Will SW let me take an earlier flight to my connecting city?

[Snoozan]

I have a flight from BDL(Hartford, CT) to Charleston, SC with a quick change of planes in Baltimore. If there is plenty of seats on an earlier flight to Baltimore, will SW let me take it? I'd much rather spend my extra 2 hours in Baltimore than worrying about making the connecting flight there as I have like 35 minutes between flights. I'm planning on carry-on luggage as I know once you've checked your luggage you lose some flexibility with flights.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

I have a flight from BDL(Hartford, CT) to Charleston, SC with a quick change of planes in Baltimore. If there is plenty of seats on an earlier flight to Baltimore, will SW let me take it? I'd much rather spend my extra 2 hours in Baltimore than worrying about making the connecting flight there as I have like 35 minutes between flights. I'm planning on carry-on luggage as I know once you've checked your luggage you lose some flexibility with flights.

SW will only let you fly earlier if you pay the difference between the fare you paid and the current fare

 

[DebbieB]

I have a flight from BDL(Hartford, CT) to Charleston, SC with a quick change of planes in Baltimore. If there is plenty of seats on an earlier flight to Baltimore, will SW let me take it? I'd much rather spend my extra 2 hours in Baltimore than worrying about making the connecting flight there as I have like 35 minutes between flights. I'm planning on carry-on luggage as I know once you've checked your luggage you lose some flexibility with flights.

Do you mean on the day of the flight? You would have to change your reservation to the anytime fare, they don't do free standby. I would try to change it now if there are wanna get away fares available.

 

[bookwormde]

You would have to wait for you luggage at your destination unless you are doing carry on only.

You could always ask, since sometimes they do end up in an overbook situation, but this is rare with SW. You schedule is also probably too tight even if it was beneficial for the airline.

 

[summerrluvv]

No, and they don't budge. My niece got very ill last year while at WDW. They had to sit at the airport for 10 hours since SWA wouldn't let them get on earlier flights (that had plenty of seats) without paying the upgraded fare fees which was astronomical at that point.

 

[NotUrsula]

Let you? Sure.
Charge you the walk-up fare for the privilege? You betcha.

Charging for standby situations is the trade-off SWA makes for not charging a standard change fee for in-advance changes. It works out best for most people to be able to change in advance for no fee, vs. being able to standby for no fee. [MCO is sometimes an exception, but on most SWA routes, the earlier flights are priced higher because they are more popular with business travelers. If they let them stand by for earlier flights at no charge, it would defeat the pricing strategy.)

The exception would be a situation where severe weather is anticipated to affect flights at your airport, when changes are actually invited.. In those situations, it is to the airline's advantage to put as many people who can fly earlier on earlier flights, because if there are cancellations of later flights due to ground-stops or delays, they are going to need those later-flight seats to accomodate delayed passengers.