SW questions-never flown with them before

[mommyof3princess27]

Ok I am trying to understand this and need help. This will be the first time flying on SW. I have a 4yo, a 8yo and a 12 yo. so it will be 5 of us. I have enough points to get 3 RT flights for free. Can you book a child with points? and can we all get on the plane together if I buy the EBC in? I am not sure how that works. I was reading and it seemed like it said 1 adult can board with the 4yo but the other kids and DH may not be sitting together?

 

[Jestocost]

Ok I am trying to understand this and need help. This will be the first time flying on SW. I have a 4yo, a 8yo and a 12 yo. so it will be 5 of us. I have enough points to get 3 RT flights for free. Can you book a child with points? and can we all get on the plane together if I buy the EBC in? I am not sure how that works. I was reading and it seemed like it said 1 adult can board with the 4yo but the other kids and DH may not be sitting together?

If you use EBCI for all of your party, you likely will all be in the A group and should board at the same time. The only minor glitch will be tht if you book three with points and pay for two, you will have two different confirmation numbers and there might be a gap in between the two in terms of boarding. Still, you all should board close to each other and should have no issue getting seats together.

The issue with one parent boarding with a child under five only applies to family boarding, which happens between the A and B groups. So, if you all have A group boarding passes you will just board with your group and family boarding never will be an issue. If for some reason you get in the B group, one parent can board before that group with the one child.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Yes, you can book a child's ticket with points.

 

[mommyof3princess27]

Yes, you can book a child's ticket with points.

Thanks everyone! Maybe Ill do me with 2 kids with the points and then DH with the other child

 

[BrerMama]

Thanks everyone! Maybe Ill do me with 2 kids with the points and then DH with the other child

If you're wanting to board together, do that and buy EBCI. That should do the trick.

 

[nemofans]

There is family boarding between A & B if you have a kid 5 & under. So you don't need to pay for early bird check in. If you check in yourself & end up in B, C, or D, you still get to all board between A & B. I wouldn't waste the extra $50. All 4 of us do family boarding b/c we have a 3 yr old. We have flown SWA many times & they have never said only 1 parent.

 

[mommy4]

Sorry to barge in, but if you have a lap baby (1year old) do you get to board with the family group (between A & B)? My other kids that will be there are 7 and up. I'm trying to decide if it's worth it to pay for the EBCI.
TIA!

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

There is family boarding between A & B if you have a kid 5 & under....

Family boarding on WN is for children 4 and under and technically, one adult, not the whole family.

If you are flying with a lap baby (unpaid flyer), that does not entitle you to family boarding. That doesn't mean WN won't let you board then.

 

[jana616]

If we have a 7 year old, 4 year old, and 19 month old (lap child, no ticket), will both my husband and I be able to board with them since we have two that are 4 and under? And I am assuming they will not make my 7 year old wait at the gate and will allow him to board with us? My husband's ticket is under a different confirmation #, so I am worried he will be a bit further back when I check us in at the 24 hour mark.

 

[ccgirl]

Family boarding on WN is for children 4 and under and technically, one adult, not the whole family.

If you are flying with a lap baby (unpaid flyer), that does not entitle you to family boarding. That doesn't mean WN won't let you board then.

This is correct. It is for those children age 4 and younger that have are occupying a seat. Since the lap baby does not have a paid seat, they are not eligible for family boarding. Keep in mind that I have seen the age of children decreased to 2 and the family boarding eliminated in it's entirely. Especially on flights to Orlando where there seems to be a surplus of young passengers.

If you have a car seat, please keep in mind that you need a window seat. Even with C passes, I have yet to be split up from my children. When we had the C passes, my DH had one child and I had the other and we just went to almost the last row in the plane.

If you want a better chance of sitting together, pay for the EBCI.

Hope that helps.

 

[ccgirl]

If we have a 7 year old, 4 year old, and 19 month old (lap child, no ticket), will both my husband and I be able to board with them since we have two that are 4 and under? And I am assuming they will not make my 7 year old wait at the gate and will allow him to board with us? My husband's ticket is under a different confirmation #, so I am worried he will be a bit further back when I check us in at the 24 hour mark.

You are welcome to board after your group. For example, your DD7 could board with your DH if he gets a different boarding group that is higher than hers.

 

[gwynne]

You are welcome to board after your group. For example, your DD7 could board with your DH if he gets a different boarding group that is higher than hers.

Yep. This is how I've seen people in this situation handle this.

 

[jana616]

Okay, wait, I'm confused. First off, they really won't let our whole family board during family boarding (assuming they do have it and don't change the ages, as someone else mentioned)? I was expecting reassurance that they most likely would, honestly. And secondly, let's say myself and the kids are low Bs and DH is a high B...wouldn't I just bring all 3 kids with me and then try to position the two older ones in an aisle and window, put myself on the other aisle, and then hope he gets on before someone tries to take that middle seat between them (and hope that I could explain nicely why we are hoping to save it if someone did try)? It seems like if I have my 7 year old wait and board with him, I'm losing a "place holder" (for lack of a better term). Obviously I am hoping all of us are close to each other as whoever has the baby will need help occasionally.

 

[hpfan100]

I fly SW all the time and here are my thoughts...

EBCI is great if you really need it. Maybe for your flight home if you will be at WDW 24 hours before departure...nice piece of mind. It may not be worth the extra 50 dollars if you can check in exactly 24 hours before departure. Usually when you do this you get an A pass anyway (not always but mostly).

Another option is to get on EBCI for one parent and have them board with big luggage and get seats together. Then other parent can board later with all the little ones. My mom and I do this all the time when I get a B pass.

Another option use family boarding. Family boarding will be right after preboards and A passes. I have never seen SW turn away more than one adult with a child. I have seen several times (especially at holidays) two parents and one baby/toddler board during this time.

Final option just take your chances...I don't recommend this option.

 

[mommyof3princess27]

I fly SW all the time and here are my thoughts...

EBCI is great if you really need it. Maybe for your flight home if you will be at WDW 24 hours before departure...nice piece of mind. It may not be worth the extra 50 dollars if you can check in exactly 24 hours before departure. Usually when you do this you get an A pass anyway (not always but mostly).

Another option is to get on EBCI for one parent and have them board with big luggage and get seats together. Then other parent can board later with all the little ones. My mom and I do this all the time when I get a B pass.

Another option use family boarding. Family boarding will be right after preboards and A passes. I have never seen SW turn away more than one adult with a child. I have seen several times (especially at holidays) two parents and one baby/toddler board during this time.

Final option just take your chances...I don't recommend this option.

I think we will try family boarding and EBCI on the flight home..... how does EBCI work if im in WDW?

 

[pbinn310]

We are doing the same thing..3 free tickets with points and bought 2, but we only have one child with us. Since the free tickets all have a different confirmation numbers, i just made sure that the child was with her mother on the one reservation we paid for, and we will do her check in first 24 hours ahead so she will get the lower number, and hopefully save us seats when she gets on.

 

[ccgirl]

Okay, wait, I'm confused. First off, they really won't let our whole family board during family boarding (assuming they do have it and don't change the ages, as someone else mentioned)? I was expecting reassurance that they most likely would, honestly. And secondly, let's say myself and the kids are low Bs and DH is a high B...wouldn't I just bring all 3 kids with me and then try to position the two older ones in an aisle and window, put myself on the other aisle, and then hope he gets on before someone tries to take that middle seat between them (and hope that I could explain nicely why we are hoping to save it if someone did try)? It seems like if I have my 7 year old wait and board with him, I'm losing a "place holder" (for lack of a better term). Obviously I am hoping all of us are close to each other as whoever has the baby will need help occasionally.

Honestly, it depends. I fly them frequently and have seen it down all sorts of ways. Sometimes they do only let one parent family board. I know you are only one family but, imagine the 15 families that preboard with both parents and all siblings. If you are really that worried about it, pay the $10 for the EBCI. As I mentioned, even with a C pass I have always been able to get the children with at least 1 parent.

I think we will try family boarding and EBCI on the flight home..... how does EBCI work if im in WDW?

I plan on getting this when I fly during spring Break and I have not paid for it yet. This is from their website:

We'll automatically check you in and assign your boarding position within 36 hours of your flight's departure - that's 12 hours before general boarding positions become available. While EarlyBird Check-InSM doesn't guarantee an A boarding position, it improves your seat selection options to help you get your favorite seat.

Hope that helps.

 

[ccgirl]

Okay, wait, I'm confused. First off, they really won't let our whole family board during family boarding (assuming they do have it and don't change the ages, as someone else mentioned)? I was expecting reassurance that they most likely would, honestly. And secondly, let's say myself and the kids are low Bs and DH is a high B...wouldn't I just bring all 3 kids with me and then try to position the two older ones in an aisle and window, put myself on the other aisle, and then hope he gets on before someone tries to take that middle seat between them (and hope that I could explain nicely why we are hoping to save it if someone did try)? It seems like if I have my 7 year old wait and board with him, I'm losing a "place holder" (for lack of a better term). Obviously I am hoping all of us are close to each other as whoever has the baby will need help occasionally.

Just re-read this. I don't think you'll have a problem. You really only need one row +one seat. Either you can sit with one child or two. Either your DH sits alone or with 1 child.

 

[jana616]

Just re-read this. I don't think you'll have a problem. You really only need one row +one seat. Either you can sit with one child or two. Either your DH sits alone or with 1 child.

Okay, follow-up...I just did the online check in this morning. On our first leg, we are all in the A group, anywhere from A42-A55. (I didn't realize each person needed to be checked in separately...I thought everyone on the same reservation would be checked in together. So my 7 and 4 year olds are actually spaced out between us by a few people each, which seems weird to me). I am assuming we should have no problems getting 4 seats across an aisle together, right?

On our second leg, we are B group, from B13-B22. I am hoping they have family boarding, and the higher two of us will go through that with the 4 year old, and then the other two will be close behind at B13 and B14 (really I am hoping we can all just board with family boarding!). If they don't do family boarding though (BWI-MCO), will we most likely be okay still? I've never flown SWA before, so I have no idea at what point groups of seats together are gone.

As an aside, I am totally paying for EBCI for the return flights, lol! Getting up at 6 am and stressing about has proven that it is just not worth the $40 to me!

 

[ccgirl]

Okay, follow-up...I just did the online check in this morning. On our first leg, we are all in the A group, anywhere from A42-A55. (I didn't realize each person needed to be checked in separately...I thought everyone on the same reservation would be checked in together. So my 7 and 4 year olds are actually spaced out between us by a few people each, which seems weird to me). I am assuming we should have no problems getting 4 seats across an aisle together, right?

On our second leg, we are B group, from B13-B22. I am hoping they have family boarding, and the higher two of us will go through that with the 4 year old, and then the other two will be close behind at B13 and B14 (really I am hoping we can all just board with family boarding!). If they don't do family boarding though (BWI-MCO), will we most likely be okay still? I've never flown SWA before, so I have no idea at what point groups of seats together are gone.

As an aside, I am totally paying for EBCI for the return flights, lol! Getting up at 6 am and stressing about has proven that it is just not worth the $40 to me!

In my experience, I have yet to have both parents split up from our children even with C passes. Again, we were on the last row of the plane but one parent was with 1 child and the other parent was with the other child. However, I always fly non-stop direct. It sounds like when you get on at BWI people may already be on that flight. If that's the case, it becomes a bit trickier. Do you know if that flight is originating somewhere else or is it beginning at BWI?