Southwest Check in

[AllesonWonderland]

If you aren't online checking in right at the 24 hour mark, are you out of luck for good boarding passes? I'm not concerned about the flight down, because I will check us in the day before. However, we aren't bringing the laptop on this trip, so I don't know when we'll get checked in for the trip home. We're staying offsite at Windsor Hills. Our flight home leaves at 7:20am...I thought about having someone back home check us in, but feel bad about asking someone to be up at 6am (central) on a Saturday morning to do that. If we check in at, say, 20 hours prior to departure is that any better than doing it at the airport? I didn't know if everyone sits by their computer to try to scoop up those A passes. Thanks in advance for your insight!

 

[havencruiser]

Unless you are traveling with a Large group who all wish to sit together, there's no real need to get "A" passes. They only account for 33% percent of the plane seats so "A" pass holders and pre-boarders only take up about 50 of the plane, leaving 50% free for B and C folks.

 

[PlutosFriend]

If I were you, I would still ask someone back home to check you in as soon as they woke up that day Chances of getting A are much better that way. Good luck!

 

[salmoneous]

No one can say for sure, but based on a lot of SW experience, you are very to get B passes checking in 20 hours ahead. As long as you are willing to wait in the B line, they are just as good as A passes in my book (I board at the end of the A's - essentially the same thing as front of the B's). But you do have to wait in line.

Or, if I don't really care where I sit on that flight, even the end of the B's isn't bad.

PS - Lots of folks are up early on Saturday mornings. If not by 6, then at least by 7 (kids, dogs, etc. - I've yet to explain to my dogs the concept of a weekend, Lord knows I've tried).

 

[Cinderella1122]

If you have a cellphone with web-capability, you can check in using that. I believe the site is mobile.southwest.com. 24 hrs prior to your flight just enter your name and conformation number and it will check you in and you can pick up your boarding passes at the airport.

 

[AllesonWonderland]

Thanks for the replies! No web access on our cell phone, so that's out. I'll see who I might be able to get to check us in back home. I was getting slightly nervous because when I did some searches on the board to find my answer before I posted, I read about some people not checking in til they got to the airport and their whole family having to sit separately. This is our first flight with DD9 and DS6 and it would be nice to sit together. Though, I suppose if someone else wants to entertain our kids for the flight that might not be a bad thing.

 

[pamjb]

I had the concierge desk at AKL check us in last August. If your flight home is during the week (Monday thru Friday) I would be more than happy to check you in online. I am up and working on my computer by 5 am. A nice Dis'er offered to do that for me (before I web enabled my phone) and I am just paying it forward.

 

[AllesonWonderland]

If your flight home is during the week (Monday thru Friday) I would be more than happy to check you in online. I am up and working on my computer by 5 am. A nice Dis'er offered to do that for me (before I web enabled my phone) and I am just paying it forward.

Thanks for the offer, our flight is on Sunday though. I was talking with a gal from church yesterday though and she mentioned being up at 4:45 every morning...I can see if she can do it. Thanks again!

 

[ProudMommyof2]

If you have someone else check you in, how do you get the boarding passes?

 

[SamIAm21]

In December, I called the front desk at Pop Century and asked if there was any way to get boarding passes for SWA. The lady at the desk told me to come down with my flight information. She typed in our name, confirmation number and printed out the boarding passes right there at the main desk.

No need to drag your laptop, the desk personnel are more than willing to help you with this. If they do it at Pop Century, a value resort, they would certainly do it at the more upscale resorts as well.

 

[SamIAm21]

If you have someone else check you in, how do you get the boarding passes?

You would print them out at the little computer terminals near the SWA check in area!! As long as you check in 24 hours in advance, you will get the A pass upon arrival at the airport.

 

[Kuffam]

Never flown SWA or checked in via web (or self-check in station). Can you still check luggage? Have a 3 year old and should be able to pre-board, but avoiding lines would be a major plus!

 

[pamjb]

Yes, you can still check luggage. For your flight from MCO, I highly recommend using the curbside check-in. Southwest's check in area is very confusing. You check your luggage and they put tags on it and then you have to take it yourself to the TSA screening area. For a tip only, the skycaps will take care of all of it for you. I know when we left MCO two weeks ago, the checkin line for SW inside the airport was very long, but there was no one at the skycap check-in.

 

[DebbieB]

I've used curbside check and had my boarding pass reprinted there.