Southwest Early Bird Checkin

[agnes!]

Yes, they still do the family-boarding between the As & Bs. Depending on how the GA runs things, though, only one adult might be allowed to board with the 2 year-old. Doesn't happen often, but I have seen it. Usually the GAs let the entire family on with the toddlers. I would go ahead and get your passes and if they're worse than family-boarding, so family-boarding.

Your party will still need boarding passes to get through security anyway,

agnes!

 

[TDC Nala]

"Entire family" for family boarding usually refers to parents and siblings of the eligible child and not to any extended family or companions who are not minor children. If you have grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc in your party, you might want to try to get A passes if you want everyone near each other.

 

[disneydarling07]

"Entire family" for family boarding usually refers to parents and siblings of the eligible child and not to any extended family or companions who are not minor children. If you have grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc in your party, you might want to try to get A passes if you want everyone near each other.

Our group consists of dh and I and 2 kids (8 and 2).
That shouldn't be a problem...?

 

[Plannin'Shannon]

Just printed my boarding passes for our 12:20pm flight from Orlando to Las Vegas. We did not purchase EBCI, and got A25, 26, 27.

 

[jodifla]

Didn't buy the early birds.

Got A50, A22, A26 and A32 for my flights from DTW to JAX this weekend checking in at 24 hours.

 

[ZooKeeper13]

No EBCI, I checked in at exactly -24 hrs & got A40 & A41 for tomorrow morning from ISP to MCO.

Keeping my fingers crossed for the return flight!

Just a heads up to anyone thinking of using Southwest Vacations. We booked a package through them (weeks before EBCI was announced) and are unable to use EBCI.

 

[DVC-Don]

On the way down from Albany Monday we used EBCI and got A29 & 30.

 

[surfergirl602]

I'm so glad I found this thread!! I am a nervous wreck over this early bird check in thing! I booked a Christmas flight home for myself and my three children with southwest when they were having that 72 hour sale. I didn't know that you couldn't pick your seats when booking, as I've never flown them before.

I can see as a single traveler, ten bucks for ebci really isn't that much. But when there are four of you, 80 dollars is just too much to spend on a chance to get a high place in line.

I am wondering, when I do the 24 hour check in, if I get Bs, then we can still do the family boarding. During this time, are there usually seats still together? I have one carseat child, a small, tiny, 7 year old, and an 8 year old flying with me. Its our first time, and without DH. He has to fly in a few days later.

Can anyone give me some advice or scenarios? Should I mention the carseat when I get to the gate?

Thanks so much!!

 

[agnes!]

I'm so glad I found this thread!! I am a nervous wreck over this early bird check in thing! I booked a Christmas flight home for myself and my three children with southwest when they were having that 72 hour sale. I didn't know that you couldn't pick your seats when booking, as I've never flown them before.

I can see as a single traveler, ten bucks for ebci really isn't that much. But when there are four of you, 80 dollars is just too much to spend on a chance to get a high place in line.

I am wondering, when I do the 24 hour check in, if I get Bs, then we can still do the family boarding. During this time, are there usually seats still together? I have one carseat child, a small, tiny, 7 year old, and an 8 year old flying with me. Its our first time, and without DH. He has to fly in a few days later.

Can anyone give me some advice or scenarios? Should I mention the carseat when I get to the gate?

Thanks so much!!

When are you traveling? December 23rd, 24th? Probably both your flights will be full or over-sold. And if you're within a couple of days before Christmas for the trip there, I think you should consider getting EBCI for your entire party one-way for that leg of your trip. That way you'll be checked-in at T-36 and just print out your boarding passes at T-24 or after.
FYI - You do NOT have to get EBCI for both the "to" and "from" portions of your travel on Southwest.

Sorry, don't know about the carseat, maybe some frequent family SW travelers can chime in about that.

agnes!

 

[surfergirl602]

When are you traveling? December 23rd, 24th? Probably both your flights will be full or over-sold. And if you're within a couple of days before Christmas for the trip there, I think you should consider getting EBCI for your entire party one-way for that leg of your trip. That way you'll be checked-in at T-36 and just print out your boarding passes at T-24 or after.
FYI - You do NOT have to get EBCI for both the "to" and "from" portions of your travel on Southwest.

Sorry, don't know about the carseat, maybe some frequent family SW travelers can chime in about that.

agnes!

We are traveling from OKC to Manchester, NH with a change in Baltimore on December 16th. We come back on Jan 6th. I just think that 80 dollars is a lot for a "chance" that's non refundable.

 

[Jestocost]

We are traveling from OKC to Manchester, NH with a change in Baltimore on December 16th. We come back on Jan 6th. I just think that 80 dollars is a lot for a "chance" that's non refundable.

That's entirely your call. Just recognize that you'll have no real basis for a complaint if you get high boarding numbers and everyone in your group might not be able to sit together.

My current theory is to use or not use EBCI based on specific circumstances. If I'm not specifically concerned about a full flight on a given date or I don't really care if our family is split up (kids are experienced flyers ages 15 and 12), then I may choose not to use EBCI. If there's a reason to believe seats will be at a premium or I won't be able to check in at 24 hours, I'll use EBCI.

 

[JustineMarie]

Just wanted to post my family's experience with EBCI. We flew from PHL to MCO on Oct 29th without EBCI and got A51-A54 exactly at 24 hours out. We bought EBCI for our flight home yesterday and got A23-A26. I didn't check us in online until 10:30pm the night before our flight which was at 7:00pm the next day. So EBCI was definitely worth it for us.

 

[agnes!]

When are you traveling? December 23rd, 24th? Probably both your flights will be full or over-sold. And if you're within a couple of days before Christmas for the trip there, I think you should consider getting EBCI for your entire party one-way for that leg of your trip. That way you'll be checked-in at T-36 and just print out your boarding passes at T-24 or after.
FYI - You do NOT have to get EBCI for both the "to" and "from" portions of your travel on Southwest.

Sorry, don't know about the carseat, maybe some frequent family SW travelers can chime in about that.

agnes!

We are traveling from OKC to Manchester, NH with a change in Baltimore on December 16th. We come back on Jan 6th. I just think that 80 dollars is a lot for a "chance" that's non refundable.

I think if you only get it for one part of your trip, say OKC to NH, the EBCI's price would be $40 ($10 per passenger). I'm sure some of the Southwest A-Listers will chime in if I'm wrong.

agnes!

 

[surfergirl602]

I think if you only get it for one part of your trip, say OKC to NH, the EBCI's price would be $40 ($10 per passenger). I'm sure some of the Southwest A-Listers will chime in if I'm wrong.

agnes!

Yes, but when I go to the site, it won't allow me to select only one way. it pulls up everyone for both flights and then wants me to go pay for it. I don't understand why I would only want to do it one way. Why would it be okay for outgoing flight, but not needed for return flight? wouldn't I want to sit together with my three children both ways?

 

[mareed]

Yes, but when I go to the site, it won't allow me to select only one way. it pulls up everyone for both flights and then wants me to go pay for it. I don't understand why I would only want to do it one way. Why would it be okay for outgoing flight, but not needed for return flight? wouldn't I want to sit together with my three children both ways?

I can't comment on the site allowing you to select & pay for only one-way if you booked round-trip tickets... But I think it would be fairly common for a family to only purchase it for their return flight because they wouldn't be able to easily check in themselves at T-24 (perhaps they'll be busy in the parks or even on a cruise). But they would be available to do so themselves on the outgoing flight right at T-24 and they figure those boarding passes would be good enough.

 

[CarolMN]

I booked round trip tickets on SWA for myself and DH. Was able to purchase EBCI for only the return trip,

Didn't get ECBI because I was concerned about sitting together. I just didn't want to worry about checking in 24 hours ahead of time, when we would rather be out enjoying our last day of vacation.

 

[Mickey&JoshNut]

I have a question for all those that have used the EB check-in....I know it says that SW will check you in at the 36 hr mark...does SW then send you an email with your boarding passes or do you have to wait until the 24 hr mark to log into their site and print out the boarding passes yourself? I don't want to mess this up...I'm used to the 24 hr checkin procedures but this time I won't be near my computer at the 24 hr mark so I decided to try the EBCI.

Thanks in advance

 

[mareed]

I have a question for all those that have used the EB check-in....I know it says that SW will check you in at the 36 hr mark...does SW then send you an email with your boarding passes or do you have to wait until the 24 hr mark to log into their site and print out the boarding passes yourself? I don't want to mess this up...I'm used to the 24 hr checkin procedures but this time I won't be near my computer at the 24 hr mark so I decided to try the EBCI.

Thanks in advance

No email from SW. You can get your boarding pass online yourself starting 24 hrs before the flight, or just show up at the airport and get it there. It will be the same # that was obtained for you at T-36 hours regardless of when you print and/or obtain it.

 

[Mickey&JoshNut]

No email from SW. You can get your boarding pass online yourself starting 24 hrs before the flight, or just show up at the airport and get it there. It will be the same # that was obtained for you at T-36 hours regardless of when you print and/or obtain it.

Thanks...now another dumb question...at the 24 hour mark you used to select check in and print boarding pass....will my option only be to print my boarding pass since SW already checked me in?

 

[Tara]

Thanks...now another dumb question...at the 24 hour mark you used to select check in and print boarding pass....will my option only be to print my boarding pass since SW already checked me in?

It will still say check in but your boarding number will already have been assigned. You still select the passengers you want to check in and then it goes to the boarding pass screen where you can print (or not).