Southwest Airlines

[nejjie]

I've never flown before & honestly, I'm kind of freaking out LOL

I purchased my airfare for myself, my daughter and my mother months ago on Southwest's website. I couldn't beat the deal. But now, I am realizing.. heck what do I do with my print out confirmation? How do I check in? Why wasn't I issued seat numbers.. or sent tickets. All I have is the email confirmation and the confirmed itinerary that says my flight numbers, our passenger names and the flight times. So we will be flying out from Philadelphia.. what do I do?

We are staying on-site, so I plan to use the luggage tags and DME. Because if not, I would be the person standing in the airport with a sign saying, "Help, I don't know where to go" LOL. Please help!

 

[pamjb]

First, take a deep breath......Ok. At exactly 24 hours before your flight time, you need to click on the "check in for flight" link

http://www.southwest.com/flight/ret...ceNewSession=yes&int=HOME-ACCOUNT-BAR-CHECKIN

Enter your confirmation number and one of the passenger names (as long as you all are on the same confirmation number). You will then be taking to a screen to confirm check in, press enter. You are checked in. You will be giving the option to print your boarding passes right then and there. Or you can have them printed when you check in at PHL. You can either check in curbside at PHL or inside the terminal. Usually the curbside has a shorter line, but our last flight, there was no line inside the terminal.

Southwest has open seating, there are no seat assignments. Here is a link to Southwest's boarding school.

http://www.southwest.com/html/customer-service/airport-experience/boarding-school/

http://www.southwest.com/travel_center/checkin.html

Paper tickets are rare these days.

 

[MomRN]

lol.... I was in your position just a few weeks ago. It was just me and my 4 year old son, my first flight for years...his first flight ever...

It's not that bad. We did EBCI (early bird check-in) so they checked us in at the 36 hour mark. Even though I understood we could board between A and B groups, I wanted to be absolutely positive that we would sit together, and to me the $40 was worth not worrying about being at a computer right at 24 hours.

Stick your yellow tag to your luggage, find the Southwest terminal. They will weigh your checked luggage and ask for your ID. You can get your boarding passes there if you didn't already print them out (I had mine printed but my black ink was low).

Then... you go through security and hope for the best.

Arrive at the gate at least 30 minutes before the flight leaves. They will board the "A" group...then "B"...then "C" From what I seen A and B groups didn't have aproblem getting seats together.

Get off plane and fing Magical Express. This was a little difficult for me... seemed like it was miles away, but when you don't know where you are going everything seems longer. Follow the signs to ground transportation and just keep walking.

Off to your resort you will go. Check in. Your luggage will arrive later.

Before you leave you get an envelope with your boarding passes and luggage tags. Take them to transportation (or call for bell services). Magical Express leaves 3 hours early... and to be honest it was cutting it close for us to stand in security line, eat breakfast, and use the bathroom.

Hope that helps.

 

[nejjie]

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! I feel so much better now, I really appreciate your responses!

 

[nejjie]

Ok - so I get dropped off at the airport at the terminal Southwest is located at. You go inside with luggage with yellow DME tags already attached. They will take your luggage and you must show your ID. I think my biggest fear is losing my luggage LOL. I keep getting this awful vision in my head where I am stuck with one outfit for our whole Disney trip haha. I'm really letting this get to my head LOL. I'll have boarding passes already printed out from the 24 hour check in and will then go through security. After security, how do I know which gate is the right one? I know, I sound redundant but I am really nervous and clueless.

A friend told me that they had to go through security twice. Once in the beginning and then before boarding the plane. Is this correct?

 

[bijoli666]

Just the one trip through security unless you leave the airport to smoke or something, then you have to go back through.

The gates are clearly marked with numbers, and once you get there, there will be tv screens or something that mark the flights for the day, so you can check that you are in the right place.

Remember, no liquids through security---you can buy them once you get past there, and you are allowed to take drinks/food on the plane with you

Don't worry, and if you have problems, don't hesitate to ask the airport staff.

 

[nejjie]

Just the one trip through security unless you leave the airport to smoke or something, then you have to go back through.

The gates are clearly marked with numbers, and once you get there, there will be tv screens or something that mark the flights for the day, so you can check that you are in the right place.

Remember, no liquids through security---you can buy them once you get past there, and you are allowed to take drinks/food on the plane with you

Don't worry, and if you have problems, don't hesitate to ask the airport staff.

Thank you

 

[clkelley]

Ok - so I get dropped off at the airport at the terminal Southwest is located at. You go inside with luggage with yellow DME tags already attached. They will take your luggage and you must show your ID. I think my biggest fear is losing my luggage LOL. I keep getting this awful vision in my head where I am stuck with one outfit for our whole Disney trip haha. I'm really letting this get to my head LOL. I'll have boarding passes already printed out from the 24 hour check in and will then go through security. After security, how do I know which gate is the right one? I know, I sound redundant but I am really nervous and clueless.

A friend told me that they had to go through security twice. Once in the beginning and then before boarding the plane. Is this correct?

For awhile there, there were some random screenings right at the gates, but that seems to have disappeared. Also when they first started the no liquids rule, for about a month, you couldn't take liquids purchased after security on the plane, so they did a second search for liquids right before boarding. Neither of those searches are in place any longer.

 

[DebbieB]

If you are checking luggage, they will tell you your gate #. I always double check the monitors after I go through security to make sure there was not a change.

 

[ccgirl]

Just want to say that you can also check in using a web enabled phone or use guest services at one of the parks or hotel. In that case, you print your boarding pass once you get to the airport. The boarding numbers are assigned upon check in and not printing the pass. Have fun.

 

[goofy4tink]

It's going to be much easier than you imagine it to be. So...here's the deal.
Print those boarding passes out at the 24 hr window. If for some reason you can't print them out at home, you can still print them out at the airport. They have wonderful little kiosks that you can use. You will see a letter, A, B or C, plus a number, on each boarding pass. This is where you stand when it's time to board.
So...you arrive at the airport. Take your checked luggage (with the nice yellow tags on them) to the baggage checkin area. They will give you a claim receipt for each piece of luggage. They will tell you which gate you're heading to. And there is good signage along the way.
You will go through security on the way to the gate. Remove your shoes, any jacket or sweater and put them all in a bin. You will need to remove your 3-1-1 baggie with any liquids in it and put that out to be checked as well. Your carryon bag goes on the conveyer belt as well. Then, you will go through the scanner. Gather your belongings at the end of the belt. Then head to your gate. There should be monitors giving current gate assignments handy.
When you get to your gate, you should see flight info listed above the counter area. It should list your particular flight. If it doesn't, just ask the gate attendant. You will see some large poles, with A, B and C on them..and then in increments of 5, numbered areas. When it's time to board, the gate attendant will call for medical preboards to come up first, along with any minors flying unattended. Then those in A1-15 will board..this is the business, full fare group..usually aren't a whole lot of them. Then A16-whatever are told to line up. It will be very evident what to do when you get there. It's really easy. Have your boarding passes out for the gate attendent as you go past that area. Then onto the plane, and find seats that you like. And that's all there is to it.

Now...since you're a bit concerned about losing your luggage....pack a change of clothes in your carryon bag. This is where you will also have some small toiletries as well (in that 3-1-1 baggie). Put any official stuff you need in there as well. And all electronics go in the carryon bag.
This way..if you have to wait for your luggage at the resort (and it can take up to 4 hrs to arrive after resort checkin) you will be able to change your clothes and freshen up a bit. Then head off to a park and start your fun-filled vacation.

 

[DebbieB]

One thing about losing your luggage - I fly alot on business and have probably flown well over 200,000 miles in the past 5 or 6 years. I almost always check my lugagge and have never had luggage "lost". 3 or 4 times it did not make the connection and was on the next flight. One time it was delivered to my house the following afternoon, my connection was cancelled and they did not get it on my rescheduled flight. I've never had luggage delayed on a non-stop.

 

[pamjb]

I have lost my luggage once on a trip to WDW, before Magical Express. I made the report at the SW luggage carousel, and it was at the resort within 5 hours.
One thing I always do, if I am traveling with my family, I mix our clothing in our luggage, so that everybody has a few articles of clothing in each bag in case one gets lost.
I always pack a change of clothes in my carryon, just in case.
Southwest typically departs out of terminal E at PHL

http://www.phl.org/terminal_map_e.html

 

[nejjie]

Thank you, I really appreciate all your responses. You've all even helped me with things I didn't even think of. Thanks again

 

[Disneyof3]

Glad I found this thread, I asked the same question a couple of weeks ago and got nothing. I will keep this thread for when I sign in for our trip in March.

 

[LSUmom4kids]

You will need to remove your 3-1-1 baggie with any liquids in it and put that out to be checked as well.

What does 3-1-1 mean?

 

[ccgirl]

What does 3-1-1 mean?

I quart ziploc bag can hold up to 3ozs of each liquid per 1 person. Hope this helps.

Meaning...each person is allowed to have 1 of the 1 quart ziploc bags. In that bag, put all liquids up to 3 ozs. Liquids more than 3 ozs cannot be carried on. I usually just go to the trial section at Target and stock up if I am only bringing carryons. If not, I just pack big bottles in my checked luggage.

 

[MHSweb79]

We fly Southwest all the time and it's very easy.

As others have stated, it's best to do your online check in EXACTLY 24 hours before your flight. This will give you the "lowest" boarding number, which is what you want. Say you have a party of 4 - you check in and print out your boarding passes. They'll say something like A25, A26, A27, A28. When you get to the gate, you'll line up in exact letter/ number order. So when they call the A's to line up, just get in line right behind whoever has A24 and in front of A29. Trust me, not only will people be in exact order, but we've also had gate personnel insist that we be in exact order.

As for travelling alone with younger children, I have seen flight attendants walking up & down the aisles, asking people if they'd move so a parent/ child can sit together. It shouldn't be a problem - I know I would move if somebody needed to sit with their child and I suspect many people would.

 

[walter]

I went on the site EXACTLY 24 hours in advance. This is the first time I received "B" instead of "A". It must be more travelers are paying the additional $10 for the early online service.

 

[ccgirl]

I went on the site EXACTLY 24 hours in advance. This is the first time I received "B" instead of "A". It must be more travelers are paying the additional $10 for the early online service.

I suspect you are right. Another reason I would rather pay $6 for an actual seat than $10 at a chance of a better boarding position. If enough people opt for the EBCI, it is possible people could even get C's.