Southwest Tickets- I'm so confused!!!

[Young@Heart]

I've booked our flight online with Southwest. Actually, we did this a couple months ago, dierectly through the Southwest site. I have the email they sent to confirm my purchase printed out, but what exactly do I need at the airport? Should I have actual tickets or something? Where would I get them? I'm really lost, I've never purchased plane tickets online before.

[Tink1]

Very Very few airlines use paper tickets these days. Your confirmation number and your name is what you check in with.

24 hours prior to flight time, you can log into SW site and get your boarding passes. These passes are lettered and numbers, you want to do this right at 24 hours since these letters and numbers are how you line up to board the plane and choose a seat.

I rarely fly SW since the nearest airport is 3 hours down the pike. I am sure others will be along to advise you though.

Nanc

[laprana]

You should just need your boarding passes. You can get these a couple different ways. You can check in for your flight starting 24 hours before your flight is scheduled to leave. If you check in online through the Southwest site, you can print your boarding passes at that time and just take them with you to the airport.

If you can't print them at that time, you can have them printed at the airport when you check your luggage (or even if you don't have any luggage to check). There are kiosks set up at the Southwest counters in the airport where you can enter your confirmation number and then choose the option to print your boarding passes. It's really easy!

So, since you booked online, you won't need any actual tickets, just your boarding passes. Hope this helps!

[faline]

Airline generally don't give out actual tickets any more. What you received in your e-mail is your ticket. What you will need when you arrive at the airport are your boarding passes. Exactly 24 hours before your flight is scheduled, go back on-line to the Southwest site and print out your boarding passes for your flight. You will be assigned to the A group, B group, or C group. The group and number on your boarding pass will tell you the order in which you will be able to board the plane. The lower the number in the A group, the better. Southwest does not assign seats so those that get on board first have first pick of the empty seats. That's why it's important for you to get your boarding passes as soon as you are able to.

If you are traveling with young children and get a B or C boarding pass, you will still be able to board after the A group but before the B group.

On the way home, you will need to repeat the process of getting your boarding pass exactly 24 hours before your scheduled flight home. If you're staying on Disney property, they can print these for you at Guest Services in the park or at the Concierge desk at your resort. Be sure to have your confirmation number with you and be within your 24 hour window.

Hope this helps!

[Young@Heart]

Thanks so much, everyone! I felt silly asking that question, but it's been so long since we've flown, I had no idea. It makes perfect sense now. I can stop stressing.

[ransam]

make sure you check in 24 hours in advance on line. that way you can get boarded sooner.