Maleficent61
Member
Spend the extra money for the early bird. You won't regret it.
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Southwest query...
- Thread starter draybook
- Start date
I normally log in to the Southwest site about a week before we leave and if the flight is sold out, I will buy the early bird check in. If it isn't sold out, I have never had a problem getting a decent position at the 24 hour mark.
For those that like to skip the early bird purchase and have access to a computer that is always running, you can search Google for "Auto Check-In To Southwest Flights". It is a tapermonkey script that can run in chrome and automatically check you in. You just go to the southwest check in page and enter your conf#, time, and date of flight and leave the browser window open. The script will automatically check you in at the desired time.
This script is especially useful for your return flight, as it is easy to forget to check in at the 24 hour mark while on vacation.
For those that like to skip the early bird purchase and have access to a computer that is always running, you can search Google for "Auto Check-In To Southwest Flights". It is a tapermonkey script that can run in chrome and automatically check you in. You just go to the southwest check in page and enter your conf#, time, and date of flight and leave the browser window open. The script will automatically check you in at the desired time.
This script is especially useful for your return flight, as it is easy to forget to check in at the 24 hour mark while on vacation.
CheshireCat12
Well-Known Member
[QUOTE="BigTxEars, post: 6073456, member: 78069"Last thing is remember to check in 24 hours before you flight out of Orlando. Most times we are at a park 24 hours exactly before we depart so just carry your phone with you to check in, and remember that confirmation number that time too. Don't ask how I know 
I used to stick the family on a ride, wait on a bench and bam check in 24 hours before we fly. It kinda sucks though because you are already on your last day in the park and then you have to check into your flight out of Orlando as well. That can be a double whammy of depression.[/QUOTE]
Ha! I just did this recently- sat down at Tom Sawyer Island launch and had the SWA app open- BOOM! Exactly the moment it was 24 hrs before departure I got in and got A-20 something. That's the way to do it!
I don't ever buy Early Bird- as long as you are on top of your 24 hr window you will be fine.
I used to stick the family on a ride, wait on a bench and bam check in 24 hours before we fly. It kinda sucks though because you are already on your last day in the park and then you have to check into your flight out of Orlando as well. That can be a double whammy of depression.
[/QUOTE]Ha! I just did this recently- sat down at Tom Sawyer Island launch and had the SWA app open- BOOM! Exactly the moment it was 24 hrs before departure I got in and got A-20 something. That's the way to do it!
I don't ever buy Early Bird- as long as you are on top of your 24 hr window you will be fine.
BigTxEars
Well-Known Member
[QUOTE="BigTxEars, post: 6073456, member: 78069"Last thing is remember to check in 24 hours before you flight out of Orlando. Most times we are at a park 24 hours exactly before we depart so just carry your phone with you to check in, and remember that confirmation number that time too. Don't ask how I know
I used to stick the family on a ride, wait on a bench and bam check in 24 hours before we fly. It kinda sucks though because you are already on your last day in the park and then you have to check into your flight out of Orlando as well. That can be a double whammy of depression.
Ha! I just did this recently- sat down at Tom Sawyer Island launch and had the SWA app open- BOOM! Exactly the moment it was 24 hrs before departure I got in and got A-20 something. That's the way to do it!
I don't ever buy Early Bird- as long as you are on top of your 24 hr window you will be fine.[/QUOTE]
Agree, like I said I am not we ever needed it but it was just for piece of mind.
Family boarding is now between a and b group and it is limited to one adult per young child. Grammy and Pappy will have to board based on their number.
Actually, buying Early Bird does not ensure that you'll get a good seat. Coming from a frequent Southwest flyer, I understand this. What if 50 people buy Early Bird? You're pretty much wasting $12 and not getting a good seat because 49 people ahead of you bought Early Bird.
I always check in the second the clock hits 24 hours before my flight and I usually always get a good seat. I've never bought Early Bird and don't really see the need to.
HRHPrincessAriel
Well-Known Member
[QUOTE="BigTxEars, post: 6073456, member: 78069"Last thing is remember to check in 24 hours before you flight out of Orlando. Most times we are at a park 24 hours exactly before we depart so just carry your phone with you to check in, and remember that confirmation number that time too. Don't ask how I know
I used to stick the family on a ride, wait on a bench and bam check in 24 hours before we fly. It kinda sucks though because you are already on your last day in the park and then you have to check into your flight out of Orlando as well. That can be a double whammy of depression.
Ha! I just did this recently- sat down at Tom Sawyer Island launch and had the SWA app open- BOOM! Exactly the moment it was 24 hrs before departure I got in and got A-20 something. That's the way to do it!
I don't ever buy Early Bird- as long as you are on top of your 24 hr window you will be fine.[/QUOTE]
Ditto!
Tigger1988
Well-Known Member
Found Early Bird to be a massive waste. Bought it the first day flights were available for our trip and still ended up in group B. Not to mention there were tons of seats together.
Will never do that again.
Will never do that again.
B group generally has no problems with sitting together. C group not so much.
disney4life2008
Well-Known Member
A and B you will get a seat - as long as the plane is empty starting off. But if its a flight that makes stop along the way - B group is sketchy (especially with a family). C is worst of them all in any situation. And if your the last on the plane to get on - you can forget it.
JasonDeyoung
Well-Known Member
I've only flown SW once but getting the early bird check in I was glad I did.
tigger1968
Well-Known Member
I live in Huntsville, AL, which usually has the highest average airfares in the nation. We had AirTran until SW bought them, so there went our low cost carrier. Sooooo....back to SW out of B'ham or Nashville. We have never done Early Bird, but its just two of us and we check in 24 hours out and always end up in B Group. I do, however, see the reasoning for families to want to buy it. Every SW flight I have ever taken to Orlando is always a full flight it seems, no matter what city and what time of year. So we just get on and bail to the back of the plane and find two seats together.
Hrudey3032
Well-Known Member
I am taking a 4 day jaunt to Florida last week of July to drive my dad back and then flying SWA on way home. I purchased the early check in and sounds like I am glad I did!
SAV
Well-Known Member
Our family of 4 just flew SWA for our trip earlier this month and didn't do early bird. I just was at the computer 5 minutes before the 24 hour mark and I got B14 for the flight out and late A group(Middle of the second row that boards) and we secured 4 seats together at mid plane. On the way there we took an entire row and one aisle seat. On the way back we ended up splitting so we each had an aisle seat and a middle seat.
HRHPrincessAriel
Well-Known Member
disney4life2008
Well-Known Member
I live in Huntsville, AL, which usually has the highest average airfares in the nation. We had AirTran until SW bought them, so there went our low cost carrier. Sooooo....back to SW out of B'ham or Nashville. We have never done Early Bird, but its just two of us and we check in 24 hours out and always end up in B Group. I do, however, see the reasoning for families to want to buy it. Every SW flight I have ever taken to Orlando is always a full flight it seems, no matter what city and what time of year. So we just get on and bail to the back of the plane and find two seats together.
AirTrain was an amazing airline. We had it out in Bloomington, IL and I could park at the airport for free and they usually had rates to MCO (through ATL) for as cheap as $69. Now SW has taken over ATL and Bloomington no longer has a low cost carrier so I have went to Indianapolis Airport to Southwest - where MCO flights average about $140 one way. I do not understand how southwest expanded its market but the prices went up substantially.
tigger1968
Well-Known Member
I saw the same thing. AirTran was $99 each way to MCO from Huntsville, which is an amazing price. With SW flying out of Nashville and Birmingham, AirTran pulled out of Huntsville as soon as they could. Fares on Delta went up to about $200 each way. Huntsville is still trying to find a low cost carrier, and in the meantime they just offer the airlines subsidies to lower the prices here. The whole thing is a frustrating mess.
