Post all SW questions concerns, etc. here...

[eeyoreland]

I just checked in for my flight tomorrow - we had early bird & got boarding in A48-A51. I noticed on each reservation it said TSA Pre on it. Does this mean we can use the pre check line? We never have purchased the TSA pre check since we don't fly that often. Is this just random or what else would TSA pre mean?

Also, I wanted the boarding passes sent to my mobile instead of printing but there was no option to do that, only print, which means I will have to do it at the airport since I don't have a printer at home. I tried to find the mobile option on the app, my iPad, and laptop, and there was no mobile option. Anyone else have this happen?

Yes, you can go through the TSA pre-check line. Normally you don't have to remove your shoes or coat . You also shouldn't have to remove your quart bag of liquids. I don't know what to tell you about the boarding pass. I also check in on my phone and then save my boarding pass to my photos.

 

[eeyoreland]

Does anyone have any experience with purchasing points? I'm a couple thousand points short for my February trip and don't know if it pays to purchase points. In the big scheme of things, I'd rather spend $75 to purchase the points then have to pay $400 for the flight. But I also don't want to make a huge mistake by purchasing points.

 

[Fangorn]

I just checked in for my flight tomorrow - we had early bird & got boarding in A48-A51. I noticed on each reservation it said TSA Pre on it. Does this mean we can use the pre check line? We never have purchased the TSA pre check since we don't fly that often. Is this just random or what else would TSA pre mean?

Also, I wanted the boarding passes sent to my mobile instead of printing but there was no option to do that, only print, which means I will have to do it at the airport since I don't have a printer at home. I tried to find the mobile option on the app, my iPad, and laptop, and there was no mobile option. Anyone else have this happen?

Yes, if the boarding pass says TSA Pre on it then you can use that line at the airport. "Random" selection for TSA Pre with Southwest has been a consistent thing for years, and while SW doesn't make the final determination (TSA does that), they do provide TSA with a list of recommended passengers. Be grateful!

As for not being able to download the boarding pass to your phone, not all SW locations and gates have the necessary equipment at the gate. If your gate doesn't have the scanner, the option to download to your phone does not show up on the app. This will happen if SW is using (or thinks they might be using) a temporary gate that isn't one of their official gates. It happened here in Portland awhile back when SW was acquiring an additional gate. They were using it, but it didn't "officially" belong to them yet and the necessary equipment wasn't in place.

Getting a boarding pass at the airport though is super simple - just use any SW kiosk to print out out. Takes all of 30 seconds. I find the printout to be simpler than using the phone anyway.

Steve

 

[TNKim]

Yes, if the boarding pass says TSA Pre on it then you can use that line at the airport. "Random" selection for TSA Pre with Southwest has been a consistent thing for years, and while SW doesn't make the final determination (TSA does that), they do provide TSA with a list of recommended passengers. Be grateful!

As for not being able to download the boarding pass to your phone, not all SW locations and gates have the necessary equipment at the gate. If your gate doesn't have the scanner, the option to download to your phone does not show up on the app. This will happen if SW is using (or thinks they might be using) a temporary gate that isn't one of their official gates. It happened here in Portland awhile back when SW was acquiring an additional gate. They were using it, but it didn't "officially" belong to them yet and the necessary equipment wasn't in place.

Getting a boarding pass at the airport though is super simple - just use any SW kiosk to print out out. Takes all of 30 seconds. I find the printout to be simpler than using the phone anyway.

Steve

Yay for the pre-check! So having the random pre check on our departure flight, does this mean our return flight will also be TSA pre check?? I really hope so after reading about how difficult it is to get through security at MCO.

 

[Fangorn]

Does anyone have any experience with purchasing points? I'm a couple thousand points short for my February trip and don't know if it pays to purchase points. In the big scheme of things, I'd rather spend $75 to purchase the points then have to pay $400 for the flight. But I also don't want to make a huge mistake by purchasing points.

Generally, buying a small number of points to combine with existing points isn't too bad of a deal. You're still paying more per point than they are worth in trade, but with a small number as in your case, it becomes a decision of how much do you want to spend out of pocket right now.

The cost of buying points is about $0.27 - $0.36 per point, depending on the amount purchased. The cost of using points vs cash for a flight is between $0.50 and $1 EX: a $93 flight takes 4701 points. You'd have to purchase 5000 points for $137.50, so it would cost you $44.50 more to purchase points. Paying the $93 would also earn you an additional 392 points.

The one serious advantage that points have over cash is in cancelling a flight. With points, they just go back into your account - no credit hassles and restrictions. For some people, that benefit is very important.

Steve

 

[Fangorn]

Yay for the pre-check! So having the random pre check on our departure flight, does this mean our return flight will also be TSA pre check?? I really hope so after reading about how difficult it is to get through security at MCO.

Not necessarily. Each leg is separate. But your odds are much higher, since you obviously have been through the selection process already.

Steve

 

[mhf]

I just printed my boarding passes for tomorrow too (BWI departure) and there was no option for phone boarding passes either. I like to have both. As BWI is such a hub for SW I wonder what is up. We got Global Entry 2 years ago so got the Pre-Check auto-magically.

 

[dreamer17555]

Does anyone know if Southwest allows pre boarding for children with autism? My son has flown before but it is stressful for him and being able to get settled (get his headphones on and a favorite plush out of his bag) without dealing with a crush of people has helped him a lot. United and American have both accommodated him but unsure about Southwest.

Note: I have already purchase EBCI for our entire party so this is not about trying to save. Just trying to help him have a wonderful (and calm) trip.

 

[Lvsdisney]

Does anyone know if Southwest allows pre boarding for children with autism? My son has flown before but it is stressful for him and being able to get settled (get his headphones on and a favorite plush out of his bag) without dealing with a crush of people has helped him a lot. United and American have both accommodated him but unsure about Southwest.

Note: I have already purchase EBCI for our entire party so this is not about trying to save. Just trying to help him have a wonderful (and calm) trip.

Based on a quick google search it appears you can. You have to get a pre-board authorization pass from the customer service agent and you should be good to go!

ETA: It looks like you can edit your reservation to include information regarding your son's autism to make it easier once you are at the airport.

 

[dreamer17555]

Based on a quick google search it appears you can. You have to get a pre-board authorization pass from the customer service agent and you should be good to go!

ETA: It looks like you can edit your reservation to include information regarding your son's autism to make it easier once you are at the airport.

Thank you. I will look at my reservation and see how to add it.

 

[marymaya]

Sorry for probably asking this for the millionth time, but I just can't find it on here...flying Sw on a Tuesday with my kids ages 7 and 9. Flying out of Dulles (D.C.). If I purchase early bird check in are we promised a seat together? Meaning, will our boarding passes (A or B assignment) be together. I don't even care where we sit...it's short flight. Am I better off buying it just for one of the flights? If so, which one? We're flying there at 2:30 on a Tuesday and coming home our flight leaves at 10 am on a Saturday. Not sure how packed those kinds of flights are. We have never flown Sw before. Totally willing to buy it if necessary but happy not to since where on the plane we are sitting isn't important. Lastly, if I do the 24 hour checkin and our passes (ABCD) are not together, can I buy the early checkin afterward? Just starting to freak out a little that we might not be together. Younger DD is anxious and won't deal well with that. Thanks

 

[Lvsdisney]

Sorry for probably asking this for the millionth time, but I just can't find it on here...flying Sw on a Tuesday with my kids ages 7 and 9. Flying out of Dulles (D.C.). If I purchase early bird check in are we promised a seat together? Meaning, will our boarding passes (A or B assignment) be together. I don't even care where we sit...it's short flight. Am I better off buying it just for one of the flights? If so, which one? We're flying there at 2:30 on a Tuesday and coming home our flight leaves at 10 am on a Saturday. Not sure how packed those kinds of flights are. We have never flown Sw before. Totally willing to buy it if necessary but happy not to since where on the plane we are sitting isn't important. Lastly, if I do the 24 hour checkin and our passes (ABCD) are not together, can I buy the early checkin afterward? Just starting to freak out a little that we might not be together. Younger DD is anxious and won't deal well with that. Thanks

When you check in, whether manually at 24 hours or with EBCI, everyone in your party is checked in at the same time, so y you'll get sequential boarding numbers. The closer to 24 hours, the better chance of boarding position. There is no "buying" EBCI at the airport, though I believe you can upgrade your tickets to a business ticket which would move your boarding # to the high As.

I usually will check us in manually at exactly 24 hours for our flight to Florida and pay for EBCI for the flight home since I don't want to have to worry about it while we're in the parks, having fun.

 

[marymaya]

When you check in, whether manually at 24 hours or with EBCI, everyone in your party is checked in at the same time, so y you'll get sequential boarding numbers. The closer to 24 hours, the better chance of boarding position. There is no "buying" EBCI at the airport, though I believe you can upgrade your tickets to a business ticket which would move your boarding # to the high As.

I usually will check us in manually at exactly 24 hours for our flight to Florida and pay for EBCI for the flight home since I don't want to have to worry about it while we're in the parks, having fun.

Thanks. That clears up a lot of my confusion. I will check in 24 hours early because I'll be able to, but I will pay for early check on for the flight home. Thank you!!

 

[mom2rtk]

Thanks. That clears up a lot of my confusion. I will check in 24 hours early because I'll be able to, but I will pay for early check on for the flight home. Thank you!!

Just be aware that everyone who does buy EBCI will be checked in ahead of you. If it's important that you sit together, you should buy the EBCI. You will get sequential numbers on your boarding passes, but those do not equate to seats next to each other. It only means you can board together to look for seats.

 

[marymaya]

Just be aware that everyone who does buy EBCI will be checked in ahead of you. If it's important that you sit together, you should buy the EBCI. You will get sequential numbers on your boarding passes, but those do not equate to seats next to each other. It only means you can board together to look for seats.

Ohhhh right. Forgot about that. I figured if I checked in online at 24 hours, and got there early, if we had the sequential boarding numbers, we'd get a good spot in line and have better chances. I'll probably just pay for early bird check in....unless anyone can convince me otherwise. Thank you!

 

[goofy4tink]

Ohhhh right. Forgot about that. I figured if I checked in online at 24 hours, and got there early, if we had the sequential boarding numbers, we'd get a good spot in line and have better chances. I'll probably just pay for early bird check in....unless anyone can convince me otherwise. Thank you!

If you buy EBCI at this point, you all will be at the end of the group that bought EBCI before you did. No way of knowing where that will put you in the line up. It all depends on how many bought it.

 

[marymaya]

If you buy EBCI at this point, you all will be at the end of the group that bought EBCI before you did. No way of knowing where that will put you in the line up. It all depends on how many bought it.

That's true too. I'm freaking out, picturing the worst case scenario in my head. All of us sitting across the plane from each other...the kids crying...lesson learned. It's our first time flying without my husband and our first time flying SW. I'm still leaning toward purchasing the EBCI but I'd be so upset if I spent the money on it and then didn't sit next to my kids- like I said, I don't care where on the plane we're sitting. My 7 year old just missed the cut off for family boarding too- she just turned 7. I'll call tomorrow and see about adding it on. Thanks for the info.

 

[goofy4tink]

That's true too. I'm freaking out, picturing the worst case scenario in my head. All of us sitting across the plane from each other...the kids crying...lesson learned. It's our first time flying without my husband and our first time flying SW. I'm still leaning toward purchasing the EBCI but I'd be so upset if I spent the money on it and then didn't sit next to my kids- like I said, I don't care where on the plane we're sitting. My 7 year old just missed the cut off for family boarding too- she just turned 7. I'll call tomorrow and see about adding it on. Thanks for the info.

Ok...try to relax. You're probably going to be able to find three seats together. It's usually those that are in the C group that have an issue. By the time you board, you will most likely have to head to the back of the plane, but you should be able to find an empty row.

 

[marymaya]

Ok...try to relax. You're probably going to be able to find three seats together. It's usually those that are in the C group that have an issue. By the time you board, you will most likely have to head to the back of the plane, but you should be able to find an empty row.

Do you think??? I don't even care if it's a row. Just together somewhat. Like across an aisle or something. What happened with that bill that got passed where kids under 13 must sit with an adult who is traveling with them? I googled it, and it was effective in July.

 

[Shrfleen]

Will Disney check us in for our departure flight with Southwest 24 hours before or should be do it ourselves?