How to Fly Southwest if You Dont Know Your Return Time
Anytime I discuss travel that involves flying, I love to mention Southwest Airlines as an option. They're sometimes piece of cake to forget since their prices typically don't appear on search engines like Kayak or Google Flights (both are great tools for comparing flying prices past the way!). But as i of the largest airlines flying in and out of Orlando International Airport, Southwest Airlines is an excellent option when planning a Walt Disney World vacation. Because their offering is and then different from many of the other major airlines (depression fares, no handbag fees, and no assigned seats), I idea nosotros'd take some time to talk virtually what it's like to book and wing Southwest Airlines. If yous're lucky, I may even add together some tips and tricks I've learned along the way, so let's become started!
Booking: Online booking is incredibly easy. Yous plug in your starting airport, your destination, date or dates (depending on whether you lot're purchasing one-way or round trip), and the number of people. On the next screen, you'll see three different prices for all the flights available for those dates: Business organization Select, Anytime, and Wanna Go Away.
From this page, you can also click on other dates about the dates yous originally selected to check their prices as well, or you can access the Depression Fare Calendar.
Coin Saving Tip #1: Use the Low Fare calendar when you don't take set up dates for a trip (or if y'all're like me, when you lot're hoping to squeeze in a spontaneous cheap trip). It'due south a quick and piece of cake way to see the least expensive cost every day for a month at a time.
Once you select a flying, you'll come across a folio with the flying details and total cost. Then information technology's fourth dimension to type in all of your information including name, date of nascency, gender, e-mail, and billing information.
Coin Saving Tip #two: You can find discounted Southwest gift cards through a variety of sources. I like to buy Southwest giftcards from Target using my RedCard, which saves me 5%.
After purchase, Southwest sends a confirmation e-mail service with your confirmation code. This code will be used ofttimes throughout the process, so keep it handy!
Money Saving Tip #3: Price out the trip for ane person and so again for the total number of people in your party. If the per person cost is different, yous can save money past booking some of your group at the lower toll and the residual of the party at the higher price instead of booking everyone in your party at the higher price.
Only a sure number of tickets are allocated to each price. If for example, you see $109 per person for the return trip when searching for 1 adult and $139 per person for the return price when searching for four adults, yous tin can go along decreasing the number in your grouping until y'all get back down to that $109 per person toll. Book those people at $109. Then go back and book the residuum of the grouping at $139. Let's say in that location are 3 tickets left at $109. That means rather than pay for 4 people at $139 ($556 full), you could book the group as two separate parties and pay for three tickets at $109 and one ticket at $139 ($466 total). In our case, that saves you $90.
You can also see how many are left at a sure price by going through the process every bit if you're were going to buy the ticket. When you get to the second page, it will say "2 left at this price".
Re-booking: Regardless of the type of ticket you bought, information technology'due south pretty easy to change your flights after booking likewise. From the Southwest Airlines home folio, y'all tin can click "Change Flight". Using the confirmation number and your beginning and last name, you can pull upward the details of your currently booked flying, select which direction (if roundtrip) that you lot want to modify, and so select a new flight. Depending on the price deviation between your original flight and the new one, you will be issued a credit or asked to pay the remaining residual.
Money Saving Tip #4: If the price of your flight goes downwards after you book it, y'all can utilize the "Change Flight" feature to secure a credit or refund. In this instance, you'll select the exact same flight that you originally booked when y'all get to the screen to pick your new flight. Depending on which type of ticket yous had or how long ago you fabricated the reservation, you'll either receive a refund of the difference or a credit to apply to future flights.
EarlyBird: During the booking process, you'll exist asked whether you want to buy EarlyBird Bank check-In for an additional $15 per person each way. Since Southwest doesn't accept assigned seating similar other airlines, this gives you the opportunity to lath the airplane before the general population. That means potentially amend seats and not having to worry about whether at that place will be enough room for your conduct-on bag by the time you lath.
Money Saving Tip #5: Consider upgrading to EarlyBird for just a portion of your group rather than the entire grouping. The get-go person can make sure the almost essential carry-on items are packed in their pocketbook. And so when anybody else boards afterward, it won't be a large bargain if their bags are gate checked.
Money Saving Tip #6: Consider upgrading to EarlyBird for just the render trip. When you're on vacation, information technology'south inconvenient and difficult to remember to check in for your flying home 24 hours in accelerate. If you purchase EarlyBird for just the return trip, you don't demand to worry well-nigh that since it will consummate automatic check-in for you.
Rapid Rewards: Southwest Airlines assigns two betoken values to every flight. One is the number of points you lot earn by booking that flight, and the other is the number of points to buy that flight. If you take a Rapid Rewards business relationship, you tin can earn points for all of your flights that you can then use towards the purchase of some other flight. You can create an account without using or opening a credit/debit card.
Money Saving Tip #7: If you wing often enough, yous tin can accrue enough points through the Rapid Rewards Business relationship to buy a free flight using accumulated points.
Bank check-in: Online check-in opens 24 hours before your scheduled flying. Equally I mentioned above, Southwest Airlines does not assign seating. The earlier you check in, the earlier you board. If seating is of import to you lot (for example, if yous want to sit with your significant other), so you'll want to check in exactly at that 24 60 minutes mark. Online check-in is pretty simple. Later you click "check in" on the homepage, you'll provide that confirmation number from booking and your showtime and last proper name. When you lot click cheque in, y'all'll be given the option to view, impress, or electronic mail your ticket.
You can also bank check in at the airport. If you exercise not have any checked bags, airport kiosks can be used to check in and print your ticket. If you lot take checked luggage, y'all'll have to go to the Southwest counter at the aerodrome (or utilise the one at your Disney hotel for the render trip) to cheque your bags. Note that you can check in online at the 24 hour mark to reserve your boarding position even if y'all take checked bags. In that instance, you lot would just proceed to the counter to check your bags.
Gates: The telltale signs of a Southwest Airlines gate include metal posts used in the boarding process (more on that below) and in some instances, leather seats with built in outlets. At the Orlando International airport, Southwest flights typically have off from and land in Terminal A (opposite Terminal B where Magical Express picks upwards and drops off) gates 100-129. Nearby restaurants include Chipotle, McDonald'south, Starbucks, and Bailiwick of jersey's Mikes Subs.
Boarding: This is probably the most confusing part for those unfamiliar with Southwest Airlines. Remember how I said that how early y'all check in and whether you purchase EarlyBird determine how early you board? Well, based on those two factors, your boarding laissez passer will have an A, B, or C on it and a number between one-lx. Grouping A volition line upwardly first forth the metal columns organized by number. Those with 1-30 will board kickoff in numerical order, followed by 31-sixty. Family boarding, pregnant those with kids 6 years of age and nether, goes side by side. Grouping B and Grouping C follow in the same manner as group A. Those with Business organisation Select tickets, A-list passengers, and EarlyBird passengers typically board early on in group A, and sometimes you can also purchase an upgraded boarding position at the gate for $30-$40.
In-flying Entertainment: If your plane is enabled with WiFi, you can access a flight tracker, Southwest.com, and a collection of Goggle box episodes for free. Yous tin also pay $8 per device per mean solar day for full WiFi access in case y'all desire to check electronic mail or browse other websites. Even the Flying Attendants on some flights could be classified as amusement if they're in the mood to fissure jokes.
In-flight Food and Drink: Typically, Flight Attendants will serve a snack that can vary depending on the time of day. On my recent morning flights, I've received belVita breakfast biscuits. During the afternoon or evening flights, information technology's typically peanuts (or pretzels) and Cheese Nips. Free drinks include sodas, juices, java, or tea. Alcoholic beverages like beer, wine, or cocktails can be purchased for an additional fee. The in-flight bill of fare tin be found here.
With almost 10 years of flying Southwest Airlines, I've almost never had a bad experience bated from the occasional flight delay. Throw in the fact that I've been able to find round trip flights for as low as $80 on a fairly regular basis, and they have made me one happy camper. Have y'all always flown Southwest Airlines or have you considered them for time to come trips? Feel free to share your experiences or questions with usa in the comments below!
Source: https://touringplans.com/blog/booking-flying-southwest-airlines/
0 Response to "How to Fly Southwest if You Dont Know Your Return Time"
Post a Comment