Post all SW questions concerns, etc. here...

I don't fly often, but I'm planning to use points to fly to Orlando in the first weekend in March. My dates are not flexible unfortunately as I'm travelling for a specific event and I can't miss an extra day of work to leave a day early. Flights seem crazy expensive that weekend compared to the weekend surrounding it. Would anyone know if Southwest typically drops prices a little getting closer to the date? Should I book now and check each week? (I did that last time, and ended up scoring super cheap flights) I'm paying with points, but I still want the cheapest price possible. Leaving from any of the 3 DC/Baltimore airports Thursday-Sunday. Is there anyway to get a promo code? I considered not flying SW but going for one of the other discount airlines and paying with money but the price nearly doubles with bags....I guess I am just looking for the most affordable way to do this. Thanks for your insight. :)
I use these airports too and for two years have been routinely following the DC to MCO routes. Often SW drops, sometimes they don't once it gets too close or it jumps up. Since you've got nothing to lose by using points, I'd book now.

For DC, I find the best prices for Southwest are from Reagan (DCA), but BWI is a little harder for me to get to so I tend to not check those as much. Dulles (IAD) rarely has good prices and most of them have a stop-over in Atlanta or some out of the way city.

(I don't have the points but what I do is book if I see an acceptable price and then check daily (sometimes more, lol) to see if it drops. If it does, I rebook. I was able to knock about $100 off our December flight between myself and DD's credits :) ).
 
I don't fly often, but I'm planning to use points to fly to Orlando in the first weekend in March. My dates are not flexible unfortunately as I'm travelling for a specific event and I can't miss an extra day of work to leave a day early. Flights seem crazy expensive that weekend compared to the weekend surrounding it. Would anyone know if Southwest typically drops prices a little getting closer to the date? Should I book now and check each week? (I did that last time, and ended up scoring super cheap flights) I'm paying with points, but I still want the cheapest price possible. Leaving from any of the 3 DC/Baltimore airports Thursday-Sunday. Is there anyway to get a promo code? I considered not flying SW but going for one of the other discount airlines and paying with money but the price nearly doubles with bags....I guess I am just looking for the most affordable way to do this. Thanks for your insight. :)
Southwest does not have promo codes for leisure customers on WGA fares. At about three weeks prior to departure date, Southwest fares trend higher. At two weeks, they move higher, again, and with less than one week, WGA fares (the lowest fare class on Southwest) may not even be available for booking.

If you have enough points to book now, I suggest doing so, as you have nothing to lose. If you can, monitor your flights every day for a reduction in cost. If the fare goes down, Southwest will refund the extra points to your account.

You may want to look at the Low Fare Calendar to see what the lowest fares are, around your travel dates, to get a general idea. Southwest usually releases sale fares on Tuesdays.

By waiting, you may lose out on a fare that may not be there later.
 
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First time traveling with a child on Southwest and have a question. He will be 9 months old at that time and we are planning on holding him on our lap. When I go to book our fares during the next fare release, do I need to put anything down for him or just go to the counter on the day we fly out to obtain a boarding pass for him?
 
First time traveling with a child on Southwest and have a question. He will be 9 months old at that time and we are planning on holding him on our lap. When I go to book our fares during the next fare release, do I need to put anything down for him or just go to the counter on the day we fly out to obtain a boarding pass for him?
I haven't read all the details but am pretty confident your answer will be here: https://www.southwest.com/html/customer-service/family/baby-on-board-pol.html?clk=SITESEARCH
 


First time traveling with a child on Southwest and have a question. He will be 9 months old at that time and we are planning on holding him on our lap. When I go to book our fares during the next fare release, do I need to put anything down for him or just go to the counter on the day we fly out to obtain a boarding pass for him?
At the check in counter (where you check bags and get boarding passes) is where you will register him. Be sure to bring his birth certificate.
 
Husband and I have separate reservations so we could each use our points. Can I now combine them so that I can get our boarding passes together? Or, option b, we will be traveling with a 4 year old so we can board between group a and b. I will assume that the other 2 kids will be able to board with us at that time as well. Assuming this is the case, should I even bother with checking in at the 24 hour mark to try for a low number? We dont have to sit together but a group of 2 and a group of 3 will be necessary.
 
Husband and I have separate reservations so we could each use our points. Can I now combine them so that I can get our boarding passes together? Or, option b, we will be traveling with a 4 year old so we can board between group a and b. I will assume that the other 2 kids will be able to board with us at that time as well. Assuming this is the case, should I even bother with checking in at the 24 hour mark to try for a low number? We dont have to sit together but a group of 2 and a group of 3 will be necessary.
If your 2 other children are above the 'family boarding' age, they are supposed to board with their boarding group with the second adult. You will all want to check in at the 24 hour mark and secure boarding passes regardless of using family boarding.

There was 1 time I forgot to check-in at the 24 hour mark so checked in as soon as I remembered, about 10 hours before our flight. I figured we would be fine as it was myself, my 4 yo daughter and my mom so we would be using the family boarding regardless of our boarding pass numbers. The challenge was they had oversold the flight so when I checked in it said there were no boarding passes available!! NOT what I wanted to hear! Thankfully in the morning we were able to secure boarding passes when we checked in but I learned from that experience to always check in because if the flight is oversold, the last people to check in might not be able to board and be bumped to another flight!
 


If your 2 other children are above the 'family boarding' age, they are supposed to board with their boarding group with the second adult. You will all want to check in at the 24 hour mark and secure boarding passes regardless of using family boarding.
Crud. I wonder if there's any chance my 11 year old can board with me and the 4 year old during family boarding and then let the 9 year old board with my husband. The 4 year old is the adventurous one and will probably be fine but the 9 year old will need an adult to herself.
 
Crud. I wonder if there's any chance my 11 year old can board with me and the 4 year old during family boarding and then let the 9 year old board with my husband. The 4 year old is the adventurous one and will probably be fine but the 9 year old will need an adult to herself.
Updated:

Yes, the 11yo can board with your husband and the 4yo during family boarding and then the 9yo may board with you during regular boarding.
 
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FYI: this is the family boarding policy from SW’s website:

“Two adults traveling with a child six years old or younger may board during Family Boarding, which occurs after the “A” group has boarded and before the “B” group begins boarding. If the child and the adult are both holding an “A” boarding pass, they should board in their assigned boarding position.“

It does not specifically mention older children being prohibited from family boarding if there’s more than one adult. It only mentions the limit of two adults.
 
Thanks guys. I'm going to call SW when these kids go back to school (surprise trip). I don't mind just checking in and getting what we get. My concern is that DH is on a separate reservation so I see the kids and I getting in one group and then til I log out and back in, DH will be way behind us.
 
Thanks guys. I'm going to call SW when these kids go back to school (surprise trip). I don't mind just checking in and getting what we get. My concern is that DH is on a separate reservation so I see the kids and I getting in one group and then til I log out and back in, DH will be way behind us.
Can you get more than 1 device logged in at the same time? Your phone plus hubby's? iPad, laptop, desktop, etc.?
 
Can you get more than 1 device logged in at the same time? Your phone plus hubby's? iPad, laptop, desktop, etc.?
This is what I do, as I am DH‘s companion and always have a separate confirmation number. I just pull up the website or app on two different devices and check in as simultaneously as possible. We’ve always been within a few boarding positions of each other this way.
 
Southwest Weather Advisory for Winter Storm Isaiah, allowing OKC*, TUL*, MDW**, MKE**, GRR**, MCI**, & ICT** customers departing or arriving 01/10/2020* and 01/11/2020** to change travel dates, up to 14 days later, with no additional cost, subject to availability.

If your flights are eligible, there will be a message when you try to change your flight, advising of this option.

You may change your trip date/time at no additional cost if you stay inside the restrictions below.
DEPART FLIGHT RESTRICTIONS
  • Departure airport must be: XXXXX, XX - XXX
  • Arrival airport must be: XXXXX, XX - XXX
  • Travel dates are between: 1/9/2020 to 1/25/2020
Note: Changes made outside the conditions listed above will not be protected under our established reaccommodation practices and may result in a higher fare.
 
Just logged into my Southwest account and saw "Alist" next to my name.
What is this about?
We did 7 rountrips last year on points (transferred from chase sapphire) so know we did not earn any "paid" or "qualifying" flights.
What does Alist get you?
We actually just booked our disney flights on delta because our usual southwest flight was 5 times more during spring break week.
 
Just logged into my Southwest account and saw "Alist" next to my name.
What is this about?
We did 7 rountrips last year on points (transferred from chase sapphire) so know we did not earn any "paid" or "qualifying" flights.
What does Alist get you?
We actually just booked our disney flights on delta because our usual southwest flight was 5 times more during spring break week.
I don’t know why, but you now have elite status on Southwest. Among other benefits, you will automatically be checked in for your flights, before others, starting with boarding position A16, be able to do standby changes, use priority check-in security lane, and call in on a dedicated phone line. When buying paid tickets, not with points, you get 25% bonus RR points. Congrats on your surprise perk!

https://www.southwest.com/rapidrewards/tiers-more-alist?clk=GSUBNAV-RR-TIER
 
Just logged into my Southwest account and saw "Alist" next to my name.
What is this about?
We did 7 rountrips last year on points (transferred from chase sapphire) so know we did not earn any "paid" or "qualifying" flights.
What does Alist get you?
We actually just booked our disney flights on delta because our usual southwest flight was 5 times more during spring break week.
Last week or was it this week I believe I was reading an article from The Points Guy (maybe it was someone else can't remember lol) but anyways people were randomly selected to get A-list and they didn't have to do anything to get it. Sounds like you were one of the lucky ones!
 
Just logged into my Southwest account and saw "Alist" next to my name.
What is this about?
We did 7 rountrips last year on points (transferred from chase sapphire) so know we did not earn any "paid" or "qualifying" flights.
What does Alist get you?
We actually just booked our disney flights on delta because our usual southwest flight was 5 times more during spring break week.

This is a promotion being offered to select SW CC holders, it is only good until 6/30/20. If you don’t qualify for A-list during this time you will revert back to normal after 6/30.
 
Thanks guys. I'm going to call SW when these kids go back to school (surprise trip). I don't mind just checking in and getting what we get. My concern is that DH is on a separate reservation so I see the kids and I getting in one group and then til I log out and back in, DH will be way behind us.
Our last flight DH was on his own reservation so I sucked it up and bought him EBCI. He ended up with an A position and the kids and I were in the high Bs.
 

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