The Do’s and Dont’s of Flying Southwest

While some people hate the fact Southwest Airlines doesn’t offer assigned seating, it’s not that hard to get the seat and flight experience you want. Plus, Southwest Rapid Rewards makes it extremely easy to book flights for your entire family with points. They promise you can book any open seat on a plane, and they don’t limit award availability like many other frequent flyer programs. They also offer two checked bags for free, which means flying the airline can be a huge money-saver.

If you’re angling for affordable family travel and considering Southwest, here are some do’s and don’ts that can make the entire experience a lot easier to manage (and a whole lot cheaper):

Do’s for Flying Southwest Airlines:

• Get their co-branded credit cards: While you can earn Southwest miles by flying with the airline, Southwest’s co-branded airline credit cards make it easy to rack up miles in a hurry without even flying. Not only do you get a signup bonus that can be worth two round-trip flights or more, but you earn 1x points on all purchases and 2x points on purchases made with Southwest.
• Check in at 24 hours before your flight: If you want to board the plane as early as possible without paying for Early Bird seating, you need to check in at 24 hours from your flight on the dot. This should get you in the A or B group, which ensures you’ll get a seat with your travel companions.
• Exchange your flights when prices go down: Since Southwest lets you change or cancel flights, this makes it easy to save money or points if the price of your flight goes down. The best part is, they let you exchange flights directly on their website.
• Transfer points from Chase Ultimate Rewards: While you can earn Southwest miles with one of their airline’s co-branded credit cards, you can also transfer points from Chase Ultimate Rewards 1:1 provided you have a premier Chase travel card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Sapphire Reserve.
• Earn the Companion Pass: The Southwest Companion Pass lets your companion fly free whether you pay for your flight in points or cash. The easiest way to earn the Companion Pass is by earning 110,000 Southwest Rapid Rewards points via credit card signup bonuses and spending within a calendar year.
• Shop through the Southwest shopping portal: If you want to earn even more Southwest miles, click through the Southwest shopping portal when you shop at participating stores online.

Dont’s for Flying Southwest Airlines:

• Don’t forget about family boarding: If you have kids ages 6 and under, you can board the plane during “family boarding” between the A and B boarding groups. This can be a life-saver if you forget to check in for your flight or you check in late. However, you can only use family boarding if you have a child ages 6 and under.
• Don’t forget to check in: Still, don’t forget to check in early. If you do, you will likely be delegated to board with the C group. This usually means sitting away from your friends in a dreaded middle seat near the back of the plane.
• Don’t forget to sign up for Southwest Rapid Rewards: Whether you have a co-branded airline credit card or not, you should still sign up for the Southwest Rapid Rewards program. Signing up is free and you can earn points through Southwest shopping or the Southwest dining program this way.
• Don’t forget to check out Southwest’s amazing sales: Last but not least, don’t forget about Southwest’s amazing sales. The airline frequently offers one-way flights to select cities for as little as $49, but the low prices don’t last long.

Do you like flying with Southwest? What else would you add to this list?