For those that purchase early bird on SW, what is most important to you?

Jillpie

Can you package some Main St. music and send it to
Joined
Apr 30, 2002
After many years of flying, we just recently started flying SW. Even though I always purchase EB for us, I still feel anxiety before boarding without having seat assignments! It feels stupid, but I do. So far we've gotten A seats, we tend to go toward the middle of the plane and hope nobody sits between us, we've been lucky a few times so far. Anyway, tell me why you buy EB, is it just to be able to sit together, or a certain location on the plane?
 
For me, it's that I want to get on the plane and not stand around waiting any longer than I have to!!! People at airports annoy me...everyone stands there, waiting. At least with SW, there aren't any 'gate gnats'...everyone has their specific place in line.
But, I like to sit forward of the wing, window seat. Dh likes the aisle. And if I can get an exit row, so much the better. EBCI helps with that.
 
For me, it depends on the flight. If it's a nonstop then my first priority is usually a window seat toward the front. If there's a connection then I want to be as close to the front as possible and I'll take any seat that gets me there. Most of my flying is solo but when I do fly with my DH, we usually don't have a problem finding two seats together.
 
Two reasons - I don't have to worry about checking in at 24 hours. I've forgotten in the past and was stuck with a C number and was separated from my spouse and stuck in a middle seat. I was more bothered by the middle seat than than being separated from by spouse. :) Which brings me to my second reason - seat location. My husband and I both prefer aisle seats so we always sit across from each other.
 


We have three people so I buy it to make sure we sit in the same row. I will usually will take the first open row when we board which is around mid plane.
 
Getting on the flight, and my DH (tall) does best by the window, so I want to be able to snag one. I am NOT a people person, so a middle seat would not be a good idea for me. I need window or aisle.. $15 almost guarantees that for me.
 
For me, there are two reasons.

First, we usually fly out on a 6am flight or earlier - particularly if we're going to MCO (options are limited from the PNW if you want to arrive before midnight), and I Judy don't want to have to bother with getting up early to check-in at the T-24 mark. Similar rationale coming home - don't want to have to think about checking in.

The second, and for me more important reason, is that I'm 6'6". Getting EBCI improves my chances of getting an exit row seat with a bit more leg room. Those couple of extra inches mean a great deal to me!

Steve
 


We always buy EBCI. There are two reasons.

On all flights, we prefer window and aisle and like to be in the front half of the plane. Most flights between MDW and MCO are full these days, but there once was a time when we would end up with an empty seat between us. Still, we stick with the window and aisle arrangement, since we spend a lot of time together anyway and so don't need to be next to one another on a flight where we'll each be reading, watching a movie, listening to music, or otherwise using portable electronic devices.

On the flight home (from just about anywhere), we're usually busy at the 24-hour mark, since we mostly fly home in the afternoon. EBCI eliminates the need to be online right at T-24 to try for a decent boarding position.
 
I buy Early Bird for the flight home so that I don't have to worry about checking in 24 hours a head of time. I forgot to do that once and we ended up in boarding group C with only six people with numbers after ours.

I started to buy early bird for the flight there because we really like being near the front of the plane. That way we get off faster than if we sat farther back.
 
I've purchased it in the past so I can guarantee that my pre-teen daughter will be assured that she can sit with either me or my husband. We can't do family boarding, obviously because of her age, but she still isn't old enough yet that she is comfortable taking the chance that she would have to sit next to a stranger. I know chances are that we could still find two seats together without EB, but it gives me and her peace of mind. That is worth the cost to me.
 
I always purchase EB because I like to make sure there is an area in the overhead for my bag. The stress of thinking they may make me check my bag at the gate ( and then increase the chance of having to walk around in the same cloths for 2 days ) drives me over the edge. Purchasing EB has just made that part of boarding so much less stressful.
 
When we fly as a family of 5 we need 2 rows. I like them back to back so the child most likely to kick the seat in front of him will be seated behind a family member. Plus I'm paranoid I will forget to check in at 24 hours.
 
After many years of flying, we just recently started flying SW. Even though I always purchase EB for us, I still feel anxiety before boarding without having seat assignments! It feels stupid, but I do. So far we've gotten A seats, we tend to go toward the middle of the plane and hope nobody sits between us, we've been lucky a few times so far. Anyway, tell me why you buy EB, is it just to be able to sit together, or a certain location on the plane?
Don't you sit beside one another?
 
We do it for the ease of not having to check in 24 hours ahead, we are usually in Disney or on a cruise so it's not easy. It's just my sister and I, our strategy is this.

When we board we look halfway down the plane, there will be a Southwest attendant standing where the exit rows are, if there are not people around her then we beeline it to the exit row for the extra room. This however pretty much guarantees we won't have a row to ourselves as someone will fill that empty third seat because of the extra legroom. By the way the attendant just stands there to make sure that anyone that sits in that row is appropriately capable of operating the exit door, if they are standing in the only available row just ask them to move and they will.

If those rows are taken We take the first available empty row as far front as possible. This in my opinion increases the chances of a row to yourself. Later boarders will continue to the back of the plane hoping to avoid the dreaded middle seat that all pairs have left open on the hopes of keeping a row. Once they get to the back and all rows are full they will start back towards the front but usually take any first available seat and don't make it back up to the front. If someone does ask to take our middle seat, we both then exit the row and give that person the window and we sit together on the aisle.
 
1) I buy EBCI because I live in a .. City of 1.5 million .. County of 3.5 million

that usually translates to a full flight and possibly more EBCI's purchased.

2) I prefer a aisle seat .. so I can get up without bumping into others.

3) The $30.00 EBCI is approximately equal to (one checked bag) fee on other

airlines (one way .. not round trip)

4) My tickets are usually purchased via Rapid Rewards Points

and my Round Trip out-of-pocket is .. TSA ($5.60 x 2) + EBCI ($15.00 x 2)

the total is $41.20 .. per person.

 
Last edited:
OP here, fascinating answers, thank you everyone! Glad I asked this question, so many varied responses.
 
I don't do it. Because I don't care. DS and I were separated by rows on a United flight when he was 8 or so. (Flight paid for by miles with nasty weather on the opposite coast that caused equipment to not be on our coast and things got changed around) We survived. And since then I simply don't care. We're seasoned travelers. We homeschool and spend scads of time together and don't need to be connected at the armrest.

And it's never actually been an issue on SW. But if it became an issue it wouldn't matter.
 

GET A DISNEY VACATION QUOTE

Dreams Unlimited Travel is committed to providing you with the very best vacation planning experience possible. Our Vacation Planners are experts and will share their honest advice to help you have a magical vacation.

Let us help you with your next Disney Vacation!





Top