@Scouter68 wrote:
We are first time flyers and not a clue on what to do and how.
we usually drive everywhere.
on of us is hearing impaired (challenged)
we did early bird check in and not sure how it works.
need all information I can get.
how early to be at airport for a domestic flight?
I can read a newbie book, not sure where to find.
thank you
Hola Scouter68 and welcome to this message board and your first fight!
When I returned to flying a few years ago, the place I went to was YouTube and searched for "flying for the first time". There's a whole library of great videos from various travelers who share their tips from arriving at the airport to how to go through TSA security efficiently. Note that these tips reflect the opinion of each traveler; thus I would watch multiple videos.
Also, I would search for "flying for the first time southwest" on YouTube. There's videos that explain how the boarding process works which is quite different from the other airlines. One key difference is Southwest has open seating; seats are not assigned. Here's a link to Southwest's official page on this:
https://support.southwest.com/helpcenter/s/article/boarding-process
With your Early Bird Check In purchase, this automates your boarding position assignment 36 hours prior to your flight and ahead of those who would check-in manually. That means, you can finish the check-in process and retrieve your boarding passes anytime after the 24-hour-prior-to-departure mark on the Southwest App or online at the Southwest website. Details here:
https://support.southwest.com/helpcenter/s/article/earlybird-checkin
That being said, one of the best tips I can provide regarding your flight is to download the Southwest App, create an account if you haven't done so yet, and keep a watch for and read the follow-up Southwest emails as they come in, especially the details in your confirmation email that gets sent after you book your flight, and the "What you'll need for your trip" email that gets sent a little more than 24 hours prior to departure. Those will contain specifics including any possible airport-specific advisories.
Also, be sure read up on what to expect and what you can bring through TSA security.
https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening
Being a first time traveler, I would plan on arriving at the airport no later than two hours prior to departure. It would be a good idea to study the airport's website and area map to learn where the Southwest terminal is and how to get there. Which airport do you plan to fly out of?
Feel free to ask general questions about travel as this forum consists of your fellow travelers, many of whom fly very frequently. Anything specific to your reservation needs should be handled directly through SW Customer Service.
Welcome to the community!
The most important thing you need to know about Southwest Airlines is that they stopped serving white zinfandel years ago.
@Scouter68 wrote:
Thanks so much that really helps find out Houston and I called Southwest and got some information as well. So I think I’m set.
Just hard to wrap my head around being at the airport at 2:30 to 3 AM for 5 AM flight domestic but I guess you have to do what you gotta do
Safe travels aboard your first flight. Here's a typical break down of the 2-hour window upon walking into the Departures level of the Southwest Terminal:
Allow about a 30-minute buffer to Check Bags at SW Check-In Counter or speak to an agent if needed. That's in case if the line is long which could happen even at odd hours of the day. That was the case last summer at PDX one day at 5:14am in the morning.
Otherwise 5-10 minutes will do if one just needs to go a self-serve kiosk to reprint a boarding pass but is traveling carry-on only. As Southwest says in the email, these passengers can "carry-on to security".
Allow about a 45-minute buffer to clear TSA in case the line is long or if you get a secondary search. That's preparing for about 30 mins for the line wait + up to 15 minutes to clear inspection in case of any random or flagged secondary searches). This buffer can be reduced to about 15-20 minutes for TSA PreCheck, CLEAR or Priority Express travelers. In most cases, it does not take 45 whole minutes to clear TSA and most airports have multiple checkpoints that feed into Southwest gates, but on busy travel days, the queue can be extensive. On one my trips from PHX last September, the checkpoint feeding directly into the Southwest gates posted a 35 minute wait. However at PHX specifically, one can access the Southwest gates from any one of four Terminal 4's checkpoints that posted much shorter waits, and PHX does a good job at communicating that.
After clearing TSA, 15 minutes is good buffer to locate and comfortably walk to your gate, use bathrooms, and refill water bottles.
The remaining 30 minute buffer is the boarding time prior to most Southwest departures; about 45-50 minutes prior for most other carriers. You should certainly be at the gate ready to go as boarding begins to ensure you'll board when it's your turn to get on.
In the majority of cases, the waits at check-in counter and TSA are not that excessively long and you'll comfortably arrive at the gate typically at about 1 hour prior and be able to use the restaurants and amenities post-TSA, but keep in mind if there's any major hold ups at the check-in counter or at the TSA checkpoint, having that extra time buffer is absolutely necessary as the flight will not wait for latecomers. That's why a 2-hour buffer is advised.
Hope this helps and enjoy your trip.
