SW early bird or not?

[ellie&mattys mom]

I paid for it on the way home flight is at 1:20

I didn't pay for it yet we leave 3/31 at 9:30

just thinking I might go ahead & pay for it there are for of us.

Does everyone pay for it!
last time we flew was in August to Las Vegas with no kids and we didn't pay for it and got A towards the end!

thanks!

 

[mb187143]

I paid for it on the way home flight is at 1:20

I didn't pay for it yet we leave 3/31 at 9:30

just thinking I might go ahead & pay for it there are for of us.

Does everyone pay for it!
last time we flew was in August to Las Vegas with no kids and we didn't pay for it and got A towards the end!

thanks!

we usually pay for it both ways - we've always gotten good results. I got so used to paying for it, that when i didn't for our December trip, i forgot to check us in at 24 hours for our return flight. I ended up checking us in a few hours after the 24 hour mark, and we were mid-B, and sat in row 15. So it really wasn't detrimental for us, but i'm so programmed not to worry about it anymore, it slipped my mind!

 

[Thumper_Man]

We usually don't pay for it going. I usually check us in at the 24hr mark and have very seldom not landed up in the A group. We always pay for it on the return trip home. Often times we will be in a park and don't want to have to worry about checking in.

 

[KGK]

I do not get EBCI on my outbound flight.. never seems to be a problem checking in from my home or office 24 hours in advance.

Depending on my trip -- I will get EBCI for the return trip. Although I can check in using my phone -- who wants to try to remember to check in exactly 24 hours in advance? At Disney? SW tickets are cheap enough for me not to worry about adding $10 and then not having to worry about checking in.

 

[Brian Noble]

I buy it. It's a nice little splurge, and I'm on vacation. I find the atomic-clock 24-hour game to be annoying, and often do not have the ability to grab my phone and check in during that time.

 

[ellie&mattys mom]

thank you all! I am not able to do it from work!!
I think that my husband will think that it is worth it!! even though our kids are older!!
then if a friend asks to do it then they are at the computer waiting!

 

[twinklebug]

I do not get EBCI on my outbound flight.. never seems to be a problem checking in from my home or office 24 hours in advance.

Depending on my trip -- I will get EBCI for the return trip. Although I can check in using my phone -- who wants to try to remember to check in exactly 24 hours in advance? At Disney? SW tickets are cheap enough for me not to worry about adding $10 and then not having to worry about checking in.

I agree with this except if traveling on a high demand day such as right before Thanksgiving I will get EBCI on the flight down.

For the flight home, there is no question, I will get distracted and forget to check in - so I buy it.

Regarding SW tickets being cheap - I'll disagree, prices have more than doubled for us in the last 4 years - Delta is priced pretty much the same as SW these days. I'm just waiting/praying for JB to add service to PVD in hopes that the pricing wars will follow.

 

[dancin Disney style]

I'm another one that does it only for my trip home. If there was no way for me to check in for my oubound flight then I probably would also add it on but only if my DD was not OK with possibly sitting alone....she's old enough but might not want to.

 

[cathydwin]

DH & I usually buy it. I think it depsends on the day of your outbound trip. Leaving on a Tuesday or Wednesday, no to early bird. Traveled out on a Thursday & the flight was crowded & full. On the way home - always as the flight is usually full. And this is in September!

 

[backyardponder]

We never pay for it. If we don't sit with each other on a 2.5 hour trip, that's fine. It is usually DW and myself traveling, and we've been married 40+ years!

 

[leadfootlevi]

What is it? We are flying SW - DH, myself, and DS6. Will they seat DS6 away from one of us if we don't do EBCI?

 

[twinklebug]

What is it? We are flying SW - DH, myself, and DS6. Will they seat DS6 away from one of us if we don't do EBCI?

SW is open seating. They don't assign seats, but rather we choose our seats.

The airline uses an online check in process starting at 24 hours before the flight to start issuing boarding passes. They board by groups: A, B and finally C. Pre-boards are before A as are the business elites. The codes are handed out by the system in order of check-in request, starting with the As.

EBCI, purchased at $10 per ticket (includes transfers) will bump you up the boarding list giving you a check in group code and position before the 24 hours online check-in starts. It gets you in before the crowd, so to speak. You will still be behind pre-boards, Business Elites and anyone else who qualified for EBCI before you on the list (SW has an internal formula). Generally EBCI will get you boarding passes on the A group, although I've read a couple of rare stories of folks getting B group boarding passes while using it.

If I were with my 6 year old and husband I'd buy EBCI for the family just to ensure we not only get to choose a row of seats, but that it's in an area of the plane friendly to our needs. It's up to you though. I've seen entire rows left open all the way through the A and B boarding groups. It's that last C group that you really don't want to get left in.

 

[MinnieLee]

We never pay for it. If we don't sit with each other on a 2.5 hour trip, that's fine. It is usually DW and myself traveling, and we've been married 40+ years!

Ha! Love that one!

 

[MinnieLee]

We usually don't pay for it going. I usually check us in at the 24hr mark and have very seldom not landed up in the A group. We always pay for it on the return trip home. Often times we will be in a park and don't want to have to worry about checking in.

Ditto!

I'm ready and waiting at the 24 hour mark for check in but it is so much easier not worrying about the return trip. I know you can check in from your phone but don't want to watch the clock when we are in the parks. Thinking about coming home is depressing enough.

 

[Thumper_Man]

Regarding SW tickets being cheap - I'll disagree, prices have more than doubled for us in the last 4 years - Delta is priced pretty much the same as SW these days. I'm just waiting/praying for JB to add service to PVD in hopes that the pricing wars will follow.

I wish I could fly from your airport then, if Delta is cheaper. From our airport; SW is much, much cheaper and are the only airlines (again from our airport) to offer direct flights. DW and I are going to DL this summer. We priced flights to LAX, and Delta was $130 more than SW. Not to mention that we would each need to check a bag as we're going for a week. So tack on another $100 in baggage fees. So at least for us, SW is almost always cheaper.

 

[tinkermommyof3]

Flying SWA for the first time in July. Usually pay for seats on other airlines. Paid for EBCI on flight home only for convenience. Will check in at 24 hour mark at home for 1st flight to Olrando. Leaving on a weekday and not a Holiday. What happens, happens...

 

[MollyMcDaniel]

What would happen if I paid for just one EBCI instead of all 3 of our tickets? Conceivably could my husband get on before us and save a row of 3?

 

[aubriee]

What would happen if I paid for just one EBCI instead of all 3 of our tickets? Conceivably could my husband get on before us and save a row of 3?

That question has been asked several times on here and the consensus is that it is frowned upon. FAs do not allow saving of seats, so if someone decided to sit there, there is nothing he could do and the FA will not back him up. Plus if they catch him trying to save seats they may say something to him anyway.

 

[KGK]

What would happen if I paid for just one EBCI instead of all 3 of our tickets? Conceivably could my husband get on before us and save a row of 3?

You could... I guess. Personally I would pay the $20 extra. I hate wasting money but I hate having problems that can be easily avoided, more.

 

[ccgirl]

We've never paid and have always sat together. We just check in 24 hours in advance. We only fly non stop direct so don't have to worry about getting on a plane with people on it already (other than those boarding before us).