Southwest Airlines Community

I have not flown out of Pittsburgh, but I would be shocked if you really needed to be at the airport at 3:30am for a 5:30am domestic flight. I've taken plenty of early flights out of DCA (Washington, DC's National Airport), and arriving an hour early is plenty of time. The key is to check in online (which opens up 24 hours in advance, and is how you secure a good boarding position), and when you get to the airport all you need to do is print out your baggage tags and hand over your two bags.   If you want to double check, I would call the Pittsburgh airport to confirm, but honestly, arriving an hour early is plenty of time for an early morning domestic flight, assuming you've already checked in online. ... View more

Honestly, I've learned to make it a habit of asking the folks around me what their numbers are, and showing them mine. If someone is standing in the wrong spot, I have no problem smiling and saying "Oh, you're back there. See the numbers?" This is usually an effective way to get folks to move to the right spot.   I think some people feign confusion with the boarding system, when in reality, it's pretty clear. Anyway, that would be my suggestion- to be proactive in asking the folks around you for their numbers, sort of as a way to make sure you're in the right place (even if you know you are), but really to make sure they are in the right place. ... View more