SWA check-in, no internet access?

[leebee]

We haven't flown SW in awhile so I am unfamiliar with their boarding procedures. DD and I are staying at my MIL's and she has no internet. Usually, regardless of airline, we do online check-in at the 24 hour mark, but that's not an option this time. DD and I will be at the airport (CLE) about 2 hours pre-flight. What are our chances of getting a decent boarding position (i.e., chances of getting seats together)?

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

We haven't flown SW in awhile so I am unfamiliar with their boarding procedures. DD and I are staying at my MIL's and she has no internet. Usually, regardless of airline, we do online check-in at the 24 hour mark, but that's not an option this time. DD and I will be at the airport (CLE) about 2 hours pre-flight. What are our chances of getting a decent boarding position (i.e., chances of getting seats together)?

The solution is to use Southwest EarlyBird Check-In for $10 per passenger.

See http://www.southwest.com/flight/early-bird-retrieve-reservation.html

Then print your actual boarding passes when you arrive at the airport.

 

[MAYNARDS99]

When I'm travelling and don't have internet or smartphone access I have my sister check us in. I just give her the time and date of our flight along with my username and password. Likewise, I do the same for her when she's travelling.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

You could go to any library and use one of their computers to check in. If you have a laptop you could take a lot of places have free wifi that you could use. My FIL never checks in and usually ends up being one of the last ones on the plane. He never sits with his wife since the only thing left are all middle seats and he too is a CLE flyer. So waiting till you get to CLE you could end up in last place.

If you are unable to do either one of my options then I would buy EBC just for that leg of the trip. I did that for our last trip and then I did not have to watch a clock and tailor my day around being by a computer at a certain time.

 

[DisneyWitch]

Another option if you have a smartphone (I'm only familiar with Android, so iPhone folks, please verify):

Southwest has an app that you can use to check in & secure your boarding pass. If you check in 2 hours before, I think your chances of getting a good seat are very minimal. In the many times I've flown SW this year, every flight has been booked to the rafters. I'm starting to think they're getting close to offering seats on the wings soon.

Personal advice - if you can, go with the Early Bird Check In offer. I use this for every trip. I don't have to worry about being online at EXACTLY 24 hours before my flight and hitting F5 like I'm typing out morse code in the hopes that I'll get a "B" number. The peace of mind of knowing that you will get a better number and not having to stop what you're doing in order to get a good spot is SO worth the $10/each way.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Even if you use a smartphone, library computer, or relative with Internet access to get your boarding position exactly 24 hours before departure, you are still "behind" all the Southwest Business Select passengers (priority boarding positions A1-A15), Southwest EarlyBird Check-In passengers (boarding position at 36 hours), and Southwest passengers at 24 hours who managed to get in a split second before you.

For $10 per passenger, EarlyBird Check-In is worth it if you want to sit together.

 

[francie57]

This is exactly why I pay the extra $10 for the early check-in. I don't want to have to depend on being on a computer at the 24 hour mark especially when on vacation. Even though we all have smart phones I would rather not have to be bothered. Used early check-in last weekend and picked up our boarding passes at the RAC desk when checking in our luggage and with the early check-in got A19, A20. We purchased it for our Aug. trip on the day the airfare came out for each way so hopefully that will give us great numbers again.

 

[jdb in AZ]

Even if you use a smartphone, library computer, or relative with Internet access to get your boarding position exactly 24 hours before departure, you are still "behind" all the Southwest Business Select passengers (priority boarding positions A1-A15), Southwest EarlyBird Check-In passengers (boarding position at 36 hours), and Southwest passengers at 24 hours who managed to get in a split second before you.

For $10 per passenger, EarlyBird Check-In is worth it if you want to sit together.

You'd also be behind the travelers that have your plane as the 2nd part of a connecting flight, as they get their boarding passes 24 hours before the first segment of their flights.

And your plane could already be half full with passengers on a continuing flight with a stopover in CLE.

Have we spoiled your day yet?

DH and I also get the EBCI when we're returning from vacation, especially from a cruise because the Internet on a ship is sooo slow and expensive!

We figure the EBCI is cheaper than other airlines' baggage fee, so we bite the bullet.

 

[jill4140]

We used Airline Seat Tracker for southwest and it worked great. Instead of having to pay $10.00 per person for early bird boarding they charge just $9.95for a family booked under the same reservation and they take care of getting your seats at the 24 hour mark. I would definitely use it again.

 

[mom2brooke76]

Even if you use a smartphone, library computer, or relative with Internet access to get your boarding position exactly 24 hours before departure, you are still "behind" all the Southwest Business Select passengers (priority boarding positions A1-A15), Southwest EarlyBird Check-In passengers (boarding position at 36 hours), and Southwest passengers at 24 hours who managed to get in a split second before you.

For $10 per passenger, EarlyBird Check-In is worth it if you want to sit together.

And don't forget us A-listers! We're automatically checked in at 36 hours and are placed right after business select, before the early bird folks.

 

[Tara]

We used Airline Seat Tracker for southwest and it worked great. Instead of having to pay $10.00 per person for early bird boarding they charge just $9.95for a family booked under the same reservation and they take care of getting your seats at the 24 hour mark. I would definitely use it again.

Southwest routinely gets sites like these shut down..li wouldn't count on it being around long-term.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

Even if you use a smartphone, library computer, or relative with Internet access to get your boarding position exactly 24 hours before departure, you are still "behind" all the Southwest Business Select passengers (priority boarding positions A1-A15), Southwest EarlyBird Check-In passengers (boarding position at 36 hours), and Southwest passengers at 24 hours who managed to get in a split second before you.

For $10 per passenger, EarlyBird Check-In is worth it if you want to sit together.

Don't forget the connecting passengers. You have two groups

1. Those who are on your plane already. They have first dibs on the seats.
2. Those whose journey started someplace besides CLE... their 24 hour window opens 24 hours before thier first flight.

And I agree, SW is agressive in doing the "shut down' on those vendors who try to profit off thier policies. So don't assume 'we paid company X we are good' you could discover that you never got checked in because SW put an end to that game (again!)

 

[MsHershey]

First time flyer here who will be flying to DW the end of Sept via Southwest. I signed up for the early bird boarding both ways. I understand the checking in early and printing boarding passes on my way to Orlando, but there are two things that I don't understand.

1. We have a layover and change planes in New Orleans. How does the boarding work in this instance? Will I be issued another boarding pass and when and where do I get that?

2. Returning home from Orlando. I will have internet access, providing we have no trouble with the wifi at the resort, but how do I go about printing the early bird passes since obviously I will not have access to a printer?

Thanks

 

[leebee]

Hmmm... what is this Early Bird Check-In of which you speak? I guess I will go check out the Southwest site and see what it's all about, because it'd sure be easier than just hoping we get seats together. None of the in-laws have internet out in Ohio, which I find strange beyond strange, but to each his own; I only have a tracfone, which nobody can understand! I don't mind paying the $10 as I got the flights on points from the 50000 frequent flyer bonus promo if you get a SW credit card, which they recently ran. Thanks, everyone!

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

First time flyer here who will be flying to DW the end of Sept via Southwest. I signed up for the early bird boarding both ways. I understand the checking in early and printing boarding passes on my way to Orlando, but there are two things that I don't understand.

1. We have a layover and change planes in New Orleans. How does the boarding work in this instance? Will I be issued another boarding pass and when and where do I get that?

2. Returning home from Orlando. I will have internet access, providing we have no trouble with the wifi at the resort, but how do I go about printing the early bird passes since obviously I will not have access to a printer?

Thanks

1. You will get a boarding pass for each flight. You can print them both at the same time after checking in.

2. You can print boarding passes at the airport. Also, many hotels have printers for boarding passes.

 

[Tara]

First time flyer here who will be flying to DW the end of Sept via Southwest. I signed up for the early bird boarding both ways. I understand the checking in early and printing boarding passes on my way to Orlando, but there are two things that I don't understand.

1. We have a layover and change planes in New Orleans. How does the boarding work in this instance? Will I be issued another boarding pass and when and where do I get that?

When you check in 24 hours before your initial flight, you will be issued 2 boarding passes per person on your itinerary. The first will be for the initial flight and the second will be for the connecting flight.

2. Returning home from Orlando. I will have internet access, providing we have no trouble with the wifi at the resort, but how do I go about printing the early bird passes since obviously I will not have access to a printer?

You can get them printed at the RAC desk at the resort or at guest services at the parks. You can also print them at the check-in kiosks at the airport.