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Flying for the first time... what to expect?

kyrag
Explorer C

My boyfriend and I will be flying for the first time in a couple of weeks. I am nervous and don't know what to expect in terms of baggage, checking in, how connecting flights work, etc. Our flight leaves Chicago at 12:40 pm and arrives at LAX around 3:05 pm. When we leave, our flight departs at 4:10 pm. We have a connecting flight which arrives at Las Vegas at 5:20 pm and leaves at 6:45 pm. We will be back at Chicago 12:15 am the next day. Thank you! I am just trying to ease the nerves. 

1 REPLY 1

Re: Flying for the first time... what to expect?

dfwskier
Aviator A
Solution

@kyrag wrote:

My boyfriend and I will be flying for the first time in a couple of weeks. I am nervous and don't know what to expect in terms of baggage, checking in, how connecting flights work, etc. Our flight leaves Chicago at 12:40 pm and arrives at LAX around 3:05 pm. When we leave, our flight departs at 4:10 pm. We have a connecting flight which arrives at Las Vegas at 5:20 pm and leaves at 6:45 pm. We will be back at Chicago 12:15 am the next day. Thank you! I am just trying to ease the nerves. 


Glad to hear you will be taking your first flight. Flying is fun and you should do fine.

 

Here's what I'd recommend:

 

1) Claim your boarding position EXACTLY 1 day (to the minute if possible) before your flight is to depart. If you bought Early Bird Check in - no need to worry about this. You can print boarding passes at this time.

 

2) Get to the airport about 2 hours before departure time. There will be good signage. Just follow it to the Southwest ticket counter to check bags (and get your boarding pass if you haven't already printed it).

 

3) Walk to TSA security. Make sure your liquids are in bottles no more than 3 ounces each and all put in a baggie. TSA signage should tell you what you need to know.

 

4) Walk to your gate. Get in line at the boarding position specified on your boarding pass.

 

5) Get on the plane and take any open seat (window seats are fun to watch the world pass by beneath you)

 

6 When you get to LAX, just follow signs to baggage claim where you'll pick up your luggage.

 

When going home, it's the same routine - with the extra step of having to walk to the gate where your connecting flight will depart. Southwest will transfer your luggage on the connection -- so you wo'nt need to pick it up at the connecting airport.

 

There are lots of people like you who visit the forum. You might want to search the forum for information shared with others that were in your situation at one time.

 

Here's one of them:

https://www.southwestaircommunity.com/t5/In-the-Air/Nervous-First-Timer/m-p/79089#M908