Southwest Early Bird Check in

[racnwdow]

Has anyone used the Southwest Early Bird Check In? For an additional $12.50 pp you can get an automatic Category A for boarding 1st. It sounds like it happens automatically and you do no have to get on a computer and make it so.

Just wonder how well it works and if I am reading it correctly.

[xeriod]

Has anyone used the Southwest Early Bird Check In? For an additional $12.50 pp you can get an automatic Category A for boarding 1st. It sounds like it happens automatically and you do no have to get on a computer and make it so.

Just wonder how well it works and if I am reading it correctly.

 

Used it quite a few times. Yes , you get in " A " group . You still have to print out your boarding pass, but you can even wait until you get to the airport if you like. No being at the keyboard waiting for the 24 hour time to come up to press on the enter key.

[Clarea]

Has anyone used the Southwest Early Bird Check In? For an additional $12.50 pp you can get an automatic Category A for boarding 1st. It sounds like it happens automatically and you do no have to get on a computer and make it so.

Just wonder how well it works and if I am reading it correctly.

We use Early Bird all the time. It's a way to automatically check you in, in order of when you purchased Early Bird. In other words, you have a high probablity of getting an "A" category number, but it's not guaranteed. If you buy a ticket very close to the flight, and enough people have purchased Early Bird before you, then you could get a "B" boarding number.

[emen822]

And if you don't buy the early bird you can't check in until 24 hours prior? I've never flown Southwest before and I'm thinking I should add the early bird!

[BMMB1947]

Purchased early bird six months before scheduled flight and was in category B. Not very happy.

[lexingtonave]

I have used the early bird many times. You get checked in automatically and usually get A Boarding Group. If you do not have it, you can't check in until 24 hours before your flight. And, if you are not sitting at the computer exactly 24 hours ahead, you will probably end up with a not so good boarding number.

[mafig]

We usually purchase Early Bird for the return flight. The outgoing flight we're at home so we can do the *very exciting* 24-hour check in.

 

We've always gotten A boarding with the Early Bird, however, it is not guaranteed.

[Motorman23]

And if you don't buy the early bird you can't check in until 24 hours prior? I've never flown Southwest before and I'm thinking I should add the early bird!

 

We purchase it for the longer trips and not for the 1hr ones. It is nice if you want to make sure you are in the same area and not a middle seat. A lot of people are not aware that SW allows you to save seats in the same row for family behind you so you could purchase 1 early bird and hold a seat for your spouse if money is a concern. We always buy two so we are in line together but I see people save seats all the time which makes me a little crazy but not high on my list of items to cause anixety.

 

Mike

[Clarea]

And if you don't buy the early bird you can't check in until 24 hours prior? I've never flown Southwest before and I'm thinking I should add the early bird!

Correct, normal check-in time for Southwest is exactly 24 hours before the flight.

 

When Early Bird first started, not many used it and it was still possible to get an "A" number by checking in 24 hours in advance. Now, depending on the flight, it's not so easy without Early Bird. In fact, sometimes we get "A" numbers in the 50's even with Early Bird. Basically, it's as if Southwest raised prices $12.50 per flight.

[racnwdow]

I did go ahead and buy it for both of us, both ways. But I know they used to say that if your party had different boarding letters you were allowed to board together. I just felt funny not paying and boarding early. Plus we like to stand by each other and did not want to board separately.

[emen822]

Thanks. I'm not too concerned about boarding but we would like 3 seats together. Has anyone not had early bird and had trouble getting seats together? (sorry to hijack OP!) :o

[Artemis]

^ If you check in right at 24 hours, you *should* get a low number in the B boarding group, and that *might* be enough for you to find three seats together (mostly likely in the back of the plane). But you should be realistic about your chances and prepare for the possibility of separation. If you have a child or someone else who shouldn't be alone, then at least one person should probably buy early boarding so they can get on and save seats. But in the grand scheme, I wouldn't fret too much--people are usually pretty friendly and will change seats on polite request (so long as you aren't asking them to give up an aisle/window for a center!).

Edited January 3, 2014 by Artemis

[rhenzejr]

Purchased early bird six months before scheduled flight and was in category B. Not very happy.

 

Not worrying, wife and myself will get blue cards

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[SandyAtSea]

Thanks. I'm not too concerned about boarding but we would like 3 seats together. Has anyone not had early bird and had trouble getting seats together? (sorry to hijack OP!) :o

 

 

My advice is, Don't Do It. Get Early Bird for at least one of your party and that person can save seats. You probably will find two seats together without EB but three together kind of unlikely since you'll probably be in the late B or C boarding group. Depends on the route, of course, but for sure Southwest is going to be flying 100% full out of cruise ports on cruise day.

[m*u*g*]

You will like get an A group automatically, but obviously, this is not guaranteed and they state this in the disclosure. If more than a certain number (unknown #) of passengers pay the early bird price, some will be in B or higher.

[emen822]

Thanks all. It's me and my sisters travelling so we don't HAVE to be together but would like to. :) They both have credit that they need to use for Southwest so they will likely buy an early bird for our return flight and I'll be stuck in the middle seat. ;)

Edited January 3, 2014 by emen822

[Eng23]

As I understand it, if you choose Early Bird check in Southwest automatically checks you in 36 hours prior to your flight. Anyone else that does not purchase Early Bird check in has to wait until 24 hours prior to begin checking in. I have always received an "A" group when using Early Bird (so far) but do know that if there are a lot of Early Bird folks it's possible to get a "B" group.

Edited January 3, 2014 by Eng23

[DragonOfTheSeas]

Purchased early bird six months before scheduled flight and was in category B. Not very happy.

 

Correct, normal check-in time for Southwest is exactly 24 hours before the flight.

 

When Early Bird first started, not many used it and it was still possible to get an "A" number by checking in 24 hours in advance. Now, depending on the flight, it's not so easy without Early Bird. In fact, sometimes we get "A" numbers in the 50's even with Early Bird. Basically, it's as if Southwest raised prices $12.50 per flight.

 

We used Early Bird check in for our recent TA for the first time. We were told that they would check us in 36 hours before the flight. Regular check in is 24 hrs. They mentioned that their "priority program" [do not remember the name] would be checked in first. My number would depend on how many of them there are on the flight. We got A-30 and A-31. :)

 

We were able to get aisle seats so I was happy. I was a little surprised there were that many people before us. :confused:

[Clarea]

We used Early Bird check in for our recent TA for the first time. We were told that they would check us in 36 hours before the flight. Regular check in is 24 hrs. They mentioned that their "priority program" [do not remember the name] would be checked in first. My number would depend on how many of them there are on the flight. We got A-30 and A-31. :)

 

We were able to get aisle seats so I was happy. I was a little surprised there were that many people before us. :confused:

The first 15 numbers are reserved for Business Select fares, so there were not that many Economy fares ahead of you.

[cjnalley]

Purchased early bird six months before scheduled flight and was in category B. Not very happy.

 

Same thing happened to us. Asked why and was told it was because of the price we paid for the ticket.

[cruisinfanatic]

Same thing happened to us. Asked why and was told it was because of the price we paid for the ticket.

totally not true. Who told you that one?

[booze brothers]

We used our points, had early bird and I got A 24. Can't get much cheaper than free.

 

Others traveling with us got numbers in the B category and they also had early bird.

[tinkerme1]

Early Bird is really nice if you have a LONG flight. If you are on a flight that is 1 1/2 hours or less, you may find that Early Bird isn't worth the price.

 

Early Bird does NOT guarantee an A Boarding Pass! It all depends on many things, each of which has nothing to do with the other. Date you bought your ticket, how much you paid for your ticket, if you are flying on a free pass, and how many bought Early Bird are all some of the criteria for deciding what Boarding Pass you receive.

 

I fly often with SW Airlines and usually buy Early Bird since I'm flying to Florida from Las Vegas. I have been assigned an A, B or C Boarding Pass on some of my flights. Nothing is guaranteed!

 

If you really want to get to the front of the line, 40 minutes before the flight takes off you may be able to pay $40 and get an A1 - 15 Pass if there are any available. You buy this at the Gate.:D

[derekmcsd]

We usually purchase Early Bird for the return flight. The outgoing flight we're at home so we can do the *very exciting* 24-hour check in.

 

We've always gotten A boarding with the Early Bird, however, it is not guaranteed.

 

 

That's great advice!!

[DragonOfTheSeas]

The first 15 numbers are reserved for Business Select fares, so there were not that many Economy fares ahead of you.

 

OK--that makes sense. Thanks! :)

 

In our case we were just glad to have them check us in. We bought an internet package--but, were not sure we would be able to check in on line on the ship. [did not know about printers, if there would be lines waiting to use the computers, etc]