Flying SW with kids... do I really need the early boarding?

[Tammy]

Going to Disney in December and flying with SW (me, DH, kids age 2 and 7 then). I was going to get the Wanna Get Away rate online since I can just pay the difference if something needs changed down the road. I've read on Disboards and here comments regarding SW boarding and also talked to an agent over the phone. They told me since younger DD is 2 that we can board early with the family boarding call. Do you think that will be early enough that we can all sit together (3 of us in a row and other parent across aisle)? If I understand correctly then other groups will still board before us, but sounds like after A then we might be called to board. Thoughts?

[abh5e8]

yeah, i think family boards right after A group. we have done it that way and been able to sit together most times, although once they didn't have 3 across (it was me, dh and our dc ages 2, 4 and 6) and no 3 across, so they tried to say our dd had to sit alone. i said no way, so they asked someone to switch seats with us. you may end up sitting 2 and 2, in different rows.

[NCGrandma]

They told me since younger DD is 2 that we can board early with the family boarding call. Do you think that will be early enough that we can all sit together (3 of us in a row and other parent across aisle)? If I understand correctly then other groups will still board before us, but sounds like after A then we might be called to board. Thoughts?

Every time I've flown on SW, the boarding order is:
1. pre-board passengers (usually in wheelchairs) -- that's an unpredictable number, often only 1 or 2, sometimes more.
2. A group, so that's another 60 people.
3. Family boarding.

So there might be ~65 people boarding before the family boarding group. Whether or not that leaves enough open seats for the 4 of you probably depends mostly on whether the flight originates at your airport (so, starting out empty) or is the continuation of a flight that started elsewhere. I have sometimes had an early boarding number (e.g. A15) and was very surprised to find lots of people already on the plane, reducing the choice. Other times, the plane is almost empty.

The good news is that you should be able to find this out for flights you are considering.

[larig]

I think you'll be fine, plus you might get lucky if you check in EXACTLY 24 hours before your flight. (even if you're not willing to pay the $10 extra or whatever it is to buy your way into early boarding). Last time DS and I wound up A44 & A45 checking in then.

[NCGrandma]

I think you'll be fine, plus you might get lucky if you check in EXACTLY 24 hours before your flight. (even if you're not willing to pay the $10 extra or whatever it is to buy your way into early boarding). Last time DS and I wound up A44 & A45 checking in then.

Don't know how long ago that was, but while I used to have similar experiences, it looks a lot of people have now jumped on the Early Bird (paid) check in. A couple of months ago, I paid for EB boarding, happened to be online right at the 24-hours-ahead mark, and still got A40.

[Tammy]

Don't know how long ago that was, but while I used to have similar experiences, it looks a lot of people have now jumped on the Early Bird (paid) check in. A couple of months ago, I paid for EB boarding, happened to be online right at the 24-hours-ahead mark, and still got A40.


So you pay for EB and then you also still do the online check-in 24 hrs ahead of time, but then you're just given actual boarding priority before others who have also checked in online 24 hrs ahead of time?

[larig]

It was from SEA to STL at the beginning of may. I didn't pay for the EB, and felt pretty lucky to get the A44 spot. In march DS and I got low Bs from STL to PHX and high As from PHX to STL.

OP if you want to pay to do early boarding, you have to sign up for the EB stuff prior to 24 hours. AFter getting Bs with DS on the STL to PHX leg, I thought I'd pay to board early for the PHX to STL flight, but it was too late when I tried.

[SnuggleBuggles]

I've been paying the early bird rate. I like not worrying. You still need to check in early though. We forgot and got at the end of A. But, we've always managed to sit together when we just did family boarding.

[Mommy_Mea]

We have never paid the early bird rate, and never had a problem getting seats together. However, we have only flown once with all 4 of us, but many times with 3 of us.

We often try and check in 24 hours ahead, just to see what kind of seating we could get. Sometimes we get A, sometimes B, it isn't a guarantee to get something better than family boarding!

I never thought about the flight potentially being a continuing flight, and therefore could be quite full even after just the A group. Good thing to check for our trip in October!

[queenmama]

Sounds like they've changed things since I last flew with DS (at least 5 years, and even then he was too old to pre-board).

Families used to wait with and board right after wheelchair passengers and others that needed assistance. "A" group boarded after everyone in the pre-boarding area.

Lara

[SummerBaby]

I think you'll be fine, plus you might get lucky if you check in EXACTLY 24 hours before your flight. (even if you're not willing to pay the $10 extra or whatever it is to buy your way into early boarding). Last time DS and I wound up A44 & A45 checking in then.

Actually, with EB check in, SW automatically assigns your boarding position 36 hours before the flight. You don't have to worry about being online at the 24 hour mark. I've always gotten an A position with early bird check in, but sometimes they are high As. Sometimes there are so many of their A list customers on a flight Early bird check in doesn't get you much. When we fly wih DD1 we can pre board (she has a severe peanut allergy and I need to thoroughly clean her seat and tray). However if. Of for that I would definitely get EB check in because I have seen many families not get seats together- and people are not always nice about changing seats.

ETA- sorry I quoted the wrong person! Can't see on my darn phone. :)

[candaceb]

I have flown SW many times since DS was born and we have never had a problem getting 3 seats together with family boarding. We often end up towards the back of the bus (which is a pain when you're carrying a car seat on top of your head...) but we get seats together. I would not pay extra as long as I have a kid who qualifies me for family boarding. One of my friends paid $65 for early bird for a flight that happened today, and she ended up in the B group, behind where she would be with family boarding!

[fivi2]

I prefer EB, especially when flying to Orlando, as there are so many families with young children boarding there.

And, when we last flew, you did not need to check in online with EB, they did it for you.

[TwinFoxes]

I haven't flown SW in ages (but will be in two weeks). Since OP is flying to Orlando, I'd do EB. I'm pretty sure there might be another family or two on a flight to Orlando in summer! ;)

ETA: The fee is $12.50/pp one way.