Southwest boarding question

Wheels up in 24 hours! Just checked-in and printed boarding passes. Got A47 and A48. Is this pretty good? First time flying on SWA.

 

that is usually about what I get when I fly southwest. Usually anything with A to early B gets you a good seat. I typically get a mid plane window seat with that kind of draw without any probs.

 

Yes. That's good. It means you'll be, at worst, the 47th and 48th people on the plane (and perhaps even lower, as business select spots A1-A15 are reserved and don't always get booked). You'll surely be able to get two seats together and potentially snag exit row seating. Just be sure you're at the gate at least 35 minutes before departure. For those boarding spots are worthless if you arrive at the gate only to discover the A group has already boarded.

 

I had similar slots and got 3rd row window(which was what I wanted). Dont automatically assume that because 40 people boarded ahead of you that means you're gonna be 8-10 rows back, for some reason people walk right by open (non middle) seats in those first few rows.

 

That is a good boarding number, I hope to be in that neighborhood when I print mine here in a few weeks as well.
The other thing that can affect your seating is if it is an originating flight, or a thru flight. In Austin, I used to get a flight to Vegas that originated in Dallas, and even being one of the first 4 or 5 folks aboard, there were already 50+ folks on board that got on in Dallas. That meant the early position was even more critical, but in a way less valuable. All the folks who stay on the plane get to move forward and take the good seats as they see fit before anyone new gets on the plane

 

Here are a couple of observations I have made: Most people seem to prefer an aisle seat and almost as many prefer the window. With an A boarding pass you should not have any problems finding either or, as mentioned finding two adjacent seats. I prefer an exit seat as most do, I think, but chose an aisle seat instead a couple of years ago over the middle exit seat(I was solo). Mistake! First of all, just having that extra space in front of you for leg room, even if you are short makes such a big difference in yur comfort. I'm 5'8" so I can imagine how great it must feel for the 6 footers. Secondly, I believe that the exit seats, or at least the middle seat is wider. It sure was less crowded for my butt.

Another thing I have noticed is that couples often head right for the exit row, and one will sit at the window and the other at the aisle,hoping that no one will want the middle seat and the plane is not completely full. This is usually where the strwertess stands while the plane is boarding so has the appearence of being full. Then they have the extra space between them. Five years ago I settled in my hotel, had a good night's sleep and was walking to my trade show at the LVCC,when I got a call from the nursing home that my mom was critical and likely would pass. I took the last flight out of LV by SWA and ended up with a C boarding pass and not expecting anything but a center seat I headed for the Exit aisle where a gal was at the aisle and her SO at the window. The stewertess was standing in front of the center seat. I asked if anyone was in the middle seat and the guy responded that he was, and vacated the window seat. I don't like window seats but it was better than a middle seat, had the comfort of having my carry on on the floor under the seat in front of me and plenty of leg room.

Jimbo338

 

Those numbers are fine, you're good to go. I find that the exit seats go almost immediately, as do the first row, due to the older and mobility limited travelers. Our goal is to get two seats (aisle, middle) closer to the front. We like to get off the plane faster, the air seems fresher, and if flight is not full, seems most people getting on late head to the back to look for good seats. But I expect to have a full flight, as mine almost always are.

 

With a number like that, you definitely won't get squished in a center seat.

However, from my experience on Southwest, if the flight you're on originates at the airport you're taking off from, you'll more or less have your choice of about anything, other than the "Southwest First Class" first row or exit rows.

However, if it's a thru flight, with many others bound for Las Vegas on it, the prime seat pickings will be a bit slimmer.

As was already stated, don't space off your boarding call! I did that once and had an A, but ended up boarding at the very end.

 

Thanks everyone. I figured these were good spots but like I said it's my first experience with SWA. My preference would be those bulkhead seats. We can't do exit row as my mom's left arm will be in a sling (long story). I'm wondering if it's worth asking when we are checking our bags if we, more importantly she, can receive priority boarding.

 

They do allow pre-boarding for those with disabilities. A note from the MD might not be a bad idea.

 

You can also have your companion push you in a wheel chair (the arm in the sling will only help...lol) and you will be able to get priority boarding. We do that with my in-laws (who do need to be in a wheel chair) all of the time when we fly SW. Have a great trip!

 

Just a reminder.

You do not need to print out a boarding pass in advance. Why people continue to do this is beyond me. Especially in Vegas.

If you check bags, you can get a boarding pass then. If you are only carry-on, there are many,many all airline kiosks for printing boarding passed. Never, ever seen a line for those.

And, by the way a47 will have a slim chance of getting an exit row. Possible, but only if most of the 32-46 people ahead of you did not know enough to snag them.

 

We just returned from our 7-day trip and I had seating A-48 from Pittsburgh and A-47 return. Sat in row 2 aisle seat out and emergency exit aisle seat back. Plane was full minus 2 seats on both flights and me and my son (B boarding) had an empty seat between us both flights:evillaugh.
What we noticed was that there were few people pre boarding and between A-1 and A-30 there was maybe 10 people. I had A-48 but there were maybe 15 people in front of me on that boarding side. Everyone else had B and C boarding. The question I have is that since there was maybe 25 people boarding before me how could I get A-48 and does SW set aside a certain amount of early boarding assignments?

p

 

I'm on Flt 3498 to MDW right now- had A53 and am in Row 5 aisle seat.

 

Well, we are not frequent SWA fliers, but we flew them in Sept and noticed the same thing. Seemed to us that they set aside the first 20 slots in A for "business select" customers, and on our out leg, there was only one business select customer. That left slots 2-20 empty when we lined up to board. We were A39, 40, and only had 20ish boarders ahead of us. Perhaps this was your similar to your experience.

 

Flt 2223 to LAS---#B6---- 6th row aisle.