First time flying with Southwest. Can anyone advise on whether this is worth it? I'm not sure what I'm paying for exactly...
Anyone do Early Bird Check-In with Southwest Air?
- Thread starter FearoftheNight
- Start date
olds
Elite Member
- Mar 3, 2000
- 50,122
- 778
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Not worth it unless you HAVE to sit in the first 6 rows. (You still get there the same tine as everyone else)
Just get your boarding pass the second you can. You'll have a choice of seats but it may be from isle 10 and back.
Put the Southwest app on your phone.
Just get your boarding pass the second you can. You'll have a choice of seats but it may be from isle 10 and back.
Put the Southwest app on your phone.
datalink7
Lifer
- Jan 23, 2001
- 16,765
- 6
- 81
Well, with southwest you don't have assigned seats. You have a number of when you board. So you might have "Group A, 33". This means you board with group A (the first group), and are the 33rd to do so.
Basically, once you get on the plane, you sit wherever you want to.
I "think" early bird gets to board before Group A? If so, you'd pretty much get to sit wherever you wanted to on the plane because I don't think many people do it. Don't quote me on that though.
Basically, once you get on the plane, you sit wherever you want to.
I "think" early bird gets to board before Group A? If so, you'd pretty much get to sit wherever you wanted to on the plane because I don't think many people do it. Don't quote me on that though.
MotionMan
Lifer
- Jan 11, 2006
- 17,124
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You are paying for the privilege to be the first cattle in the car, so you can pick your seat.
The guy getting on <10 people behind you did not pay extra, but because he checked in at the first chance, he also gets to pick his seat (except for the <10 idiots who paid extra to get on first).
It is completely not worth it.
MotionMan
Get into a wheel chair, wheel your self up the gate, tell the attendant that you can only stand for very short periods, and can only walk a feet or two. They will let you board first, even before the Business select people. Remember to keep the charade going even on the plane and when you land.
foghorn67
Lifer
- Jan 3, 2006
- 11,883
- 63
- 91
what is I am traveling together? will it be harder to get seats together if we do not do the EBCI?
MotionMan
Lifer
- Jan 11, 2006
- 17,124
- 12
- 81
Technically, yes.
But, again, if you check in early, you should have no problem getting exactly the seats you want.
MotionMan
Just set an alarm for 24 hours before the check-in time, and check-in online. If you are fast/lucky you'll get A-15 (at least that's what I remember be the lowest number you can get. Perhaps it is B-1).
Also depends on the route. There have been many times on southwest where I had the entire row to myself because the flight wasn't that full and I could have my pick of rows. But of course on more popular routes it will be full and earlier boarding position is more valuable.
Also depends on the route. There have been many times on southwest where I had the entire row to myself because the flight wasn't that full and I could have my pick of rows. But of course on more popular routes it will be full and earlier boarding position is more valuable.
MotionMan
Lifer
- Jan 11, 2006
- 17,124
- 12
- 81
Also, if you are traveling with someone, find an empty row side and take the window and aisle seats. The middle will be the last to be filled, so you may get a row to yourselves. If the flight is too full, you can always trade with them.
/AdamCarolla
MotionMan
rudeguy
Lifer
- Dec 27, 2001
- 47,351
- 14
- 61
How many people?
Last time I flew SW it was Chicago to Baltimore with 3 others. We all sat together with no issues.
It's worthwhile if you want a good seat or are traveling with a group AND ALSO think you will forget/not be able to check in early (up to 24 hours before the first flight). But there's not much advantage compared to just checking in early. If you are in the A group (first 45 people to check in + the 15 reserved spots, see below) and traveling with a group of 3 or less you will generally have no problem getting seats together.
Also do remember that you are allowed 2 free checked bags on Southwest.
Early Bird seats are automatically checked in before normal passengers can check in, but they are typically part of the A boarding group. When I've flown Early Bird before I got a seat around A 20.
The boarding order is pre-boards (people with trouble boarding, children traveling alone), Business Select (A 1-15 are reserved for them), the rest of group A (Early Birds will normally be first in this group), family boarding (families with small children), group B, group C.
Also do remember that you are allowed 2 free checked bags on Southwest.
Early Bird seats are automatically checked in before normal passengers can check in, but they are typically part of the A boarding group. When I've flown Early Bird before I got a seat around A 20.
The boarding order is pre-boards (people with trouble boarding, children traveling alone), Business Select (A 1-15 are reserved for them), the rest of group A (Early Birds will normally be first in this group), family boarding (families with small children), group B, group C.
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lol thanks guys I booked EBCI. My flight is at 6 am on sunday and there is no way I'm getting up before 6 on a Friday morning just to check in
MotionMan
Lifer
- Jan 11, 2006
- 17,124
- 12
- 81
someone read lifehacker
AC beat LH by about 5 years.
Also, about 10 years ago I was flying from Burbank to SFO and back on SW almost every week. I figured out that, if I grabbed an aisle seat and offered the window to the next big guy (like me) who came on the plane, we had a pretty good chance of having an empty seat between us.
MotionMAn
MotionMan
Lifer
- Jan 11, 2006
- 17,124
- 12
- 81
lol thanks guys I booked EBCI. My flight is at 6 am on sunday and there is no way I'm getting up before 6 on a Friday morning just to check in
Yes, waking up at 6am on Friday to check in for a 6 am Sunday flight would be a waste of your time.
MotionMan
Sheep
Golden Member
- Jun 13, 2006
- 1,275
- 0
- 71
lol thanks guys I booked EBCI. My flight is at 6 am on sunday and there is no way I'm getting up before 6 on a Friday morning just to check in
No harm done, but you do realize you can check in 24 hours before your flight (pretty much any time on Saturday in your case)? The earlier you check in, the better seats you'll be able to get since you'll be assigned to an earlier boarding group.
(Not so ninja-edited to reflect the correct the day before the flight.)
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MotionMan
Lifer
- Jan 11, 2006
- 17,124
- 12
- 81
This is a mistake he will only make once on his own dime.
When work is paying, THAT is when you do things like this.
MotionMan
wait woops. I meant to say my flight is 6 am on Saturday. So that would mean I need to be up at 6 am on Friday right?
alkemyst
No Lifer
- Feb 13, 2001
- 83,769
- 19
- 81
early check in is worth it when the price is low. Same with seat upgrades...
I fly a lot and getting on first makes that really easy (I just store a carryon bag under the seat, but if you have to stow baggage above it's way better) and getting off really easy. Plus being close to the front it's easy to get more water by just asking.
I fly a lot and getting on first makes that really easy (I just store a carryon bag under the seat, but if you have to stow baggage above it's way better) and getting off really easy. Plus being close to the front it's easy to get more water by just asking.
MotionMan
Lifer
- Jan 11, 2006
- 17,124
- 12
- 81
MotionMan
Lifer
- Jan 11, 2006
- 17,124
- 12
- 81
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