Departing Flight Check In

mkb3

DIS Veteran

Joined

Mar 9, 2017

• Jan 27, 2020

• #1

We are flying SW and debating if we should get Early Bird Check in for our flights home so we can get seats together. If we save the free 50mb given on day one we should have enough data to check in on the last day correct? Of course assuming we do not use any data the rest of the time.

 

Lynne G

DIS Veteran

Joined

Mar 29, 2009

• Jan 27, 2020

• #2

I guess it's up to you as to whether you want to risk having enough data to get online to check in, or otherwise, just pay the Early Bird, and enjoy your last day of sailing. Me, I just pay for Early Bird, I just think of it as my suitcase fee, and even with adding that cost, the fight is still cheaper than other lines from where I fly from.

Though I have been known to check in while in the Orlando amusement parks. Never tried from a ship.

 

allears

"If I were not upon the sea..." I'd want to be!

Joined

Jul 20, 2002

• Jan 27, 2020

• #3

We always do early bird check in for our return flights home, as we are either on CC the day before we fly or in one of the parks. I prefer not to worry about it or deal with data or slow internet.

 

Geomom

DIS Veteran

Joined

May 17, 2010

• Jan 27, 2020

• #4

I would do the early bird check in for the flight home. When DH did the free 50mb, his phone went right through it because there just always seems to be something still trying to auto update no matter how many things you turn off. You never know how good the internet connection will be on the ship either... We always do early bird when we're on trips with the kids. DH and I are doing a parks trip by ourselves in April and will just checkin from the parks at 24 hrs...it really doesn't matter if we sit together or not...we're used to flying with 1 kid next to each of us, so we're never next to each other anyways...

 

C

celina14

Mouseketeer

Joined

Aug 26, 2013

• Jan 27, 2020

• #5

Are you flying with kids and what are their ages? For Southwest, Early Check-in doesn't necessarily guarantee you a Group A boarding - it depends on other things such as how many of certain fares are sold and other passengers' airline status and how many other purchased Early Check-in. So, you could very well end up in Group B. However, for families traveling with kids 6 and under, they get to board between A and B so if you fit that, you may get earlier boarding than you would with the Early Check-in. We aren't doing it for that reason since my son is 5.

 

mkb3

DIS Veteran

Joined

Mar 9, 2017

• Jan 27, 2020

• #6

My wife told y'all get to get Early Bird didn't she? haha. I'll suck it up and pay the extra money. Just three of us and our daughter is 8 so we cannot do family boarding.

 

L

lklgoodman

DIS Veteran

Joined

Jul 25, 2016

• Jan 27, 2020

• #7

mkb3 said:

My wife told y'all get to get Early Bird didn't she? haha. I'll suck it up and pay the extra money. Just three of us and our daughter is 8 so we cannot do family boarding.

Click to expand...

We are also a family of three and I as always get it. You'll be glad you got it, one less thing to take care of at the end of the cruise.

 

ladyofthetramp

DIS Veteran

Joined

Apr 3, 2014

• Jan 27, 2020

• #8

Frequent SW flyer here. Just get the early bird-then you don't have to think about it. Roll it in to the cost of vacation. Enjoy your cruise!

 

C

celina14

Mouseketeer

Joined

Aug 26, 2013

• Jan 27, 2020

• #9

If you can't do family boarding then I'd just do the Early Bird

 

LeiaOfAlderaan

DIS Veteran

Joined

Nov 6, 2017

• Jan 27, 2020

• #10

I agree with everyone else to go ahead and purchase it for the flight back. Also, purchase as soon as possible. I learned the hard way that the later you buy it, the higher your boarding number.

 

R

RX8

Earning My Ears

Joined

Jul 3, 2018

• Jan 27, 2020

• #11

We were able to utilize our free 50 MB WIFI while on Castaway Cay to do the on-line check-in.

 

J

javander0524

Earning My Ears

Joined

Oct 30, 2019

• Jan 27, 2020

• #12

If you have your flight number and time, guest services can check in for you

 

M

Maggie'sMom

DIS Veteran

Joined

Feb 26, 2008

• Jan 27, 2020

• #13

I always get Early Bird for our flights home. I don't want to stress about where I am at the 24 hour mark.

 

MomOTwins

The Mommy Fairy

Joined

Mar 5, 2018

• Jan 27, 2020

• #14

The 50MB goes a loooong way if you carefully follow the printed instructions from the desk about what to shut down on your phone, and remember to log off every time you use it when you are finished so it doesn't keep using data when you are done. Ours lasted an entire 7 day cruise, and I checked work and personal email, and sent photos to my parents via whatsapp every day. I remember chatting with someone at the pool who was complaining about how his data just disappeared in an hour after he logged in. So I asked him if he turned off his icloud backup, automatic app updates, and location services, and he said no. That'll burn right through your data!