I have to admit that I am a huge Southwest Airlines fan-for many reasons. Of course, the main reason why it is my personal go to airline is that it is the only non-stop flight in my area to my favorite destination, Walt Disney World! Any airline that can reunite me with Mickey in an hour and 40 minutes has my undying devotion! Thankfully, the 12 hour car rides are a thing of the past for us.
Southwest also offers quite a few perks that other airlines do not:
No change fees!
Two checked bags, one carry-on, and one personal item-all free of charge!
No advance seat selection-but no charges either!
The ability to modify your reservation when a sale comes out and retain a future credit!
Did that last perk catch your attention? It is by far one of the best perks available in the airline industry. Let's say you book opening day of the latest schedule release. Normally, this is a great strategy because, prices can increase. However, what if Southwest announces a sale and your original fare decreased? No worries-just pull up your confirmation, click change flight, select both segments of your flights, click "explore options" and see if your fare has decreased. If so, click on your flight again, follow the prompts and you now have a future flight credit! If you have a Southwest account, and you should to earn points, when you book another flight, you can apply your credit. If you don't have a Southwest account, (go ahead and create one now) just keep a copy of your confirmation number to input later when you book a new flight.
Just a slight clarification about seat selection. It is technically free. However, Southwest boards by calling numbers within groups. They will preboard guests that need assistance, then call groups A, B, then families with children under 5, and finally group C. If you are in group C, you probably won't find an available seat until you reach the back of the plane, overhead bin space will be hard to find, and your family might have to sit in separate seats. If the thought of any of these things happening, bothers you, make sure you purchase their "EarlyBird Check-In" option. Prices can range from $15-$25 per person each way, but with this option, the computer will check you in for your flight and you are guaranteed an A or at least a low number B boarding group! This is also handy if you are enjoying the parks or a cruise and can't get to a computer to check-in for your return flight. If you don't want to spend the extra $$, make sure you check-in 24 hours on the dot prior to your flight and roll the dice
. Personally, I don't like living on the edge and prefer to sit close to the front of the plane, so, I am an EarlyBird Fan, and a big Southwest Fan!
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