Are you flying Southwest in December?

[2tinkerbell]

We are flying into LAX in December. I checked and they had changed our flight times considerably. I don't mind the arrival but the return has us arriving the middle of the night for me. I would get 4 hours of sleep before I have to get up for work the next day. UGH.

So can we change airports with no extra cost? If so, I am so onto it when I get home tonight.

Thanks for the heads up!

 

[CateinPhoenix]

We had this happen coming back from our Hawaii trip....We originally wanted to fly home on a Monday (after 9 days already in Hawaii) but the cheapest flights using points had us booking return back on a Wednesday, would have been fine but didn't really want take additional days off work during a big project....we were able to call and change to Monday after getting the email....those flights were originally $100s more and lots more points.....I luv SW

 

[Pooh2]

Both directions of our SW flights for December were changed by an hour and a half. What is up with SW and their scheduling??!!

 

[Rich M]

We are flying into LAX in December. I checked and they had changed our flight times considerably. I don't mind the arrival but the return has us arriving the middle of the night for me. I would get 4 hours of sleep before I have to get up for work the next day. UGH.

So can we change airports with no extra cost? If so, I am so onto it when I get home tonight.

Thanks for the heads up!

Yes

 

[Rich M]

Both directions of our SW flights for December were changed by an hour and a half. What is up with SW and their scheduling??!!

Its the Max 8 problem. I actually benefited from it by getting a perfect flight by changing for free.

 

[StormyCA]

My understanding is that Max8s were supposed to be back in service as of November, but the date has been pushed back to January 2020. So airlines are scrambling to reroute planes to cover the flights that were supposed to be on Max8s.

 

[EmJ]

My understanding is that Max8s were supposed to be back in service as of November, but the date has been pushed back to January 2020. So airlines are scrambling to reroute planes to cover the flights that were supposed to be on Max8s.

Ah. So this might have answered the question I was about to ask, which is whether there is anything special about December. We're flying Southwest at the end of this month, and I haven't heard from them so I assume we're good? Other friends of mine are flying to WDW for a kid-free SWGE 48 hour marathon, lol, and their flight got changed by five and a half hours!

ETA: Now that I think about it, their flight is this month too. But maybe they were originally booked on a Max 8 and we weren't, I guess. No matter!

 

[2tinkerbell]

Thanks for the heads up on this. I called Southwest and the agent I spoke with was more than accommodating. She confirmed it is an issue with the Max 8. I was able to change our flights from LAX to John Wayne with no extra charge. I think they are better connections as well. Thanks again!

 

[Rich M]

Would anybody consider flying into Burbank instead of LAX if those two are the only options? Long Beach is my preference and then SNA but both are too much and a friend just went to LAX and said it was a huge mess.

 

[CateinPhoenix]

I love Burbank and find it can even be shorter drive time than LAX. Security is a breeze compared to LAX.

 

[Betsy82]

When I went on to the Southwest app and clicked on the flight it gave me a red message that said change available. Maybe call again and tell them you would like to change and maybe you will get some Disney Magic with Southwest.

Same for me, but it happened in June for my upcoming trip. I also switched from LAX to SNA and changed to my preferred weekend dates that were originally too expensive but allow me to fit more in. I was ecstatic I randomly checked the app that day since I never did get an email.

 

[GabrielMom]

We just flew out of burbank and security was a breeze as mentioned above, airport is small, drive time was about the same due to traffic trying to get out of lax. Uber ride was also same cost due to surge pricing at lax...I will probably be pricing out burbank in the future vs lax. So yeah, I would definitely do burbank if flight times are more convenent.

Unfortunately, this southwest change didn't work in favor for our december orlando flight, now all flights going out of home airport are early.. but glad to hear it worked out for some!

 

[StormyCA]

My son flies frequently to LA for business and Dodger games. He flies into BUR exclusively. I picked him up & dropped him off once when I was in LA visiting family (we went to a World Series game together). Driving through was a bit of a squeeze and the signage isn't the greatest but it's not too terrible. I'd take it over LAX any day.

If I fly, I fly into ONT as that's closest to my hometown & family. The drive to DL from ONT is a breeze if it isn't rush hour and is actually 5 miles closer. ONT to DLR is 36 miles, from BUR it's 41. And you don't have to drive through LA.

 

[osu2k1]

I haven't flown SW in years...what is the deal with seat assignments? We have 11 and 14 yr olds with us... I worry we don't have assigned seats and will get separated at our plane change in Oakland... Any advice? We just booked the $59/each way tix 3 days ago. Such a deal!!! TIA!

 

[EmJ]

I haven't flown SW in years...what is the deal with seat assignments? We have 11 and 14 yr olds with us... I worry we don't have assigned seats and will get separated at our plane change in Oakland... Any advice? We just booked the $59/each way tix 3 days ago. Such a deal!!! TIA!

I Southwest and fly them exclusively. So here’s how seat assignments work:

When you check in for your flight, you will be assigned a Boarding Group (A, B, or C), and a number place in that boarding group (anywhere from 1-60? It’s a lot). **The earlier you check in, the higher your Boarding Group letter and number.** This is IMPORTANT. You are unlikely to get Boarding Group A, because I think that’s Southwest’s frequent fliers and such. But if you are worried about sitting together, you’d much rather be B4 through B8 than, say C44 through C48. Set an alarm so that you are at your computer/phone ready to check in 5 minutes before check-in opens.

Once you get to the gate, there are these posts set up with numbers on them that help people get into line. First the As line up, then the Bs, etc., and you board the plane in roughly numerical order. Once you’re on, you choose any seat you want. Families with young children, disabled passengers, and military are ordinarily given priority boarding access, but I don’t think you’ll have much trouble if you check in right away.

 

[DizMe]

I haven't flown SW in years...what is the deal with seat assignments? We have 11 and 14 yr olds with us... I worry we don't have assigned seats and will get separated at our plane change in Oakland... Any advice? We just booked the $59/each way tix 3 days ago. Such a deal!!! TIA!

You can purchase an Early Bird check-in. This automatically checks you in and you don't have to do anything but pay lol. These get the best boarding assignments (group A, as a rule) outside of the A-list people. If you're all booked on one reservation, you'll have to pay for each of you, which is usually $15-20 pp depending on the airport.

 

[DizMe]

I haven't flown SW in years...what is the deal with seat assignments? We have 11 and 14 yr olds with us... I worry we don't have assigned seats and will get separated at our plane change in Oakland... Any advice? We just booked the $59/each way tix 3 days ago. Such a deal!!! TIA!

To add to the above: the cost for EB is $15-20 each way, so if you wanted that guarantee of sitting together in both directions you'd need to purchase it for both there and back flights. But honestly, at your kids' ages I wouldn't worry about being separated too much. Just have one kid with each parent if you can't sit close to one another and meet in the boarding area just after you get off the plane.