SW Vets (Especially out of PHL) Some Questions

[PSUGuy]

I'm familiar with PHL but this Oct will be our first SW flight. We have a 7:05 am direct to MCO on a Thurs., I didn't pay to guarantee seats, I'll be waiting 24 hrs before to check in and we always get to our gates early. It wouldn't kill me if we didn't have seats together but it's important to wifey even though she's asleep before we hit cruising altitude. What's the odds we'll get separated? Just the two of us.

Thanks,
Bill From PA

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

You can't pay to "guarantee seats." I assume you're talking about EBCI? If you check in at 24 hours, you should get fine.

I also assume by "direct," you mean nonstop. If you have a direct flight, it will have a stop, where you may or may not have to change planes. Boarding a flight with people continuing from another airport complicates the issue of finding seats together.

 

[DVCismyhappyplace]

If you check in at 24 hours, you should be fine - especially if it's just the two of you.

 

[PSUGuy]

You can't pay to "guarantee seats." I assume you're talking about EBCI? If you check in at 24 hours, you should get fine.

I also assume by "direct," you mean nonstop. If you have a direct flight, it will have a stop, where you may or may not have to change planes. Boarding a flight with people continuing from another airport complicates the issue of finding seats together.

Yes, no stops involved, 7:05 out of PHL, 9:30 on the ground. I'd swear there was some option, for extra, that I passed by that would have given us seats but I guess not, after all I booked this flight on March 3 from our room in AllStar Music so I was not completely focused. Thanks for all the input.

Bill From PA

 

[amomma23]

Yes, no stops involved, 7:05 out of PHL, 9:30 on the ground. I'd swear there was some option, for extra, that I passed by that would have given us seats but I guess not, after all I booked this flight on March 3 from our room in AllStar Music so I was not completely focused. Thanks for all the input.

Bill From PA

You can't choose seats, but you can pay for Early Bird Check-In. They will automatically check you in at 36hours. Doing so would get you an earlier boarding number with the idea that boarding sooner, means more open seats to choose from. As others have said, just 2 of you checking it right at 24hrs should not be a problem. Many people use EBCI for the trip home, so that you don't have to think about checking in while you're busy enjoying your trip.

 

[3happydancers]

You can't choose seats, but you can pay for Early Bird Check-In. They will automatically check you in at 36hours. Doing so would get you an earlier boarding number with the idea that boarding sooner, means more open seats to choose from. As others have said, just 2 of you checking it right at 24hrs should not be a problem. Many people use EBCI for the trip home, so that you don't have to think about checking in while you're busy enjoying your trip.

I'd agree with paying for EBCI for your trip home! For your flight going down, if you know you will check in at exactly the 24th hour, you should be fine. If there's a chance you could get caught up with work or some other obligation, then you might want to consider EBCI for your flight down.

 

[DebbieB]

Yes, no stops involved, 7:05 out of PHL, 9:30 on the ground. I'd swear there was some option, for extra, that I passed by that would have given us seats but I guess not, after all I booked this flight on March 3 from our room in AllStar Music so I was not completely focused. Thanks for all the input.

Bill From PA

Is the flight operated by AirTran? If it is, you do have an option to buy specific seats.

 

[TeachTink]

I'm familiar with PHL but this Oct will be our first SW flight. We have a 7:05 am direct to MCO on a Thurs., I didn't pay to guarantee seats, I'll be waiting 24 hrs before to check in and we always get to our gates early. It wouldn't kill me if we didn't have seats together but it's important to wifey even though she's asleep before we hit cruising altitude. What's the odds we'll get separated? Just the two of us.

Thanks,
Bill From PA

Ugh, Philly airport.

You have a pretty good chance at sitting together, but since SW planes are 3/3, one of you will be in the middle.

Go PSU!

 

[Betty Rohrer]

sounds like it is the same flight that we took for grandson's MAW trip but we left on a Sat. plane was starting at Philly as it was at gate when we arrived that morning. if I remember correctly, it was a full flight with a lot of families boarding at family boarding.

 

[DebbieB]

Ugh, Philly airport.

You have a pretty good chance at sitting together, but since SW planes are 3/3, one of you will be in the middle.

Go PSU!

Unless you do 2 aisle seats across from each other. I had 3 seats to myself on my return last November.

 

[paults]

You can't choose seats, but you can pay for Early Bird Check-In. They will automatically check you in at 36hours. Doing so would get you an earlier boarding number with the idea that boarding sooner, means more open seats to choose from. As others have said, just 2 of you checking it right at 24hrs should not be a problem. Many people use EBCI for the trip home, so that you don't have to think about checking in while you're busy enjoying your trip.

Buying EBCI only checks you in at 36 hrs, getting a early BP depends how many others bought EBCI before you.

We go 3 times a yr from PHL to MCO and never get EBCI going down, we check in at 24 hrs and only once got B passes out of 20 trips +. We do now buy EBCI coming home to phl so we can go to the parks and not worry about checking in.

If you check in at 24 hrs you should not have any problems.

 

[PSUGuy]

Thanks for all the advice. Can I buy the home bound EBCI retroactively? I've got both legs booked already.

Thanks,
Bill From PA

 

[DebbieB]

Thanks for all the advice. Can I buy the home bound EBCI retroactively? I've got both legs booked already.

Thanks,
Bill From PA

There's a "add earlybird" link on SW's home page. When you click it, you enter your confirmation # to retrieve your reservation.

 

[Disneyhappy]

Thanks for all the advice. Can I buy the home bound EBCI retroactively? I've got both legs booked already.

Thanks,
Bill From PA

We fly SW to MCO and TPA at least 4 times a year. Good advice here to only purchase EBCI for flight home if you are able to check in for flight down right at 24 hours. This is what we are doing for our Oct. trip on this exact same flight to WDW except we are flying on a Friday. We flew a 6:40 am flight to MCO on 2/28 and our BP was A-37,38 with checking in at 24 hours. Seat options become more limited once you are in the Cs. Because of the three seat configuration and DH and I are both a little claustrophobic, we take aisle seats across from each other. Can't wait for the W&D and TOT race weekend!