# Southwest Airlines early bird check in



## STEVIE (Mar 16, 2010)

Hi all,
      We will be flying Southwest for the first time and I was nervous about not having assigned seats. I just purchased early bird checkin, but I don't know what to do next. Do I still need to go online 24 hrs ahead and print boarding passes? How will I know I received a better position for boarding? Any help is appreciated, Thanks Sue


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## Luanne (Mar 16, 2010)

No, you do not need to go in 24 hours ahead of time to check in.   With Early Bird check in is already done for you.  So, you can either print your boarding passes out ahead of time at home, or wait until you get to the airport.  While you will board earlier than those who did not purchase Early Bird, you could be farther back than you think.  I purchased Early Bird for a flight dh and I took and we were something like A35 and A36.  The woman ahead of us in line asked if we'd purchased Early Bird (she had and I guess she wondered why she wasn't further up in the line).  So, it seems this option may be getting more popular.

As long as you are in the A group, or even at the beginning of the B group, you'll have plenty of seating choices.  Probably not at the front of the plane, but you can find seats together.


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## brianfox (Mar 16, 2010)

Sue,

Southwest is a breeze if you have "A" or "B" boarding passes.  

Historically, if you check-in on-line as close to 24 hours before the flight, you are fine.  Checking in 18-20 hours before probably means a "B" boarding pass.
Less than 10 hours, and you're probably looking at "C".

Looks like Southwest found a new way to make money with "Early Bird".  I believe they will check you in 36 hours before the flight - before the lowly flyers like myself can check in.  Unless everyone else decided to pay the extra $10, you will get an "A" boarding pass.

My guess is you will still have to go online and print out your boarding pass or print it at the kiosk at the airport.  Here's a tip: if you decide to not go the Early Bird route, you can checkin online from anywhere and print your pass later.  You can even check in on your iPhone and print the pass at the kiosk.

That said, don't be worried about getting a block of seats.  They let the 45 people in the "A" group in first, followed by pre-board, followed by the 45 people in "B" group.  Generally people fill up the plane from front to back.  There's always a few who want the back specifically.

If you are in "A" or "B" groups there WILL be groups of seats toward the back, so keep pushng onward.

Important! - just because you have an "A" or "B" boarding pass doesn't mean they will hold everyone up for you.  If you're not there when the B's have boarded, you're going on with the C's. and will probably not have a group of seats.  Make sure you get there early.

Also, keep in mind that many Southwest flights you go on will be continuation flights; there will already be a number of people on the plane when the "A" group enters - and those people will move to the seats they like.  So if you have a continuation flight, then even the "B" group may not get you a block of seats.

You might want to call Southwest and ask if any segment of your flight is a continuation, so you can plan accordingly.


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## Robert D (Mar 16, 2010)

susgar said:


> Hi all,
> We will be flying Southwest for the first time and I was nervous about not having assigned seats. I just purchased early bird checkin, but I don't know what to do next. Do I still need to go online 24 hrs ahead and print boarding passes? How will I know I received a better position for boarding? Any help is appreciated, Thanks Sue



Sue, Southwest has the best system in the industry, much better than assigned seats unless you are at the elite level in the other airlines program. Just because you have an assigned seat doesn't mean you have a good seat. I've never bought the early bird  checkin but have checked in 24 hrs ahead and have always gotten an A boarding pass.  As long as you have an A you know you'll get your choice of a window or aisle or 2 or 3 seats together if you're traveling in a group.  Since you got early bird you'll surely get an A boarding pass and will be in great shape.


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## zazz (Mar 16, 2010)

Early Bird check-in is good if you think that you won't be able to get to a computer right at 24 hours.  I used it on a trip to Vegas when my return flight was at noon and i really didn't want to schlep all the way back to my hotel the day before to deal my boarding passes.  It worked well as I ended up with A20 and 21 which is not bad for a flight from Vegas on January 2.

The order you get with EBCI is the order in which you purchased it.  So your BP will be probably be in the low to middle A section.

BP numbers 1-15 are for Business Select passengers.  The rest of the A's start right after that.

Since you have never flown SWA, there will be markers to tell you where to line up according to number.  Most of the aircraft have 137 seats (a few have 122).  So getting in at the high-A's or low-Bs should be able to get a small group together.


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## Superchief (Mar 20, 2010)

If I purchase the early bird check-in and also have a connecting flight, will the one fee cover early bird check-in for the connecting flight as well?


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## Luanne (Mar 20, 2010)

Superchief said:


> If I purchase the early bird check-in and also have a connecting flight, will the one fee cover early bird check-in for the connecting flight as well?



Yes the fee covers both legs.  When you check in to get your boarding passes you will get them for both legs of the flight.


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