This is my second year of being a Southwest A-lister. Typically I am assigned a seat anywhere from A20- A27. However, on a few of my recent flights I have received A-33, A-35, and even an A-37. I am confused because I have been booking my tickets well over a month in advance. Further I check in 24 hours in advance (assuming that I will be the first A-lister in line).
So on these past A-30 numbered flights I have been looking over the shoulders expecting to see everyone in front of me having A-list preferred (knowing that this would be a ton of A-list preferred's if indeed everyone had them). To my surprise I am seeing folks in front of me with Early Bird tickets. This doesn't normally happen so I am confused how so many of my recent flights have put me so much further back than normal.
There's not an issue with getting an aisle or window seat, but I used to have a decent shot at the bulkhead, the exit row, or an aisle/window seat very close to the front. Not so much lately. Am I missing something?
When you say you check in 24 hrs in advance, you know A-list checks you in automatically right? The actual order of A-listers is something that is a mystery to everyone.
To add a data point, I too have noticed a change of around 10 positions +/- over the last few weeks or so. The high point was yesterday with an A-50 boarding pass. I should add that I'm on this route/flight number on a weekly basis. Probably just increased holiday traffic but I would be surprised if this specific route was affected.
With the calendar year qualification, the peak qualification number will occur in December and remain fairly constant until near the end of next year when there may be another peak. Right now you have everyone that qualified last year and are still in plus everyone that qualified this year. Those that do not retain qualification will drop out in January. This is particularly true for A+, many of those in front of you.
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A list sequence is quite random, in my experience. I posted here recently of my wife, booked on a companion pass, getting a lower A number than I, an A list preferred. This happened twice over 4 flights.
Yesterday I had A21. A20 was an ~8 year old girl traveling with her dad---she had no status noted on her boarding pass.
It's a mystery and a very minor irritant in the scheme of things.
Programs: WN CP & A-list preferred, Interstate BBQ at MEM B17, fan of Hyatt, Priceline, and Hotwire
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hookmeister
This is my second year of being a Southwest A-lister. Typically I am assigned a seat anywhere from A20- A27. However, on a few of my recent flights I have received A-33, A-35, and even an A-37. I am confused because I have been booking my tickets well over a month in advance.
I am A-List preferred and I've gotten higher numbers than that on commuter-heavy flights. Low fare = low BP priority. Date of purchase has nothing to do with it, in my opinion.
Consider your high BP number a badge of honor for shopping more effectively than everyone else in line. That's what I do.
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I think the important element in the OP's post is that he saw people in front of him with Early Bird tickets. That's not supposed to happen. It's possible that those people were A-List and for some unknown reason purchased EBCI, but it's not very likely.
Southwest's boarding order allocation system is broken. Given that boarding position is one element used to entice loyalty, one might think they would want to address that.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ursine1
I think the important element in the OP's post is that he saw people in front of him with Early Bird tickets. That's not supposed to happen.
Actually it can. EB tickets are assigned numbers several hours later than A-listers. If an A-lister or two cancel their trips during those several hours, lucky EBCI buyers will pick up the now-unassigned BP numbers.
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Does A list do you any good if you have to book a flight at the last minute - e.g., on the day of departure? A friend who is A-list needed a flight today on which BS was sold out (he certainly would have paid the extra $15 for BS) and got a C boarding number.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JerryFF
Does A list do you any good if you have to book a flight at the last minute - e.g., on the day of departure?
No. The BP numbers have already been given out by then. BS is the only way to guarantee a good number. For A-list preferred the 100% points bonus often more than compensates for the price premium over Anytime fare.
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Actually it can. EB tickets are assigned numbers several hours later than A-listers. If an A-lister or two cancel their trips during those several hours, lucky EBCI buyers will pick up the now-unassigned BP numbers.
I've not seen that mentioned before; my understanding was that A-list and EBCI were assigned (ostensibly in that order) at t-36 hours. Do you have a reference?
I appreciate all the feedback. I "assumed" that my A-list seat (RANGE) was assigned 36 hours in advance, but I wasn't sure if checking in 24 hours in advance improved my position in the (A-list RANGE). By "RANGE" I mean BS, then A+Preferred, then A-list (range), then EB, etc...
In the end it doesn't matter much, but I am accustomed to the A-20's with my A-list status, and so it's a bit painful when I have to line up on the right hand side of the (31-60) que.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ursine1
I've not seen that mentioned before; my understanding was that A-list and EBCI were assigned (ostensibly in that order) at t-36 hours. Do you have a reference?
Not handy, but as I recall the timeframes are 36 hours for A-list, 30 for EBCI, then 24 for everyone. These are approximate. We suspect that a group of 1 or 2 hours' worth of flights is processed at a time. That way for a given flight the 6 hour gap from A-list to EB would be maintained, and the priority of connecting passengers over originators would also be maintained.
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Not handy, but as I recall the timeframes are 36 hours for A-list, 30 for EBCI, then 24 for everyone. These are approximate. We suspect that a group of 1 or 2 hours' worth of flights is processed at a time. That way for a given flight the 6 hour gap from A-list to EB would be maintained, and the priority of connecting passengers over originators would also be maintained.
What you're suggesting would make sense, but to my knowledge that's never been mentioned before, anywhere.
Southwest says both A-List and EBCI are assigned at t-36.
Southwest Airlines automatically reserves a boarding pass for A-List Members beginning 36 hours prior to scheduled departure of the Member's confirmed Southwest Airlines flight.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ursine1
What you're suggesting would make sense, but to my knowledge that's never been mentioned before, anywhere.
Southwest says both A-List and EBCI are assigned at t-36.
You're right. My memory was faulty. The Wiki appears to be correct: You get a BP at T-36 if you bought EBCI before then. However you can buy EBCI later and get a BP at T-25.
So: If you buy EBCI between T-36 and T-25 and if an A-lister cancels within that time range you are likely to pick up his BP number.
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You're right. My memory was faulty. The Wiki appears to be correct: You get a BP at T-36 if you bought EBCI before then. However you can buy EBCI later and get a BP at T-25.
So: If you buy EBCI between T-36 and T-25 and if an A-lister cancels within that time range you are likely to pick up his BP number.
Ah... that situation could explain it. I wonder how often someone buys EBCI that late? I suspect it could happen more frequently that one might initially expect, since many travelers don't really know how the EBCI option works, functionally.
