SW- Check in twice??

[brymolmom]

I know all about pre-boarding and paying for 'potentially' earlier boarding passes. That is not my question. I have 2 kids and am going to try my best to get us A boarding passes.

Here's the deal - I have never done anything except direct flights with SW, so I don't know this answer. We are going from BUF to LAX next month and have 1 layover. When I check in exactly 24 hours prior to my FIRST flight, will it check me in through both flights or do I have to go back and check in AGAIN for the 2nd leg of the flight?

We have a very small window at our layover and just want to be sure we already have our A (or early B) boarding passes in hand when we get there!

 

[dburg30]

It will automatically check you in for your trip from "A" to "B" including any connecting flights

 

[disneyfaninaz]

You will get boarding passes for your originating flight and connecting flight at the 24 hour mark when you check in for your outbound flight. If you have a small window to catch your connecting flight, it may not matter what boarding pass number you have, because the continuing flight may have started boarding by the time you get to the gate. Take heart, SW flights are more often than not early so you should be able to get to your gate with time to spare.

You will have to check in at 24 hours for your return flight.

 

[MycatlovesEeyore]

Something you may not have considered in your favor is that when you check in @ 24hr for your first flight, you will technically be checking @ more than 24 hrs for the connection. Trouble is, it will be the same deal for everyone connecting on that second leg.

 

[jmartinez1895]

As far as I recall it will be automatic for your second part. I have never paid for the early bird or what ever they are calling it now, but just in case you don't know already SW no longer pre boards familes. THey only preboard people with disabilities and sometimes people with infants. Our last they let a lady wiht a baby pre board, but on the way home a different person with a much younger baby was told that the flight was not full so there was no need for her to pre board. Either way good luck.

 

[brymolmom]

Thanks for the replies. Makes me feel better to know that it handles both legs of the trip by checking in ONCE.

I am a BIT worried about boarding starting before we get to the gate at our layover...I plan to sit as close as possible to the front of the first plane even though with the kids we usually sit closer to the back (again, will try to check in RIGHT at 24 hour mark cuz the lower the boarding number the closer to the front we will be) - so that we can more quickly get off the plane. I also plan to make the kids use the bathroom ON the plane before we start the descent instead of using it at the airport (as we usually would do). Then, I will bring the kids and start boarding and dh will quickly buy our drinks for our lunch (that I'm carrying on with me so we don't take time to buy it) and then board as soon as he gets there (or whenever it gets to his number).

So I have it all planned out....won't know for sure what will happen until we get there. I'm hoping for at least 2 and 2 together....but realize it might not happen that way. The kids are 6 and 7....youngest will be a bit upset if we're not together but the older one would be fine. I figure at the very least we would end up in middle seats right across the aisle from each other - and then my daughter would probably be ok cuz then she could at least see me.

Keeping fingers crossed for best possible result...MAYBE the plane won't even be full!

 

[disneyfaninaz]

Not quite sure of what kind of drinks you need to get, but SWA offers complimentary sodas and juice during the flight.

 

[Lewisc]

An A BP won't help if your flight is delayed and you get to our connecting flight after it's already started boarding. It won't help at all if SW is holding the plane and you're the last group to board. The FA isn't going to be asking passengers to move if they held the plane for you. They're going to tell you to the first seat you can find so they plane can leave the gate.

You could be in the position of having to decide if you're willing to be split up or if you'd rather take a later flight. You said your kids are 6 and 7. My guess is you could be split. Unless the flight is sold out you should at least be able to get middle seats near each other.

 

[bumbershoot]

Not quite sure of what kind of drinks you need to get, but SWA offers complimentary sodas and juice during the flight.

Yep.

You could also buy them at your home airport, once you're through security. Won't be the coldest in the universe by then, but at least DH won't be splitting up from the group.

 

[brymolmom]

An A BP won't help if your flight is delayed and you get to our connecting flight after it's already started boarding. It won't help at all if SW is holding the plane and you're the last group to board. The FA isn't going to be asking passengers to move if they held the plane for you. They're going to tell you to the first seat you can find so they plane can leave the gate.

You could be in the position of having to decide if you're willing to be split up or if you'd rather take a later flight. You said your kids are 6 and 7. My guess is you could be split. Unless the flight is sold out you should at least be able to get middle seats near each other.

I know it could happen. We have, I believe, 45 minutes on the books between flights - and, as some have said - SW 'tends' to be a bit early - so hopefully that will hold true and we should be on in plenty of time to get 2 and 2 at least. I'm guessing 80% chance at least. Paying for early boarding won't help with this anyway or else I would pay it to be sure.

And, I have also been a witness to many people offering to move...NOT that I'm expecting it. But if someone offers - I would take them up on their very generous offer (and likely offer to buy them a drink in flight)- especially for one group of 2. So that, plus the chance the flight isn't even 100% full, I'm thinking that gets our chances closer to 90% that we'll have at least 2 and 2.

The other 10% - not much to do but cross our fingers!

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Thanks for the replies. Makes me feel better to know that it handles both legs of the trip by checking in ONCE.

I am a BIT worried about boarding starting before we get to the gate at our layover...I plan to sit as close as possible to the front of the first plane even though with the kids we usually sit closer to the back (again, will try to check in RIGHT at 24 hour mark cuz the lower the boarding number the closer to the front we will be) - so that we can more quickly get off the plane. I also plan to make the kids use the bathroom ON the plane before we start the descent instead of using it at the airport (as we usually would do). Then, I will bring the kids and start boarding and dh will quickly buy our drinks for our lunch (that I'm carrying on with me so we don't take time to buy it) and then board as soon as he gets there (or whenever it gets to his number).

So I have it all planned out....won't know for sure what will happen until we get there. I'm hoping for at least 2 and 2 together....but realize it might not happen that way. The kids are 6 and 7....youngest will be a bit upset if we're not together but the older one would be fine. I figure at the very least we would end up in middle seats right across the aisle from each other - and then my daughter would probably be ok cuz then she could at least see me.

Keeping fingers crossed for best possible result...MAYBE the plane won't even be full!

I would have them go at your home airport too just in case there's turbulence and no one is allowed out of their seat. We've had such bad turbulence flying from Buffalo to BWI that they couldn't even serve drinks/snacks.