Southwest

[WDWNY]

I'm looking at booking a flight with southwest. I've never flown them, and none of my family/ friends have either. It just doesn't go nonstop to the places I usually travel to and its not as popular from NYC. Anyway, has anyone ever had bad experiences with them? I stay away from Frontier/Spirit airlines because they have bad reputations from what I've heard so I just wanted to double check because I overthink everything

Also was going to buy a southwest gift card from target using my redcard to purchase it for 5% off and pay for the flight that way.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

Southwest is not a budget airline like Frontier and Spirit.
No reason to compare them to it.
I've had a couple delays before and received future flight vouchers but in general have not had a bad experience.
Its one of the only airlines I will fly.
I always go with a non stop from BUF to MCO.

 

[cassie58]

Always fly SW - 2 free checked bags + carry-on and personal item, serve you a snack and beverage, and no change fees/refund(credit to SW account) if flight price goes down or you need to change dates/times. We are in South Jersey, so fly out of PHL or BWI, and usually find them the best price as well, especially with free luggage. Great customer service, 24 hr on phone, and pleasant, even funny, on plane. Have only been delayed once for DH and DS connecting flight in Nashville on way to Tampa. Just be aware they only take 4 forms of payment, so you could have 3 gift cards and then your credit card, but not multiple giftcards/cc like you can for Disney.

 

[Euby]

Lately, Southwest is one of the only airlines that I will fly on anymore. I really like the service and the rates non-stop are much better than the bigger airlines. Unlike most airlines, they do not have pre-assigned seats. Your boarding is based on when you check-in (within 24 hours of flight). They call up the boarding group (A-C) and you line up next to some columns according to your number. When you get on the plane, you just pick a seat. They do offer an early-bird check-in for a fee when you book the ticket. That's really the only "up-charge" that they have that I know of. I usually do it so I don't have to worry about checking in right at the 24 hour mark. I could be on a ride, in my car, etc. It's worth the expense to me. Maybe not for you.

I use the Southwest cards that I get at Target with my RedCard to buy my tickets. Since I usually travel solo, I don't run up against the limit on the forms of payment online. Not sure if you called Southwest to book the ticket if they have the same limit or not.

 

[AntJulie]

Well...they ruined my luggage twice in 2 years. Disney replaced one suitcase. The other one I tried to file a claim but they (SW) made everything so difficult, I just went out and bought a new one. I should have taken them up on the offer at the airport, to take one of their new suitcases for my soaked through one but it was 1am and the kids were tired. Flight was delayed once going to Disney...got there really late...missed Ohana dinner and everything else...just went to bed. We still use SW though because the airport is small and super convenient (Long Island instead of JFK or Laguardia).

 

[Shanti]

I'm looking at booking a flight with southwest. I've never flown them, and none of my family/ friends have either. It just doesn't go nonstop to the places I usually travel to and its not as popular from NYC. Anyway, has anyone ever had bad experiences with them? I stay away from Frontier/Spirit airlines because they have bad reputations from what I've heard so I just wanted to double check because I overthink everything

Also was going to buy a southwest gift card from target using my redcard to purchase it for 5% off and pay for the flight that way.

Southwest actually has better customer service and reliability than the legacy carriers (American, Delta, United). It is nothing like Spirit. You'll be fine.

 

[Pooh2]

My son recently lost his stroller after checking it on Southwest. After a big hassle, they only received about half of what the stroller cost. As well as they had no stroller on their vacation. Otherwise, they seem to be happy with the price and service.

 

[mshanson3121]

We flew them years ago. Had good luck. They overbooked one of the flights - offered a free round trip ticket anywhere in the US to those willing to give up their seats.

 

[mom2rtk]

We've flown Southwest for years and are big fans. Generally very smoothly run and on time.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

only bad experience I have had with Southwest is with them cancelling a flight without warning and couldn't figure out the reason for doing so, and then couldn't get out for another day. But it's only one time.

A lot of people absolutely hate their boarding process. I don't mind it.

And they also allow two pieces of checked luggage at no extra cost.

 

[sponica]

A lot of people absolutely hate their boarding process. I don't mind it.

I feel like all airlines are busses with wings now...I remember when Southwest "felt" like a discount airline...now aside from having an assigned seat on other airlines, there's really no substantial difference...

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

We flew them years ago. Had good luck. They overbooked one of the flights - offered a free round trip ticket anywhere in the US to those willing to give up their seats.

They don't overbook anymore though. There may still be times where there are more passengers than seats but they don't as a practice overbook.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

%

I'm looking at booking a flight with southwest. I've never flown them, and none of my family/ friends have either. It just doesn't go nonstop to the places I usually travel to and its not as popular from NYC. Anyway, has anyone ever had bad experiences with them? I stay away from Frontier/Spirit airlines because they have bad reputations from what I've heard so I just wanted to double check because I overthink everything

Also was going to buy a southwest gift card from target using my redcard to purchase it for 5% off and pay for the flight that way.

99% of the time we fly SWA.

We're actually flying into Newark,NJ in 10 days. From our airport the only non-stop to the NYC area is 1 time per day into LaGuardia. As a norm SWA doesn't like to bunch their flights into areas with multiple airports (moreso with non-stop). We'll have 1 stop on the way there and 1 stop on the way back. 95% of the time we take non-stop flights (which tend to be cheaper too) for SWA.

For my home airport SWA is the #1 airline in terms of passengers flown. I believe Delta is #2 (could be wrong on that though).

We don't really have bad experiences perse. All airlines have their ups and downs. We prefer how SWA does does their boarding but it can be quite a shock to people used to having a specified, pre-booked seat. You have boarding positions and their only purpose is the order in which you board the plane. It does not however correspond to a specific part of the plane, specifice seat of the plane nor specific category of the plane as all SWA seats are the same (meaning no first class/coach designations).

We love their 2 checked bags free but don't always take advantage of it. Just depends on the destination and length of destination. For instance we'll be in the NYC area from the 18-22. We will not be doing checked bags.

 

[foodiddiedoo]

I don't like to have layovers and being in Northern NJ, Southwest doesn't seem to go ANYWHERE direct. Otherwise, I've had nice experiences with them in the past, just hate how long it takes me to get places if I'm flying out of my home airport (EWR).

 

[WishICouldSpeakWhale]

We live an hour from Philly, so Southwest and American seem to have the most non-stop flights to where we want to go. We flew SW twice this year, to Orlando and Denver. I was pleased with both flights. We did buy the Early-Bird check in because my kids are 9 & 6, and it was still significantly cheaper than American. My husband is 6'4", so we like to make sure that two of us sit in front of him so that no one reclines their seat into his knees. (Also, we have free bags on American, so that isn't a factor for us.)

Honestly, I like the boarding procedure with Southwest better. We get a higher-priority boarding group with American, but people tend to crowd the boarding area waiting for their group to be called, and it is awful to push through when you actually are part of the first few groups. Most of the people standing there aren't and they're just in the way. With Southwest, you get in line according to the number on your boarding pass.

The flight attendants are pleasant. The airline offers a snack and drink. Even on a crowded flight, there doesn't seem to be as much issue with overhead space because two checked bags are included in your fare. Our flights were on time in all cases, although most of the time that is reflection of the weather, not the airline. On our way to Orlando, our bags were some of the first to come off at baggage claim, but on the way home they were just about last. That, of course, can happy to anyone on any airline too.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

We get a higher-priority boarding group with American, but people tend to crowd the boarding area waiting for their group to be called, and it is awful to push through when you actually are part of the first few groups. Most of the people standing there aren't and they're just in the way.

I found that to be the case with Delta when I flew them last year to Hawaii. 5 legs total for RT and it was like that. Not always a barricade but def. different than most of the time with SWA where people with A's get up and then people with B's start getting their stuff ready but usually stay in their seats or at least stand up and stay by their seats and then the C's tend to stay sitting until B's are called up, etc.

Of course there are pros and cons to assigned seating and open seating just found I preferred how SWA boards.

 

[WDWNY]

Thanks everyone! I booked my flight Flying stresses me out so I wanted to make sure flying an airline I'm not familiar with wouldn't add to it!!

 

[WDWNY]

I don't like to have layovers and being in Northern NJ, Southwest doesn't seem to go ANYWHERE direct. Otherwise, I've had nice experiences with them in the past, just hate how long it takes me to get places if I'm flying out of my home airport (EWR).

I always fly out of LGA and JFK, but whenever I search for flights I always put NYC and EWR always comes up. I always see better deals from EWR that are direct, I wish it was closer to me!

 

[cassie58]

My son recently lost his stroller after checking it on Southwest. After a big hassle, they only received about half of what the stroller cost. As well as they had no stroller on their vacation. Otherwise, they seem to be happy with the price and service.

That is unfortunate - can't imagine not having a stroller on vacation with young kids! I am guessing they checked it with their luggage curbside/at counter? For future reference for anyone bringing strollers, you can bring them to the gate and drop them at the bottom of the ramp, off to the side, right before you board near the wheelchairs(they will tag it at the gate for you), and then as you exit the plane it will be waiting for you to pick up - we always did this to use to push kids through the airport. It should also help prevent them getting lost hopefully.

 

[MikeOhio]

You will hear horror stories about every single us airline.