SW Check-In Question... About This Page:

[Nini5055]

How do you know the time you may check-in online? I mean I received my email confirmation at 10:26am, but I know that I made the actual reservations before that time...how do you know???

[WeRDisneyFanatics]

My understanding is you can check in 24 hours prior to your flight's departure time.

[HiddenMickey]

Yes, 24 hours from your departure time is what I've been told.
I've actually never checked in online before...just at the airport. I might do it this time around though.

[Nini5055]

Oh...OK...so it is not 24 hours from the PURCHASE time...but 24 hours from the FLIGHT time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That does make more sense...I must have left my brain in bed this morning!!!

[tinker_me_happy]

Yes. 24 hours before your flight time you can check in online. BUT be patient. You might actually have to wait a minute or two after the 24 hour mark!! I was on EXACTLY at 24 hours before and it wouldn't go through for a couple of minutes.

[TMWIlson7196]

You can check in on your cell phone too if you have internet on it.

[Nini5055]

Originally Posted by TMWIlson7196

You can check in on your cell phone too if you have internet on it.

If you do this, how would you print boarding passes?

[jimmymac]

24 hours before flight time

[HeatherD]

If you do this, how would you print boarding passes?

You check in on your phone, which will tell you which number you got. When you get to the airport, you can just print up the boarding pass at a kiosk, the same as someone who doesn't check in early. As long as you've checked in and gotten your number 24 hours out, it doesn't matter when you print it up. (My DH does this on all of his business travel, which is nice because then I don't have to stress about getting him a good number when I'm slower than he is.)

[MelissaL]

As Heather said, you can print boarding passes at the airport kiosk (where you'll need to go anyhow if you're checking luggage, because Southwest doesn't participate in the program that allows you to check luggage at a Disney resort).

The advantage to checking in online 24 hours before your flight is that you will be a low boarding number. Southwest does not assign seats; instead, they ask you to line up in groups according to boarding number. So, if you check in early and get a low number, you'll be among the first to board the plane, giving you a wider choice of seats. Each member of your party needs to be checked in separately to get a separate number, but as long as the numbers are within a few of each other, you shouldn't have trouble getting seats together as long as you're in the first few groups.

Have a great trip,
Melissa

[coffeechef]

Also in case you were wondering ( I know I was) If you have a connecting flight you will receive a Boarding number for each flight and they most likely will not be the same. I just returned from a flight that I changed planes in Nashville. My boarding number for departure in Orlando was 25 and for Nashville it was 33.

[Disney 4ever]

You can also check in at guest relations at the parks or your resort and they will print your boarding passes for you.

[Colexis Mom]

I checked in with guest services at DHS the day we were due to leave, and they printed out my boarding passes for me