One parent 3 kids pre-boarding

[Kandrah]

I will be traveling alone with my three kids (ages 5, 9 & 10) from Sacramento to Oklahoma. Pre-boarding question. I know we would qualify for the family pre-boarding but wanted to find out if I purchased the Early Bird boarding for myself would I need to purchase for each child also or would they go with me?  Trying to figure out the best way to do this. We have only flown a few times and this would be the first time without my husband traveling with us. 

Also that would be the best seating arrangement. All three kids in one row and me in the aisle seat across or two in one row and two directly behind?  

Thank you for any advice!!

[TheMiddleSeat]

Family boarding is different than preboarding. My recent experience and observations indicate that you will receive better boarding positions via family boarding than you will if you purchase EarlyBird Check-In. Family boarding occurs after the A group boarding has completed and is announced then so be near the gate as A boarding is completing. Verify with the gate agent when you arrive at the gate as technically not all the kids qualify for family boarding, but I highly doubt Southwest would require the 9 and 10 year olds to board by themselves. The seating is up to you and how you think the kids will do. You could do all three in a row and you across the aisle so you can see them, or two in one row and you with the youngest directly behind them.

--TheMiddleSeat

[DancingDavidE]

---

@Kandrah wrote:

I will be traveling alone with my three kids (ages 5, 9 & 10) from Sacramento to Oklahoma. Pre-boarding question. I know we would qualify for the family pre-boarding but wanted to find out if I purchased the Early Bird boarding for myself would I need to purchase for each child also or would they go with me?  Trying to figure out the best way to do this. We have only flown a few times and this would be the first time without my husband traveling with us. 

Also that would be the best seating arrangement. All three kids in one row and me in the aisle seat across or two in one row and two directly behind?  

Thank you for any advice!!

---

As @TheMiddleSeat mentioned boarding at "A61" through the family boarding is probably sufficient and as good as you'd get with EBCI. 

If 9/10 are good to sit by themselves then personally I'd maybe try:

• 9 and 10 take aisle/window on one side
• You and 5 take aisle/window on the other side
• No major argument with three kids in a row and you on the opposite aisle as well, that sounds doable for sure.

Check ahead of time - if the flight is lightly occupied then maybe you'll get the empty middles and be able to move around a bit as needed.

If the flight is full or nearly full, then change that to be middle/aisle and aisle/middle across from each other.

My kids are younger so I wouldn't do the front/back rows but maybe that's fine for 8/9 year old kids, maybe they would enjoy having the row ahead and being on their own a little with you and 5 right behind them.

The worst case if there was an (IMO) unreasonable interpretation of the family boarding would be that you want EBCI for the 8/9 year old kids and then you and 5 board in family boarding. I think it's pretty likely for you all to board - the intention of family boarding is to keep families seated together while not allowing excess numbers of adults to board with one kid.