Post your Southwest Airline boarding pass results!

[Sea Hag]

Recent trip: outbound A23 and A 18. Homeward, A20 and A19. This worked better than I thought it might. People were very cooperative and it all went smoothly. I imagine it doesn't happen that way all the time.

[canadianfam]

Thank you Zebra36 & Sea Hag for your explanations. I think I finally got it!

 

Now let's just hope that this will translate into at least 1 aisle seat!

[Mt Lassen]

4/29: RNO to LAX checked in at 24 hour mark A30, A31.

5/09: LAX to RNO Early Bird A19, A20.

[AuzzieCruiser]

I flew Austin-Houston return just under 2 weeks ago. Being from Australia, I had no idea what to expect. I checked in online at the 24 hour mark and got A43 with no EBC. At the airport in Austin, I had no idea what to do!!:o Good thing that they announce the process for the newbies.:p

Once I checked in for my flight to Houston, I decided to pay the $10 for the EBC.

When I checked in at Houston I was given A31. There were only about 18 people that boarded before me. Both flights were pretty full. There were 3 empty seats on the way out (one next to me in the back) and 7 coming back. Four of those seats were in the back. I always prefer a window at the back of the plane. I'm in no hurry to get anywhere when the plane lands!!

A few days later we flew Austin to LAX. Due to my mums mobilty issues, she requires more time to board. We also do get an additional seat as well. We checked in at the Counter and got the B boarding group. We went to the gate and got the Blue Sleeve. We were amongst the first to board and got Row 4.

Next time I'm in the US, I'll use Southwest again or Jetblue.

[gooselace]

Read most of the messages here, and am still confused. While I was away in Europe, my husband booked round trip flight IAD-MDW on SW, and paid the early boarding premium, which I never do. I have always had good look with checking in at the 24 hr. mark, but now am wondering if I should even bother. Am I likely to get him a better seat - he's a big guy and really needs an aisle seat - if I do? Any advice (except divorce) welcome.

[FlaGrl4Evr]

We paid early bird boarding at got A16 and A17 outbound and A22 and A23 return.

[hcat]

My understanding of EB is that SWA will automatically check you in 36 hours before departure (12 hours earlier than non-EB passengers) and at that time your boarding group letter and number is assigned. When checking in at the airport your boarding pass is printed then you know what boarding group you will be in.

 

If you are not comfortable waiting until checking in at the airport and want to check on your boarding pass number sooner you could do so but then why spend the $10 per person for EB if you plan to check in to see your boarding pass number prior to arriving at the airport? The way I see it is that EB makes it less of a hassel for me to try and find a computer and check in especially when it may be be convenient at the end of a cruise. I just need to have faith that hopefully I will have something other than a C boarding group when traveling with my DH. 99% of the time I doubt if I will pay the extra for EB but depending upon timing of my flights I think it is worth it - especially when cruising. I really wish SWA would go to booking seat assignments but don't think that will happen anytime soon.

 

We have a similar discussion going on the Royal Carib threads..

 

we have had two good experiences when checking our EB status from home (even with having to change planes) but when we got our EB status on board ship with the slow computers we got a high A number--

 

How does the computer actually assign your EB number?-- we have been told it goes by statue of Reward member first but we still got a bad number-- Is it assigned randomly, in order that you paid for your tix or when you check your EB status-- knowing this will help us decide our future starategy--

 

on the last flight (first leg from San Diego to Balto) I got stuck next to a huge person who really needed two seats--not worth any extra money!!

 

very helpful thread here so far...

[parody]

How does the computer actually assign your EB number?-- we have been told it goes by statue of Reward member first but we still got a bad number-- Is it assigned randomly, in order that you paid for your tix or when you check your EB status-- knowing this will help us decide our future strategy

 

From the Southwest website:

EarlyBird Check-in Customers will have the opportunity to board immediately following the limited number of passengers in the Business Select and A-List groups

 

Basically, therefore, boarding positions are assigned first to Business Select and Rapid Reward A customers. Then at 36 hours prior to the flight, other folks who purchased EB get assigned numbers in order of when they purchased the ticket, except Customers who have purchased Anytime Fares will receive priority over other fare types during the initial boarding position assignment. EB stops at 25 hours prior to the flight and reverts to the regular boarding assignment process. Thus, your actual boarding number is a function of other factors outside of your control.

[hcat]

From the Southwest website:

 

Basically, therefore, boarding positions are assigned first to Business Select and Rapid Reward A customers. Then at 36 hours prior to the flight, other folks who purchased EB get assigned numbers in order of when they purchased the ticket, except Customers who have purchased Anytime Fares will receive priority over other fare types during the initial boarding position assignment. EB stops at 25 hours prior to the flight and reverts to the regular boarding assignment process. Thus, your actual boarding number is a function of other factors outside of your control.

 

Thanks--DH usually handles our SW stuff so I appreciate this assistance. I hope you can help a bit more. We are Rap. Rewards Customers but what is a Rapid Rewards A customer & how do we get to be one if we are not one?

 

Seems we need not kill ourselves to check exactly at the 36 hr point b/c that does not determine the ranking...

[parody]

We are Rap. Rewards Customers but what is a Rapid Rewards A customer & how do we get to be one if we are not one?

 

Rapid Reward A customers are very frequent users of Southwest. Basically, one needs to fly 16 roundtrips (32 one-way flights) in 12 months to earn Rapid Rewards A-List status. Search their website for benefits and other program details.

[Globaliser]

Rapid Reward A customers are very frequent users of Southwest. Basically, one needs to fly 16 roundtrips (32 one-way flights) in 12 months to earn Rapid Rewards A-List status. Search their website for benefits and other program details.

Do you mean to say that Southwest also has "elitists" amongst their customers who get more benefits than normal passengers?

 

Fie!

 

;)

[parody]

Do you mean to say that Southwest also has "elitists" amongst their customers who get more benefits than normal passengers?

 

Yes, and credits earned using a CC do not count to being an A. Click here for details.

[GottaLuvCruising]

Hubby on SWA right now, Orlando to Manchester. EBCI added just a couple weeks ago and he got A25. He sent a text that he was in the aisle seat of the exit row (happy, happy, joy, joy!)

 

We are booking SWA to Las Vegas again and will most definitely add EBCI.

[Toto2Kansas]

Just returned from a SW flight. Paid the $10 for each of us both ways. Received A19 and A20 on both flights, which meant we were the 4th and 5th passengers to board after the pre-boarding (which was a bit of a farce, from what we saw, I didn't realize being gastly overweight (not A-list passengers) got you a pre-boarding pass, which is how it seemed to be on both flights for many of those pre-boarding). :(

[High C's]

We have never flown Southwest, and I am glad I came across this thread! Would someone mind answering a couple of questions:

- is the only benefit to booking Business Class the fact that you get to board the aircraft before anyone else?

- If I purchase the cheapest fare, along with the $10 early booking option, will I still be assigned my boarding number before someone who paid a more expensive fare, but log in at the 24 hour mark (not paying the $10)?

- And finally, is Southwest one of the airlines that you can check your luggage in FLL as soon as you disembark, rather than at the airport?

Thanks!:)

[Cuizer2]

I thought it would be interesting to start a thread that tells:

1. Did you purchase the early bird boarding?

2. What were your boarding pass numbers?

 

We have a flight to Las Vegas tomorrow (totally unrelated to cruising!) I did not pay the early bird fee for boarding.

 

We got A35 and A36. I'm pleased.

 

We aren't going to have computer access at the 24 hour mark for the return flight, so I'm going to have our daughter check us in. I hope she has good luck for us!

 

I flew on Southwest on January 8, 2010 from LAX to Oakland. I paid the extra fee and ended up with boarding pass number one in both directions.

[Toto2Kansas]

We have never flown Southwest' date=' and I am glad I came across this thread! Would someone mind answering a couple of questions:[/font']

 

- is the only benefit to booking Business Class the fact that you get to board the aircraft before anyone else?

 

- If I purchase the cheapest fare, along with the $10 early booking option, will I still be assigned my boarding number before someone who paid a more expensive fare, but log in at the 24 hour mark (not paying the $10)?

 

- And finally, is Southwest one of the airlines that you can check your luggage in FLL as soon as you disembark, rather than at the airport?

 

Thanks!:)

 

Business class has the same exact seats as everyone else on the plane, the only benefit I know of is that you get to board first (definitely not worth the price IMHO).

If you purchase the cheapest fare and pay the $10 fee each way per person, they will automatically check you in at the 36 hour mark (others can't check in that didn't pay the fee until the 24 hour mark), and you will be assigned an earlier boarding number.

We just returned from Fort Lauderdale last Sunday and Southwest was not included in the EZ check program. I have the list in front of me and the airlines that participate are Air Tran, AA, Continental, Jet Blue, United and US airways.

[High C's]

Thanks Toto! I think we are going to give Southwest a try in November. The prices for Nov are not out yet, but basing it on the last week of October, their prices are at least $100 cheaper than JetBlue (Buffalo to FLL), and $250 cheaper than any flight I can get out of Toronto!

[sml3]

Leaving tomorrow morning from Chicago to Fort Lauderdale. Did not do EB and checked-in at the 24 hour mark. Received B20-B25. Just how bad is this? Did do EB for return flight as I will be cruising and didn't want to worry about checking in. So-any comments on the B20? Will we get crappy seats?

[mjesf]

I checked in right at the 24 hour mark:

 

SFO - AUS (via LAX)

 

A29 (SFO - LAX)

A21 (LAX - AUS)

 

AUS - SFO (via SAN)

 

A31 (AUS - SAN)

A16 (SAN - SFO) Yes, I did sit in the exit row!

[Cuizer2]

Leaving tomorrow morning from Chicago to Fort Lauderdale. Did not do EB and checked-in at the 24 hour mark. Received B20-B25. Just how bad is this? Did do EB for return flight as I will be cruising and didn't want to worry about checking in. So-any comments on the B20? Will we get crappy seats?

 

All the seats are the same.

[sml3]

All the seats are the same.

 

:confused: I guess I need to rephrase to make my question clearer and not cause confusion-will we get a crappy seat location/selection? Will we all get to sit together? But thanks for your input. :rolleyes:

[Cuizer2]

:confused: I guess I need to rephrase-will we get a crappy seat location/selection? Will we all get to sit together? But thanks for your input. :rolleyes:

 

There are only 20 people in front of you. I'm sure you will have no trouble sitting together.

[sml3]

There are only 20 people in front of you. I'm sure you will have no trouble sitting together.

 

Oh. I thought Business Class boarded first and then all A boarders. We are B20. Now you have me really confused.

[6rugrats]

Oh. I thought Business Class boarded first and then all A boarders. We are B20. Now you have me really confused.

No one can tell you how many people will board before you. You are correct; first people to board are unaccompanied minors and customers with disabilities. Then they board Business Select and A-list customers. Then group A boards (60 people). Before Group B boards, families are allowed to board. Then Group B & finally Group C boards.

 

In addition to all of that, there could be people already seated on the plane because your flight is a connection from somewhere else.

 

You will have far more than 20 people in front of you.