Questions about Southwest Airlines

[parkluvr]

I have never flow Southwest before. With small children, I never liked the prospect of not having assigned seats. Now that my kids are a bit older I am contemplating giving Southwest a try and have a few questions. I know that Southwest has boarding zones and that your zone is determined in part by when you check in (up to 24 hours prior). I also understand that certain fare classes board before others. Aside from checking in early as possible, if I want to move my boarding zone up is the only way to do this to buy the business fare? If I purchase the "gotta get away" fare, do they offer a better zone for an additional fee?
TIA for any help.

 

[goofy4tink]

Ok. Boarding slots A1-15 are reserved for full fare passengers and business select passengers. If there are any medical preboards, they board first, then everyone else. if there are any passengers in A1-15 they now board. The the rest based on the slot they were given. If you purchase EBCI for each person in your group, you get checked in, by SW, 36 hrs prior to departure. Then, those that have not purchased EBCI can check themselves in 24 hrs prior to departure. Those that have EBCI seldom have any issues finding seats together. In fact, as long as you in the A or B group, you should be fine. It's usually only when you get to the C group that people have issues finding seats together.
Buy EBCI and stop worrying.

 

[parkluvr]

Ok. Boarding slots A1-15 are reserved for full fare passengers and business select passengers. If there are any medical preboards, they board first, then everyone else. if there are any passengers in A1-15 they now board. The the rest based on the slot they were given. If you purchase EBCI for each person in your group, you get checked in, by SW, 36 hrs prior to departure. Then, those that have not purchased EBCI can check themselves in 24 hrs prior to departure. Those that have EBCI seldom have any issues finding seats together. In fact, as long as you in the A or B group, you should be fine. It's usually only when you get to the C group that people have issues finding seats together.
Buy EBCI and stop worrying.

Thanks for the response.
Is it something that I can purchase during checkout? Does it apply to the gotta get away rate? Thanks again.

 

[Cubicleprisoner]

Yes to both of your questions.

 

[parkluvr]

Thanks! I just found the early bird check in on Southwest's website.

 

[elaine amj]

For what it's worth I rarely pay for EBCI and just check in on the dot at the 24 hour mark. I usually get about mid A30 (out of 60) to B15 or so. Orlando does tend to be busier to I do recommend EBCI - at least for the way back. As long as you have an A or B boarding pass and are willing to keep moving to the rear of the plane, I can't see why you would have difficulties getting seats together. My kids get nervous with this, but I really like SW as a whole and we've been flying with them about 2 years now.

 

[Kirby]

I've only flown SW once, I rarely fly. When I did fly SW two years ago we were going to Las Vegas. I did buy the EBCI and found seats about seven rows from the front. We had one stop in Austin before heading to LV. So many people got off in Austin that we really didn't need to buy EBCI on that flight and could have moved if we had wanted. On the flight back we really did need the EBCI and hardly anyone got off in Austin before heading to Dallas.

We're flying SW in December to WDW and I'm going to go ahead and buy the EBCI for both flights since SW can fly nonstop out of Dallas now. And on the way back I doubt many will be leaving on our stop in Birmingham, AL.

 

[jayhawk74]

If I purchase the "gotta get away" fare, do they offer a better zone for an additional fee?

If all of the Business Select positions (that is A1-A15) haven't been sold by 40 minutes before the flight a passenger can upgrade their boarding position for $40 and will get one of the unsold Business Select positions.