[G00fyDad]

Each trip we have taken to Disney we have used Delta. This has mostly to do with my ignorance in thinking that "One airline is as good as any". I have been leaning towards Southwest for our next trip though.

My question is this... What do you think of Southwest and do you think it is better than Delta?

So far Delta has irritated us by changing the flights and flight times around constantly. (12 times this past trip!) On our last trip we originally had 2 non-stop flights set up for the round trip. The flight to Orlando was set for 6:30am and arriving at 9:00am. Perfect times! By the time we actually left it was set for a 10:00am flight and arriving at 1:30pm with a 57 minute layover in Atlanta, GA. AND Delta has been charging for ALL checked bags. Southwest only charges for the 3rd or more checked bags.




So was Southwest a better deal for you?

[Tinkerina]

I refuse to travel Delta unless absolutely necessary!

I try to fly Southwest as much as possible! I love them, I have never had anything to complain about. The flight attendants are always so nice, not snobbish at all. And if you are traveling with children, Southwest is wonderful with them!

If I don't fly Southwest then I fly with AirTran. I really like them as well...
Hope this helps good luck!

[DisneyMagic83]

Hello! Wow... seems like Delta did kinda yank you and your family in a million different directions! Not fun. Maybe this will help you make your decision. My bf and I flew Southwest last August from Prov. RI to Orlando, it was a direct flight, and it left right on time. My only complaint is when you fly Southwest, you have to print your own boarding passes. You are allowed to log on to Southwest.com within 24 hours of your departure time and print your boarding passes in order to ensure you and your family get to sit together for the flight. The sooner you log in to print, the better. Try to get A or B boarding passes, so you can be one of the first groups of passengers to board the plane.
Anyways, hope this helps a bit, and enjoy your trip!! Tell Mickey I said Hi and I will see him in August!!!

[sk8belle]

I LUV Southwest. They are consistently the cheapest option for me to get to MCO with the flight times I want. Their fares are cheap, they don't randomly change your flights around the way Delta does, and they are dependable.

My favorite parts about Southwest?

- No change fees.

- If they have a sale and the fare on your flights goes down, you can get the lower fare. The difference is either refunded to you or put in to a holding account to be used within a year of original purchase, depending on the type of fare you bought.

- No charges for first 2 pieces of luggage.

- If you are late for your flight, but show up within 2 hours, they'll put you on the next flight, free of charge. REALLY good to know when you are stuck in traffic.

I could go on and on about them, but those are the main reasons I stick with Southwest when possible.

[G00fyDad]

Originally Posted by DisneyMagic83

My only complaint is when you fly Southwest, you have to print your own boarding passes.

Do you mean that Southwest doesn't allow you to come in to the check in desk anymore? I really don't like the option of printing at home. (I know, I'm weird) Isn't there a way of choosing your seats once you book? And is there no way to check on the seats once you've booked to make sure they didn't get moved around?

[sk8belle]

Southwest does still have a check-in desk that you can go to. The advantage to doing the online check-in is that you get an earlier boarding group number, so you have a better chance of getting seats together. You don't have to print your boarding pass at home. You can check-in at home and get the boarding pass at the check-in counter, and you'll still have the boarding group and number from when you first checked in.

SW is totally open seating. There is no way to choose a seat in advance. You choose your seat when you get on the plane. This is one of the disadvantages to them, but can be alleviated by getting that early boarding group.

[G00fyDad]

Originally Posted by sk8belle

Southwest does still have a check-in desk that you can go to. The advantage to doing the online check-in is that you get an earlier boarding group number, so you have a better chance of getting seats together. You don't have to print your boarding pass at home. You can check-in at home and get the boarding pass at the check-in counter, and you'll still have the boarding group and number from when you first checked in.

SW is totally open seating. There is no way to choose a seat in advance. You choose your seat when you get on the plane. This is one of the disadvantages to them, but can be alleviated by getting that early boarding group.

Okay. Thanks. We will probably go with Delta then. This whole seat thing is a deal breaker. My kids will be just 15 and 7 when we go again. I'm not having them sit somewhere up front, in the middle and us in the back because we couldn't choose our seats ahead of time. And I don't want to take a chance that we will get an early boarding. Thanks though.

[idkmybffminnie]

Hello, newbie here but I love southwest myself, I've always used them. Theres not much more that I can say that everybody else hasn't already said. Another pro about them is they don't have baggage fee's. I beleive the first 2 or 3 bags are free!

[sk8belle]

G00fyDad, I hear ya about the seating.

I had an experience similar to yours with Delta this past winter. They changed my flights to Jackson Hole, WY to a schedule that was totally unacceptable (30 min. layover in ATL - I don't THINK so!). As soon as I got the email about the new reservation, I called Delta and complained. At the same time, I was online checking other flights with other carriers and found something much cheaper and more to my liking in terms of timing. Out of curiousity, I asked the Delta agent what would happen if I cancelled my current plans. Turns out, it would count as a same-day cancellation, and I'd get a full refund with no penalties whatsoever. So you might want to explore that option. Next time they change your plans, find another option and call Delta right away. Maybe you'll have the same luck I did.

[momh]

Southwest all the way!! You can get unbelievable deals if you keep watching the site. I was on the site everyday looking for good prices.

[G00fyDad]

I'm thinking that we'll go with Delta again. I like everything I'm hearing about Southwest but I just don't like the idea of my son having to sit between two strangers just because I didn't get my boarding passes fast enough.

[momh]

Originally Posted by G00fyDad

I'm thinking that we'll go with Delta again. I like everything I'm hearing about Southwest but I just don't like the idea of my son having to sit between two strangers just because I didn't get my boarding passes fast enough.

We have never had that happened with us traveling on Southwest, but I'm sure it does happen.

[robyn0726]

We've flown SW several times with our 3 children (now 11, 8, 6). Even when we were the last to board on a crowded flight (flight called a bit early while I was taking kids to potty), the flight attendants were great about finding us all spots together (me and ds6 in one row, dd and ds8 together one row ahead of us, dh across aisle from dd & ds). For families with very young children, they will allow you some priority in boarding (usually with group B), and will politely ask solo fliers if they would mind to choose another seat to allow the child and at least 1 parent to sit together.
Our experience with SW has been great, and I actually love the online check-in. Many of our flights have arrived ahead of schedule. Flight attendants always helpful and friendly (my kids love that they always offer them extra snacks!).

Hope your next flight is better than your last, whomever you fly with!

[G00fyDad]

Originally Posted by robyn0726

We've flown SW several times with our 3 children (now 11, 8, 6). Even when we were the last to board on a crowded flight (flight called a bit early while I was taking kids to potty), the flight attendants were great about finding us all spots together (me and ds6 in one row, dd and ds8 together one row ahead of us, dh across aisle from dd & ds). For families with very young children, they will allow you some priority in boarding (usually with group B), and will politely ask solo fliers if they would mind to choose another seat to allow the child and at least 1 parent to sit together.
Our experience with SW has been great, and I actually love the online check-in. Many of our flights have arrived ahead of schedule. Flight attendants always helpful and friendly (my kids love that they always offer them extra snacks!).

Hope your next flight is better than your last, whomever you fly with!

Thank you. I may give them a try. The only thing I am worried about is the seating. But I may be alright if I am at my PC exactly 24 hours ahead of schedule to pre-book.

[ballcaptodd]

If for some reason your party gets split into two different boarding groups on Southwest, which rarely happens if you are all on the same reservation, simply save seats for the late boarders and explain to other passengers that the seats are taken. They will understand; I've done it. Another great reason to fly SWA is that you get a FREE round trip flight for every 8 round trips you complete, as long as you're each signed up with their Rapid Rewards program. It's the easiest free flight to earn industry-wide!