Southwest Airlines Check In

[StEpHandMiKe<3Disney]

So I just booked by Disneyland flight for July, but have never flown Southwest. What is their check in procedure if I did not choose the extra $10 option for early bird check in? Has anyone had problems not being able to sit together? I'd like to board as soon as I'm allowed. TIA!

 

[Huff]

So I just booked by Disneyland flight for July, but have never flown Southwest. What is their check in procedure if I did not choose the extra $10 option for early bird check in? Has anyone had problems not being able to sit together? I'd like to board as soon as I'm allowed. TIA!

At EXACTLY 24 hours prior to your flight time go to Southwests website and check in. You should get boarding group A. You can then print your boarding passes at home or print them at an airport kiosk. If you have small kids you can ask at the gate to pre-board. Otherwise you'll be behind the pre-boarders and those that paid the $10. SW limits the number of early bird passengers and should not be a problem. I've never had a situation of not being able to sit together with an A group or even a B boarding pass.

For your return flight you'll want to do the same. If you're bringing a laptop and paying for internet access at your resort then you're set. If you have smartphone with internet access you can use SW's mobile site to check in 24 hours prior to your return. Once at the airport use a Kiosk to print your boarding passes. They will have the boarding group as generated when checking in online.

Does anyone know if there are airline kiosks or computer terminals available at any of the WDW resorts? Or can a resort hotel desk handle check in for you? I ask because many major hotels around the country do have a method to allow guests to check in with their airline at the hotel.

 

[bokolo]

I didn't know you could use SW mobile. Is it an app or just from the SW website? I like Southwest, but always think it's a pain to have to worry about printing boarding passes exactly 24 hours before coming home...especially since I'm on vacation and usually don't bring my laptop, I just use my phone for emails. That last day, I constantly worry about remembering to do it.

 

[deniselozano]

Anytime we have flown Southwest, you do not have a seat number, passengers choose their seating as they board. Make sure you board when they announce family boarding and while you are waiting, I would suggest that you wait near the door for your flight.

 

[mom2travel]

We fly Southwest all the time. We have never had a problem getting the 4 of us together (even the few times we've ended up in the back of the "A"s or as "B"s). Do as a PP said and check in online exactly 24 hours before your flight. You will be given a letter and a number. Pre-boarders go first, which includes those with disability info (blue sleeves for their tickets) and children under 12 flying alone. Then people with A boarding passes board (numbers 1-60 in order), then families with children 4 and under who don't have "A" boarding passes, then B passes 1-60, then C 1-60.

These days I check myself in on my phone by going to southwest website on my internet connection (not a special app). We used to have a family member check us in before technology improved. We have also used computers at Poly to check in and print. Have not done so at DLH since only been there once and had my phone.

Have a great trip!

 

[jlima]

I didn't know you could use SW mobile. Is it an app or just from the SW website? I like Southwest, but always think it's a pain to have to worry about printing boarding passes exactly 24 hours before coming home...especially since I'm on vacation and usually don't bring my laptop, I just use my phone for emails. That last day, I constantly worry about remembering to do it.

When I had my Palm Treo 680, I could go right onto SW's website and check in. On our last trip to the parks in Orlando, I checked into our flight home while waiting in line for Expedition Everest. Remember that all you have to do 24 hours out, is CHECK IN. You can print the boarding pass when you get to the airport. Someone else can even check you in, as long as they are in the same time zone where your flight originates.

Haven't tried my IPhone yet. But if it could be done on a Palm, the Iphone will probably work too.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Anytime we have flown Southwest, you do not have a seat number, passengers choose their seating as they board. Make sure you board when they announce family boarding and while you are waiting, I would suggest that you wait near the door for your flight.

NO.
No, the OP does not need to board when family boarding is announced, unless they happen to have children under whatever age the gate attendants specify (usually under five, but to/from Orlando, frequently reduced to under three - due to the vast number of parties with young children). It appears from the OP's signature that their party consists of two adults in their twenties, no children of any age, making them ineligible for family boarding.

Never ever ever wait near the door for your flight. EVER. Unless "near the door" means "seated in the correct gate area". PLEASE. This only clogs the process and delays boarding. The Gate Agents know what they're doing. Listen to the announcements and follow the instructions.

----

Speaking of instructions: Southwest's boarding is unique in that they don't preassign seats. They DO, however, have a very organized procedure.

You will get a boarding pass with a boarding letter AND NUMBER on it. The letter will be A, B, or C - as Southwest has been doing for many years. The numbers will be 1-60 on the A boarding passes, 1-60 on the B boarding passes, and 1-whatever the remaining number of seats are on the C boarding passes. Note that this is for originating flights only. Continuing flights will have fewer open seats, so the BPs will naturally be divided into smaller groups.

There are numbered posts in the gate area. Each post is numbered by fives: 1-5, 6-10, 11-15, etc. At boarding time, medical need travelers and business travelers board first. Then the A boarding pass holders will be asked to line up next to the appropriately-numbered pole in numerical order. They board and choose seats.

Then the immediate families with small children who did not have "A" boarding passes board. Following them, the "B" boarding pass holders line up next to their number posts like the "A" bp holders did, followed by the "C"s, followed by any latecomers.

Yes, you can check in for your return flight from your mobile device. There may be an app, but just accessing Southwest's mobile website is fine. If you're staying in almost any Disney resort (two exceptions, one is OKW, reason for both exceptions is lack of luggage storage space) you can use RAC to check in for your Southwest flight and check your luggage through to your home airport even if you're not using Magical Express to get to the airport. See the RAC counter for more information.

If you're not staying onsite, or you're staying at one of the exception resorts, you can go to Lobby Concierge at any resort or Guest Relations at any park 24 hours before your flight and they'll check you in. Be sure to have your reservation information.

 

[3happydancers]

At EXACTLY 24 hours prior to your flight time go to Southwests website and check in. You should get boarding group A. You can then print your boarding passes at home or print them at an airport kiosk. If you have small kids you can ask at the gate to pre-board. Otherwise you'll be behind the pre-boarders and those that paid the $10. SW limits the number of early bird passengers and should not be a problem. I've never had a situation of not being able to sit together with an A group or even a B boarding pass.

For your return flight you'll want to do the same. If you're bringing a laptop and paying for internet access at your resort then you're set. If you have smartphone with internet access you can use SW's mobile site to check in 24 hours prior to your return. Once at the airport use a Kiosk to print your boarding passes. They will have the boarding group as generated when checking in online.

Does anyone know if there are airline kiosks or computer terminals available at any of the WDW resorts? Or can a resort hotel desk handle check in for you? I ask because many major hotels around the country do have a method to allow guests to check in with their airline at the hotel.

I believe that in any of the 4 parks you can visit, customer relations where they are able to check you in at the 24 hour mark. We've done this twice and never had a problem. Just remember to have your flight conf# and ID with you at the time. They do not always ask for ID, but I would not chance not having it. They will also print your boarding passes at the same time!!!

 

[amylynne01]

We also checked in at the Guest Services at a park on the last day we were there. We were there at like 5 minutes before 24 hrs, and the awesome CM waited just a bit, submitted EXACTLY at 24 hrs before, and we got A16 and A17!

 

[malibuconlee]

I didn't know you could use SW mobile. Is it an app or just from the SW website? I like Southwest, but always think it's a pain to have to worry about printing boarding passes exactly 24 hours before coming home...especially since I'm on vacation and usually don't bring my laptop, I just use my phone for emails. That last day, I constantly worry about remembering to do it.

I believe the address for internet on your phone is

mobile.southwest.com

I use mine to check in all the time. Just keep your confirmation # on you and you can check in from your phone.

 

[Mrs. Charming]

I didn't know you could use SW mobile. Is it an app or just from the SW website? I like Southwest, but always think it's a pain to have to worry about printing boarding passes exactly 24 hours before coming home...especially since I'm on vacation and usually don't bring my laptop, I just use my phone for emails. That last day, I constantly worry about remembering to do it.

I was able to do it on my now "uncool" flip phone. What I did was set the alarm clock on the phone for about 5-10 mins before check-in time, and then by the time I got to the website, it was just about time. Then, we just printed the boarding passes when we got to the airport. Easy peasy.

 

[Huff]

I didn't know you could use SW mobile. Is it an app or just from the SW website? I like Southwest, but always think it's a pain to have to worry about printing boarding passes exactly 24 hours before coming home...especially since I'm on vacation and usually don't bring my laptop, I just use my phone for emails. That last day, I constantly worry about remembering to do it.

SW has a mobile website that works fine on most smartphones. I don't bring my laptop either. On the day before our departure I use my phone to check in to SW then use the airports kiosks to print the boarding pass. If you're checking luggage (not using DME) then that counter can print one as well.

I actually prefer SW over other airlines. Their staff is nice, efficient, planes depart on time more often and overall experience is better. Plus luggage is free! I've never once had a case where our party could not sit together. Been flying SW for years.