Southwest Newbie! what should i know?

[LisaRay]

I have never flown Southwest and have just found out that there are no assigned seats. It will be me, DH and our two kids 17 and 12.
I'm just curious how the seating works and does anyone have any experience with paying for the early boarding?
I was thinking it may be worth it for the return flight so we don't have to mess with checking in on while at Disney.
Any advice?
Thanks.

 

[mickeypedia]

I always fly Southwest so here it is:

the seating goes according to your boarding pass. The sooner you check-in the sooner you will be able to board. You can check-in 24 hours before your flight. You will then be giving a Letter and Number on your boarding pass, you need to line up in order starting with row A, then B, then C. There are 60 seats for each row. The seating on the plane is three seats on each side.

As for early bird check-in....I have never had a problem getting an A boarding pass as long as I checked-in at the 24 hour mark....I am flying down next week to Orlando and since it is still busy, I did purchase the early bird for coming home (first time) but like you said I won't have to find an area to checkin at the 24 hour mark.

Hope this helps.

 

[6elginfans]

The planes hold btw 120 and 140 people. So as long as you are in the A or B 1-30 boarding group you should be able to sit together. Although it will be in the back.

I have always seen them let parties board together, so if you pay for 1 early bird, they should let all of you board with that early number.

For peace of mind he $80 for early may just provide it.

 

[tjmw2727]

We love SWA and fly them almost monthly- unlike other airlines I have never been separated from my children when flying Southwest.

If you check in at T24 you should be able to find at least seats 2 and 2. If you want a better chance or prefer seats toward the front then the Early Bird Check In EBCI may be worth the extra $10 per person for you. SWA has a great video section on their boarding process.

The planes hold btw 120 and 140 people. So as long as you are in the A or B 1-30 boarding group you should be able to sit together. Although it will be in the back.

I have always seen them let parties board together, so if you pay for 1 early bird, they should let all of you board with that early number.

For peace of mind he $80 for early may just provide it.

Strongly disagree with your second point and I am a SWA veteran.

SWA will make each passenger board with their own boarding pass in their own position. However, if parties are separated they may all choose to board with the highest postiion not the lowest. So if I have A-16 and my dd has B-6 she can not board with me but I can wait and board with her.

 

[Dziactor]

I always use the EBC, so nice to not have to think about it before I leave either way. Too many other things to worry about.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

I have always seen them let parties board together, so if you pay for 1 early bird, they should let all of you board with that early number.

No, they won't.

 

[chicagodisneyfan]

The planes hold btw 120 and 140 people. So as long as you are in the A or B 1-30 boarding group you should be able to sit together. Although it will be in the back.

I have always seen them let parties board together, so if you pay for 1 early bird, they should let all of you board with that early number.

For peace of mind he $80 for early may just provide it.

Everything about your post is incorrect.

Southwest has planes that now seat 143, and 170 plus.

Parties can board together - if they board with the "worst". A1 can board when C1 does and NOT vice versa.

 

[happymommy]

Everything about your post is incorrect.

Southwest has planes that now seat 143, and 170 plus.

Parties can board together - if they board with the "worst". A1 can board when C1 does and NOT vice versa.

This has not been my experience. If one of us has B and the others have A, we all board with A.

Also to the OP, with kids that old, I wouldn't worry about all sitting together. We've been separated completely when my kids were very young, and they did fine (well, a lot younger than your kids). The issue is if you have carry on bags that need to go overhead! If so, it is so much easier to board as early (and quickly to assist others getting on the plane) as possible. For the small amount, you can definitely do the early bird. You could also split your transactions to 2 reservations (book 2 at a time, like you and one child then your spouse and one) then do early bird just for 2 of you. That way you have 2 boarding quickly to stow any overhead carry on bags and sit down then save seats if you want (but really the seats are 3 and 3 so I'd not bother with that).

We always go as far back as we can, since most folks stop by the front and clog the front of the plane. In the back, you will most likely find overhead storage and seats.

They do board the plane as quickly as they can, so keep that in mind. They are efficient at SW, and I find them a good basic airline.

Good luck!

 

[Danibelle]

The planes hold btw 120 and 140 people. So as long as you are in the A or B 1-30 boarding group you should be able to sit together. Although it will be in the back.

I have always seen them let parties board together, so if you pay for 1 early bird, they should let all of you board with that early number.

For peace of mind he $80 for early may just provide it.

If only one has a low number, the others will board later according to their numbers. For example, C's don't board with A's. If you all need to sit together, you will need to purchase EBCI for all of your group to ensure boarding together. And I am also a SWA veteran.

 

[Danibelle]

No, they won't.

 

[happymommy]

Seems I've always been told incorrectly at the airport! We've always boarded with the earliest number in the group, as I've seen others do, but you all are correct that this is not Southwest policy.

Thanks for the info. So if you have A15 and your spouse has A25 board with A25.

They're nice about trying to keep families together - we just don't worry since my kids are older now. I try to get there very early and get A if we can, then go as far back as possible (not the last seat!).

 

[connorlevismom]

So if you have 4 people on your itenerary, all 4 might have totally different boarding numbers? I guess I thought if I checked my family in all at once that we would have numbers next to each other.

Is this not true?

 

[mb187143]

So if you have 4 people on your itenerary, all 4 might have totally different boarding numbers? I guess I thought if I checked my family in all at once that we would have numbers next to each other.

Is this not true?

yes, all 4 will have totally different boarding numbers - everyone has an individual boarding number, beginning with the group (A, B or C), and then their place in line (1-60 usually).

As far as your question, it's entirely possible to have 4 people on one itinerary, and after checking in, have them not get sequential boarding passes. My fiance and I did not have sequential boarding passes in June, nor in December on Southwest. Othertimes, we have. Usually we were only separated by 3 or 4 numbers max (for example in June - I had A25, he A29). In that case, i let A26-28, which was a family of three, go ahead of me and my fiance and i boarded together. Not a big deal. We've never been in different groups, though i suppose you could get the end of one group and someone else on your itinerary get the beginning of the next.

Don't know about other airports, but at PHL they most definitely do not let the whole party board with the best boarding position, i've seen them enforce this numerous times, and usually to an unpleasant reaction.

 

[connorlevismom]

yes, all 4 will have totally different boarding numbers - everyone has an individual boarding number, beginning with the group (A, B or C), and then their place in line (1-60 usually).

As far as your question, it's entirely possible to have 4 people on one itinerary, and after checking in, have them not get sequential boarding passes. My fiance and I did not have sequential boarding passes in June, nor in December on Southwest. Othertimes, we have. Usually we were only separated by 3 or 4 numbers max (for example in June - I had A25, he A29). In that case, i let A26-28, which was a family of three, go ahead of me and my fiance and i boarded together. Not a big deal. We've never been in different groups, though i suppose you could get the end of one group and someone else on your itinerary get the beginning of the next.

Don't know about other airports, but at PHL they most definitely do not let the whole party board with the best boarding position, i've seen them enforce this numerous times, and usually to an unpleasant reaction.

Even if you purchase early boarding?

I have a 2 and an 8 year old and I am not going to let my two year old stand somewhere other than right next to me. That is silly that they would even expect that.

This is my first time flying SW and it might be my last if it is a problem that I want to stand by my 2 year old while waiting to board.

 

[tjmw2727]

Even if you purchase early boarding?

I have a 2 and an 8 year old and I am not going to let my two year old stand somewhere other than right next to me. That is silly that they would even expect that.

This is my first time flying SW and it might be my last if it is a problem that I want to stand by my 2 year old while waiting to board.

Don't worry - you will most likely get consecutive boarding numbers but occasionally there is a glitch with the computer and someone "could" get a number in between you. No matter what nobody expects kids to stand and board alone

Last trip I was A 26 and my dd's were A 32 and 33 all with EBCI and all on one itinerary, I just boarded "late" with them.

So if there are numbers in between you and the others in your party just let them pass as you can always board "late" but you can't board early.

Since your son is 2 your worst case is family borading - between the A and B groups.

Again - SWA has a great video on their boarding process!!

 

[momof3ds]

why not just pay the 10 dollar fee for one person and that person saves seats for the other 3

I have seen it done several times

 

[NHKristy76]

No, they won't.

I only ever buy 1 early bird and have always just held the other 2 seats in my row for my DH and DD.

Now if your party needed more than 1 row, you might need to get another early bird!

 

[taitai]

why not just pay the 10 dollar fee for one person and that person saves seats for the other 3

I have seen it done several times

You can't save seats on Southwest. I realize you have done so successfully in the past but if someone came up and wanted that seat that you are saving, they get it.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

You can't save seats on Southwest. I realize you have done so successfully in the past but if someone came up and wanted that seat that you are saving, they get it.

This really isn't true. WN takes no official stance on seat saving. Most people will not want to get involved in a conflict over trying to sit in a saved seat unless the plane is really full.

Additionally, on the tv show On the Fly, I have heard WN gate agents tell PAX to save seats for their friends/families a number of times.

 

[conniehar90]

We always buy early bird for the flight home - I just don't want to worry about checking in right on time when I am on vacation.

We leave tomorrow and I checked in today as soon as the clocked hit 24 hours. We got A59, B1 and B13 (DD was on separate confirmation #).

I know we will be fine, but another thing to consider is family boarding. They let families with children under 4 board between the A and B groups. So, one person in our party will get to board with the A's and then the other two have to wait until family boarding is complete. When we were there over spring break, there were so many people using the family boarding that people with B boarding numbers were having to split up when they got on the plane. I think this is only an issue with Orlando.