Southwest Airlines Community

One minor addition to these two great replies is that travel funds from canceling a Wanna Get Away fare can be used towards future travel, but that travel must be completed within one year of the date that you made the original purchase. If you bought your ticket March 1, 2018 you must complete any travel you want to make with those funds before March 1, 2019.   --TheMiddleSeat ... View more

There may be routes (with a connection) that won't show up as available options because the connection would require an overnight in the connecting city. Southwest's reservation system won't allow for that. If you plug in a search for city A to Grand Cayman and it says no flights found you'll need to build the trip as two flights on either the outbound or inbound flight (or perhaps both) and plan on staying overnight in a connection city.   If you reply with your departure city I can try to help get more specifics.    --TheMiddleSeat ... View more

Interesting to hear this experience as all my experiences with an unaccompanied minor have been very positive. Numerous flights to various cities and never a question about boarding before everyone else and having the fee paid over the phone. Hopefully Southwest will listen and learn from your experience.   --TheMiddleSeat ... View more

Utilize a VPN. If you connect to a US based VPN server any site you access will think you're originating in the US. It also provides an additional layer of security that is nice to have when traveling and connecting to unsecure networks. Most work on a variety of devices (laptop, phone, tablet, etc) and offer free trials or satisfaction guarantees so it's worth giving a try.   --TheMiddleSeat Did this or any other comment in the thread answer your question? Please take a moment and click the "Accept as Solution" button on the comments you found most helpful, this will be a big help to any future Community Members who have a similar question! ... View more

MiddleSeat -- thank you for the response -- I will try to swing back with what I learn KimVanderKley -- aka AnySWseat   PS glad you on the community champ team! ... View more

Also keep in mind that not all sale fares are advertised.  Depending on your market, which it might help to include in future questions, Southwest may offer lower fares without advertising it.  This is usually done due to competition on particular routes lowering their prices and Southwest tries to remain the lowest price, or at least competitive.  Southwest may advertise a sale price of $100 to fly from A-B, but if you check other dates that weren't included in the sale you may find $70 fares.  This applies to cities that aren't even listed as having sales too.   --TheMiddleSeat ... View more

@TheMiddleSeat wrote: I have seen special TSA screening lines for families, but not for older individuals. Here's TSA's web page regarding 75+ individuals: https://www.tsa.gov/travel/special-procedures/screening-passengers-75-and-older   Give yourself plenty of time to get through security so you don't feel rushed and remember you can always ask for a private screening if you're not comfortable being with the crowds.    --TheMiddleSeat That's true, I have seen this at MDW, although I don't know if I'd call it a dedicated line the same way TSA Pre or A-list Fly By Priority lanes are enforced - it's a sign that says families feel free to go over here and everyone else feel free not to, but do whatever you want. ... View more

@Beachflier1 So glad to hear that your flight went great! Way to tackle those fears!     ... View more

As @CareforNOLA and @TheMiddleSeat have already pointed out, we have no access to personal information. We’re here to help. I’m a big, cheesy fanboy of SW airlines for countless reasons, and long before this site existed, I was sharing my love for and knowledge of SW to everyone. As a frequent flyer whose flown them all, SW is the best choice for me and my family. Community Champion or not, I will always promote SW.   It should also be noted that this is a customer Community site. It is designed for us to help each other! My hope is that I can share the LUV and help others understand how to navigate the great benefits of SW.  ... View more

@TheMiddleSeat wrote: I highly doubt TSA would even notice, they're looking for a name that matches the ticket, not gender.    @DancingDavidE, want to bet a big bowl of clam chowder?   Yes, allow a little extra time just in case and please let us know how it goes.   --TheMiddleSeat That's a great point - I'd just try it at first and see if they care. But maybe bring some of the backup materials just in case, and allow some extra time if there is a discussion.   As for the clam chowder, I enjoy the aroma and taste, but the creamy sauce is a no-no unless you were thinking Manhattan style.   If we meet at BWI, then I think a crab cake at O'Brycki's is the wager.     ... View more

@advlce I agree that the situation you were going through was frustrating, and I’ve experienced it as well. However, you are leaving out the details on what lead to the cancellations. Weather or mechanical? I don’t think the commitment is misleading because it actually makes sense if you look it from a business perspective. If the airline had to put out the cost of hotel rooms for all of their stranded passengers because of any unforeseen circumstance, they might as well park all of their jets and open hotel chains.    My advice to you is to alwaybe courteous and not demanding when frustrated at the gate. In my experience, being concerned, but understanding about my situation actually goes pretty far.      ... View more

I wish they would reinstate that lol! Oh well, you live and learn I guess.  ... View more

@TheMiddleSeat wrote: @DancingDavidE I can't wait until I can be on a flight with you  I'll be sure to bring a nice piping hot bowl of clam chowder and a side of freshly microwaved salmon. Just wait until I open that Tupperware container!   I hate morning flights, not just because I'm not a morning person, but because the smell of coffee or anything resembling an Egg McMuffin on a plane makes me want to empty my stomach. Bleh!   --TheMiddleSeat Maybe DEN-MDW-BWI? I'll bring the coffee.     ... View more

@Ontheroad247 wrote: Most recently, I was on a Southwest flight where the teenager behind me (boarding position ~A15) decided that she was going to save 4  entire rows in the front of the plane for her teammates. I could see the frustration as the girl told passenger after passenger that she had reserved those seats, just like she were on a school bus. By the time the whole team was seated we were all wishing that we were sitting in the back of the plane - at least it was quiet back there! I know these encounters are few and far between, but it's frustrating to encounter such blatant disregard for other travelers. Oh boy! That's a tough one, obviously a teenager on a sports team may not have the experience as to what they are doing, or awareness of the needs of others. When Southwest is invovled in similar travels in the past on my flights, I have seen the FA and gate agents work to get them to take a block towards the back to alleviate the saving of seats, but still get them together. That was probably a missed opportunity on your flight!         ... View more

Thank you! ... View more

If you're a risk taker you could always show up at the check-in counter on the day you meant to fly and say "oops, I didn't realize I booked another day", but that's a BIG gamble and you could either be added to the flight as standby (if seats are available) or get stuck paying for all new tickets at very last minute fares ($$$ ouch!).   It's frustrating to have to pay the additional $500, but very good that you caught the mistake before it was too late. Change fees on other airlines can be $200 per ticket plus the fare difference.   --TheMiddleSeat ... View more

@eavesjr wrote: So, I have what I'm afraid is a dumb question.  I have qualified for the Companion Pass and now have a points total of approximately 150,000.  My question is:   Have I simply qualified for the Companion Pass program?  Or... do I have to "pay" 110,000 points to add someone as my companion (reducing my points total to approximately 40,000)? Even though this is marked solved, I wanted to clarify as I think the OP had a slightly different question - earning points in terms of "tier qualifying" for CP or A-list is completely separate from redeeming points or paying them for flights and other rewards.   You can redeem points as you go, that doesn't affect your tier qualifying total of points which is cumulative for the year, whether you redeemed any or not.       ... View more

I understand what you're saying. I know that you cannot use travel funds or vouchers to purchase EBCI because EBCI exists as a profit center for Southwest, but I have no idea why Southwest won't allow the use of PayPal.   This forum is customer-to-customer, so I'd recomend you contact Southwest directly with your concerns. I doubt you'll receive answers to your questions, but your suggestions will at least be noted.     ... View more

You can apply Travel Funds towards vacation packages booked through Southwest Vacations (actually Mark Travel Corporation). And, of course, towards air travel on Southwest. But that's it. No group travel, extra-fee Southwest products (EarlyBird Check-In, Upgraded Boarding, etc.), hotels or rental-cars, despite being able to book them on the Southwest website. ... View more

@TheMiddleSeat wrote: Sorry, I don't have any knowledge or experience with luggage carts, but couldn't you remain seated in the wheelchair after security so you can continue using the wheelchair to carry your bags? Yes, this would probably require the attendant stay with you and you may prefer to be alone, but it seems like it solves the issue regarding carrying bags.    Would a wheeled carryon bag and a foldable stool also work? I'm unclear as to how you would be able to lift/maneuver any cart or baggage.   --TheMiddleSeat I can imagine two scenarios:   Someone injures themselves while having a chair on their own - that's no good! Retrieval of the chairs, or they end up stranded somewhere. For these two reasons I can see the airport policies evolving to keep an attendant with the chair. If you need the chair, then the attendant will come along with it until you are boarded.   That seems to be how they want to do it? I wouldn't fight that policy unless it was disagreeable in some way.          ... View more

I get it. You bought Early Bird Check In thinking that you were going to get a great boarding position and are frustrated that you're only five positions ahead of somebody that didn't purchase it. But let's look at this logically. 1. You were assigned a boarding position 36 hours before your flight and did not have to check in right at 24 hours to guarantee that position. In fact, if you had checked in an hour before your flight, you would still have A51 and your wife would still have a worse boarding position than you. This is the primary benefit of EBIC. 2. A51 is better than A56, so you did get a better boarding position. Maybe not as "better" as you had hoped, but better nonetheless. The primary and secondary benefits of Early Bird Check In that Southwest advertises were both fulfilled in your instance. If you are not satisfied with the benefit that EBIC gave you, simply do not purchase it next time. Personally, the peace of mind of not having to remember to check in 24 hours before my flight is worth $15 to me. ... View more

This reminds me of another activity that is discouraged, the other airlines will cancel tickets if they know you are doing this, I'm not sure what Southwest's opinion is:   Buy one set of RT tickets from BWI to LAX, and buy a second seet of RT tickets from BOS to BWI, "nesting" the BWI-LAX round trip inside the BOS-BWI round trip.   Then you could add the companion just to the BWI-LAX round trip ticket.   The reservation system may not like this though. On Southwest it woulnd't normally affect pricing, they don't offer savings for RT vs separate one-way tickets like other airlines, but I think they still prefer you not to book this way, although it would be another way to solve the companion booking issue originally described above.   I'd confirm if this was allowed or not before doing it, you don't want to jeapordize your status by violating the terms.           ... View more

Lindsey,   Got a flight coming up on 7/26 and we'll see how check in goes.   Thanks, Ron ... View more

Thank you for your feedback! ... View more