Is Southwest EarlyBird Test-In price it?

Southwest Airways does not have fancy onboard choices. Nevertheless, it does have a novel boarding course of the place you get assigned a selected boarding quantity that determines when you’ll be able to board the aircraft. The order you get on the aircraft is essential since Southwest makes use of first-come, first-served seating. The sooner you board, the higher seat choices you will have. All of its planes provide a 3-3 seating configuration.

Your Southwest boarding project will fall into teams A, B or C, and you may be assigned a quantity starting from one to 60 inside that group. It feels a bit like you might be lining up like cattle to board the aircraft, however when you get the dangle of it, it is not that horrible — a minimum of you probably have a great boarding group quantity.

Checking in on time will not get you the very best boarding group

You will need to verify in on your flight precisely 24 hours earlier than departure as a result of Southwest assigns boarding teams within the order you verify in. This implies you will ideally need to set your alarm to remind your self. Nevertheless, as with nearly all the things within the airline business, it is not fairly that easy.

The coveted first A1-15 spots go to those that buy pricier Enterprise Choose fares. You may also typically improve (for a charge) to an A1-15 boarding spot half-hour to 24 hours earlier than the flight’s scheduled departure time. This feature is just accessible if Enterprise Choose prospects do not fill the A1-15 slots, and it prices between $30 and $80 (per section, per buyer).

Whereas this may be an extremely dear add-on, these with the Southwest Speedy Rewards® Precedence Credit score Card and Southwest Speedy Rewards® Efficiency Enterprise Credit score Card obtain 4 upgraded boardings per yr. This perk alone is why these two are a few of our favourite Southwest playing cards for households.

Subsequent within the boarding course of come these with Southwest A-Listing or A-Listing Most popular elite standing; these vacationers are mechanically assigned a boarding quantity earlier than the 24-hour mark. Checking in exactly 24 hours earlier than your flight will not get you forward of these vacationers, both.

Lastly, there may be additionally the problem of passengers who booked a direct however not a nonstop flight. Except you might be on the primary flight of the day, there’s a cheap likelihood some seats on the aircraft will go to these passengers even earlier than the primary particular person in Group A will get an opportunity to board. In spite of everything, Southwest often sells tickets that require stops with out aircraft modifications.

Associated: The best way to get seats collectively as a household on Southwest Airways

Now, let’s speak about Southwest EarlyBird Test-In itself. The airline’s EarlyBird Test-In service permits you to mechanically reserve your boarding spot beginning 36 hours earlier than your flight.

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EarlyBird Test-In serves two apparent functions. First, it eliminates the human ingredient of forgetting to verify in precisely 24 hours earlier than your first flight.

Second, it scores you a boarding project that needs to be higher than these accessible 24 hours earlier than departure. The nearer the boarding go project is to A1, the sooner you board. The sooner you board, the higher collection of seats and overhead bins you’ll have.

EarlyBird Test-In prices $15 to $25 per particular person per path of journey. The worth varies by flight and represents an actual financial funding you probably have a number of folks touring. For our household of 4, we’d be out as much as $200 through the use of EarlyBird Test-In on a round-trip Southwest journey.

Nevertheless, observe that a number of Southwest bank cards provide a number of EarlyBird Test-Ins on every card anniversary. For these with the Southwest Speedy Rewards® Premier Card, Southwest Speedy Rewards® Plus Card and Southwest Speedy Rewards® Premier Enterprise Card, you will obtain two EarlyBird Test-Ins per yr.

Moreover, the EarlyBird Test-In charge ought to set off The Platinum Card® from American Categorical annual airline charge credit score you probably have chosen Southwest as your airline for the yr.

Whereas Southwest has versatile insurance policies for altering your flight, the cash you spend on EarlyBird Test-In will not be refundable. In case you cancel your flight, Southwest does not refund your EarlyBird Test-In buy.

In case you change your flight a minimum of 25 hours earlier than the unique flight’s scheduled departure to a flight that does not depart for a minimum of 25 hours, then the EarlyBird Test-In will switch — so long as the affirmation quantity stays the identical.

Associated: All the things you must learn about the very best seats on Southwest Airways

For some folks, this reply will all the time be no. The precise boarding place is not all that essential to some vacationers, and different passengers could also be unable to afford the additional price. In the meantime, some household vacationers could be okay with household boarding. In spite of everything, Southwest gives household boarding the place “two adults touring with a toddler six years outdated or youthful” can board.

Household boarding takes place between the A and B teams. So, if your loved ones meets the household boarding standards, a Group A boarding go will assist you to, however a Group B boarding go will damage you.

In my expertise, when you’re eligible for household boarding, there may be completely no cause to buy EarlyBird Test-In as your loved ones could have no downside sitting collectively.

When you have the finances to contemplate shopping for EarlyBird Test-In, it may be price it in a number of circumstances. First, EarlyBird Test-In may be price it if the flight is very lengthy, reminiscent of a Southwest flight to Hawaii. The size makes seat choice extra precious.

Second, if your loved ones or group should sit all collectively — and also you both do not qualify for household boarding otherwise you’re frightened there will not be sufficient seats left collectively — it may very well be price it.

The early check-in may be price it if you understand you may be too busy on the 24-hour mark to verify in. Final however not least, if having EarlyBird Test-In reduces your stress or nervousness in regards to the flight, that alone could be price the associated fee.

Now that my household not qualifies for household boarding, we would think about buying it for choose flights — particularly when touring throughout common college break durations.

However usually, I’m fairly good with checking in proper on the 24-hour mark. I additionally do not thoughts sitting behind the aircraft with my household or splitting up into pairs. Which may not work for each household, although, making the charge extra of a necessity.

Lastly, know you could buy EarlyBird Test-In only for one path of your journey or simply for a number of vacationers. In brief, it does not need to be an all-or-nothing resolution. In case you solely need to buy EarlyBird Test-In for some vacationers, buy the flights on your total group after which log in so as to add EarlyBird Test-In to the present itinerary for the specified vacationers.

Associated: The best way to reprice a Southwest flight when the fare decreases

As talked about all through, there are 5 totally different bank cards to assist offset the price of EarlyBird Test-In and Upgraded Boarding. So here is a recap of the cardboard advantages and the present welcome gives:

• Southwest Speedy Rewards® Plus Credit score Card: Earn a Companion Cross (good by Feb. 28, 2025) plus 30,000 bonus factors after spending $4,000 in your card within the first three months from account opening. The provide ends March 11. With this card, you will obtain two EarlyBird Test-Ins per cardmember anniversary yr.
• Southwest Speedy Rewards® Premier Credit score Card: Earn a Companion Cross (good by Feb. 28, 2025) plus 30,000 bonus factors after spending $4,000 in your card within the first three months from account opening. The provide ends March 11. With this card, you will obtain two EarlyBird Test-Ins per cardmember anniversary yr.
• Southwest Speedy Rewards® Precedence Credit score Card: Earn a Companion Cross (good by Feb. 28, 2025) plus 30,000 bonus factors after spending $4,000 in your card within the first three months from account opening. The provide ends March 11. With this card, you will obtain 4 Upgraded Boardings per cardmember anniversary yr.
• Southwest Speedy Rewards® Premier Enterprise Credit score Card: 60,000 factors after you spend $3,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. With this card, you will obtain two EarlyBird Test-Ins per cardmember anniversary yr.
• Southwest Speedy Rewards® Efficiency Enterprise Credit score Card: 80,000 factors after you spend $5,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. With this card, you will obtain 4 Upgraded Boardings per cardmember anniversary yr.

In case you determine to buy Southwest EarlyBird Test-In, you’ll be able to earn bonus factors through the use of the proper bank card for the acquisition. Or, think about selecting up a Southwest bank card, since all of them provide a set variety of Upgraded Boarding or EarlyBird Test-In perks per yr. In any other case, think about placing your EarlyBird Test-In buy on a card that reimburses miscellaneous airline charges.