Southwest Newbie Here

[ArielRae]

My mother and I plan on using Southwst for the first time this November. We have always flown Spirit air but they have gotten to expensive. Please educate me on what I need to know.

We get to take two checked bags and one carry on for free correct?

I have never printed or checked in online for a flight only at the airport and I heard to get a good seat you have to do this with southwest. Please explain what I need to do this. I like seats in the back so no rush for front seats. Helps with my motion sickness to sit in the back but we would like to sit together.

Please tell me everything I need to know. Thanks so much!

 

[tjmw2727]

Southwest has an excellent website! This is probably the best place to research SWA policies and procedures, especially the section on Boarding School.

Information on online check in and how the boarding works:

http://www.southwest.com/html/custo...ence/index.html?int=GSUBNAV-AIR-BOARDING-INFO


http://www.southwest.com/html/customer-service/airport-experience/boarding-school/

My mother and I plan on using Southwst for the first time this November. We have always flown Spirit air but they have gotten to expensive. Please educate me on what I need to know.

We get to take two checked bags and one carry on for free correct?

I have never printed or checked in online for a flight only at the airport and I heard to get a good seat you have to do this with southwest. Please explain what I need to do this. I like seats in the back so no rush for front seats. Helps with my motion sickness to sit in the back but we would like to sit together.

Please tell me everything I need to know. Thanks so much!

 

[goofy4tink]

It's all very easy. You choose your flight...then, when you get to 24 hrs prior to your flight departure time, you go to SW's site, go to the online checkin area, and plug in your confirmation number. If you and your mom are on the same reservation, you can check both of you in at the same time. Just check off each name, and submit it. You will then see your boarding passes. Print them out and take them with you to the airport.
You will board according to your boarding group...A16-60(or something like that), then B1-whatever and then C1-the end. You will line up, according to your boarding group (A's go first) and number..it's all very well marked at the gate. Then the families with young children board if they want, then the B's and finally the C group.
You can choose any empty seat...so if you prefer the back rows, you're going to be good to go.
And yes, two checked bags, a carryon that will go in the overhead bin, and a smaller bag (purse, totebag, etc) that will go beneath the seat at your feet.

 

[akclayton]

Previous person did a great run-through. To add on to the printing boarding passes. If you check-in online and don't have a printer or lose your passes between your house and airport, no need to worry. You can go up to the kiosk when you get to the airport, type in your confirmation # again and it will re-print your boarding pass with the same boarding number that you were originally given.
Since getting a seat towards to front or middle of the plane I don't think you need to worry about spending the extra money on Early Bird Check-In. It's for people who are more concerned about getting their specific seats towards the front. Atleast that's why I do it. I prefer the front. It seems quieter.
You get complimentary soft drinks and water as well as peanuts or pretzels.
I love SWA. That's the only way I fly as long as I can according to destination. If you have specific questions, post and people will be glad to help.

 

[ArielRae]

Thanks,

Since you're printing your tickets at home where do you go to check your bags? Still have to wait in line where you get tickets? We have never done curbside bag check, no idea how that works. Also we plan parking then walking into the airport so how do we check our bags?

Alot of questions for the samething.

Oh incase this helps we will be flying out of Philadelphia.
How do we check in when we are ready to leave Orlando after our trip? Staying at a value resort.

 

[tjmw2727]

I also fly out of philly - are you going to park at the airport at $22+/- per day or long term, slightly cheaper or offsite which is cheaper still? I use smartpark but I have read good reviews on winnerparking as well.

If you park long term or offsite you will have to take a shutlle with your bags to the terminal. If you park at the airport you will just walk with your bags to the teminal.

Yes you need to wait the line and check bags even though you have a boarding pass.

On the return trip depending on your departure time you can use RAC - to check your bags at the resort. Details are in the sticky at the top of the page here:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=944813

If you can't use RAC then you bring your bags with you to the airport and check in at the terminal just the same way you did in Phi.

It really isn't that complicated when you actually do it !

 

[ArielRae]

I think my mom would be more comfortable parking in the garage over the economy lot. I looked it up and phillys southwest terminal is E correct? So we can park in the E garage so we can find our car easier when we get back. It looks like it is $20 a day WOW that is sure going to add up quick.

 

[jdb in AZ]

I think my mom would be more comfortable parking in the garage over the economy lot. I looked it up and phillys southwest terminal is E correct? So we can park in the E garage so we can find our car easier when we get back. It looks like it is $20 a day WOW that is sure going to add up quick.

Can you have a friend drive you to/from the airport so you won't have to pay the expen$ive parking?

 

[goofy4tink]

Previous person did a great run-through. To add on to the printing boarding passes. If you check-in online and don't have a printer or lose your passes between your house and airport, no need to worry. You can go up to the kiosk when you get to the airport, type in your confirmation # again and it will re-print your boarding pass with the same boarding number that you were originally given.
Since getting a seat towards to front or middle of the plane I don't think you need to worry about spending the extra money on Early Bird Check-In. It's for people who are more concerned about getting their specific seats towards the front. Atleast that's why I do it. I prefer the front. It seems quieter.
You get complimentary soft drinks and water as well as peanuts or pretzels.
I love SWA. That's the only way I fly as long as I can according to destination. If you have specific questions, post and people will be glad to help.

Oops, forgot to add that you can print them at the airport...answered the phone and just submitted without finishing..duh. Thanks.


Check out PreFlight parking..
http://www.preflightparking.com/PHL.aspx

We use it at both Boston and Providence. Very good service. They pick you up right at your car, load your bags into the shuttle vehicle and drop you at your specific terminal..and it's usually cheaper than regular parking.

As far as checking your bags...just go to the SW terminal and head to baggage checkin. There may be kiosks that you start at...or you may just immediately go up to the counter and hand your bags over.

For RAC, on the way home...SW participates in the Remote Airline Checkin (RAC) program. This means....if you are flying home on a flight that departs after 8:30am, you can check your bags, right at your resort, get your boarding passes, and then not worry about any of that stuff.
Now, when I am flying home on SW, I like to pay the extra $10 pp for EBCI (early bird checkin). This means that SW will check you in, at the 36 hr window, vs you doing it yourself at the 24 hr window. I like to do it primarily so I don't have to worry about being near a computer at my 24 hr window!! Then, when I do RAC in the morning, they can just print out my boarding passes.
If you have any other questions or concerns, just ask.

 

[vacationclub]

Thanks,

Since you're printing your tickets at home where do you go to check your bags? Still have to wait in line where you get tickets? We have never done curbside bag check, no idea how that works. Also we plan parking then walking into the airport so how do we check our bags?

Alot of questions for the samething.

Oh incase this helps we will be flying out of Philadelphia.
How do we check in when we are ready to leave Orlando after our trip? Staying at a value resort.

If you're checking bags, you have to wait in line no matter what, so there is little advantage to printing out a boarding pass other than to save the agent a few moments and save SW a few pennies. The important thing is to simply check in EXACTLY at 24 hours to stake your claim. Or, pay for EBCI and you get assigned a boarding position based on how early you bought your ticket (at least according to them...there's really no way to know...you're at their mercy).

You can do curbside check in, it usually requires a small fee or a tip, but many times the line is longer there, and outside in the hot or cold weather.

If parking then walking, you must carry your bags with you to the counter to check them (or pull up and have a skycap hold them while you park).

FYI, you actually get 2 bags to bring on the plane. The first is your actual "carry on" bag, that fits in the overhead big, the 2nd is your "personal" bag that can be a purse, laptop bag, or even a very stuffed backback that's larger than some peoples carry on bag. It must fit under your seat.

 

[mb187143]

I think my mom would be more comfortable parking in the garage over the economy lot. I looked it up and phillys southwest terminal is E correct? So we can park in the E garage so we can find our car easier when we get back. It looks like it is $20 a day WOW that is sure going to add up quick.

we fly SW out of Philly all the time, so i have a couple comments

1 - we almost always print our boarding passes at home and do curb-side for our checked bags at PHL. We rarely, if ever, have been in a line at curbside check in. No fee to do this, other than the tip. I have waited in a line at the SW counter in PHL, and i have also walked right up to the counter. You can sometimes see the line inside when you get to the terminal, and you can make your choice from there as to which is faster. I don't think whether we've waited in line or done curbside it's taken more than 10 minutes to check our bags at PHL.

2 - SW flies out of Terminal E at PHL. Security checkpoint is brand new, and shared by terminal D and E, so it's typical to see a long line when you get up there, but in our experience, it moves very fast.

3 - if we're not using car service, we typically use Pacifico (we go to their lot on Island Ave, they drive us to terminal E, and when we return, we call when we're getting off the plane, our car is driven to us at baggage claim, and we're off. The driver gets back to their facility on his own (it's part of their service). There are several similar services, and many PHL area hotels that offer Park-and-Fly options. The mariott is also connected to PHL, and offers a complementary shuttle. Economy parking at PHL does get expensive. These services are much cheaper than short term and economy parking.


Coming back, SW does participate in RAC, goofy4tink already described that process.

 

[ArielRae]

Thanks I sent all this info on to my mother.

So if we find someone to drop us off we just print our tickets at home then find the southwest bag check inside the airport to check our bags then just head to security check?

 

[akclayton]

Correct or you can use the curbside for a small tip.

It's a very easy process. I'm not 100% on how curbside works. I've used it once and it was a long time ago. When you go to the counter, you will be greeted. You put your luggage on the scale and give your id and boarding pass to the employee behind the counter. If you don't have your boarding pass, you will give them your license and go on the kiosk screen and enter your confirmation number. Your name will come up for confirmation and it will ask how many bags you are checking. If you are over your maximum weight limit, they will let you know that you can transfer items to another suitcase or pay the $25 fee. If there isn't a weight issue, they tag your luggage and and give you your voucher that has your luggage identification numbers on it. You will need this if your luggage doesn't make it to your destination.

If your using ME, make sure your luggage tags are on your luggage and before you get to the counter. You won't have to worry about picking it up when you get to MCO. Just head straight to the ME bus area.

 

[Planogirl]

We haven't gotten our ME tags yet so I'm not sure how sturdy they are. Is there any chance they could be torn off in transit?

OP, thanks for this thread. I haven't flown Southwest in ages so I've been wondering how it all works now. I am surprised to hear that Spirit it more expensive though!

 

[ArielRae]

The ME tags are really strong. I add a strip of tape on the ends just incase to make sure it doesn't come apart.

With all the baggage fees they ended up being about $500 more just basically for bags we want to bring.

 

[vacationclub]

The ME tags are really strong. I add a strip of tape on the ends just incase to make sure it doesn't come apart.

With all the baggage fees they ended up being about $500 more just basically for bags we want to bring.

Wait, are you saying your choice of baggage caused you to pay $500 in bag fees? How is that possible?

 

[ArielRae]

Ok did the math again and I was looking at the wrong prices for the bags.
I hate having to read thru all that mess of their different baggage fees.

It comes out that southwest is still cheaper then spirit by $93.96

 

[vacationclub]

Ok did the math again and I was looking at the wrong prices for the bags.
I hate having to read thru all that mess of their different baggage fees.

It comes out that southwest is still cheaper then spirit by $93.96

I'm still confused....what baggage fees? SW gives each of you 2 bags for free plus two carry-on bags each.

 

[ArielRae]

I'm still confused....what baggage fees? SW gives each of you 2 bags for free plus two carry-on bags each.

Yes southwest bags are free but you have to pay for bringing them on spirit so Spirit ends up costing more if you want to bring the same amount of bags you would have on southwest for free.

Spirit has alot of different prices for their baggage fees depending on when you pay, what type of bag and how many bags you plan on bringing with you.
http://www.spirit.com/OptionalFees.aspx

 

[vacationclub]

Yes southwest bags are free but you have to pay for bringing them on spirit so Spirit ends up costing more if you want to bring the same amount of bags you would have on southwest for free.

Spirit has alot of different prices for their baggage fees depending on when you pay, what type of bag and how many bags you plan on bringing with you.
http://www.spirit.com/OptionalFees.aspx

ooookay.

I guess I lost the part where you were discussing spirit, up until now it's been a discussion about SW.