You can pay $10 to check in early. You can go online exactly 24 hours before your departure time and get your assignment for board pass.

Seats on Southwest are not standby; they just don't have specific seat assigned. If you want your boyfriend to sit next to you, the first one on the plane gets a seat and then the second one on can sit in the next seat, as long as no one has sat there. You can always try saying, "my boyfriend is further back in the line and we would really like to sit together"
IF someone wants the seat next to you.

I don't understand the second part of your question about being to be able to fly that time and day. If you have bought a ticket, you will get a seat on the flight unless you arrive too late at the airport or gate.

ya i did pay the extra 10$, ok that you oh my second ? was just b/c i didnt pay alot on the ticket if it was like i was the last to bored...thank you good to know about it not being standby b/c after i read the wanna get away thing and it said something about standby you would have to pay more...but good to know that we can still check in early even tho we didnt pay alot..thank you again!!

Your post is sooooo confusing. If you and your boyfriend both have tickets on the same flight, then exactly 24 hours before the flight, you can both check in online (or on your smart phone, if you have one and aren't near a computer....in fact, you can actually check in by telephone if you can't get to a computer at all). You will get a letter and number, which is the order you board, for example A31, you would be the 31st person to board, B22, you would be the 22nd person in the B group (after all the As board) to board. To avoid the uncertainty, as debit said, you can pay extra to be checked in early, in which case, you will be in the very first group to board. Unless you're in the C or D group, you'll be able to find seats together.

Sorry, I was typing my reply while you were posting. I think you've got it now.

lol i kno its confusing i just re read it but thank you both!!

You're not going to have a problem , it probably wasn't necessary to pay Early Bird, but now that you have, you will be fine.

I often see people cheating a bit and trying to save seats for their traveling companions.

If you go on Southwest's website they have a little tutorial on their boarding system. You will be fine.

<<I often see people cheating a bit and trying to save seats for their traveling companions.>>

I think if you're "saving" a middle seat - no one really complains much, since those are usually some of the last to fill up.

I find that most single travelers will swap seats with you, if they know you are traveling with someone. I don't think you will have any problems, even if you are the last one on the plane.

I don't think you'll have any problems either...just ask somebody near by you to switch like spriobulldog said. If they're courteous at all they will have no problem doing so! Good luck!

I am confused also. I guess one of you has the super extra early check in and the other is relegated to the 24 hours in advance route?

No one is relegated to the regular 24 hour advance check in; anyone can pay the $10 for early check in.

If you get an aisle or window, and your travel companion enters after you, I think it is pretty easy for them to get a center aisle seat. IF you want a window and an aisle for the 2 of you, that could be an issue if someone ahead of second person wants that seat. I think if you said, "my SO is coming on behind you", you might be ok - depends on the person if they were going to make a scene and insist on sitting there.
You could even move to a different row, if there were still 2 seats together elsewhere.

And really, most of SW flights are only a few hours at most, it wouldn't really be a big deal if you didn't sit together.

I've seen "cheaters" trying to save an entire row near the front of the plane!!

Me, too. The last time I took SW, someone who got on early for a "medical" reason saved 9 seats. Basically the front two rows on both sides. The third row was open otherwise I would have sat in one of them. The flight attendant said they weren't allowed but nobody sat in them anyway. They seemed to think they were entitled to special treatment because they had flown to Long Island for a funeral.

I think it is a big difference trying to save a seat for 1 person and saving an entire row [s].

I really would like to think that people are still kind enough to let a seat go for someone when asked nicely. I would do so unless it meant I would have to take a center seat instead of the one requested [assuming that was an aisle seat or window seat.]



I have sat apart from a travel companion more than once, and really, it was no big deal.

I would never ask someone to move just so I could sit next to my spouse. Whether you've been married 3 months or 30 years (like us), sitting apart for a few hours is certainly no big deal. (In fact, sometimes it can be a good thing!)

longhorn55,
When we fly we are on vacation. We would rarely fly together for business. Most people like to spend time together on vacation, even if it is on the airplane. I didn't ask my wife to move on a flight a few months ago. We had already had a long day and I sat by her the previous leg. We barely made our connection and was the last ones on the full plane. I didn't want to waste any more time. I sat right behind her. Upon our exiting the plane the man sitting next to her realized that we were together and he was upset that I hadn't asked him to change seats with me. I had always rather sit by my wife or a family member than a stranger. I enjoy talking to other people and meeting them, but had rather sit with someone familiar.

I really don't understand how has taken 16 posts for this. It is really simple. You are not 100% guaranteed of sitting together on a SW flight but you 99% if you are on time and 99.9% if you buy the advance seating.

<<<99.9% if you buy the advance seating.>>>

Well, pretty much 100% if you pay for advance boarding

I used 99.9 because nothing is 100% with airlines. lol

Since SW started the $10 early boarding fee, it has become obvious that perhaps 30-45 people take advantage of this. I always get my check in right at the 24 hour time. I used to get about A20 (A1-15 are for those that are business class or whatever it is on SW that they pay more for). Now I get about B4-B15.

At the B15 level, there is no problem getting 2 seats together.