Southwest Early Bird Checkin

[B&Pdisneymom]

I am planning our first trip the the World in January However, the day after I booked my flight/hotel package is when SW came out with EB check-in. I tried to add it to our flight back but the system would not accept my ressie number. I booked on-line of what I THOUGHT was the SW site. BUT to my suprise, it was the SW Vacation Packages site which is a totally different thing, but looks the same. The link for this in on the regular SW site. I was told that since I did not book with SW on their site(even thought I am still on a SW flight) I am not eligible for the EB check. I am traveling with kids, and I would like to sit together. Hopefully it won't be an issue. On the SW website, their is a add that says" going to Orlando or Vegas. Every second person flies free" Sounds good right.........don't do it. The second tickets I think are only free because they must have doubled the price of the other 2. Buyer beware.......

 

[Bobo912]

I am planning our first trip the the World in January However, the day after I booked my flight/hotel package is when SW came out with EB check-in. I tried to add it to our flight back but the system would not accept my ressie number. I booked on-line of what I THOUGHT was the SW site. BUT to my suprise, it was the SW Vacation Packages site which is a totally different thing, but looks the same. The link for this in on the regular SW site. I was told that since I did not book with SW on their site(even thought I am still on a SW flight) I am not eligible for the EB check. I am traveling with kids, and I would like to sit together. Hopefully it won't be an issue. On the SW website, their is a add that says" going to Orlando or Vegas. Every second person flies free" Sounds good right.........don't do it. The second tickets I think are only free because they must have doubled the price of the other 2. Buyer beware.......

Just FYI...when your flight is purchased through Southwest Vacations you can't use online check in at all. That is not anything new and is unrelated to EB check in. It has always been that way.

Hope everything works out okay for you, dinseymom.

 

[Tara]

Just FYI...when your flight is purchased through Southwest Vacations you can't use online check in at all. That is not anything new and is unrelated to EB check in. It has always been that way.

Hope everything works out okay for you, dinseymom.

I thought this had changed? I posted the same thing not long ago and was corrected.

 

[cbsnyber1]

I think you can tell a little about your flight by watching the fares for your flight day. Our flight in Dec. started at $79 each way, now are $124 down and $139 return - and they haven't changed in about a month. However, other flights on the same days range from $66 - $149. I am guessing my flights are close to full, the $66 flights are lagging.

So, I jumped in to get EB for the six of us. I am one of those that wants the peace of mind knowing we will be traveling together - makes the trip that much more fun. If my fares had dropped to $66 (I was lucky - paid the $79 each way) I probably would not spring for EB. But even at $89 each way - still a bargain and both flights are nonstop as well.

 

[Bobo912]

I thought this had changed? I posted the same thing not long ago and was corrected.

Maybe they have changed it. I priced a vacation with them a couple of months ago and it still said no online check in. That has stopped me from booking with them every time I considered it. Maybe they caught on that it was a bad idea.

 

[B&Pdisneymom]

Just FYI...when your flight is purchased through Southwest Vacations you can't use online check in at all. That is not anything new and is unrelated to EB check in. It has always been that way.

Hope everything works out okay for you, dinseymom.

Thanks for the words of encouragment. When I emailed SW vacations, they gave me a ressie # to check in at the 24 hour mark. I guess it is better than nothing. I normally don't fly SW. Not used to their policies. I know I will never use SW vacation again. But, I still get to go to DW

 

[Lewisc]

Just FYI...when your flight is purchased through Southwest Vacations you can't use online check in at all. That is not anything new and is unrelated to EB check in. It has always been that way.

Hope everything works out okay for you, dinseymom.

Although you can't do OLCI you can check in at T-24. You'll be assigned a boarding group (A, B or C) and a sequence number. You'll get a document but not your actual boarding pass. You'll get your BP at the airport.

AFAIK passengers with a paper ticket aren't eligible to use EB.

 

[JLTraveling]

I'm not getting in the middle of the debate, since I frankly don't care either way. I normally fly with my disabled father, so we get preboarding anyway.

But I do have a question. Everybody keeps talking about ending up in middle seats...how does that happen? When I fly with another person, we take the window and the middle. If the flight's not full, we'll spread out. If it is, then somebody else takes the aisle seat. Are there that many solo fliers, who would naturally leave an empty seat in the middle? Or are couples/families splitting up and then letting a stranger sit between them? Seems like I'd move over to take the middle, rather than talk to my traveling companion across somebody else.

Just curious, since I normally don't pay a bit of attention to other people's seating arrangements.

 

[stitch34]

Well, I'm curious to hear from those that have done this $10 and see how it really works, but I think I prefer being on the computer and checking in at that 24-hour mark.
Let's say you pay the $10 per person - as does oh, let's say the majority of people on that flight. Aren't the chances of getting C pretty good then? Perhaps doing it yourself online could have gotten better, but now with the bulk of people paying that $10 then it's left up to SW's computer to determine your seating order.
And if you don't spend the $10 per person - then surely I would think you'd definitely be the last to board. But would think everyone would worry about that now and say eh, let's pay that extra $10 and know we'll get good seats - but if everyone thinks like that, then it's just a total gamble, could pay that and be getting C.

And also wondered, when they give you your check in order, will it have anything to do with Family Jones booked their flight 3 months in advance versus Family Smith booked 2 weeks in advance to flight, both families paid the $10 per person - will the computer automatically assign seating to the Jones family first because they booked earlier?

Sorry, wish they'd keep it with either the 24 hour checkin - or I would have no problem paying like Air Tran does it to pick your seat.

 

[DISNEY FIX]

Well, I'm curious to hear from those that have done this $10 and see how it really works, but I think I prefer being on the computer and checking in at that 24-hour mark.

And also wondered, when they give you your check in order, will it have anything to do with Family Jones booked their flight 3 months in advance versus Family Smith booked 2 weeks in advance to flight, both families paid the $10 per person - will the computer automatically assign seating to the Jones family first because they booked earlier?

Wondering as well. How is it determined what number boarding number you get(buy)? Is it based on when you signup to buy (pay) or at the 36hr. checkin window?

 

[lawgs]

Wondering as well. How is it determined what number boarding number you get(buy)? Is it based on when you signup to buy (pay) or at the 36hr. checkin window?

supposedly as you state above with one caveat...SW elite fliers are in line before you ( the a list people )

 

[bookwormde]

I am not sure SW thought this through well, From a long term marketing perspective they would have done much better to set up the program where they limited the number of EB to 45 then they would have “guaranteed” an A position. A little scarcity is a good thing in creating value, it will not take to many B positions for many people to decide it is not worth it, especially on flights were there is a lot of family boarding. If they got $450 per flight that is a lot of revenue (equivalent to 6-8 extra seats on many flights).

bookwormde

 

[DISNEY FIX]

supposedly as you state above with one caveat...SW elite fliers are in line before you ( the a list people )

So.....the number you get is assigned on when you pay for the service(behind the a-listers...), correct? ie Isign up today you sign up tommorow I am ahead of you reguardless of when I check induring the 36-25 hor window. Am I getting this or am I lost?
Then checking in before the 25 hour mark has no determination on what boarding number you will get????? So what is the real upside with being able to check in early?
Thanks.

 

[123SA]

Help! I paid for EBCI. It will be 24 hours out in 5 minutes. I don't need to do anything else right? How do I figure out what my number is?

 

[nuzmom]

Help! I paid for EBCI. It will be 24 hours out in 5 minutes. I don't need to do anything else right? How do I figure out what my number is?

My understanding - NO, you don't need to do anything else. Part of the benefit of EBCI is that you don't have to be by your computer at T-24. If you choose to check in on-line anyway, you'll get what amounts to a copy of your boarding pass (and you can see what letter/number you got).

 

[123SA]

My understanding - NO, you don't need to do anything else. Part of the benefit of EBCI is that you don't have to be by your computer at T-24. If you choose to check in on-line anyway, you'll get what amounts to a copy of your boarding pass (and you can see what letter/number you got).

THanks. I got A16,17,18 - -so I guess that means I probably didn't need to spend the $30

 

[Brian Noble]

Think of the $30 as peace-of-mind insurance. Kind of like renting a car instead of taking ME to the resort. ME usually works just fine. But, every once in a while, things go south, and you won't know how it will go until you do it.

Me, I don't mind spending a little bit of money on my trips to make sure they go smoothly. Others would rather take their chances, knowing that it will probably work out.

 

[Henlady]

123SA: Because you paid the EB fee, Southwest issued you your numbered boarding pass at 36 hours prior to your flight. But you can't "see" your boarding pass untill you check for it after the 24 hour mark. So, evidently, you were the first person to pay the EB fee for your flight. When you "checked in" at the 24 hour mark you were not actually checking in, you were pulling up the boarding pass that was already issued to you at the "36 hour" point. YOU did not just "get" A16, A17, A18 when you logged in, you already had it.

 

[Hannathy]

THanks. I got A16,17,18 - -so I guess that means I probably didn't need to spend the $30

No it means you were the first person to spend the $10. not in a higher fare class.

 

[disneyfaninaz]

Wondering as well. How is it determined what number boarding number you get(buy)? Is it based on when you signup to buy (pay) or at the 36hr. checkin window?

I would hope that you would get your boarding number in order of when you signed up for the Early Bird Check-In.