Southwest Early Bird Check-In

[Wigit12]

I need to book my tickets on SW soon and have never flown them before.

Do you have to select EBCI when you book your tickets? Or can you go into your reservation later on and add it to the reservation (and pay the fee then)?

I just thought I'd check to prices to gauge how full the flight is. If it's filling up, I'd probably spring for the ECBI. If the prices are still low, I may assume it's not overly full and forego it.

Thanks!
Kim

That's what we do. They'll send you emails reminding you that EBCI is available.

 

[disneyfaninaz]

I'm trying it for the 1st time on my upcoming trip, mostly because I don't want to worry about checking in at the RAC for the return trip. It's worth the $10 just for that.

You realize that checking in at 24 hours to get your boarding number is not the same as checking in with RAC? With EBCI you don't have to worry about the SWA end of it, you will get your boarding number assigned, but you still may want to consider using RAC so you don't have to lug your luggage back to the airport with you.

I have an $80 credit on southwest. Can I use it to go back and put the early bird checkin on our reservation?

Unfortunately, you cannot use SWA ticketless travel funds to purchase EBCI.

 

[Iggipolka]

You realize that checking in at 24 hours to get your boarding number is not the same as checking in with RAC? With EBCI you don't have to worry about the SWA end of it, you will get your boarding number assigned, but you still may want to consider using RAC so you don't have to lug your luggage back to the airport with you.

AHh..thanks for the clarification. I will be using RAC for my luggage with ME, so I'll still drop off my luggage with them the morning of my flight. However, with using EBCI, I won't have to worry about checking in for my flight 24 hours in advance. I'll just get my boarding pass when I get to the airport.

 

[Dizzyworld]

I wonder if this will become more of an issue as we get into the summer season?

Even though our children are teens, they still want to sit with us. Since we are joining a flight originating elsewhere, we bought EBCI so hopefully we can sit together. DH can sit by himself.

 

[loxie]

not to sound stupid but what is rac?

 

[ccgirl]

AHh..thanks for the clarification. I will be using RAC for my luggage with ME, so I'll still drop off my luggage with them the morning of my flight. However, with using EBCI, I won't have to worry about checking in for my flight 24 hours in advance. I'll just get my boarding pass when I get to the airport.

Actually, with RAC (resort airline checkin) they will drop off your boarding passes in the morning to your hotel. We checked in at the 24 hour mark ourselves and they dropped off the boarding passes to us. Very convenient.

Don't forget with family boarding (children under 4) you can board between the A and B group anyway. We saved $80 by not getting the EBCI and just using the family boarding. I know the OP said they were all adults, I mention this only for others that may have small children flying with them.