Did I actually have Early-Bird Check In?
Dec 19, 2014, 8:15 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 78
Did I actually have Early-Bird Check In?
So it's been over a year since I've flown WN, and I don't remember the specifics of the EBCI process. My flight is tomorrow at 6:30AM. When I woke up this morning I thought I might have an email or something saying I was checked in and what my boarding position was, but didn't see it. About 9:30ish or so I went online to "Manage Reservations" and pulled up my itinerary, there was an option to "Check In". I hit the check-in button and didn't have to do anything else, it showed my boarding position as A40, I think it is - definitely A, which is obviously pretty solid. But I can't figure out if I was already checked in or if the EBCI didn't happen for whatever reason and I just got lucky. I have my email receipt from where I added EBCI to the flight. I assume since I got an A-position 3 hours after official check-in opened that I was probably already set, but having to (sort of) go through the check in process was a bit confusing. Thoughts? (As always, apologies if there is an existing thread this would have fit into, I poked about and nothing jumped out at me.)
Dec 19, 2014, 8:53 am
#2
Join Date: Oct 2001
Programs: LTP, PP
Posts: 8,698
So it's been over a year since I've flown WN, and I don't remember the specifics of the EBCI process. My flight is tomorrow at 6:30AM. When I woke up this morning I thought I might have an email or something saying I was checked in and what my boarding position was, but didn't see it. About 9:30ish or so I went online to "Manage Reservations" and pulled up my itinerary, there was an option to "Check In". I hit the check-in button and didn't have to do anything else, it showed my boarding position as A40, I think it is - definitely A, which is obviously pretty solid. But I can't figure out if I was already checked in or if the EBCI didn't happen for whatever reason and I just got lucky. I have my email receipt from where I added EBCI to the flight. I assume since I got an A-position 3 hours after official check-in opened that I was probably already set, but having to (sort of) go through the check in process was a bit confusing. Thoughts? (As always, apologies if there is an existing thread this would have fit into, I poked about and nothing jumped out at me.)
Dec 19, 2014, 9:00 am
#3
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: MCI
Programs: Southwest A-List, AMC Stubs A-List, Chick-fil-A-List
Posts: 399
If you printed your boarding pass at that time, you can check the sequence number on the bottom left of the pass. If there is an R at the end, check in had already happened and you were just reprinting the pass.
The manage reservation screen still shows the check-in button, even when you are already checked in.
The manage reservation screen still shows the check-in button, even when you are already checked in.
Dec 19, 2014, 9:30 am
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 78
Nay, I'm not that frequent of a flyer on WN. I've never been "A" at all though in the times I have flown, so I'm mildly excited about that (though 40 is sort of B-list A group, I would think).
Dec 19, 2014, 9:35 am
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 78
If you printed your boarding pass at that time, you can check the sequence number on the bottom left of the pass. If there is an R at the end, check in had already happened and you were just reprinting the pass.
The manage reservation screen still shows the check-in button, even when you are already checked in.
The manage reservation screen still shows the check-in button, even when you are already checked in.
Assuming my EBCI worked as it was supposed to (which I'm starting to think it did) you would think WN would send something to reinforce the idea that a service of some value was provided, to get people to pony up $12.50 the next time they fly. (Honestly, if I had woken up this morning to an email telling me I was checked in, and had seen the A group designation, I would have been so happy.) (I know I'm probably too excited about the A thing.)
Dec 19, 2014, 10:33 am
#6
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: PHX
Programs: AA Aluminum, WN B+
Posts: 929
Sounds like it worked normally. You still have to check in some time within 24 hours of the flight, but WN assigns EBCI, A-List, etc boarding positions before the general check in opens. I think it gets assigned 36 hours before the flight.
Dec 19, 2014, 11:46 am
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 78
Dec 20, 2014, 2:15 am
#10
Join Date: Oct 2010
Programs: My opinions are my own and not that of my employer(s)
Posts: 1,411
But remember A+ regardless of when they book are still a bit ahead of you.
Dec 22, 2014, 5:08 pm
#11
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 6,605
Thanks, I used it on my only SW flight that I booked the day it went on sale and we had A24 and A25 for both flights