Current Cost of Early Bird?

[Shanti]

Now that SWA's Early Bird fees are reportedly being charged on a sliding scale up to $25 pp each way, I'm wondering what they are actually charging in practice. Is it always $25, or is anyone seeing prices a bit lower than $25 for their routes?

If anyone has purchased Early Bird since the recent change, what was your experience with this?

 

[mom2rtk]

The tickets we bought yesterday were $25 each way. Both for Tuesday evening travel (typically a lighter travel day) and on a Sunday evening (typically a heavier travel day). Very disappointing.

 

[kaytieeldr]

It's probably based on distance.

 

[Jestocost]

It's probably based on distance.

Southwest says it's based on a combination of the length of the route and EarlyBird demand for that route.

 

[Cinderumbrella]

My MDW to MCO is now $20 each way

 

[Ralph&Pam]

Our EBCIs for a SAN to MDW flight after the WBPC cruise arriving in San Diego in March were $25 pp.

 

[Shanti]

This is good info, thanks! It's heartening to know that at least some routes feature pricing under $25. I wouldn't expect that for many flights to or from Orlando, though. Too many families who want to sit together!

 

[mom2rtk]

Well, my distance was about half way across the country and it's the highest it could be. They didn't leave any room to charge more for a flight going entirely cross country.

 

[js]

Purchased FLL-EWR on Thursday for March 9 and paid $20.

 

[Tinknalli]

I purchased Albany, NY to Fort Lauderdale for a Friday morning flight and it was $25.

 

[Shanti]

Well, my distance was about half way across the country and it's the highest it could be. They didn't leave any room to charge more for a flight going entirely cross country.

What were the airports involved?

 

[mom2rtk]

What were the airports involved?

MCI to LAX and SNA to MCI.

 

[Shanti]

I think I'm pretty much done with SWA after we take the flights with them that we've already booked. This EBCI price jump is the last straw, as I have a medical condition that makes my seat location important to me. I hate being an official pre-boarder, though, as it's an invisible disability & I don't like people thinking I'm just taking advantage. I've always purchased EBCI as cheap "insurance" against a terrible seat, then tend to purchase the gate upgrade to an A1-15 boarding position. But this price increase makes that stretegy even more expensive. It just isn't worth it at this point.

SWA & Jet Blue are the only carriers offering nonstops between my home airport & Orlando, and SWA offers a lot more flights than Jet Blue, but I guess I'm going to have to stop using them. Oh well. I certainly won't miss the open boarding process.

 

[Ben E N]

My MDW to MCO is now $20 each way

That's what I saw too, even for the high demand period of Chicago spring break.

 

[Rich M]

Southwest is not my favorite airline by any means but the 2 free bags is the best thing about it when traveling from the West to the East and I am very interested in seeing the cost of the flights to Hawaii. I don't mind them raising the price for EBCI if less people will do it and I might get a better seat but until Southwest does something about seat saving then people will still take advantage of it. Honestly I believe the EBCI should only be available to so many people a flight so that they limit it to the people willing to put out the extra money and get the seats they want. The fact that you can pay for EBCI and get a B boarding is terrible.

 

[kmermaid]

I think I'm pretty much done with SWA after we take the flights with them that we've already booked. This EBCI price jump is the last straw, as I have a medical condition that makes my seat location important to me. I hate being an official pre-boarder, though, as it's an invisible disability & I don't like people thinking I'm just taking advantage. I've always purchased EBCI as cheap "insurance" against a terrible seat, then tend to purchase the gate upgrade to an A1-15 boarding position. But this price increase makes that stretegy even more expensive. It just isn't worth it at this point.
s.

Why would you pay for both? Why not just purchase the upgrade- I know its not guarantee to be available but has it ever not been available?

 

[Shanti]

Why would you pay for both? Why not just purchase the upgrade- I know its not guarantee to be available but has it ever not been available?

Because the upgrade might not be available. I've purchased it several times and often get A13 or something else close to the sell-out point. I can't risk not boarding early enough to get a seat to meet my needs. If I got there & the gate upgrades were sold out & didn't have EBCI as a back-up, I'd be SOL.

Another frustration is how expensive these gate upgrades are for connecting flights, which I sometimes have to take. You have to pay to upgrade at each segment. I'm purchasing not just for myself, but for my son, as well. So it really adds up. This is part of my feeling that I'm about to be done with it all and only book with airlines that allow assigned seats.

 

[kmermaid]

Also with the new premium SWA cc one of the perks is 4 times you can choose to purchase the upgrade to A1-15 and they will reimburse the card for the fee. So those spots are going to get even more rare I think.

 

[kmermaid]

And seat saving is going to get crazy.

 

[pooch]

Because the upgrade might not be available. I've purchased it several times and often get A13 or something else close to the sell-out point. I can't risk not boarding early enough to get a seat to meet my needs. If I got there & the gate upgrades were sold out & didn't have EBCI as a back-up, I'd be SOL.

Another frustration is how expensive these gate upgrades are for connecting flights, which I sometimes have to take. You have to pay to upgrade at each segment. I'm purchasing not just for myself, but for my son, as well. So it really adds up. This is part of my feeling that I'm about to be done with it all and only book with airlines that allow assigned seats.

Just remember that even though you are able to choose seats in advance doesn’t mean those seats will be there when you get to the airport. Airlines can and do reassign seats without notifying you.

Personally I much prefer SWAs boarding procedure. At least I feel like I have some control over where I sit and with whom.