suze

Can someone kindly talk me thru Southwest boarding process? Tips & tricks for getting the seat you want?

I know they go by groups, and I know you group is a letter on your boarding pass.

Can you improve your situation by checking in early online? How early? Anything else??

This is for my sister flying SW for the 1st time (and I never have to be able to help).

gracias, Susana

laurie_ann

Here's their explanation:

https://www.southwest.com/html/trave...the-plane.html

(They call in on their website "boarding school".)

laurie_ann

The only thing that link doesn't tell you about is the "early bird" supplement you can pay (I think $15) to get your boarding number assigned in advance of passengers who don't pay for it. I think you can go back into your reservation on line and add it even if you bought your ticket previously.

suze

Yes thank you. I read that before posting. But that is about "boarding the plane" once you are at the airport.

I'm asking how you get your group letter assignment in the first place. How do you get to be an "A"?

Thanks again.

janisj

>>How do you get to be an "A"?<<

It really depends on the route/specific flight. If it's a route/time of day w/ lots of business travelers booking premium fares, many if not most of the A group will be gone even before the early bird assignments. If she absolutely must get an A or high B number (which is also good) she should fork over the extra $15 for early bird. The only other way to have a good chance for A/high B is to check in exactly 24 hours before the flight time. But the paid Early Birds will already be assigned by then.

Groups are assigned in order: 1) Premium full fare (I forget now what it is called), 2) early bird, 3) on-line check in, 4) in person at the airport.

annw

I pay for early bird ($15) and then check in on line at 24 hours ahead. Usually get around spot #15-20.

janisj

annw: >>I pay for early bird ($15) and then check in on line at 24 hours ahead<<

If you pay for early bird there is absolutely no reason (at all) to then check in 24 hours ahead. Your checking in is doing nothing at all. The early birds are already assigned before the 24 hour mark. All that is happening is the are telling you what number you got via early bird. You;d get that same # if you wait to check in/print your boarding pass at the airport.

If you get 15-20 using early bird I'm curious where you are flying from. At SMF for most flights the business travelers almost always fill the first 20 or 25 slots. But Southwest has over half of the market here so a LOT if business travelers use it.

I use early bird about half the time for flights out (a lot depends on how inconvenient my flight time is). But I almost always use it for my return flights. If I'm walking around Disneyland or driving to Portland I don't want to have to stop and check in.

tom42

Checking in right at the 24 hour mark would likely get your sister somewhere in the B group, which should be fine as far as seat choice once you get on the plane. I've also paid for the early bird check-in a few times and landed in the lower A group. What is nice about the early-bird is that you don't have to be at your computer or phone at exactly 24 hours prior to the flight to check in. You can check in at your leisure.

suze

Thanks everyone. I think what tom42 (and others) clarified is what should work for her (to keep track and check in online at the 24 prior mark).

This is Portland - Oakland transfer - onto Puerto Vallarta. So not terribly long flights. And she's not too picky. I was just hoping for her not to get stuck in a middle seat in the last row next to the bathroom ;-)

tom42

Suze - is she joining you in Puerto Vallarta?

suze

Si si senor. I'll be in town for 4 weeks and she's joining me the last 10 days of the trip.

annw

Janis, I defer to your knowledge, but when I check in at the 24 h mark vs. later on, with Early Bird, I always get an earlier A segment/lower number. Just luck? Maybe. But I'll keep checking in early, as the pattern is consistent.

We fly SFO-Den and back.

scdreamer

I have noticed that as time passes, and apparently more passengers are clued in to check in at the very earliest moment possible (and I have always been one to do that) - the line assignments have been getting further and further back. If I check in at exactly 24 hours - I am lucky to get a B 30.

lately I have paid the $15 early bird fee, and usually am in the A 15-30.

You can also pay about $30 at the gate and be one of the first to board. I have done that only one time - when I had a short connection to a flight on another airline, and I wanted to be sure to sit at the front of the plane in order to get off as quickly as possible.

janisj

annw: you can continue doing anything you like -- just letting you know that checking in after one has paid for Early Bird does nothing at all.

But like a superstitious gambler or baseball player -- if you think doing something increases your odds, go ahead

Doesn't hurt, but it really is totally unnecessary. Unfortunately there is no way to prove it to you because say you don't check in next flight, and get a B Group you'll just 'know' it was because you didn't check in.

annw

Yes, I do see your point Janis and no need to prove anything; actually I always get Earlybird so fortunately will not end up in B; on SW am usually on a tight schedule and need overhead for my carry-on-only. The 16-30 zone works for me.

Suze let us know how it went with your sister.

suze

Turns out she had already paid the $15 extra fee when she bought her ticket, before I even thought to ask this question on her behalf. Said she didn't want to mess around -haha- smart girl

Nevertheless, I thank everyone for your advice and assistance!

Barbara

I flew Southwest from SAN to STL last Friday and had early check in. My boarding number was B18. I usually get an A and less than 30, but not this time.