SouthWest Airlines... My pleasant Experience

Before I get into the meat of this post, let me debunk some myths, urban legends, and  rumors. First off I don't earn commission from the airlines! SouthWest Airlines may not be the cheapest or best option for your travel. This is just my experience with SouthWest Airlines.Occasionally a supplier, not the airline, will offer a percentage to every agent that uses them to try and get the agent to book everything through them. Sometimes it works out great for you as a client, other times not so much and in reality that commission maybe coming from an inflated airline ticket passed on to you. That is why I look at all the options that are available to you and make suggestions on airfare to you based on that; trying to save you money. I will be honest with you, many times cutting out flying and choosing to drive(if possible) will save you the most on any vacation.

Let's face it, flying isn't as easy as it used to be. There are fewer flights and so many hidden cost out there that at times airfare(especially during peak travel times) can actually cost more than rest of your vacation and that cheap advertised airfare is way too good to be true.  I know that there are many options out there for choosing an airline and some of the airlines are region specific or seasonal in operation which can be frustrating. I have had the pleasure and displeasure of flying on the major airlines and some of the discounters airlines that are out there. In the current air travel market, I will have to say SouthWest Airlines WOWED me for our Spring Break Trip to Orlando! This is no frills flying at it's best! Just because it is no frills doesn't mean that is not quality!

So here is the scoop. We booked a Spring Break Trip to Orlando a little over 6 months prior to the trip happening. At that time the major airlines had their flight schedule and pricing available but I was not satisfied with how high the airfare was. So we dabbled with driving to Florida and I continued to watch airfare.  At our 6 month mark, SouthWest Airlines released their air schedule and pricing. It was high but significantly lower than the other major airlines(yes SouthWest is a major airline now). So I began to play the waiting game to see if prices dropped and or increased. During that time I watched flights sell out and began to kick myself for not grabbing the flights.  So I decided to make the jump and book the flights because the other major airlines were raising prices. SouthWest was raising their prices also but not as much as the other major airlines and flights their flights were becoming scarce. At one point Airfare on a major airline out of Kalamazoo was at over $800 per person round trip.  We paid nowhere close to that with SouthWest and best of all there were NO BAGGAGE FEES for the first two bags!  At the time I booked I was offered Early Bird Check In for a nominal fee per Flight. I choose not to get it, but at later date choose to purchase it still for a nominal fee.($12.50 per person) Keep Reading for more information about this. 

From the moment we arrived at the counter to drop off our luggage until we stepped off the plane, we were greeted warmly and treated extremely pleasantly until we left the gate at our Destinations. When checking our bags we were informed our plane was running about 15 minutes late because of fog, but there was a chance that it would make that time back up.(it did!) We are a tall family, my wife is 6'2, and we were impressed with the leg room on the planes! There is no first class area separating the cabin of the plane this open cabin design allows more space between seats freeing up more leg room.
Seating is based on 3 groups of A, B, C.  You are assigned a boarding group and number based on the Fare you purchase , Early Bird Check-In purchase, or at the time you Check-In following the 24 hour mark to your flight(check-in online as soon as possible when it becomes available, don't have a computer? Use the SouthWest Airlines App on your Smart Phone!)  There are no TV monitors in the seats or  in the cabin for you to watch. There is the ability to purchase Wi-Fi for your mobile devices to keep you entertained, or just bring a book or take a snooze for your flight. On our flights we were offered nuts, pretzels, and a non-alcoholic beverage that was complimentary but if you felt the need, you could purchase alcoholic beverages and other snacks. That right there in nutshell is No Frills Flying!

If you were to look online at the airfares that Southwest offers you might get confused. The lowest fare generally available is the Wanna Get Away but has the most restrictions etc. So here is a brief summary of the fares you can expect when booking a SouthWest fare.

Business Select
This fare gets you in the first portion of the "A" boarding group.
If your in there mileage club called the Rapid Rewards Club(always join the mileage clubs of any airline you fly on) you earn extra Rapid Rewards points
You will receive one premium beverage of your choice
These fares are refundable and changeable and may be applied toward future travel on Southwest Airlines for the originally ticketed passenger only.
Lower fares may be available.

Anytime
The fares are refundable and changeable and may be applied toward future travel on Southwest Airlines for the originally ticketed passenger only.
Lower fares may be available.

Wanna Get Away
Fares are nonrefundable but may be applied toward future travel on Southwest Airlines for the originally ticketed passenger only.
Standby travel requires an upgrade to the Anytime fare.

Pretty straight forward when it comes to fares. We chose the Wanna Get Away Fare. 

Things to consider when flying SouthWest.

Just because they may have a cheaper fare doesn't mean they are not a reliable, quality airline. They are great value and the employees genuinely seem happy to be working there and to serve you. (trust me some of the discounters airlines out there are scary)

They may not be the cheapest for your region. Shop around before you buy.

If you have kids and they are sitting in a seat, they will be the same fare as an adult sitting in a seat. If you have a child that qualifies to sit in your lap, they need to be sitting in your lap. This is strictly enforced on full flights. 

Join the Rapid Rewards Club and Ding! newsletter, they will give a heads up on sales. SouthWest has some nice sales on airfare occasionally. 

Consider purchasing an Early Bird Check-In option. Really consider this option especially if your not going to be near a computer 24 hours before your flight or you want a better chance of sitting with family members. Special note here Everyone on your flight has the option to buy the Early Bird Check-In, so in theory everyone could have bought Early Bird Check-In for your flight. 

B and C boarding positions  can make finding a seat  a pain the rear on full flights but if you made it on the plane there is a seat for you. You may not like it though. 

This is No Frills flying. If you need to be entertained, bring something to entertain yourself but follow all FAA regulations and listen to your flight attendants about electronic devices..

Nuts, Pretzels, or a non-alcoholic beverage not gonna be enough for you? After you make it past security, pick up something from a restaurant near your gate or gift shop and bring it on the plane with you.(this may or may not be available to do on your flight, check with the gate attendant first!) 

If you hear the ticket agent asking for volunteers to get bumped from the flight,and if you have the flexibility to do so, find out what they are offering it may be extremely worth it. 

Would I recommend SouthWest Airlines? Absolutely! My experience with them will make them my go to airline for my personal travel!

Relax and enjoy your flight!