP to book and pay for someone else using their own points. That's how it used to behave and seemingly is how it is behaving now. BUT if the person who is paying for it isn't on the flight specific to seat selection benefit means the person flying would then have it tied to the actual passenger's qualifications such as fare class, card member status or A-list status. Which is why it works only when logged into the husband's account but not the PP because it matches that the husband has a qualifying credit card for the flight.

But like I said two scenarios (IMO) possible that could lead to more questions.

ETA: this seems like the existing way of it where you can book using your points for someone else but you "own" that reservation meaning changes had to be done via your account, the reservation is tied to your account even though it's for another passenger. So without the PP on the flight (IMO) it won't count that the seat selection benefit works when trying to base it off of the PP but will work when the person who is flying qualifies based on their own qualifications and books via their own account. But that would be more the case IF the PP wasn't flying with their husband.

 

[palhockeymomof2]

Is his rapid rewards number showing when he’s booked on your account? If not, that might be the issue.

Yes it’s showing…thought that was the issue at first but it wasn’t

 

[palhockeymomof2]

Personally, I would book the ticket in my account without selecting a seat, then log back in on his account and go in and pick the seat, since the text clearly indicates that he can book up to 30 minutes prior to departure. That is almost definitely faster than calling.

Thank you…this worked perfectly

 

[palhockeymomof2]

I know I've read it and I have it up on my page as well. But in my comment I gave two scenarios. The first being one where the system (IMO) is working correctly that is by which the PP isn't flying with the husband and it's just the husband flying. The PP said "tried to book a flight for him with my points". The second scenario I gave is one of which more questions than answers are brought up if the PP is on the same flight with their husband and they are trying to book two tickets at the same time for the same reservation.

IF indeed the PP isn't actually going to be flying with their husband then all the benefits default to the person actually flying rather than checking what else would qualify which is where the footnotes come into play. That means the system is checking for the status (A-list/A-list Preferred), fare class (Choice Preferred) or card member status (Priority). Seemingly when the PP is logged onto the husband's account it matches both the passenger and the card member status and has no charge for the seat selection but the PP runs into the issue that there isn't enough points to pay for that ticket.

The system is allowing the PP to book and pay for someone else using their own points. That's how it used to behave and seemingly is how it is behaving now. BUT if the person who is paying for it isn't on the flight specific to seat selection benefit means the person flying would then have it tied to the actual passenger's qualifications such as fare class, card member status or A-list status. Which is why it works only when logged into the husband's account but not the PP because it matches that the husband has a qualifying credit card for the flight.

But like I said two scenarios (IMO) possible that could lead to more questions.

ETA: this seems like the existing way of it where you can book using your points for someone else but you "own" that reservation meaning changes had to be done via your account, the reservation is tied to your account even though it's for another passenger. So without the PP on the flight (IMO) it won't count that the seat selection benefit works when trying to base it off of the PP but will work when the person who is flying qualifies based on their own qualifications and books via their own account. But that would be more the case IF the PP wasn't flying with their husband.

I was trying to book our tickets individually since hopefully I will get the CP in 2026 and figured it would be easier to cancel his ticket if it was on a separate confirmation number.

When I had both of us on the same reservation there was no issues booking him a seat

 

[Simba's Mom]

she said that most FAs love the new assigned seating so they don’t have to deal with those “inconsiderate jetway Jesus types who preboard and save three rows of seats.”

That's something I'll be very glad of too! I can't walk and truly require a wheelchair,so many people get wheelchairs so they "need to" pre board. Sit near the front and save seats. On a recent flight, the gate agent announced that they were short of employees to push the wheelchairs down the jetway, so if anyone could walk, Southwest would appreciate it if they'd walk. You wouldn't believe the number of people who were instantly healed, jumped up, and hustled themselves down the jetway. Meanwhile the three or four of us who truly needed wheelchair assistance were left to try to maneuver ourselves and our wheelchairs through and around all the wheelchairs that were abandoned by the many who were "healed" so that we were seen. Considering my thoughts at that time, it's no wonder I was a sinner and not healed! Sorry for the rant!

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I was trying to book our tickets individually since hopefully I will get the CP in 2026 and figured it would be easier to cancel his ticket if it was on a separate confirmation number.

When I had both of us on the same reservation there was no issues booking him a seat

That was my gut that you were not on the same reservation as your husband/not flying with him). That verifies that was the issue as it saw you trying to book for someone else and used you as the one to look for who qualifies for not but you weren't on the reservation with the other passenger.

Thank you…this worked perfectly

FWIW that could be an unintended loophole. Maybe or maybe not but I doubt that SWA intends for people to circumvent here..companion pass not withstanding as that one has always had wonky reservation rules.

Purely my opinion but the footnote appears to be written for scenarios in which there's a reservation with more than one passenger who needs to be removed from the reservation. Rather than lose the benefits for seat selection SWA advises it will look for someone else who would qualify n the same reservation.

You were booking with separate reservations using your points for your husband. If you added a seat selection after you booked for your husband the system was matching your husband's CC status and saw he was eligible. That, to me, does not mean that the way you were doing it (well really the way the other poster suggested you do) was intended to be the workaround for what you initially were doing with booking two separate reservations. The benefit, listed in the footnote, clearly states it's for the same reservation.