Question for Frequent SWA Travelers

[MarthaJr.]

All flights on Southwest -- TPA to MKE for April 19th (day before Easter) are sold out and have been for a couple weeks. We bought our tickets (2 adults) months ago for a 7pm departure.

Two questions:

1. Would you recommend buying the Early Bird Check in for that flight?

2. How likely is it that SW will bump passengers due to overbooking? There is only 1 flight on SW after ours that evening.

 

[DonnaL]

I don't see any flight from TPA to MKE after the 7:00 p.m. flight....it appears that is the last one that evening.....and to answer your questions.....re Early Bird..it depends on how important it is for you to be absolutely sure you sit together. If it's an absolute MUST...then by all means purchase EB. If not....you still should be sure you do online check in right at the 24 hour mark to get either an A or B boarding pass. Do not wait until you get to the airport to check in. If you have no access to a printer you can still do online check-in and just reprint your boarding pass at a kiosk at the airport. In answer to your question re bumping........yes... on a flight that's full this far in advance you can pretty much bet it's overbooked...which makes it all the more important you check in as close to the 24 hour mark as possible. Also, be sure you arrive at the airport with plenty of time to spare (at bare minimum 2 hours before your flight). Once you get to the gate be sure to listen for announcements regarding your flight...sometimes they ask for volunteers if the flight is overbooked. If they get no volunteers....the people that get bumped are usually the last ones who have checked in.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

You could get a bump if you go to the desk and ask if the flight is oversold and volunteer to give up your seat.

I did this in Tampa and DH and I came home with $1200 in free flight money. And overnight stay paid by SWA and we were out on the first flight of the morning. We always ask to if the flight is oversold and give up our seats. Its been along times since we have actually paid for a flight.

 

[MarthaJr.]

Thanks for the responses. My husband is hoping we get bumped so we can get some free airfare and some extra time in FL. I did look at the SW website and we are on their last flight that night...so I guess to make my husband happy we'll just check in online 24 hrs. before and volunteer to be bumped. I don't have to be back to work until Tuesday, so I guess we have the time to make a later flight if SW wants.

**DonnaL and Shelly F ---If we want to volunteer to be bumped, should we try to be first at the gate to let them know we are volunteering? Or, can you call SW and tell them you're willing to volunteer. I hate to check my luggage and then...woops--we're bumped but our bags went home anyway...lol!