Southwest Early Bird Checkin

[Laurabearz]

What about paying for two people - you and "the boy"? That way you increase your odds of getting what you need (one pair of seats), but still save $60.

I thought about doing that, but I have a high level of confidence that if I check in right at check in time, it shouldnt be an issue. Even if we have to sit way in the back, I am sure we will find something together

 

[rubato]

I just did online check in. I checked in right at 24 hours. I got A 26, 28, 29. Am curious how someone got 27 as I checked all 3 in at the same time. It should be funny having a stranger stand in line in the middle of my family. But, it looks like we'll be okay and should get some decent seats, even if we can't all sit together! We're doing early bird on the way back, so I'll be curious to see how much better we did paying $30 extra.

 

[scard192]

Checked my manager in right at 24hrs for her PVD-PHL flight tomorrow and got A29. It's a short flight so she wouldn't care but wanted to see what # we would get.

 

[WDWjen]

Checked my manager in right at 24hrs for her PVD-PHL flight tomorrow and got A29. It's a short flight so she wouldn't care but wanted to see what # we would get.

...
we leave on Saturday and I'm setting my phone alarm to remind me to check in at the 24 hr mark. (I can get online right on my phone) It seems like people are mostly getting high A's and low B's without using EBCI??

Am I right to assume that even with a B boarding number we can still walk to the back of the plane and get at least 2 seats together?

 

[BYC]

We used EBCI for all 6 of us going down from Long Island on January 4, and coming back on January 15. Both directions we got A 18-23. It allowed my 6'7" husband to get the emergency exit seat with no seat in front of him for both directions. He was so happy to have the leg room. Normally, he is squished into a seat!

 

[n2mm]

Just checked in at the 24 hour mark for my flight tomorrow out of Dulles. IAD to MCO @ 8:05AM. Did NOT buy the EBCI and got A25-26. I'll spend that extra $20 for a couple of margaritas!!! We are flying home on Jetblue (which is our normal routine -- esp. since JB is part of RAC and we still get one free bag with them.) It was a no brainer to fly JB as both SW and JB were $59 and since I would have to add the extra $10 for SW, that made SW more expensive to come home. This is something I need to now figure in when booking my airfare. If I flew home on SW I would buy the EBCI, but not to MCO.

 

[WDWjen]

Just checked in at the 24 hour mark for my flight tomorrow out of Dulles. IAD to MCO @ 8:05AM. Did NOT buy the EBCI and got A25-26. I'll spend that extra $20 for a couple of margaritas!!! We are flying home on Jetblue (which is our normal routine -- esp. since JB is part of RAC and we still get one free bag with them.) It was a no brainer to fly JB as both SW and JB were $59 and since I would have to add the extra $10 for SW, that made SW more expensive to come home. This is something I need to now figure in when booking my airfare. If I flew home on SW I would buy the EBCI, but not to MCO.

I wish I knew more about this when I booked SW back in Oct. I usually fly Jet Blue. I was suckered in by the low airfare and the fact that the Islip airport is not as crowded. I was afraid Jet Blue out of JFK would be chaos. Now I'm thinking if I bought EBCI my flights would be $100 more. Oh well, we'll see what happens on Sat.

 

[n2mm]

I wish I knew more about this when I booked SW back in Oct. I usually fly Jet Blue. I was suckered in by the low airfare and the fact that the Islip airport is not as crowded. I was afraid Jet Blue out of JFK would be chaos. Now I'm thinking if I bought EBCI my flights would be $100 more. Oh well, we'll see what happens on Sat.

I agree, I also bought my SW tickets before the EBCI started and in the past I've never had a problem getting an A. Now if you don't buy the EBCI I find it was more stressful this morning wondering how I would do. I actually had a return flight on SW for March, but cancelled that and booked JB home. I used the SW funds to purchase tickets for the grandkids in April (30th). I figured if they didn't get an A, they would at least be in family boarding 2yo and 4yo. w/folks. I'm still holding SW tickets TO Florida for March and April, but JETblue for return flights for both. This will be an expense I have to take into account in the future. (I actually purchased all of my upcoming ticket on SW before the EBCI was announced, so wasn't happy that I didn't know in advance.)

 

[Luckymommyx2]

Just finished checking in on line without buying the early bird. I had four different confirmations due to SWA credits and recieved: A33, A43, A53, and A57. This is BWI to MCO. We are NOT flying SWA on the way home, instead we have decided to try AirTran.

 

[carmie3377]

Am I right to assume that even with a B boarding number we can still walk to the back of the plane and get at least 2 seats together?

We had high As (w/o EBCI) on our MCO-HOU-DAL flight last month. On our MCO-HOU leg, we ended up about 2/3 of the way back for 3 seats. On our HOU-DAL leg, since our first plane had arrived late we got to the gate for the second plane and they had already starting boarding Bs. They let us in about 1/3 through the Bs and we ended up really close to the back of the plane to get 3 seats together. Since you're looking for only 2, I think you would do fine.

 

[alecam]

I checked in this morning right at the 24 hour mark and got B6 through B9. Our flight should be full as there are no longer seats for sale for that time.Hope that helps someone.

 

[PatsMom]

Two weeks ago we flew on the earliest direct flight out of MHT to MCO - it is usually a full flight and it was this time. At 24 hours before, we got mid B's. We did all sit together, toward the back of the plane. There are three of us.

My niece checked us in at 24 hours prior for the return flight (last direct MCO to MHT of the day). Same result - mid B's. Again, we sat together toward the back of the plane.

 

[WDWjen]

We checked in this morning at the 24hr mark and got B49-54. Didnt do EBCI. I think our flight is full b/c there are no seats available to purchase online as of now (although it might be too late for online?)

I'm hoping that with the numbers we got that we can still grab 2 together and 3 together - even if its in the last row of the plane. I dont care if we are not all exactly together, I just want my kids to each have us nearby.

Very curious to see if they are just holding numbers for the A-list for business fliers..I guess I'll find out tomorrow.

 

[amnhunte]

We were so very excited to see that we got it! We did EB Check-In of course. Anyone else on the flight?

 

[AmandaK]

If you get a B boarding pass, what is the availability on the plane at that point? I really want my two seats next to each other by a window for my husband and one son and me and the other son. What are the odds I'll get this with a B??

 

[Bobo912]

If you get a B boarding pass, what is the availability on the plane at that point? I really want my two seats next to each other by a window for my husband and one son and me and the other son. What are the odds I'll get this with a B??

There are 137 seats on SWA's 737s. Worst case there will be 60 A boarding passes. The first 15 A boarding passes are reserved for business select travelers and sometimes there are just a few of them and occasionally none. So there could be between 45 and 60 A boarders. So if you were first in the B group there would be between 77 and 92 seats open on the plane when you board. Of course, the higher your B boarding pass the fewer seats will be available. People tend to choose the aisle seat and window seats. If you get an early B you can probably find the seats you want in the mid to rear section of the plane.

I forgot about the pre-boarders and the families with children 4 and under, so that's a few more people who will board before the B's and there is no way of knowing how many there will be.

 

[carmie3377]

There are 137 seats on SWA's 737s. Worst case there will be 60 A boarding passes. The first 15 A boarding passes are reserved for business select travelers and sometimes there are just a few of them and occasionally none. So there could be between 45 and 60 A boarders. So if you were first in the B group there would be between 77 and 92 seats open on the plane when you board. Of course, the higher your B boarding pass the fewer seats will be available. People tend to choose the aisle seat and window seats. If you get an early B you can probably find the seats you want in the mid to rear section of the plane.

I forgot about the pre-boarders and the families with children 4 and under, so that's a few more people who will board before the B's and there is no way of knowing how many there will be.

Plus all the people already on the plane as a result of a stop but no change of planes.

Anyway, on our MCO-DAL flight last month, we had a change of planes in Houston. When we arrived in Houston, we were late and then had to wait on a gate. By the time we got off the plan, the flight to Dallas was already boarding Bs. WE had A passes so they let us slip in when they were close to halfway through boarding Bs. We still found 3 seats together at the back of the plane even though we boarded mid Bs and it was an evening flight with possibly people already on it as a result of a stop.

 

[AmandaK]

I really appreciate your replies!! I think I may risk not getting the early bird check in and just check in 24 hours before. If I check in via Iphone 24 hours prior, can I have the passes printed at guest services whenever I want after that??

 

[Echo queen]

Yes, you can print them at gs or at the airport. SW dose have an app for that. If all tickets were purchased together under 1 con # make sure you go down to the bottom of the page there will be option to check in all. The first time I did this on my iPhone I did not realize that and chose the first name checked in and then the next. We all ended up with nonconsecutive numbers but all A's. We stood in line together under the lowest A, no problem. Good luck.

 

[DISNEYNY]

We had A's for our December flight to MCO. Our flight was cancelled and when they rebooked us we had high B's. There were 3 of us & we were still able to sit together toward the back of the plane.