Southwest Early Bird Checkin

[rie'smom]

So just to double check here (I take some time catching on!!) Using EBCI I DON'T have to check myself in at the 36 mark, it is done automatically for me? Can people check themselves in at the 36 mark?

I called and asked the reservations agent. She told me that we would be automatically checked in but that I could check if I wanted to make sure we were all set.

 

[disneyfaninaz]

I called and asked the reservations agent. She told me that we would be automatically checked in but that I could check if I wanted to make sure we were all set.

However, I don't think you can access your online check in for your flight until 24 hours before your flight. Then you can go in and print your boarding passes that were already reserved for you.

 

[rie'smom]

However, I don't think you can access your online check in for your flight until 24 hours before your flight. Then you can go in and print your boarding passes that were already reserved for you.

Correct

 

[seashoreCM]

We'll need to gather some statistics about whether someone who purchased EBCI and beginning his journey in a given city got a better number than someone else who did not purchase EBCI and who was connecting through that city. Or in other words, whether EBCI consistently delivered worse results for flights leaving hubs. The connecting passenger's T-24 comes before the other passenger's T-25 but comes after the other passenger's T-36.

 

[ccgirl]

I just checked in for my flight leaving PVD at 2:10 tomorrow afternoon. I did not have EBCI and got A40 and A41. This was 24 hours before the flight. So glad I didn't pay the extra $$ - Now I can spend that extra $20 on something else down there. I am curious if there are any others on this flight that got the EBCI??

 

[Maxwell]

Anyone know if you can use EBCI with a RR ticket? Does not say anything about it on the website. I tried to call and the hold time said 45 min to 1 hour! What's up with that?

 

[Tara]

Anyone know if you can use EBCI with a RR ticket? Does not say anything about it on the website. I tried to call and the hold time said 45 min to 1 hour! What's up with that?

There are other posts in this thread confirming that you can indeed use ECBI with RR.

 

[PaDisneyCouple]

We used ebci yesterday, 10/3, returning from mco to bwi. Got A24-25. Not sure how full the flight was, as we got into row 3 onboard, and promptly set to napping.

 

[sersee05]

I get very confused too...just because you read soo many posts and then it all gets jumbled..I am still trying to get the Me thing..

So, I did not purchase EBCI for the flight down ..I am going to do the 24 hour thing(you can't get on earlier right?> How can you tell if the flight is sold out? I see for my flight down the prices are going up...but they are still there..

I am considering doing the ebci thing for the way back...We leave at 8am ..and I know I will probably be eating breakfast some place the day before! So to just make absolute sure..If I do the EBCI..then that is it. I just go about my merry way and enjoy my last day at Disney. Then I get up the next morning, take the ME at 5 am(since my flight leaves at 8am) , go to the kiosk, print the boarding passes, then sit and have a cup of coffee crying how much I miss Disney already?

Also there are 5 of us...do I have to check each of us in at the 24 hour mark..or does checking myself in take care of all of our tickets?

 

[Henlady]

DH and I did not purchase EBCI for our flight from PIT to MCO - it was a Tuesday morning @ 7:00am flight. We checked in for that at 24 hours and got A27 & A28. On the day that EBCI was officially announced, I purchased EBCI for the trip home = MCO to PIT. The flight was on Sunday at 11:40am and was completely full. Southwest assigned the boarding pass #'s at 36 hours before the flight. At anytime after the 24 hour mark we could print our boarding passes that were already assigned. We got A17 & A18. I stopped at the concierge desk at POP, at about 3:00pm on Saturday and had them print my boarding passes. We were lucky to be able to utilize RAC with Southwest because we were at POP and they are still running the "test", and I absolutely loved that feature. I hear they are going to start expanding to possibly the All Star resorts.
We will most likely purchase the EBCI for our return trips from MCO, but I doubt we'll utilize it for the trip down.

 

[krissyh]

I'm sure this has been addressed, but I don't see it.

In what order are Early Bird Check-ins assigned?
Is it based on the order in which the tickets were purchased, the order in which the Early Bird was purchased, or totally random?

I am torn.
I am NOT a fan of SWA to begin with - hate the cattle call, like to be on planes with at least one row of only two seats, so I don't get sandwiched, like assigned seats, having to worry about checking in while on vacation, etc, - BUT (note the sumo-wrestler sized BUT) when I can purchase two seats on direct flights for a little less than one ticket, with connection, for the same price on another airline, I'm going to put on a happy face and fly SWA! This is my happy face.
Someone has had too much caffeine this morning, guess who?

Based on all of this, Early Bird seems like a good idea for me, at least for the flight home (I arrive at work just before my 24 hours for the flight down).
But, if it is random, I'm not sure it is worth knowing that I'll be annoyed if I pay the money four months in advance and am in the B-Group.
Oh, and yes, I do overthink everything.

 

[HappyHappy]

I believe I read somewhere in this thread that the order is: Business select tickets, then Anytime, then Wanna get away, then Ding and within the catagories it goes by when EBCI was purchased. I bought so I wouldn't have to deal with checkin for the return flight. I bought for DH and DBIL for the flight down in hopes they could get isle seats. I wouldn't buy if I wouldn't be happy with B seating. Hope this helps.

 

[Lewisc]

I'm confused. Do you purchase two seats because you're a "customer of size"? I'm pretty sure those customers get to pre-board, only way to ensure you'll get two seats together.

My understanding:
1) medical pre-boards
2) up to 15 passengers who pay for business select
3) passengers who fly enough to be "A-Listers"
4) Passengers who pay for EB.

My understanding is the order is based on the date you pay for EB but passengers who pay for a fully refundable fare get their BPs prior to BPs being issued to other passengers. Passengers who book DING fares are likely to book their flight closer to the date of travel and are more likely to get a higher sequence number.

(note the sumo-wrestler sized BUT) when I can purchase two seats on direct flights for a little less than one ticket, with connection, for the same price on another airline, I'm going to put on a happy face and fly SWA! This is my happy face.
Someone has had too much caffeine this morning, guess who?

Based on all of this, Early Bird seems like a good idea for me, at least for the flight home (I arrive at work just before my 24 hours for the flight down).
But, if it is random, I'm not sure it is worth knowing that I'll be annoyed if I pay the money four months in advance and am in the B-Group.
Oh, and yes, I do overthink everything.

 

[JLKennedy]

Okay everyone.

Last week I posted no ECBI for me on my way from PHL to MCO and I was able to score A26,27, 29 and 30 I think....(A20's for sure).

So, my 24hr mark was Saturday at 12:40pm.....we are in downtown Disney, I left my husband in the World of Disney with the kids, had my info pre-loaded into the screens on my iPhone and checked us in from DTD, we got A38, A39, A41 and A42, so if we fly with them next year, I won't use it either.

I did get a survey from SW re: my flights and how I felt they could make it better, and one option on the survey was to assign seats and do away with family boarding.....which I'm all for.

My experience (as a mother with a 4yo):

Family boarders were lined up before they even called for boarding....not cool at all, there is very little room to line up in the first place. Not once were we asked to move, but you could hear rumblings of.....I guess we'll just sit apart.....I guess so. YOU (general you) have the option to pay for the early board check in or check in at 24 hrs, like I did.

We encountered 1 man holding a seat from PHL to MCO, because his wife and son were in the bathroom, but they weren't in family boarding, they were A boarders like us.....his wife must've been on these boards, bc she turned around and flashed everyone their boarding positions....I chuckled.

 

[rie'smom]

From Southwest:
Customers will receive boarding positions after Business Select and A-List Customers.
Anytime fares will get seat assignments before Wanna Get Away. It will also depend upon the # of EBCI customers for a flight. In any event, your seating position should be better than those who do not have any type of priority seating.

 

[krissyh]

I'm confused. Do you purchase two seats because you're a "customer of size"? I'm pretty sure those customers get to pre-board, only way to ensure you'll get two seats together.

My understanding:
1) medical pre-boards
2) up to 15 passengers who pay for business select
3) passengers who fly enough to be "A-Listers"
4) Passengers who pay for EB.

My understanding is the order is based on the date you pay for EB but passengers who pay for a fully refundable fare get their BPs prior to BPs being issued to other passengers. Passengers who book DING fares are likely to book their flight closer to the date of travel and are more likely to get a higher sequence number.

I purchased two tickets because there are two of us.
My issue was that I dislike SW because of the boarding process, but since the flight was 1/2 of other airlines, I went ahead and booked SW, and wondered if the order in which EBCI was purchased helped the boarding assignment.
THANKS FOR THE INFO! I have decided to purchase for the flight home, but not for the flight down.

 

[Cruella 66]

I just returned from FL flying SW. I paid for EB so I didn't have to interrupt my Party For The Senses to get a frigging number and letter!

Flying from Norfolk, VA to MCO, I and my sister had A17 and A18...but there were only 50 seats filled on the plane.

Now, returning Sunday, we also got number/letter A17 and A18 and it was over booked and they were offering a great incentive for somebody to give up their seat.

I don't like to fly, and it's difficult to fly SW with kids' IMO, but if it were just me and another adult, I'd do this option again. It was definitely money well spent for my time!

 

[Avonlady1001]

Just got home MCO-ISP. Paid the $40 for my family for EBCI...got A22-25. My friend & her DH did NOT pay...they checked in before the 24 hour mark by 10 min...the concierge did it (don't know HOW!!) they got A58-59. There were a lot of grumblings on the end of the A line. A lot of people do not know about this still.

It worked out great for me. I did it for the convenience (and a bit out of fear.) but it worked out. Great flight attendants on the way home (not so much on the way down.) Still don't think I'll fly SW again when I have the Jetblue option. Never say never....I do like flying on SW. Just too stressful w/ the seating arrangements w/ 2 small kids.

MCO airport is a zoo...line for SW check in was SO long. We did curbside & bypassed it. Worth the tip, IMHO! (especially since Magical Express was 1/2 hour late and I was stressed enough as it was w/ the whole boarding thing.LOL)

Happy flights everyone!! I'm glad I don't have to worry about this anymore!

 

[neonurse]

THanks everyone for writing about your experiences with EBCI. This makes my decision easier to just do it for the way home and forget about it. Also a good tip about the curbside checkin!!

 

[dixiefriend]

We used EBC this past weekend coming home form our wonderful trip to the World. I think it is well worth the extra $$$. It was great to be able to do what we want and not have to worry about what time it is or if we were near a computer. When we finally had our tickets printed we has A-16 thru A-19.
I will definitly use next time on the way home agian.