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Early Bird AND Upgraded Boarding - Do we pay the price difference or is it a full additional cost?

kdge
Explorer B

My husband and I always purchase Early Bird. I am curious, if we have that and we decide to also get the upgraded boarding option (if available at the counter), would we still pay the full $30/40/50 (flight depending) IN ADDITION to the Early Bird we already purchased, or would we just pay the difference?  Basically  if we spent $30 on two EB ($15/each) and buying upgraded would be $100.00 ($50.00/each) would we get credit for the money already spent on EB and just pay the $70.00 difference, or would we still have to pay the full $130.00 ($30 EB + $100 upgraded)?

I know this would seem excessive, but for various (but non-medical) reasons we need to try and get the highest priority boarding as possible (while still buying the Wanna Get Away tickets - lol).  Thank you! 

7 REPLIES 7

Re: Early Bird AND Upgraded Boarding - Do we pay the price difference or is it a full additional cos

bec102896
Aviator A

@kdge

 

I believe you would have to pay the full price for upgraded boarding because the EB would not guarantee you an A boarding pass and would not get you an A1-15 while upgraded boarding will guarantee you get A1-15 also the other reason I believe you would have to pay full price is it's a separate service. 

 

Hope this helps

Blake 

Re: Early Bird AND Upgraded Boarding - Do we pay the price difference or is it a full additional cos

kdge
Explorer B

Thank you very much for your reply Blake! I have a feeling you are probably right, but thought I would put the question out there just in case. 

Re: Early Bird AND Upgraded Boarding - Do we pay the price difference or is it a full additional cos

spacecoastbill
Frequent Flyer B

No, you pay the full price. 

 

EB is basically useless now, so the upgraded boarding is the only good option if getting onboard after all the preboarding fakers is your goal.

 

Or you can follow them and just tell them you need to preboard and it will not cost you anything.  You even get a miracle healing in flight.

Re: Early Bird AND Upgraded Boarding - Do we pay the price difference or is it a full additional cos

chgoflyer
Aviator A
Solution

What everyone else said. (Except the part about faking a disability to pre-board. Please don't do that.)

 

FYI, please be aware that EarlyBird Check-In now can cost as much as $25 per person, one-way. 

 

I suspect that this significant price increase, combined with the new Southwest Priority credit card -- which reimburses the cardholder for the cost of up to 4 Upgraded Boarding purchases per year -- will lead to those previously often open A1-15 positions being now frequently filled. Meaning that you can't necessarily count on them being available when you really need them. 😞

 

Re: Early Bird AND Upgraded Boarding - Do we pay the price difference or is it a full additional cos

kdge
Explorer B

You are exactly right about the $25/pp/per way. The only reason why we would do that, is just (as you said) guarantee at least some type of "early" boarding because the upgraded (at the counter tickets) cannot be guaranteed to be available (if still purchasing the Wanna Get Away tickets). 

 

Thank you very much for your reply!

Re: Early Bird AND Upgraded Boarding - Do we pay the price difference or is it a full additional cos

kdge
Explorer B

Thank you for your post spacecoastbill. Will pay the fees just in case; darn my parents for raising me to be honest! Lol. 

Re: Early Bird AND Upgraded Boarding - Do we pay the price difference or is it a full additional cos

bec102896
Aviator A

Thank you for not trying to cheat the system your parents raised you well!

 

have a great flight! 

Blake