Southwest Early Bird Check-in worth it?

[Spencer Wright]

I have a 12:55pm flight on Friday through Southwest from Philadelphia.

From anyone's experience, is Early Bird Check-in worth it?

I don't really care too much where I sit (aisle seat preferred), however don't want to end up having to check a bag when overhead space is no longer available. I have heard several people indicate this occurs, delaying arrival to the magical express.

This trip I'm feeling a little indulgent, but don't want to be totally frivolous...

 

[jalpert]

I have a 12:55pm flight on Friday through Southwest from Philadelphia.

From anyone's experience, is Early Bird Check-in worth it?

I don't really care too much where I sit (aisle seat preferred), however don't want to end up having to check a bag when overhead space is no longer available. I have heard several people indicate this occurs, delaying arrival to the magical express.

This trip I'm feeling a little indulgent, but don't want to be totally frivolous...

I've flown Southwest about 20 times, because they include checked luggage for free the overhead bins are not nearly as full as other airlines. I've never been on a Southwest plane that gate checked.

However, make sure you check in exactly 24 hours before your flight. Boarding position is given out on a first checked in first served basis after everyone who either earned or paid to be ahead of you.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

Not worth it at all in my opinion unless you are traveling with someone that is absolutely terrified to potenially not sit next to you.

If you want to board earlier rather than later then check in exactly at 24 hours prior to get your boarding position.
I've found that anything in A or B boarding there's still plenty of seats to choose from and you should still find an aisle seat.
C boarding is where its gets dicey.

I have never found that overhead bin space has run out on my flights.
In fact the last few flights my backpack was the only thing in my overhead bin area and when I go to get it it has shifted a row in front or back of mine lol.

Also if for some reason there is not enough overhead bin space for your bag they will GATE check it which means once you exit the plane it will be on the jet way with other gate checked items like strollers. No reason to think it would hold you up significantly.

 

[tobikaye]

I flew for the first time with SW last year and I did go ahead and do the EBCI so I would not have to check in at the exact 24 hours, although I usually still did within a couple of hours of that time. It really would not have mattered as much for the first leg of the plane as it was not as full as I expected. I ended up with an entire row to myself. For the return trip, I was very glad to have it as it was a fuller flight. I took the window seat and another solo took the aisle seat. Since I was a bit farther back, most people filled in the middle seats farther to the front of the plane.

I have purchased EBCI for my next flights with SW for similar reasons. I cannot guarantee I will be able to check in right away. I also cannot handle the middle seat unless I know at least one the people to one side of me.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I have a 12:55pm flight on Friday through Southwest from Philadelphia.

From anyone's experience, is Early Bird Check-in worth it?

I don't really care too much where I sit (aisle seat preferred), however don't want to end up having to check a bag when overhead space is no longer available. I have heard several people indicate this occurs, delaying arrival to the magical express.

This trip I'm feeling a little indulgent, but don't want to be totally frivolous...

In my experience the only time they say stuff about gate checking luggage is for those in boarding position C and they have been able to relay overhead bin space availability back to the gate agent from the FAs on the plane.

Now I will say that it is common, at least in my experience, for them to request if anyone wants to gate check prior to the boarding even starting (usually a decent amount of time beforehand too) and I want to say they usually request 10-15 people do this. Normally at least a few do this but not always.

Are you planning on having both a personal item and a carryon?

 

[NJ Goofy]

I fly Southwest out of PHL to MCO every trip and always get EBCI. The gate attendants tend to let EVERY family with children board during "family boarding" so if you don't have EBCI you usually end up boarding after them. Which means sitting way in the back, especially if you need seats together. Also on the way home I'd rather know my check-in is taken care of rather than worrying about it while we're in the parks.

 

[LisaS]

I have a 12:55pm flight on Friday through Southwest from Philadelphia.

From anyone's experience, is Early Bird Check-in worth it?

In case you don't already know, 36 hours before departure Southwest's system assigns boarding positions to those who purchased EBCI in the order in which they purchased it. In other words, someone who purchases EBCI today for a flight on Friday will be one of the last EBCI customers to board. You won't gain much over where you would be if you check in EXACTLY 24 hours before departure. But do be sure to check in exactly 24 hours out. Delaying your check in by even a few minutes can make a big difference in your boarding assignment.

I think it does make sense to purchase it for the flight home. Just from the discussion on this board, it seems a lot of people purchase EBCI just for their return flight so they don't risk forgetting to check in while they're out having fun in the parks. Again, with a last minute purchase you will be towards the end of the EBCI passengers so in this case it's more about the risk of forgetting, or interrupting what you're doing on your last day, to check in right at 24 hours out.

Be aware that even with EBCI you can end up in the "B" boarding group. Family boarding is between "A" and "B" so even with EBCI you could end up boarding after family boarding. But you would still be ahead of those who did not purchase EBCI.

 

[han22735]

If I were flying alone I would never buy it. Both our flights in May when checking in right at the 24 hour mark we got A boarding numbers.

 

[NeedMoreMickey]

We almost always use EBCI with Southwest. Most of the time our flights out of BWI are very early 6:05 am and I've set alarms to remind me to get up and check in but doesn't always work out. We also use it on the way home because of the timing, don't want to try to remember to check in while I'm in the middle of ride or show. I like being close to the front because I like to get off the plane as soon as I can so buying EBCI works for me.

 

[scrapquitler]

We have never run into a situation on SW where the overheads are full, probably because they include the checked bags in the price, so people don't tend to carry on as much.

The only time we ever pay for EBCI is if we have a connecting flight. We are 3 and have never had a problem getting three seats together, except once, and really, we didn't mind sitting 2 and 1, we were only 1 row apart then.

 

[Spencer Wright]

Not worth it at all in my opinion unless you are traveling with someone that is absolutely terrified to potenially not sit next to you.

If you want to board earlier rather than later then check in exactly at 24 hours prior to get your boarding position.
I've found that anything in A or B boarding there's still plenty of seats to choose from and you should still find an aisle seat.
C boarding is where its gets dicey.

I have never found that overhead bin space has run out on my flights.
In fact the last few flights my backpack was the only thing in my overhead bin area and when I go to get it it has shifted a row in front or back of mine lol.

Also if for some reason there is not enough overhead bin space for your bag they will GATE check it which means once you exit the plane it will be on the jet way with other gate checked items like strollers. No reason to think it would hold you up significantly.

I had no idea about the GATE checked items. With that it mind, I won't bother with the early bird check-in. Luckily this year I will be home and can check it right at the 24 hour mark. Last year I was about 15 minutes later and got toward the back of C!

 

[Spencer Wright]

In case you don't already know, 36 hours before departure Southwest's system assigns boarding positions to those who purchased EBCI in the order in which they purchased it. In other words, someone who purchases EBCI today for a flight on Friday will be one of the last EBCI customers to board. You won't gain much over where you would be if you check in EXACTLY 24 hours before departure. But do be sure to check in exactly 24 hours out. Delaying your check in by even a few minutes can make a big difference in your boarding assignment.

I think it does make sense to purchase it for the flight home. Just from the discussion on this board, it seems a lot of people purchase EBCI just for their return flight so they don't risk forgetting to check in while they're out having fun in the parks. Again, with a last minute purchase you will be towards the end of the EBCI passengers so in this case it's more about the risk of forgetting, or interrupting what you're doing on your last day, to check in right at 24 hours out.

Be aware that even with EBCI you can end up in the "B" boarding group. Family boarding is between "A" and "B" so even with EBCI you could end up boarding after family boarding. But you would still be ahead of those who did not purchase EBCI.

I'm leaning toward not buying the EBCI and checking in at exactly the 24 hour mark. Last year I literally checked in 15 minutes later and got toward the end of C. I'm especially against purchasing it, since you mentioned the issue of order. As long as I get toward the first half of B or closer I'm fine.

 

[Marsh215]

I Use EBCI for business trips around CA, usually 1 hour flights. I like not having to wake up 6 am the day before in order to get into the A group for a 6 am flight (which I fly often). For me they charge $15 each way, so $30 round trip. I like the convenience and I would probably get it for a WDW trip, but if that money means you have to miss something at WDW that you want to do you should probably skip it. I'm going to be flying OAK to SNA (Disneyland's closest airport) twice before the year is out, and I imagine that those trips might have a lot of families and getting into the A group will guarantee me my favorite seat.

For your trip it is probably not worth it because you have the time to check in the day before, and since you wont mind if you need to gate check and your not to fussed about seats. That $30 saved is better spent at WDW anyway! Have fun, and let us all know if you regret not getting EBCI or if it goes well.

 

[LisaS]

We do purchase EBCI, but for WDW trips I'm online at 6am to purchase our tickets on Southwest's schedule release day. I buy EBCI at that time. By purchasing EBCI months in advance, we get very low A passes most of the time. In your case, purchasing it just a few days before departure day, I'm not sure it would help that much, provided you remember to check in 24 hours out. I would purchase it for the trip home though.

We're usually very busy the day before a trip. On one occasion we forgot to check in right at 24 hours out. Fortunately we remembered a couple of hours later but after that we decided to purchase EBCI for the flight down as well as the return flight. We purchase our tickets with Southwest points so our only out of pocket costs are the security fee and EBCI, plus it's just the two of us so it's not that expensive.

 

[ibob52]

We purchase our tickets with Southwest points so our only out of pocket costs are the security fee and EBCI, plus it's just the two of us so it's not that expensive.

The first time I booked our flights using SWA points .. I was not happy that

I was not getting my flight for free .. that $11.20 TSA fee and later the EBCI $30.00

were a fee I had to think about for a minute and of course it has been OK .. years later.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

The first time I booked our flights using SWA points .. I was not happy that

I was not getting my flight for free .. that $11.20 TSA fee and later the EBCI $30.00

were a fee I had to think about for a minute and of course it has been OK .. years later.

Well at least the 9/11 security fee is something the same across the board for airlines.

 

[anonymousegirl]

The first time I booked our flights using SWA points .. I was not happy that

I was not getting my flight for free .. that $11.20 TSA fee and later the EBCI $30.00

were a fee I had to think about for a minute and of course it has been OK .. years later.

Try using your British airways points and realizing that your "free" flight to London does not include the $400 per ticket taxes!! That's a big ouchie!

 

[DebbieB]

Since they increased family boarding from age 4 to age 6 (which seems to mean 8 or 10 to many families), I have been buying it. I had B26 and ended up in the back on a bumpy flight. Hated it. There had to be at least 30 in the family boarding line, couples sitting window/aisle, people saving seats, that was the only non-middle. I have bought it on my last 2 trips and got around A26. Love it!

 

[FCDub]

OP, given your other threads about feeling anxious about flying, I think it would probably be a wise purchase for you. One less thing to have to stress over.

 

[goofy4tink]

I have a 12:55pm flight on Friday through Southwest from Philadelphia.

From anyone's experience, is Early Bird Check-in worth it?

I don't really care too much where I sit (aisle seat preferred), however don't want to end up having to check a bag when overhead space is no longer available. I have heard several people indicate this occurs, delaying arrival to the magical express.

This trip I'm feeling a little indulgent, but don't want to be totally frivolous...

This Friday??? If so, don't bother. Check in right at the 24 hr mark. That should keep you in the B group. I always book EBCI for my flights home, from wherever I am. I just don't want to worry about remembering to check in at the 24 hr window.
I've gate checked my bag many times. I have yet to have it handed it to me as I deplaned. It's always at baggage claim.