Southwest's "Early Bird Check In"

[luvdiznee]

Not sure how exactly it works or is it worth it to purchase. From what it seems on their site, if you do purchase it, you don't have to get online and do the check in to get into the A seating. That by purchasing this you are automatically put there, since you get to be seated first. How'd I do? :mickey::D

[faline]

Pretty much. You still need to go on-line and print your boarding passes but you don't need to try to hit it at exactly the 24 hour mark as your group number won't depend on the moment you check in but the time at which you purchased your early bird seating.

[IfYouHadWings503]

You are correct.

We find that it is worth doing so we don't have to worry about hitting exactly at the 24 hour mark to get our "place in line". This is especially helpful when you are flying home from Disney, so you don't have to interrupt your park hopping to stop and do your online check in.

It worked really well for us (just got back last Sunday) in conjunction with the baggage check in at the POP. We just went to the counter, presented our ID, and they took our luggage and printed out our boarding passes...no fuss, no muss :mickey:

[DizneyRox]

Correct... It's based on when you buy the EB option. So, it's still possible that you end up pretty far back in the A group, depending on how many people bought EB before you. When you purchased the tickets doesn't matter.

If it were me, I'd buy EB when you buy your tickets, that's your best chance of getting a early draw.

We do enjoy EB, works like a charm...

[NewDVCowner]

One thing I noticed when I did it back in December was that Southwest seems to have a lot of flights that land, let some people off and take some on. The people that are continuing their flight will be on the plane when you get on, no matter how far in the front you are, they'll still have first dibs on the seats.

[Ian]

I've used it a bunch of times with mixed results.

I have to say, though, that I really think someone who is just diligent enough to go online exactly 24 hours before their check-in time can get a better seat.

The last time I used EB I was assigned to A32, while other folks I was traveling with who checked in manually online were in A20 - A25!

[Tygger7]

We used it for our return flight from WDW in May. It was so nice to not have to get up at 5am to check in exactly 24 hours in advance. I just didn't want to have to worry about getting my boarding passes, as I'm already terrified to fly and was depressed about heading home. :mickey:

[luvdiznee]

OK...So I would STILL have to go online and check in even if I did purchase the EB? I thought they would do it for you.

And some of you mention when you buy the EB you have a better chance. From what I saw it was offered WHEN you would book your flight.??

[DizneyRox]

No, you don't have to check-in, show up at the airport and print out your boarding passes. You CAN check-in if you want at 24 hours and find out your place in line, but it's already been determined (at 36 hours I think).

EB is offered at the time of booking, but I believe you can also book it at any point up until (probably 36 hours before your flight). The sooner you book it, the better your spot in line. The boarding order is determined by the order that people purchase EB.

For example, you book your flight on 1/1/2011, no EB. I book my flight on 1/2/2011 WITH EB. You change your mind on 1/3/2011 and add EB. I will get a earlier boarding pass than you, as I booked EB before you did. Even though you got your plane tickets before me, that's not important.


I've used it a bunch of times with mixed results.

I have to say, though, that I really think someone who is just diligent enough to go online exactly 24 hours before their check-in time can get a better seat.

The last time I used EB I was assigned to A32, while other folks I was traveling with who checked in manually online were in A20 - A25!
I don't think that's supposed to be possible. From the Southwest Site:

What do I get?
AUTOMATIC CHECK-IN
Whether you choose to print your boarding pass the day before or just hours before the flight, your confirmed boarding position will be ready and waiting for you. Now you can print your boarding pass as your schedule allows.
BETTER BOARDING POSITION
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-In doesn't guarantee an A boarding position, it improves your seat selection options to help you get your favorite seat.
EARLIER ACCESS TO OVERHEAD BINS
Got bags? We've got room. By boarding earlier you'll get your pick of available overhead bin space.

If I were to guess, provided there wasn't a software problem, the people MAYBE had EB and didn't remember or realize it, and did the check-in at 24 hours to find out their EB number was 20-25 (those are valid EB spots as 1-15 are the business select boarding numbers). Not sure how else they would have gotten an earlier number than an EB person. Your boarding number should have been assigned at 36 hours.

[Ian]

If I were to guess, provided there wasn't a software problem, the people MAYBE had EB and didn't remember or realize it, and did the check-in at 24 hours to find out their EB number was 20-25 (those are valid EB spots as 1-15 are the business select boarding numbers). Not sure how else they would have gotten an earlier number than an EB person. Your boarding number should have been assigned at 36 hours.Forgot to mention this ... I was traveling on a Rapid Rewards ticket, so I didn't pay full fare. That was what I chalked it up, too.

Guess that was a key piece of information I should have included. :blush:

But I know for a fact that the others traveling with me didn't have EB, because I bought their tickets for them.

[garymacd]

Last October we used the early bird check-in to book our seats at 23 hours, 55 minutes before we were to fly out.

We got seating assignments B1 - B8. I couldn't believe that all the A assignments were gone that quickly!

We did learn on the way down that if you want to sit together with your party, you need to get into that Group A or early Group B. We had our assignments and were split up into pairs, and I don't think anyone got a window seat. I ended up sitting with my SIL. When Group C came on, there were only single seats left. One woman came on with her seven-year old daughter and there were no double seats left. My SIL and I took single seats with total strangers to allow the mother and daughter to sit together.

At the end of the flight, I found out that the woman I sat with who had the window seat was travelling alone and could very easily given up her seat, but didn't want to. She never looked out the window! Selfish.

They did offer us a free drink, so there I was: Seven AM drinking beer like I was on vacation!

[KylesMom]

We've checked into this fairly extensively, and there is a method to Southwest's madness as far as the order of EarlyBird Check-In. DH is a stickler for sitting together on our flights. We got lucky with A boarding last time on Southwest (in 2009 before the inception of EBCI) but this year we're paying for EarlyBird Check-In.

Direct from Southwest's website:


Is there an order in which EarlyBird Check-In Boarding Passes are reserved?" Yes. Customers who have purchased Anytime Fares will receive priority over other fare types during the initial boarding position assignments.

So if I purchased a Web Only fare in November, but you purchased an Anytime Fare in May for a July trip and we both purchased EarlyBird Check-In, you would get the better boarding position, even though you booked later than I did.

[DizneyRox]

Last October we used the early bird check-in to book our seats at 23 hours, 55 minutes before we were to fly out.
Don't do that again... You gave SW money for nothing. I'm a little surprised they allowed the EB option at less than 24 hours out..

[luvdiznee]

OK. Got it, booked it so got it. I geuss I just didn't like the fact that you are not guaranteed an A seat as stated on SWA's site. But what is more important to me is that me and DD are seated together, since it will only be the 2 of us.


Of course I'm hoping for something in the A section.:secret:But the fact that I won't have to disrupt my vacation the day before means so much more to me.:marg:

Thanks for all the helpful responses!:mickey:

[DizneyRox]

I've been flying SW for years and NEVER had an issue with not finding seats together. Even on Delta, when we didn't have assigned seats next to each other, the flight atendents did what they could to get us all together (and did).

Sitting together really shouldn't be a major concern.

[PirateLover]

On our two most recent trips, one this past December and one last June, it was pretty evident that if you want "A" boarding, go the Early Bird route. I thought I had booked this both ways for my husband and I in June. On the way down everything was fine, but on the way back, we got stuck in C. Turns out I had made a mistake, and never did purchase the EB for the way back. There were only single seats left by the time we boarded.

In December, we were traveling with a group of 5. One added EB to her ticket so that at least one of us could board and potentially save seats. We checked in both time at the exact 24 hour mark and everyone else had high middle Bs. She was the only A.

[DizneyRox]

I believe that saving seats on southwest is prohibited too. I thought about only adding EB to one ticket, but I'm pretty sure it says something about saving seats in the EB language.

[PirateLover]

I believe that saving seats on southwest is prohibited too. I thought about only adding EB to one ticket, but I'm pretty sure it says something about saving seats in the EB language.
You're probably right. We were close enough behind that it didn't really affect anyone. However had we been in C, I'm sure she would've been told she couldn't save them. We didn't know she was adding EB until the last minute, she did it without telling the rest of us. In the future I'd add it to all tickets.

[DebK]

We used EB in October and the 3 of us were able to sit in the 2nd row......Worth it!

[luvdiznee]

We used EB in October and the 3 of us were able to sit in the 2nd row......Worth it!

Now that's what I'm talking about!:party:

[PopPhan]

Sitting together really shouldn't be a major concern.

You don't know my wife!! :D


I've been flying SW for years and NEVER had an issue with not finding seats together. Even on Delta, when we didn't have assigned seats next to each other, the flight atendents did what they could to get us all together (and did).


We had one trip to WDW where we did not check in and get our boarding passes at the 24 hour mark and got mid "C" boarding. No one would allow us to sit together and she "freaked out" [panic attack] the entire flight!! (This was before Early Bird Check-In was available.)

Now, she insists that I pay for EB every flight!


Ian -- I know SW has a thing in the EB policy that "A" List and Business Select passengers take precedence over EB passengers....Could this have been the case - the rest of your party flying Business Select?