Southwest Mobile App Boarding Passes

[Ocallygal]

I downloaded the Southwest Airlines App and saw that I can have my families boarding passes texted to them. It says that we can use the boarding pass on our phones to get through security and board the plane, rather than printing out paper passes.

Has anyone used the Southwest app and mobile boarding for Southwest. Did it work out or were there issues?

 

[AngiTN]

You can't get mobile boarding passes with Southwest if you have multiple people on your reservation. A real PITA since I always book all of us on 1 trip
We have to print them at the airport, unless I remember and book us 1 at a time, which I've done once but that was really only because DH was traveling at a different time for 1 leg of the trip. Then he got the electronic boarding pass. But only he did

 

[mom2rtk]

I've always had bell services or the front desk print our boarding passes. I need to check out the app though!

I wonder if you can just do a screen shot of your boarding pass when you check in?

 

[FCDub]

No issues. Make sure your screen brightness is turned all the way up.

If it makes you feel more comfortable, you can choose to receive a mobile boarding pass AND still print your pass out at the airport kiosk.

 

[NotUrsula]

If you prefer to use it on your phones but have multiple passes, you can get them on the app on individual phones, but it's a bit of a PITA to set up. All of the passengers must have a RR account and the itinerary must be registered to that account. Here are the steps:

With each passenger, within 24 hours of boarding, you have to:

• Log in to their RR account
• Open the menu
• Tap "Look Up Reservations"
• Tap "View your upcoming trips"
• Tap "View Boarding Pass"
• (Optional) Add to Apple Wallet or whatever Android uses

I will caution you however, that there can be breakdown situations where mobile BPs won't work, and if that happens you'll have trouble getting your details straightened out. We happened to be flying the day that SWA had that server failure that resulted in very large numbers of flight cancellations; mobile BPs were not working that day, and those that planned to use them had to line up at the gate to get paper BPs printed; it was a zoo scene. Also, if your flight is delayed, make darn sure that you don't run your battery down before boarding, or you could find yourself in an awkward position.

I also prefer paper because I don't like having to juggle my phone along with bags when dealing with TSA and boarding the plane, because I have an unfortunate habit of misplacing my phone. (It's no biggie if you lose a paper BP; you just print a new one. Losing your phone is something else entirely.) I just prefer to have my phone turned off and put away in my bag at those times.

 

[Action City]

I downloaded the Southwest Airlines App and saw that I can have my families boarding passes texted to them. It says that we can use the boarding pass on our phones to get through security and board the plane, rather than printing out paper passes.

Has anyone used the Southwest app and mobile boarding for Southwest. Did it work out or were there issues?

I use it all the time. I add them to Apple Wallet so I don't need data/wifi to access them when needed. It is super easy.

 

[hsmamato2]

I usually log into to each passenger separately after checking in (even on same res) and pull up the info bp page,then screenshot it and text that to each party member so they have it on their phones. Screenshots work too. But I also try to make separate res for simplicity sake-

 

[kristenrice]

I have paper ones ready, but my kids and I all have the app and the mobile ones that we use. The kids are all glued to their phones right up until boarding anyways. They just flip over to the app, pull up the BP and scan it as they walk though...pretty slick. If there is an issue, I have the paper ones at the ready, but so far, we haven't had an issue.

 

[AngiTN]

If you prefer to use it on your phones but have multiple passes, you can get them on the app on individual phones, but it's a bit of a PITA to set up. All of the passengers must have a RR account and the itinerary must be registered to that account. Here are the steps:

With each passenger, within 24 hours of boarding, you have to:

• Log in to their RR account
• Open the menu
• Tap "Look Up Reservations"
• Tap "View your upcoming trips"
• Tap "View Boarding Pass"
• (Optional) Add to Apple Wallet or whatever Android uses

I will caution you however, that there can be breakdown situations where mobile BPs won't work, and if that happens you'll have trouble getting your details straightened out. We happened to be flying the day that SWA had that server failure that resulted in very large numbers of flight cancellations; mobile BPs were not working that day, and those that planned to use them had to line up at the gate to get paper BPs printed; it was a zoo scene. Also, if your flight is delayed, make darn sure that you don't run your battery down before boarding, or you could find yourself in an awkward position.

I also prefer paper because I don't like having to juggle my phone along with bags when dealing with TSA and boarding the plane, because I have an unfortunate habit of misplacing my phone. (It's no biggie if you lose a paper BP; you just print a new one. Losing your phone is something else entirely.) I just prefer to have my phone turned off and put away in my bag at those times.

This doesn't work for me, as the one that books for all members of my party. Probably because there are minors without a RR account.
When I check in there is no choice about getting a electronic boarding pass or even a means to View a boarding pass. The only time I've ever had that option is when I booked a trip for just 1 person. I finally looked up why and learned about their limitation to having multiple people on the reservation. Yet another thing they are "working to add to future enhancements" like electronic tracking on luggage like Delta or American have

 

[anonymousegirl]

The thing about Mobile BP is they are great, until they aren't. If the TSA's reader goes down (and I have seen that happened), then you have to go back to ticketing to print a paper pass. And then wait in the security line again. Or your phone glitches, or you run out of battery. I go old-school for boarding passes!

 

[Disneybuckeye]

They can print a new boarding pass at the gate. If the reader goes down you do not have to go back thru security nor would you have time. I always have my on my phone and have never had an issue. I fly 4-5 trips a year at least.

 

[imagineer52]

Another tip for using mobile boarding passes- Add them to your wallet, that way they are there, and it usually ups the brightness for you. I used to just access them straight from the SW app, but once boarding starts, I haven't been able to access it. So I either screenshot it, or add it to my mobile wallet. I love having it on my phone, and not worrying about loosing a paper.

 

[MillauFr]

I just do a screen capture of my mobile boarding passes. Can't wait until they just get rid of the boarding passes all together and just use biometrics to identify people.

 

[NotUrsula]

This doesn't work for me, as the one that books for all members of my party. Probably because there are minors without a RR account.
When I check in there is no choice about getting a electronic boarding pass or even a means to View a boarding pass. The only time I've ever had that option is when I booked a trip for just 1 person. I finally looked up why and learned about their limitation to having multiple people on the reservation. Yet another thing they are "working to add to future enhancements" like electronic tracking on luggage like Delta or American have.

I can do it, as long as I'm logged into the RR account for the person. (I just did for a flight DH & I are taking tomorrow, which he booked as one itinerary. I can view my own BP in my RR account.) FWIW, it's foolish not to register children for RR accounts, as there is no charge to do so, and if for some reason they don't fly, the information for the credit for the fare is recorded on the RR account.) Kids earn points, too, and mine fly on theirs quite often.

Delta and American have certain tracking technologies in place not for passenger convenience, but because they have been required to for security reasons due to certain countries that they fly to. SWA hasn't been forced to, and so they haven't invested. It's not surprising.

If all else fails, save the BP's as a PDF and just mail it to everyone if you really want them all to be able to board using phones.

 

[Ocallygal]

Thank you for all the information! You guys are great! I think I'm going to download the app for my hubby and kids on their phones and get them that way. However, I will also print out a paper copy when we check in our bags, since we are already there.

Thanks for all the advice...it was super helpful!

 

[bumbershoot]

Probably because there are minors without a RR account.

Why don’t they have RR accounts? Let them earn their points or miles or whatever. DS has had a RR account since he was 17 months old.

 

[AngiTN]

Why don’t they have RR accounts? Let them earn their points or miles or whatever. DS has had a RR account since he was 17 months old.

Mainly because we don't fly Southwest enough to worry with it. Plus we are talking about only flights from Atlanta to Orlando. DGD would earn so few miles per trip it would take years to make it worthwhile to even move the points to me

 

[anonymousegirl]

They can print a new boarding pass at the gate. If the reader goes down you do not have to go back thru security nor would you have time. I always have my on my phone and have never had an issue. I fly 4-5 trips a year at least.

I have personally witnessed TSA sending passengers back to the ticketing check-in counter to get their paper boarding passes. Yes, the gate agents can print BP, but you have to get through security first.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

When I've checked my suitcase, the person there has always printed my boarding pass. So even though I have the app it has never been used for boarding passes.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

The thing about Mobile BP is they are great, until they aren't. If the TSA's reader goes down (and I have seen that happened), then you have to go back to ticketing to print a paper pass. And then wait in the security line again. Or your phone glitches, or you run out of battery. I go old-school for boarding passes!

I haven't had the TSA reader go down nor have I had a phone glitch but the battery running out is a passenger issue. You either gotta make sure your phone battery is charged or if you know it's too low and you can't get it charged get the boarding pass printed out at the airport even if you have already had it saved to your phone. But that does bring up the point of ensuring if you will use your phone that you have enough battery to do so.