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

[jcarwash]

Southwest novice flyer here. I have a few questions to understand how to use the app etc for check in etc.
We are flying out of MKE to MCO non stop in mid May. We have ECB. There are 4 of us. Checking 1 piece of luggage and each of us has a carry on.
Should we use the SW app and if so in what way? At what point do we find out our boarding group?
Any tips and tricks would be much appreciated.
Thank you in advance.

You can use the SWA app for your boarding passes, so you don't need to print them at home or at the terminal. You can put the boarding passes into your phone's wallet if you want, too.

 

[EACarlson]

You can use the SWA app for your boarding passes, so you don't need to print them at home or at the terminal. You can put the boarding passes into your phone's wallet if you want, too.

If you do this make sure you have a back up plan. I've seen people get to the boarding door and not be let on because their phone battery was dead. I always get a hard copy printed when I'm checking my bags.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

If you do this make sure you have a back up plan. I've seen people get to the boarding door and not be let on because their phone battery was dead. I always get a hard copy printed when I'm checking my bags.

I used to print off boarding passes but haven't in a very long time. I use the app but take a screenshot of my boarding pass. On the other hand I always travel with a portable battery and the brick with the cord (and try to charge the phone if I can while I wait to board) and just about every airport is going to have a way to purchase a portable charger should you find yourself in that position without one but need one.

**Not saying a paper copy is bad just that if you're at the point of boarding with a dead battery you def. weren't traveling for the modern smart phone era lol

 

[LadybugsMum]

If you do this make sure you have a back up plan. I've seen people get to the boarding door and not be let on because their phone battery was dead. I always get a hard copy printed when I'm checking my bags.

I had issues with the Delta app a few weeks ago and had to go to the desk to have them print off my boarding passes.

 

[Leigh L]

If you do this make sure you have a back up plan. I've seen people get to the boarding door and not be let on because their phone battery was dead. I always get a hard copy printed when I'm checking my bags.

This!
If not, screenshot each pass and text a copy to whoever has a phone in your traveling party. I always do this, except this last time with a 6 a.m. flight.

Of course, that was the recent day all of SW systems were down and we couldn't access the app lol. Luckily, the kiosk was still working.

Edit: Should have read further and seen @Mackenzie Click-Mickelson response . I don't carry a portable charger (one DD does) but the way these apps drain tend to batteries in the parks I should!

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Edit: Should have read further and seen @Mackenzie Click-Mickelson response . I don't carry a portable charger (one DD does) but the way these apps drain tend to batteries in the parks I should!

Ain't that the truth!

Now I have new strategies such as charging my phone while in Carousel of Progress or on PeopleMover or Haunted Mansion or Spaceship Earth (notice a trend of type of attraction ).All of those where the phone and charger is in my park bag or jacket pocket if I'm wearing one.

Then while we're eating we'll do that too. 3 out of the 4 chargers we have have two usb ports to them so it can be used by two people. It will drain the portable charger faster that way but means less bulk. We then charge overnight the portable chargers.

 

[Mle8308]

Ain't that the truth!

Now I have new strategies such as charging my phone while in Carousel of Progress or on PeopleMover or Haunted Mansion or Spaceship Earth (notice a trend of type of attraction ).All of those where the phone and charger is in my park bag or jacket pocket if I'm wearing one.

Then while we're eating we'll do that too. 3 out of the 4 chargers we have have two usb ports to them so it can be used by two people. It will drain the portable charger faster that way but means less bulk. We then charge overnight the portable chargers.

If you want lightweight portable chargers you can swap out for fresh ones (no need to recharge), buy Fuel Rods from Amazon. A 2 pack is about $30 and you can swap them out in the parks for fresh ones for free. They may have some resort locations, too. There are other locations to swap them out in the US, though some kiosks do, I believe, charge a nominal fee.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

If you want lightweight portable chargers you can swap out for fresh ones (no need to recharge), buy Fuel Rods from Amazon. A 2 pack is about $30 and you can swap them out in the parks for fresh ones for free. They may have some resort locations, too. There are other locations to swap them out in the US, though some kiosks do, I believe, charge a nominal fee.

Thanks for the info! We're actually using 2 chargers bought years ago at Nebraska Furniture Mart for like 5 bucks (normally $55 got a black Friday deal) and 2 we received as gifts over the years (those are more lightweight than the other 2 we have).

Definitely though for other people it's good info

Fuel Rod is what Disney has on property for sure and swapping out is good when you don't normally carry chargers.

 

[pfeifer1990]

If you have Early Bird Check In, which I'm assuming is what you mean by ECB, anytime between 24 hours prior to scheduled take off and when you get to the airport you'll need to check in. That is when you will find out your boarding position. If you have the app on your phone and notifications on it will push a notification at T-23:58, tap on the notification and it takes you right to the check in screen. There really aren't any tricks once you have EBCI, two hacks for MKE though, I always park at Rapid Park & Relax on Howell. It is the same price as the saver lot, shorter shuttle trip and much faster shuttle service. And you can buy 12 packs of New Glarus at the Italian restaurant at the end of the terminal to bring with you.

Thank you! Our son will love the New Glarus tip!

 

[Lsdolphin]

OMG!!! Those traveling in September check your flights right away!!!! I paid $163 each way from BWI to MCO and my flights dropped from $163 to $59 each way!
I was hoping for a price drop but never imagined prices would drop this far!!! I now have $208.00 in travel funds and paid $117.96 round trip!

 

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

OMG!!! Those traveling in September check your flights right away!!!! I paid $163 each way from BWI to MCO and my flights dropped from $163 to $59 each way!
I was hoping for a price drop but never imagined prices would drop this far!!! I now have $208.00 in travel funds and paid $117.96 round trip!

Wow, that's great!

My Aug-Sep BWI-MCO dates just keep climbing! I'm glad I booked on opening day because they're way higher now.

That said, they changed my flight time by a few minutes, but it was enough to prompt free ticket changes. I moved us to a 9:45am return flight instead of the 8:10am. The later flight has always been over $75 more per person, which is why we were sucking it up and planning for a crack of dawn departure. But, with the free change, we get the better morning wake up without the price tag!

 

[Leigh L]

OMG!!! Those traveling in September check your flights right away!!!! I paid $163 each way from BWI to MCO and my flights dropped from $163 to $59 each way!
I was hoping for a price drop but never imagined prices would drop this far!!! I now have $208.00 in travel funds and paid $117.96 round trip!

Awesome!! That's a nice chunk of savings
Can I please ask what timeframe if that's OK?

I just booked 2nd week of September flights yesterday (went with a diff airline this time) and prices had gone up $40 pp a few hours after I booked. SW was higher and times at DCA weren't good for the time constraints I have for this trip, but wondering if I should relook BWI, they were higher than DCA yesterday.

(I'm wondering if prices are dropping I can still cancel my original reservation for about another 8 hours lol.)

 

[Lsdolphin]

Wow, that's great!

My Aug-Sep BWI-MCO dates just keep climbing! I'm glad I booked on opening day because they're way higher now.

That said, they changed my flight time by a few minutes, but it was enough to prompt free ticket changes. I moved us to a 9:45am return flight instead of the 8:10am. The later flight has always been over $75 more per person, which is why we were sucking it up and planning for a crack of dawn departure. But, with the free change, we get the better morning wake up without the price tag!

When I checked earlier this am there were some $59 flights BWI-MCO

 

[Lsdolphin]

Awesome!! That's a nice chunk of savings
Can I please ask what timeframe if that's OK?

I just booked 2nd week of September flights yesterday (went with a diff airline this time) and prices had gone up $40 pp a few hours after I booked. SW was higher and times at DCA weren't good for the time constraints I have for this trip, but wondering if I should relook BWI, they were higher than DCA yesterday.

(I'm wondering if prices are dropping I can still cancel my original reservation for about another 8 hours lol.)

9/5-9/14

 

[Leigh L]

9/5-9/14

Thank you! Our dates overlap in there so will double check

 

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

When I checked earlier this am there were some $59 flights BWI-MCO

Yeah, we're technically traveling in September for our return, but it's Labor Day weekend.

Outbound cheapest direct is $119, return cheapest direct is $173, and that's for the crappiest times. Our current flights at reasonable times would be another $80 per person round trip.

I'm sure other folks are snagging good deals, but our flights are about 150% of what they were on opening fare day.

 

[teawar]

Just sharing…if SWA changes your flight due to a schedule adjustment and you select to change to a different flight online that is a lower price, sometimes your points/dollars are not automatically adjusted. If that happens, just call and they should be able to take care of it. I was able to get 3000 points back for Labor Day weekend and $11.99 back to my credit card! Every little bit helps

 

[Erica Ladd]

What is the process for a list standby? We have a flight on Saturday afternoon and I’m thinking of trying to get him the early morning flight. How does this work? Will we not get a good boarding position? That is even if it’s available. So far I can still book 8 tickets on that flight but they are super expensive.

 

[DisneyRunner2009]

What is the process for a list standby? We have a flight on Saturday afternoon and I’m thinking of trying to get him the early morning flight. How does this work? Will we not get a good boarding position? That is even if it’s available. So far I can still book 8 tickets on that flight but they are super expensive.

Depending on the type of ticket you bought stand by may not be available to you without paying the fare difference. Even on the same day. I think that's how it works.

 

[Amcd33]

Depending on the type of ticket you bought stand by may not be available to you without paying the fare difference. Even on the same day. I think that's how it works.

This is accurate. We originally bought tickets on the Wanna Get Away Fare for a mid-March 2020 trip. It was a two week trip, but the world was shutting down, so we needed to leave early. Even though they were flying empty planes at that point, they still wouldn’t make an emergency exception to let us change our flight or fly standby without charging us $$$ for the upgrade or flight change. We ended up renting a car, driving home and getting credit for the flight.