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Southwest Airlines will start charging for checked bags on tickets purchased on or after 5/28/25

VacationForever said:
I just flew SW to see my son, the only airline with direct flight, until I found out recently that Delta also now has direct flight from my city. As usual, I bought Early Bird but got assigned B1. WTH!? I have some SW points that I will use up and some SW gift card credit that I had bought a few months ago. I intend to use those up asap and then book Delta to see my son in the future. I don't have checked bags because I have my own bedroom at my son's home, so I travel light. But it is just annoying that I got B1 even though I had paid for Early Bird. I remember the days when A grouping was assured when I bought Early Bird.
Click to expand...
2 factors could cause this.

1) When everyone has free EBs from credit cards no one has good EB Seats

2) if you booked EB closer to departure. First come first served
 
VacationForever said:
I just flew SW to see my son, the only airline with direct flight, until I found out recently that Delta also now has direct flight from my city. As usual, I bought Early Bird but got assigned B1. WTH!? I have some SW points that I will use up and some SW gift card credit that I had bought a few months ago. I intend to use those up asap and then book Delta to see my son in the future. I don't have checked bags because I have my own bedroom at my son's home, so I travel light. But it is just annoying that I got B1 even though I had paid for Early Bird. I remember the days when A grouping was assured when I bought Early Bird.
Click to expand...

One advantage of boarding later is you get to pick who you sit next too instead of wondering or worrying about who decides to sit next to you.
 
dougp26364 said:
One advantage of boarding later is you get to pick who you sit next too instead of wondering or worrying about who decides to sit next to you.
Click to expand...
Really, that is so funny on Southwest. You are usually sitting in the back of the plane and not by a window.
 
My B1 turned out not too bad. I like aisle seats towards the front of the plane but by the time that I got on, many of the overhead bins were closed even though there were open aisle seats. When I got to row 15 which was also an exit row, it was open and I took it. I had never gone that far back when I had an A pass.

Anyway I am returning home tomorrow and got A41. I see myself flying once or maybe twice more, using up the points and gift cards and will be pretty much done with SW.
 
Unless you have a smaller plane most SW can get aisle or window up to B30. After that it is a crap shoot for overhead and mostly middle seat. C for sure. I've never been C even when I free fly without EB. Those flyers must be very last minute or check in at airport.
 
We've been C before with late check in a few hours after the checkin window opens. It doesn't impact us as much as my wife pre-boards. I am curious for those that only find middle seats when they board. Do you find that it is often a couple sitting in aisle and window and one of them moves or is it two unrelated people? I recall once a couple in front of us were sitting in aisle and window and a person asked if the middle seat was taken, it wasn't. The couple seemed to be fine with a stranger sitting between them.
 
dougp26364 said:
One advantage of boarding later is you get to pick who you sit next too instead of wondering or worrying about who decides to sit next to you.
Click to expand...
Never thought of that before. Rick sits in the middle seat and smiles when he sees a thin person in group C walking down the aisle, so they will sit by him. He cannot be by the window because he always has to use the restroom or get something out of his bag, and I don't get up from my seat. I don't get up from my seat, no matter what, plus I like to sit by the window.

The above is the reason we prefer first class for longer flights. We rarely fly SW anymore, and our last few times have been hit or miss. It's nice to have a plane that is 2/3 full because you have a good chance of sitting with an empty seat between.
 
We have a lot of points from credit card SUBs, Gift Cards from Costco and the companion pass until end of 2026. We will continue to fly them as long as they are the most direct, low-cost carrier. Southwest flights are not long so I don't worry too much about seating.
 
dioxide45 said:
We've been C before with late check in a few hours after the checkin window opens. It doesn't impact us as much as my wife pre-boards. I am curious for those that only find middle seats when they board. Do you find that it is often a couple sitting in aisle and window and one of them moves or is it two unrelated people? I recall once a couple in front of us were sitting in aisle and window and a person asked if the middle seat was taken, it wasn't. The couple seemed to be fine with a stranger sitting between them.
Click to expand...

I much prefer the aisle and my wife likes the window. So we sit that way sometimes with a stranger in the middle. (Sometimes my wife caves and takes the middle so she can sit by me. Especially for longer flights or if she is tired and wants to lay on my shoulder.)

When we fly with our kids- my wife and 2 kids sit in one row and I typically sit in the aisle seat over.

I absolutely hate sitting anywhere but the aisle.
 
VacationForever said:
I just flew SW to see my son, the only airline with direct flight, until I found out recently that Delta also now has direct flight from my city. As usual, I bought Early Bird but got assigned B1. WTH!? I have some SW points that I will use up and some SW gift card credit that I had bought a few months ago. I intend to use those up asap and then book Delta to see my son in the future. I don't have checked bags because I have my own bedroom at my son's home, so I travel light. But it is just annoying that I got B1 even though I had paid for Early Bird. I remember the days when A grouping was assured when I bought Early Bird.
Click to expand...

A1-A15 go to business class and paid upgraded boardings only and then A-List Preferred and A-List are assigned starting at A-16 prior to the paid early bird assignments. So your flight may have just had a bunch of A-Listers.
 
Southwest is almost as bad as RCI is with constant spam announcing sales that don't seem to apply for the flights I might want. RCI is worse in both quantity and quality, but Southwest has become predictable. I suppose if I flew 12x per yr and enjoyed just heading to the airport with complete flexibility for grins, the sales would matter, but nope.
 
United economy will be our choice, if SW prices itself too high. I still have SO MUCH in points and cash to use for SW. I truly dislike the idea of flying SW in economy seats, which will be more crowded than before with the seats in the front having more leg room.
 
United economy will be our choice, if SW prices itself too high. I still have SO MUCH in points and cash to use for SW. I truly dislike the idea of flying SW in economy seats, which will be more crowded than before with the seats in the front having more leg room.
Southwest currently has some of the biggest legroom in the industry. Even with the small decrease caused by these seats, they most likely will still be better than United.
 
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WaikikiFirst said:
Southwest is almost as bad as RCI is with constant spam announcing sales that don't seem to apply for the flights I might want. RCI is worse in both quantity and quality, but Southwest has become predictable. I suppose if I flew 12x per yr and enjoyed just heading to the airport with complete flexibility for grins, the sales would matter, but nope.
Click to expand...
On my recent San Jose CA to Honolulu flight, they offered A1 to A15 for an additional $105 one way. Oh for the days when Southwest first started flying to Hawaii. I paid $105 one way for ticket.
 
davidvel said:
Southwest has not had "cheapo" fares for at least a decade as compared to the mainliners, and yet had

Southwest currently has some of the biggest legroom in the industry. Even with the small decrease caused by these seats, they most likely will still be better than United.
Click to expand...

Yes even with the change to seating I believe Southwest will still have the highest pitch of any airline.
 
We were big SW flyers. However, recently they stopped non-stop flights to where we normally fly. Also, their prices are no longer competitive. Bags fly free was a huge selling point for them - advertising it on tv, etc. Everything that used to be SW is now gone. Charging for bags and for advanced seats. I fear they have lost their identity and will lose a lot of their loyal customers. Bad move by SW, in my opinion. Sadly, I think they will struggle.
 
I just went back on WN and checked on June airfares to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. I found cheaper airfares than what we paid two months ago. So I changed the reservation and got the cheaper fares both ways. It was easy to do. Saved $90. I was a bit confused by the process of changing the companion fare which I ended up cancelling and didn't see the SW credit in my account. It's substantial even with $0 airfare ... all the taxes and fees were just under $141. I'll have to call them tomorrow to find out what happened to the credit.
 
JohnnyO said:
I just went back on WN and checked on June airfares to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. I found cheaper airfares than what we paid two months ago. So I changed the reservation and got the cheaper fares both ways. It was easy to do. Saved $90. I was a bit confused by the process of changing the companion fare which I ended up cancelling and didn't see the SW credit in my account. It's substantial even with $0 airfare ... all the taxes and fees were just under $141. I'll have to call them tomorrow to find out what happened to the credit.
Click to expand...

Looks like WN may be looking into International flights, possibly to Europe, which would be a huge positive for folks with CP, like @JohnnyO (IF the Taxes/fees are not crazy for Intl)...


Although OMAT seems to doubt it... Let's see...

onemileatatime.com

Is Southwest Airlines Planning International Expansion, Or...?

Southwest has requested regulatory approval for international expansion. What's the motivation for this filing?
onemileatatime.com onemileatatime.com
 
mountainboy said:
Looks like WN may be looking into International flights, possibly to Europe, which would be a huge positive for folks with CP, like @JohnnyO (IF the Taxes/fees are not crazy for Intl)...


Although OMAT seems to doubt it... Let's see...

onemileatatime.com

Is Southwest Airlines Planning International Expansion, Or...?

Southwest has requested regulatory approval for international expansion. What's the motivation for this filing?
onemileatatime.com onemileatatime.com
Click to expand...
The taxes and fees would be the same, regardless of the airline flown. Those taxes and fees seem to be on outbound flights. We've seen high taxes and fees when returning from Bahamas and Cancun. They can make a cheap flight pretty expensive.
 
CalGalTraveler said:
2 factors could cause this.

1) When everyone has free EBs from credit cards no one has good EB Seats

2) if you booked EB closer to departure. First come first served
Click to expand...

We were on a flight last fall and a woman was complaining to the gate agent that she had paid for EBCI and received C2 and C3. The agent patiently explained that it does not guarantee A (or even B) group.

CalGalTraveler said:
Unless you have a smaller plane most SW can get aisle or window up to B30. After that it is a crap shoot for overhead and mostly middle seat. C for sure. I've never been C even when I free fly without EB. Those flyers must be very last minute or check in at airport.
Click to expand...

I checked in right at the stroke of T-24 hours for my flight last week (I was refreshing in the app as the minute turned over); I ended up with C7.
 
Sloane S said:
We were on a flight last fall and a woman was complaining to the gate agent that she had paid for EBCI and received C2 and C3. The agent patiently explained that it does not guarantee A (or even B) group.



I checked in right at the stroke of T-24 hours for my flight last week (I was refreshing in the app as the minute turned over); I ended up with C7.
Click to expand...
Another reason this occurs is if your flight has a lot of connecting passengers. They get to check in 24 hours prior to their 1st flight, and this includes all connections. So if their first flight departs 3 hours before yours, they get to check in 27 hours before yours. Same for Early Bird, it will check them in 39 hours prior to your flight.

This should be a #3 to the OP.
 
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