Early Bird for return only

[gliebisch]

I only need Early Bird for a return flight because I will be unavailable to check in 24 hours prior.  The online booking only seems to allow for round trip early bird.  Can I take my departing flight (with no Early BIrd) and then purchase the return early bird 36 hours prior to return?

[dfwskier]

I can't figure out how to do that.

Just book two one ways (cost is the same as a round trip), and you can do what you want to do.

[TheMiddleSeat]

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@dfwskier wrote:

Just book two one ways (cost is the same as a round trip), and you can do what you want to do.

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This.

But, if the prices of the flights have gone up since you originally booked so you don't want to rebook them, you may be able to call Southwest and have them split the reservation into two separate reservations, then you can add EarlyBird on the return flight without touching the first flight.

--TheMiddleSeat

[StAugustine]

I have done this. I called and the first CSA said it couldn't be done without cancelling and rebooking. So, I called again and the second CSA knew the trick of how to do it and was able to add EBCI without the cancel-and-rebook hassle. That would suggest that not all CSAs know how to make this happen??????

[DancingDavidE]

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@gliebisch wrote:

I only need Early Bird for a return flight because I will be unavailable to check in 24 hours prior.  The online booking only seems to allow for round trip early bird.  Can I take my departing flight (with no Early BIrd) and then purchase the return early bird 36 hours prior to return?

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I haven't done this myself, but you may also be able to add EBCI to the return flight after the outbound flight is already complete using the online interface, then it will know that only the return flight is eligible as opposed to prior to the trip then it assumes you want it for both flights.

That's also bad though, the EBCI goes in the order of when you purchased it so waiting will put you behind other EBCI purchasers on the same flight.

But otherwise as the others have noted you'd need to call to have it added only to one leg which is possible, or split the reservation which would allow you to add it self service online.