Thank you all for the quick information and advice! I booked the ticket and purchased my EBCI yesterday for my first trip (separate transactions, but only about 10 minutes apart). My flight is about a month away. If for some reason I get a late B or C boarding group, despite the EBCI, I can explore some of the other options you all mentioned. Regarding carryover/continuing passengers from previous routes on direct flights... What is the most crowded situation you've ever seen? Are we talking like, half the plane is already full when you board? This is a great discussion board, I appreciate everybody's knowledge and enthusiasm! I imagine I'll probably be back again some time. Happy I was able to book with Southwest! Mike
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01-28-2019
09:18 PM
01-28-2019
09:18 PM
Hello, I am not a frequent flyer, but my new job has recently required me to start traveling a several times a year. One caveat, however, is that experience has taught me that I need a window seat, otherwise I get extremely motion sick. If I have a window, and I can see where we're going, I'm absolutely fine. I don't feel comfortable asking for preboarding priveledges for motion sickness. I feel like this is a moral gray area-- even if a window is an honest and legitimate need for me, I am not disabled. I am intrigued by the possibility of using Early Bird Check In, or possibly upgrading to preboard on the same day if my boarding position is still particularly bleak. I have never used these features before. My employer uses an interactive system that allows us to book travel. This is great because it gives us relative freedom in terms of the available airlines for specific routes (within a restricted dollar amount, which I assume is determined by taking the cheapest flight and allowing a certain percentage deviation). The tickets are booked using a corporate credit card-- not my credit card. Policy is that we are not allowed to upgrade our seats-- so I'd need to pay for any upgrades or add-ons myself. Here is my question: If my employer uses THEIR credit card to buy my tickets, can I use a separate credit card (my personal card) to buy Early-Bird Check In or purchase the same-day priority boarding upgrade? Or are these fees autonatically tacked onto the same exact card that the flight was booked on? I don't want to cause a big stink at work if my upgrade/add-on fees hit their card. I understand that Southwest's seating policy is a always gamble, and the EBCI does not guarantee me a window seat. But it might increase my odds enough to make me comfortable booking the flights. For some destinations, at the same general price, I could also fly United or American economy. This would reserve/guarantee me a window seat, but I have heard some horror stories about the newly updated 737 and A319 economy cabins on these two previously "premium" airlines-- cramming people into 16.3"/30" pitch economy seats like sardines. SeatGuru reviews suggest that the seats are so close that some window seats don't even align with windows anymore. I know it's not perfect, and has its drawbacks, but at least Southwest still provides a bit more room and seems to treat "economy-level" passengers better in that respect. Aside from the bolded question above, I'd also appreciate any advice from some of you seasoned flyers on whether you'd choose Southwest if you were in my position, or one of the other two I mentioned. Thanks in advance, I look forward to your responses! Mike
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