EBCI...or no?
Dec 20, 2009, 6:44 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: SAN and before that...EWR....AA EXP (3MM)..HH LIFETIME DIAMOND..AVIS PREFERRED PLUS
Posts: 678
EBCI...or no?
OK. Here's the scenario. Wife, 3 year old son and myself are traveling (to see his grandpa/grandma) on 12/29 SAT-MDW-PHL..7 AM out of SAT. Return on 1/5 PHL-HOU-SAT..out of PHL @ 8:35AM.
I rarely fly SW and don't really know the system very well. No A-list or anything of the sort....on cheeaappp fares too. $590 for 3 of us.
Anyway, is the "Early Bird Check In" worth it? Obviously, we'd like to get a row together...will EBCI pretty much give us that opportunity? Any tricks to it?
$60 round trip is adding another 10% to the fare, but worth it?
Thanks for any help!
IM
I rarely fly SW and don't really know the system very well. No A-list or anything of the sort....on cheeaappp fares too. $590 for 3 of us.
Anyway, is the "Early Bird Check In" worth it? Obviously, we'd like to get a row together...will EBCI pretty much give us that opportunity? Any tricks to it?
$60 round trip is adding another 10% to the fare, but worth it?
Thanks for any help!
IM
Dec 20, 2009, 7:13 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: SAN and before that...EWR....AA EXP (3MM)..HH LIFETIME DIAMOND..AVIS PREFERRED PLUS
Posts: 678
Dec 20, 2009, 7:51 pm
#5
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: STL
Programs: MR Plat Premier, IHG Spire, Hilton Diamond, Southwest CP
Posts: 623
Actually, all you really need to do is try your best to OLCI at T-24. If you forget, just check in when you can and if you get something in the B or C group, just join in on the "family" boarding groups between A and B. With a 7am flight out of SAT, you should be fine to get a row of three all to yourselves between the A & B group.
Absolutely do not pay for EBCI when you have a small child and can take advantage of the family boarding
Absolutely do not pay for EBCI when you have a small child and can take advantage of the family boarding
Dec 20, 2009, 7:53 pm
#6
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: OKC (Oklahoma City), Oklahoma
Programs: Marriott Gold; IHG Platinum; Insomnia Cookies
Posts: 514
No. It's a decision, based on the ability to check in at exactly T-24 (24 hours before departure) and desire to check in at T-24.
Other factors include the number of business vs leisure travelers, if the flight has prior connections, if the traveler is OK with any aisle/window, or wants one near the front, or wants exit row/bulkhead.
For you, EBCI makes no sense. You clearly qualify for family boarding, which places you right after the A's, at B-0. There are no more than 60 A's - a max of 15 Business Select, then 45 EBCI/A-list/T-24. There are often 5 or less Business Select, meaning there will be about 50 people in front of you.
For your first flights, neither look like connections, so you'll be entering an open plane. There should be plenty of free rows behind the exit rows.
For the second flights, checking in at T-24 for your first flight is about T-27 for your second flight, and will likely give you A passes. If not, even at B-0 there should be open rows near the back. I've seen them open around B-15 and B-20.
I'm not even sure you need T-24 here, because of family boarding, though it won't hurt.
Other factors include the number of business vs leisure travelers, if the flight has prior connections, if the traveler is OK with any aisle/window, or wants one near the front, or wants exit row/bulkhead.
For you, EBCI makes no sense. You clearly qualify for family boarding, which places you right after the A's, at B-0. There are no more than 60 A's - a max of 15 Business Select, then 45 EBCI/A-list/T-24. There are often 5 or less Business Select, meaning there will be about 50 people in front of you.
For your first flights, neither look like connections, so you'll be entering an open plane. There should be plenty of free rows behind the exit rows.
For the second flights, checking in at T-24 for your first flight is about T-27 for your second flight, and will likely give you A passes. If not, even at B-0 there should be open rows near the back. I've seen them open around B-15 and B-20.
I'm not even sure you need T-24 here, because of family boarding, though it won't hurt.
Dec 20, 2009, 9:10 pm
#8
Join Date: May 2002
Location: STL
Programs: DL PM/1MM, DL SkClub LT, Marr LT Plat, IHG Plat, HH Diam
Posts: 1,998
When the gate agent doesn't enforce the order, it most certainly is.
See other thread where countless FT members discuss paying for EBCI only to have line jumpers in front of them and a gate agent who demonstrates a dismissive attitude of the problem.
See other thread where countless FT members discuss paying for EBCI only to have line jumpers in front of them and a gate agent who demonstrates a dismissive attitude of the problem.
Last edited by hockeystl; Dec 20, 2009 at 9:17 pm
Dec 21, 2009, 4:03 pm
#9
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: LAS
Programs: SWA
Posts: 1,320
Bottom line, I view EBCI as automated check-in. If I can't be at my computer at T-24, it is worth the $10 to ahve SWA check me in. The better BP# is a BONUS, IMHO.
Do I like line jumpers? Not at all. But, I feel I get my moneys worth from EBCI if they check me in at T-36 and I can print a good (enough) BP at T-23, 20, 15 or whenever.
Do I like line jumpers? Not at all. But, I feel I get my moneys worth from EBCI if they check me in at T-36 and I can print a good (enough) BP at T-23, 20, 15 or whenever.
Dec 21, 2009, 5:19 pm
#10
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Austin TX
Programs: HH Dia, Hyatt Plat
Posts: 442
Bottom line, I view EBCI as automated check-in. If I can't be at my computer at T-24, it is worth the $10 to ahve SWA check me in. The better BP# is a BONUS, IMHO.
Do I like line jumpers? Not at all. But, I feel I get my moneys worth from EBCI if they check me in at T-36 and I can print a good (enough) BP at T-23, 20, 15 or whenever.
Do I like line jumpers? Not at all. But, I feel I get my moneys worth from EBCI if they check me in at T-36 and I can print a good (enough) BP at T-23, 20, 15 or whenever.