Southwest

That's interesting. I know someone who is supposed to have 2 seats and I'm pretty sure doesn't fly for that reason. I don't know if it's a monetary thing or just the principle of it. I'll be curious to know how that works on your upcoming trip. I fly out of PDX too.

 

Lack of assigned seats, lack of a premium economy section, and lack of a first class section are the three main reasons why I do not fly on Southwest. Living in Northwest Indiana, I drive right past Midway, where Southwest is by far the largest airline, to O'Hare. I prefer United, and have their MP card, so I do not have to pay for bags. United has always taken care of me, although I do feel the merger with Continental has dragged down the brand a bit.

That being said, my sister is a pilot for Virgin America, so I felt obligated to fly on them a couple of trips ago. I was very impressed with their product, and if they ever start flying to more places out of Chicago, I would give them more of my business.

 

After a snowstorm canceled my March1 trip, flying Spirit out of Philly, I looked into SWA. Spirit did refund my money quickly with no hassle. I checked into flying out of BWI on Southwest, it was MUCH cheaper. (The drive to either airport is almost equal...BWI about 15 minutes longer). I did the early check in and it was still cheaper by almost $200 against Spirit. SWA fares are cheaper out of BWI than PHL to LAS. I'd fly them (SWA) again anywhere.

 

One thing I haven't figured out is this.

A while back I had to go out of town at short notice (not LV, unfortunately) and they sent me Business Select for the outbound flight. I ended up with something like A8 in the boarding order.

However (comma) there was NOBODY IN FRONT OF ME when we lined up and I was the first to board! I could not believe it!

Is there some kind of a special Above-Business-Select class, maybe a double-secret-hoity-toity fare that does not appear on line?

 

I like them. No extra fees (although the EB is actually an extra fee). I prefer assigned seating, the earlier you book the better your seat selection. I guess SW is the same way, your EB number is assigned based on when you book. But for me SW offers the most non stop flights to the most cities, reasonable airfares and good service.

And another thing I like is you can rebook if the fare goes down and there is no charge. In fact you get a credit for the amount the fare decreased. Or if your plans change and you need a completely different flight there is also no rebooking fee.

One thing though, they have raised the number of points you need for free flights. At least the Vegas flights that I keep track of. Those have gone up about 3,000 points each way.

 

My favorite reason for flying Southwest is the no bag fees because I usually bring my golf clubs out to Vegas and get in a couple rounds of golf.

@dmr - I believe that the Business Select passengers get the A1 - A15 boarding passes, but many flights do not have any Business Select passengers.

 

I **WAS** Business Select that time. Middle of the numbers, but the lower numbers were not taken. It appears that the first 7 or so were being held back for some reason.

 

I love the boarding process, it's orderly and the "lines" are less hectic than other airlines with everyone in group 2 pushing up at once for example. Plus with SW I almost always sit in the first few rows, with others I'm always in row 25+ since I'm not giving them a dime extra.

 

I will be flying VA to SFO in Sept. I wish they had nonstop from DAL - LAS.. hoping it comes soon. I'm fine with SWA, but it sure is nice to have more nonstop options.

 

The pricing on Southwest seems odd to me sometimes. The Business Select is so much more expensive and it doesn't seem like you get much for it. On my flight home in March I book a Wanna Pay Nothing fare and end up with mid B boarding. It's a full flight so I end up sitting between 2 other ladies in the second row. Granted, I'm in the middle, but I can't see that sitting on either side of me was worth 5 times as much. Basically, they got on the plane a few minutes earlier and got to chose a window or aisle seat. On a longer flight I guess it could be a big deal, but I've always gotten the cheap fare and usually end up with a pretty good seat. Not complaining!

 

Not being mean, but "spoken like a true Mileage Plus member."

I have a friend who will pay $100 more per seat each way JUST to fly United. However, in his defense, he has spent 20 years of flying (mostly company paid) and receives a lot of benefits.

However, for me, the disadvantages outweigh the advantages. I'd rather take the discounted airfare for the minor inconveniences of flying SWA.

 

I used to travel a lot for work (DAL - AUS) and I never knew exactly what time of day I would be at the airport, so I usually had a business select flight. I could fly almost any time of day, switch days, and even get a full refund if I needed.
granted the company covered all expenses, but the business select pricing allowed for much more flexibility than a "wanna get away" price does.

for trips to LAS, i'm always on the wanna get away fare!

 

I love flying southwest mostly for the reason that they flat out want to get you to the next airport as quickly as they can. Their business model depends on it. They try to get one more leg out of each airplane a day (what I have been told anyways), and from my experience, they deliver. No bag fees is a big plus. I hate carry ons, and I normally travel with golf clubs, so when you add $80 to $100 R/T on other airlines, SWA is almost always cheaper, even with EB boarding fees.

 

Husband is 6'5 and built like a football player and fits ok in regular seats, best in exit rows. We always get early booking and sometimes get lucky. It's a good airline.

 

Yeah if you're a big dude get that EBCI so you can grab the exit row or bulkhead seating.

I've flown them twice and I'm not a fan. But to each their own!

And as a Continental lover I felt as if the United merger killed what CO had going. I wish they would come back!

 

Business select is really for those who need to travel at short notice. As the day approaches, full-fare-refundable and Business Select (which are often the only options left) are about the same price.

 

Went ahead and made my reservations on SW. Bought the 3rd seat, we'll see how that works out. Even w/o a refund, it would still be close to other prices!

 

I don't love SW, but I stick with them. Great for flying alone. I like to be as close to the front as possible, and I can often get this if I'm solo, even without the earlybird. Had the first row once - amazingly roomy, couldn't believe my luck! I have their rewards cc and they give 6K bonus points a year, which keeps me with them. I don't like that they don't have a direct flight from Boston, and I often get a crew of the wisecracking stewards/stewardesses - they annoy this "cranky yankee" LOL. Mostly because they aren't as funny as they think they are! But certainly, the early bird purchase will greatly expand your seating options.

 

You are not being mean, just incorrect. Besides United, I would fly American, US Air, Delta, Jet Blue or Virgin before Southwest. It really has nothing to do with the mileage program, it does have to do with the boarding and on board experience.

 

I never pay for early boarding. Usually I figure EB was for people who wanted to board early or sit up in the front. For me I don't mind sitting in the back of the plane (unless I'm in a rush or have to catch another flight) and so I just wait in the B section like the masses.

IMHO, as long as you check in online within 20-24 hours of your flight you should be able to find available seats in the back. You will probably be assigned in the B section for boarding. YMMV as some flights may be busy so they fill up fast so best to check in as close to the 24 hour period so you get a decent B (or possible high A) boarding. If you check in at the airport or close to your departure then no guarantees that there will be good aisle and window seats by the time you board the plane.