Southwest - Do I need to pay for early check in?

[Allison]

Wow. Did you still get a good seat with those numbers? Did you buy the EB at different times?

The B20 actually got me 3rd row aisle which I was shocked about. I bought the EB when I purchased my ticket. Both flights were my legs into and out of MCO.

UPDATE: I booked this flight prior to Southwest's system change. When the system changed, my confirmation number changed as it was a duplicate number that another person had. Looking through my emails, I purchased EBCI, the number changed, and then I changed the flight. Somehow, in all of this my EBCI dropped off.

 

[Rich M]

The B20 actually got me 3rd row aisle which I was shocked about. I bought the EB when I purchased my ticket. Both flights were my legs into and out of MCO.

UPDATE: I booked this flight prior to Southwest's system change. When the system changed, my confirmation number changed as it was a duplicate number that another person had. Looking through my emails, I purchased EBCI, the number changed, and then I changed the flight. Somehow, in all of this my EBCI dropped off.

Oh I see. To get B40 though must have been frustrating after paying the $15 but I guess if most people are doing the EB then its understandable.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Oh I see. To get B40 though must have been frustrating after paying the $15 but I guess if most people are doing the EB then its understandable.

It really does depend on each flight. Some flights are going to have a lot of EBCIs or those with A-listers or those with Anytime Fares, etc and some flights won't. It's why just knowing that you may get B's even with EBCI is important.

 

[mommyrosa2]

OP... We fly SW all the time and find ourselves paying for EBCI more and more often now especially for our flights in and out of MCO. With so many families & pre-boards, we don't want to risk being spread out. Even though my girls are now older, I have one who is a nervous flyer so she wouldn't do well sitting alone. If the risk isn't worth it to you, then I would say pay for the early bird check-in at least for you and your little one with the allergy...as many have already said, getting folks to move to accommodate families is always an uncomfortable task.

 

[leebee]

I only buy EBCI for our flights home from MCO, because I usually don't want to have to leave a theme park at T-24hours to check in (I don't have a cell phone). (If our check in time is at a time when I KNOW we won't be in a park, I don't buy EB at all.) Other than that, I never (or almost never) purchase EBCI and have never had an issue getting 2 or 3 seats together. YMMV, it's a roll of the dice, but we've never had a problem.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

I pay for it and I go solo. Even with paying EBCI, it's been way cheaper than other Airlines for me plus I don't have to pay baggage fees. I prefer to sit near the front of the plane in a window seat and with EBCI I've always been able to get that seat.

With kids, I'd really pay for it if I wanted to sit with them. I've seen plenty of instances where people couldn't sit with their kids when they were too old for family boarding and the kids crying.

I gave up my seat to one Mother on my last trip so she could sit with her 9 year old girl who was bawling her eyes out that she couldn't sit with her Mom.
I ended up in a middle seat near the back of the plane. Normally I wouldn't have done it but that girl was seriously a mess so I figure she didn't fly much.
I did get a free glass of chardonnay for it - I'm not sure if the Mother paid for it or if the Flight Attendant did it as a thank you.

 

[goofy4tink]

This is a no brainer. If you don't mind being seated away from your traveling companions, don't buy EBCI. If you prefer to sit with them, buy it. Will it get you an A slot? No, not always. But it will get you in the B slot. EBCI is not purchased to get a better boarding slot (although it does help with that), it is there in order to have you checked in at the 36 hr window. Period.

Seriously....does anyone else here think this is just an evil plan on the part of SW? Gets us used to paying a bit more? And then the frenzy of 'I have to buy it in order to sit with my kids'. They've already raised the cost once.
I tend to go without it for my flights to Orlando. But I do get it for my flight home. I don't want to b worrying about where I am at that all important 24 hr window for checking in...I've missed it too many times. So, I let SW check me in. I have yet to get anything further back than B22, but I was by myself, so it wasn't a big deal.
And if I really want to be sure to get an exit row? I try to pay the extra to get in slots A1-15.

 

[DisDINK]

As I stated in an earlier post, we do it for all Disney flights...but thinking about it more, I have seen tons of oversold flights where people in the general boarding...even those who checked in at 24 hours out have gotten bumped off of flights...and I don't mean they volunteered...they straight up got bumped. To and from Orlando I have never seen them do it to families...always single or adult pairs. I have never seen them bump anyone who pays for ECBI though. I'm not saying that happens as a matter of practice or anything like that. I just thought back on my own experiences...

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

As I stated in an earlier post, we do it for all Disney flights...but thinking about it more, I have seen tons of oversold flights where people in the general boarding...even those who checked in at 24 hours out have gotten bumped off of flights...and I don't mean they volunteered...they straight up got bumped. To and from Orlando I have never seen them do it to families...always single or adult pairs. I have never seen them bump anyone who pays for ECBI though. I'm not saying that happens as a matter of practice or anything like that. I just thought back on my own experiences...

Please see the following:



Then here's the caveat:


_______________
If you're seeing a lot of overselling (as in actual overselling not overbooking which was stopped in May) you may want to reach out to SWA (could this be a flight route issue, an airport issue, etc). It would be strange IMO to see a lot of flights have aircraft changes and run into weight restrictions a lot which necessitated leaving a confirmed customer behind.

 

[sah95]

This is a no brainer. If you don't mind being seated away from your traveling companions, don't buy EBCI. If you prefer to sit with them, buy it. Will it get you an A slot? No, not always. But it will get you in the B slot. EBCI is not purchased to get a better boarding slot (although it does help with that), it is there in order to have you checked in at the 36 hr window. Period.

Seriously....does anyone else here think this is just an evil plan on the part of SW? Gets us used to paying a bit more? And then the frenzy of 'I have to buy it in order to sit with my kids'. They've already raised the cost once.
I tend to go without it for my flights to Orlando. But I do get it for my flight home. I don't want to b worrying about where I am at that all important 24 hr window for checking in...I've missed it too many times. So, I let SW check me in. I have yet to get anything further back than B22, but I was by myself, so it wasn't a big deal.
And if I really want to be sure to get an exit row? I try to pay the extra to get in slots A1-15.

I had no idea we could pay extra to be in slots A1-15. However, I already paid for EBCI. Can you direct me to the right area of the website to find this? Thanks so much!!!

 

[FCDub]

I had no idea we could pay extra to be in slots A1-15. However, I already paid for EBCI. Can you direct me to the right area of the website to find this? Thanks so much!!!

https://www.southwest.com/html/trav...x.html?clk=GFOOTER-PRODUCTS-UPGRADED-BOARDING

 

[goofy4tink]

I had no idea we could pay extra to be in slots A1-15. However, I already paid for EBCI. Can you direct me to the right area of the website to find this? Thanks so much!!!

I do it right at the gate.

 

[mhf]

I do it right at the gate.

Paying the $40 at the gate assumes at least one/two/however many you need of the A1-15 slots are empty. On occasion, people buy the Business Class tickets which are automatic A1-15 because that's all that's left to buy online. I had to buy SW Business Class tix last year to get to a funeral. Business Class SW was cheaper than other airlines bereavement.

In happier news, I printed my boarding passes today and with EB we got A43 and 44! The flight is listed as sold out so I don't know if the A1-15 slots are available at all for purchase at the gate so I'm glad I did EB.
See you soon, Mouse! Irma stopped us last time, Nate won't stop us now.

 

[goofy4tink]

Paying the $40 at the gate assumes at least one/two/however many you need of the A1-15 slots are empty. On occasion, people buy the Business Class tickets which are automatic A1-15 because that's all that's left to buy online. I had to buy SW Business Class tix last year to get to a funeral. Business Class SW was cheaper than other airlines bereavement.

In happier news, I printed my boarding passes today and with EB we got A43 and 44! The flight is listed as sold out so I don't know if the A1-15 slots are available at all for purchase at the gate so I'm glad I did EB.
See you soon, Mouse! Irma stopped us last time, Nate won't stop us now.

Very true...but in all my flights with SW, I've never seen more than 5 people in that 1-15 group. I've actually paid the business select fare and had A1! The times I've paid for it at the gate, I've never had anything higher than A6. Better than the slots I originally had, with EBCI. Most of the times that I paid the extra are times that I feel crappy and want as much room as possible to stretch out in, or if I really need that front few rows to get off quickly...usually when I don't have checked bags!

 

[disny_luvr]

Just wanted to report that I just checked my boarding numbers for our flights tomorrow and we got A33-36. I only purchased these tickets 7 weeks ago and purchased EBCI at that time. That number seems pretty low for only purchasing a few weeks ago. The flight is not sold out, so that could be one reason, or most on my flight didn’t buy EBCI. At any rate, I’m happy.

 

[MKCP5]

I've never paid for it, never had a problem with at least two of us sitting together at any time. Total waste of money to me. Even if it's a full flight there are virtually always people who would switch with you if the situation came up so that your kids wouldn't sit alone.

 

[mom2rtk]

I've never paid for it, never had a problem with at least two of us sitting together at any time. Total waste of money to me. Even if it's a full flight there are virtually always people who would switch with you if the situation came up so that your kids wouldn't sit alone.

I think it's really tacky to not pay, then ask someone who did pay to swap seats.

 

[Rich M]

I've never paid for it, never had a problem with at least two of us sitting together at any time. Total waste of money to me. Even if it's a full flight there are virtually always people who would switch with you if the situation came up so that your kids wouldn't sit alone.

completely wrong if you think its ok to ask someone to switch seats because you wouldn't put out $15 or fly a different airline so you can pick your seats

 

[goofy4tink]

If it's important that you sit with your traveling companions, you really should do what you need to do to make that happen. I really don't feel that means board later in the boarding process, hoping someone (who paid extra to have a better choice of seats) will change seats for you. That's just fair. You feel it's a waste of money? Fine. But don't expect me, who paid extra, to give up my seat to make you more comfortable.
I have offered to change seats. And it was usually to help a family get seats together. But, I refuse to be guilted into it. Each family needs to decide how to handle their air transportation. But, they also need to realize their needs do not trump my needs.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

Just wanted to report that I just checked my boarding numbers for our flights tomorrow and we got A33-36. I only purchased these tickets 7 weeks ago and purchased EBCI at that time. That number seems pretty low for only purchasing a few weeks ago. The flight is not sold out, so that could be one reason, or most on my flight didn’t buy EBCI. At any rate, I’m happy.

what time is your flight? I ended up on a full flight with a B1 and no family boarding as last number was B20. should have heard the complaining as plane was over half full when boarding started. a lot of parents not being able to sit with kids as most were families