Southwest Airlines Community

@christianm2b2wrote: I have a couple flights booked as well. I purchased the early bird ($60) that I won't need to use. If I were to cancel and re-book the flights, it will cost $68. Do you think it's worth it to get A-List the rest of 2018? We will probably fly about 3-4 more times. I can't say that canceling and re-booking is eligible, but I can say that having A-list is worth a lot mroe than $68 if you fly Southwest regularly.   Even for 3-4 trips per year you'll be automatically checked in, access to Fly-by priority, and 25% bonus on points earned.   I'm not sure about canceling and re-booking though in terms of qualifying.   ... View more

The other guys have their beverage and snack trollies...I'm happy to have more nimble approach by Southwest with the trays. ... View more

I use Costco a lot - very competive and easy cancellation.   ... View more

@moniquemillerwrote: Thank you 🙂 and yes my older child is 23 months so just under 2  I am trying to squeeze in two or more trips in April with my then 23.9 month old as well.   ... View more

I'm having trouble finding a citation, but I have seen that a diaper bag could be treated as a specialty item (category of medical equipment or assistive devices), and not count towards your bag + personal item.   If you husband only has one bag he can also take one so that you are clearly under, or if the older child is toddling they might hold the pillow....but I think it is fine either way.   Any suggestion from @CareforNOLA?   Just to clarify...older child is also under two years old?   David   ... View more

@TheMiddleSeatwrote: Southwest has never fully disclosed their boarding priority policies, but based on lots discussions people do seem to think within the A-List status group, A-List Preferred goes first and within that group, people that have purchased Business Select fares have priority, then Anytime fares, then Wanna Getaway. The same breakdown occurs within the regular A-List group after Preferred. It's a guessing game how it's prioritized within each fare class, but purchase date or overall money spent might be a factor. It's highly doubtful that just being a Companion Pass holder factors in as it's fairly easy to get CP without even flying. Also, while companions are not officially included in the A-List standby policy, agents do seem to make exceptions and allow them to travel standby which leads to thinking that the standby priority can also be controlled or adjusted by the agent. The old idea of being nice and smiling is probably still a very big factor. One clarification that it is a two-step process where the flexibile tickets Business Select and Anytime would get first chance if seats were open to change immediately, only going on standby list if no seats were currently open.   Then for the standby list as described.   CP won't be a factor, and according to the terms the companion actually isn't included in same-day standby perk for A-listers. If there was an empty spot, you could get it anyway as companion with the new booking as long as you cleared before boarding. My limited experience is that they have tried to accomodate where possible, especially if there were plenty of seats open.     ... View more

I did see one article talking about flying in general that also suggested dressing up if you plan to ask for any favors. ... View more

Since the time of this thread there is now this tool: https://southwest.ereceiptuat.guestlogix.com/   I'm not sure if it works for wifi, or just drinks. Maybe you can try it and see.   ... View more

That makes sense though, you would check in at 10 a.m. Saturday for your 10 a.m. flight Sunday, even though there will only be 23 hours between.   Is it 25 hour check-in when DST ends? ... View more

@chgoflyerwrote: Southwest allows seat saving. I suppose it will always be controversial to some -- but as long as Southwest fails to have a policy prohibiting or limiting it, it is what it is. 😉   I usually buy EBCI for myself. But I would never buy it for all 4 people in a group. Its value is very much lost if you can't board at the position you've paid for and been given, but instead have to board at the latest position in your group (when that means losing out on A boarding, for example).   It's a function of your level of discomfort with confrontation and sense of guilt. If one person goes first and saves several spots, people will be coming by trying to sit in the spot and how will you feel telling people that you have saved a spot? What if the other person insists they will sit in the empty space?   Side note: many people would not begrudge you to hold one spot for your spouse or child, especially if it is a middle.    If this bothers you - get the EBCI for everyone. And/or when you save three seats don't go for the best possible spot, head to the back. Are the people in your group relatively close - there's a psychological relief if the person you are saving a seat for is right behind the person asking for that spot...oh, they just barely missed out. But holding three empties until C48, 49, and 50 you are going to get some looks from people, especially on a full flight.   So contrary to @chgoflyer go ahead and get EBCI for everyone if it will reduce your stress, just board as the numbers come and hold some spots without being obnoxious about it, or bunch into twos if there is a big spread. ... View more

@victorjunluwrote: Agreed. I was flying with 5-6 airlines and did not want to carry too many credit cards. that is why I did not get southwest credit card.  I also travel internationally a lot and southwest is mostly domestic flights. So I did not bother applying. Looking back, if any one is serious flying southwest and does not travel outside of US, credit card is a solution. Otherwise you will lose all your hard earned southwest air miles easily.  As long as there is no annual fee, having another card will save you from a lot of frustration like I had You could also rent a car or hotel through their portal one time, or use the shopping portal to make a purchase.   I'm not sure if the JD Power reference was for flying in general, or specifically for Rapid Rewards.    Getting to A-list is great for fly-by if you don't already have PreCheck, automatic check-in is analogous to other airlines offering boarding status or one bracket upgrades. New benefits this year for same-day standby with A-list. No blackouts on reward bookings - if a seat is open, you can get it. Companion pass. For the airline in general the WGA fares are often low (not universally), no change fee, two checked bags...those are very good reasons not specific to Rapid Rewards.   Anyway - they sent you here to discuss - nobody can actually do anything about your lost points, we're all users too.   The only suggestion in that regard is to call back with the screenshot of your last activity and show them why you thought that you were good and you want the reinstated. There's a subtle different between checking and thinking you were good when you weren't as an honest mistake, as opposed to showing up 25 months later and going "whoops!".   I don't think that will work, but otherwise I think the terms are clear and there should have been an email notice about forfeiting points and also your monthly rapid rewards account status email. Maybe these went to an old email address, or possibly lost in the flood of emails everyone gets these days.     ... View more

There is same-day flexibility - advertised for A-list members but sometimes you could be accomodated anyway, or pay the fare difference.    Day-ahead you have to change your ticket, for one thing depending if you were slightly more than a day early you won't be able to get a boarding pass, so it's not like you can wander on down to the gate and see how it goes.   I don't know if TSA will let you through with a boarding pass for the next day...this might vary by airport, a 24-hour facility might not care as much as regional airports.    ... View more

Someone else can chime in, but I believe I have it defaulted in my profile and then you can select how to be contacted when you book the ticket, in my case I choose text message.   You won't have to go through the "set up alerts" link each time which I think is what you mean about a lot of work each time, but you will have to pick the button for text or email alerts at the time of booking, but the options will be pre-filled    Edit: here is the page on your profile to make the default methods - https://www.southwest.com/myaccount/preferences/communication ... View more

Does the app otherwise work?   There are a couple of other threads about older versions of Android not being supported.   https://www.southwestaircommunity.com/t5/General-Travel-Policies/New-Southwest-App-incompatible-with-my-device/m-p/50587   https://www.southwestaircommunity.com/t5/Southwest-Stories/Redesigned-and-Ready-for-Take-off-Android-3-0-is-Here/ba-p/49310     ... View more

It's working very well for me, but I am using it fairly regularly. You must have gone more than 24 months without earning activity, I don't think Southwest is out to trick people - they may have also sent a notice prior to expiration.   For anyone trying to maintain their activity, here is some information on how to stay active: https://www.southwest.com/html/rapidrewards/promotions/rr-points-keep-active.html         ... View more

That sounds right...loss would still apply, but not damage.   We invested heavily in the Southwest blue bags to avoid the inevitable scuffing. ... View more

Probably two people with A-list that had A49 and A50 had one hour earlier change of plans than you did, and you happened to catch their vacated positions. ... View more

There is also a limited release if you gate check. But it would have been best to bring the damaged stroller to the baggage counter after arrival, or I guess as a lesson learned for anyone else reading this thread for next time. ... View more

I think one more clarification - the flight credit for OP when canceling can't be used to purchase the girlfriend's ticket, OP would would have to use the credit on his own for a different flight before the expiration.   Unofficially there is rumor that you can call Southwest and have an expired credit issued as a voucher for a fee, which might be $100 but subject to change. If OP is in it for $400 and won't be able to use the credit, then it may be worth trying to do this, although it isn't guaranteed to get $300+ of vouchers out of the deal.   However in each case you'll still have to pay cash or points for girlfriend's ticket before she can add you as companion for the flight. Make sure she has you named as designated companion in her RR account also before canceling anything.     ... View more

@CareforNOLAwrote: HI @Ft12, Southwest has open seating so the number on your boarding pass is your position in line to board, not your seat number.  Once aboard, choose any available seat you like.  Southwest is unique about this open style boarding. I think she/he meant as an in-flight game to read the numbers, etc. - but true, it won't be on your boarding pass, you'll have to look overhead at the aisle and see the row number and seat letters. ... View more

@JPBOKCwrote: Shows I have the necessary points under Snapshot “Companion Pass on my way". However, when I hit Learn more link to designate person to fly with me I cannot add anyone. Need to book a flight soon so when will this be activated? Hopefully it worked out, I'm sorry I dind't see this post earlier.   In the meantime or for anyone else reading this thread, you don't have to book the companion at the same time you book your own flight - go ahead and get your flight booked and come back to add the companion pass when you are able to, as long as seats are available for the flight. ... View more

The graphic has to be approved by the moderators. Does it refer to the points as "bonus" - there some debate on other threads that bonus points might or might not count, but had been counting for many posters.     ... View more

If the flight is sparse, I head to the back with lots of chances to get at least a middle empty if not all three seats to myself. People sit next to each other in the front no matter how full the plane is.   For full flights, I like to get about 8 rows back. That's where the overheads will be full and all the last people on the plane will have to keep heading to the back, so best chance for a middle seat to be empty is in that neighborhood. I've heard it called "The Hidden First Class" of Southwest.   Also for short flights I forget which row exactly, but you want to be towards the first group to get drink orders in, but not for the front FA who has some extra duties, get the second section. ... View more

You could really get your money's worth if you bought a pass to that lounge out in the international terminal and hung out there for two days. ... View more

I saw this article today and thought of you all: https://www.wsj.com/articles/your-love-of-your-old-smartphone-is-a-problem-for-apple-and-samsung-1519822801?itx[idio]=6358576&ito=792&itq=a3be6751-8de5-4b1c-b6f4-8627f52c08e9   You'll have to be a subscriber to read the whole thing. ... View more

The non-published rate scale also seems to increase fares as tickets sell.   I think you did the right thing by buying two first and seven later - the first two could push the fare to the next higher bracket, but seven would be that much more likely to do so.   Buying seven tickets first would have put all seven in the higher bracket, and then the two would be above that...this way hopefully at least the two were cheaper.   When you scope it out online next time, try varying the number of tickets that you buy to see where it kicks up to the next fare. ... View more