Southwest Early bird

[Shughart]

My husband purchased early bird check in for our flight tomorrow (he purchased it last night about 34.5 hours before our flight) and when he checked in this morning about 3 minutes after 24 hours before our position is C15/17. I would have thought early bird would have gotten us something better. Is this because a lot people get it, because we purchased it last night, we checked in three minutes past the 24 hour mark...it just seems like a waste of money at this point...

 

[sponica]

Both. I think EBCI checks you in between 24 and 36 hours before check in. Buying it so close to departure puts you last in line for it.

I added it on the day I purchased tickets for a school vacation on the day the tickets went on sale and we were at the end of the A group, for context.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

The biggest benefit of EB is that you don't need to worry about the 24-hr checkin time. The way I thought it works is SW 'checks in' the tickets with EB, in the order they were purchased, at the 36-hr mark. Those who don't have EB can check in starting 24 hours prior. Your spots would have been selected hours before you looked this morning. It's really unfortunate, but it sounds like you have a plane full of people already purchasing EB (either through the type of ticket they bought, or purchasing EB separately). I agree - this particular trip, it was a waste of some money.

 

[Shughart]

Both. I think EBCI checks you in between 24 and 26 hours before check in. Buying it so close to departure puts you last in line for it.

I added it on the day I purchased tickets for a school vacation on the day the tickets went on sale and we were at the end of the A group, for context.

Thank you, this makes a lot of sense to me! We basically got put at the end of the 'line' of people who also bought it. So it would have been more useful to buy it earlier. Good to know if we ever fly AW again (which I tbh I won't lol).

 

[sponica]

Thank you, this makes a lot of sense to me! We basically got put at the end of the 'line' of people who also bought it. So it would have been more useful to buy it earlier. Good to know if we ever fly AW again (which I tbh I won't lol).

And I totally meant to write 24 to 36 hours

 

[focusondisney]

My husband purchased early bird check in for our flight tomorrow (he purchased it last night about 34.5 hours before our flight) and when he checked in this morning about 3 minutes after 24 hours before our position is C15/17. I would have thought early bird would have gotten us something better. Is this because a lot people get it, because we purchased it last night, we checked in three minutes past the 24 hour mark...it just seems like a waste of money at this point...

At 34 hours before your flight, it was a waste of money. At the 36 hour mark, SW checks in: Business Select passengers in the order they booked their flight, Anytime fare passengers which automatically includes EBCI in the order that they booked their flight, Wanna Get Away+ passengers that purchased EBCI, then Wanna Get Away passengers who purchased EBCI. Both WGA fare classes are checked in in the order that the EBCI was purchased. At some point SW’s A list (customers with status on SW) are also checked in. In addition, anyone traveling with a passenger with A list status or traveling on a companion pass is checked in automatically with that passenger. This starts automatically at 36 hours & presumably done by computer so doesn’t take long to finish. By purchasing at 34 hours, you bought after that whole process was complete. For someone who bought EBCI when they booked their Anytime flight on release day, they probably got a much better number. You basically were only in front of anyone who wasn’t entitled to or chose not to purchase EBCI. Which for your particular flight wasn’t that many people. Each flight from each city will be a different mix of who got EBCI, so where your boarding number ends up varies greatly.

 

[gottalovepluto]

@Shughart Did you try contacting WN and asking for a refund? Might be worth a shot since you’re not a regular purchaser of this and didn’t understand how it worked...