Thoughts on southwest airlines?

[Pgohil]

I'm probably going to fly to Montana this year to elk hunt this year.
With their 2 free checked bags Southwest is really an affordable option. Does anyone have an option one way or another on Southwest as a whole?

Thanks
PD Gohil

WV

 

[PMcGee]

I’ve flown with them the last 6 years and never had a problem. But lately the way things have been going I’d be a little hesitant.


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[Frontier Mulie]

I have a trip booked with southwest currently. The two free checked bags are a great deal with most other airlines charging for checked and even carryon bags. I have found out that you can modfiy your flight for free and if the flight/rate is cheaper they will issue you a credit that does not every expire. I have already done this twice and those credits can be used on the next ticket I would book. So I would say if you do book continue to check prices and roll down if they get any cheaper.

 

[realunlucky]

I've flown southwest a lot for business. 3 quick things stand out

1- always seems like there is a connection somewhere.

2- thier terminals are in the worst possible locations.

3- no assigned seats. Doesn’t seem like a big deal except if your on a full plane and everyone before you took all the overhead bin space so they want you to check your bag with all your expensive gear like optics in it.

All of the above add time and hassle, which may or may not be worth it in the end.

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[SWOHTR]

I despise Southwest, aka “Southworst.” I do not like their boarding model of “open seating” and generally find them to be annoying. Plus they have garbage flight routes. So, if you’re into “cheap thrills” and have the patience of a saint, go for it.

I was scheduled to fly from Rhode Island - Seattle this week. Govt funded travel via SW, which was a first for me in 16 yr of govt funded travel.

The flight path was RI-FL-TX-NV-WA. An 18 hr itinerary.

I bought my own ticket on Delta instead and “wasted” that gov’t money, even after trying more than 3 times to change the flight through the proper channels. I now have a 6 hr itinerary.

So, I don’t like them and won’t fly them, even when the govt buys my ticket.

Just think, this is what our taxpayer money bought us!!!!

 

[woods89]

I have flown twice to hunt with them, with no issues. One return trip was with close to 200 lbs of meat. Both trips were nonstop STL-DEN and back.

That said, I've watched some of the recent scheduling issues with a bit of trepidation.

 

[Pgohil]

As far as flights and connections go, it's only one connection, and I think it's a fantastic flight. I'll leave at 6am, and be in the woods by 2 at the latest even after getting my rental and stopping to get jetboil fuel. The return flight is a few hours longer, but not by much. where I sit don't matter much and I don't care if I have to gate check my carry on I'm more concerned about cancelled flights screwing me.

 

[Pgohil]

So I was planning on renting a car and driving back across the country with the meat if successful, but reading that they can do additional bags at $75 a piece hell it would be worth buying two coolers and filling them to 99 lb and bringing the meat back with me... And get to fly the whole way.

 

[SWOHTR]

Well sounds like you have your mind made up, good luck.

 

[Andrew12gauge]

I despise Southwest, aka “Southworst.” I do not like their boarding model of “open seating” and generally find them to be annoying. Plus they have garbage flight routes.

I was scheduled to fly from Rhode Island - Seattle this week. Govt funded travel.

The flight path was RI-FL-TX-NV-WA. An 18 hr itinerary.

I bought my own ticket on Delta instead and “wasted” that gov’t money, even after trying more than 3 times to change the flight. I now have a 6 hr itinerary.

So, I don’t like them and won’t fly them, even when the govt buys my ticket.

Just think, this is what our taxpayer money bought us!!!!

You think 18 hrs for Rhode Island to Seattle is bad, try a 5 hr flight from Spokane to Boise via Salt Lake, then look at a map and realize the plane flies directly over Boise on the route from Spokane to Salt Lake. My wife and I swore off southwest after our Hawaii trip. Showed up at the airport 2 hrs early, did the self check in for our bags and almost ended up missing our flight because apparently even when you “self check” your bags the employees they hire can’t grab a bag and place it on a conveyer. A line nearly around the airport while every other airline has people walking up and checking in with no backup.


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[Turkeygetpwnd38]

I used to go southwest a lot. In the past two years I’ve been stranded twice, had to drive 20+ hrs twice, delayed for days on end, horror story after horror story. Missed the majority of a once in 10-15year tag because of them. I avoid them at all cost now.
All airlines are struggling now, but southwest is leading the pack in problems.

 

[CorbLand]

I have flown with SW half a dozen times and never had any issues. Those have all been non stop flights and relatively short distances.

 

[jmez]

As far as flights and connections go, it's only one connection, and I think it's a fantastic flight. I'll leave at 6am, and be in the woods by 2 at the latest even after getting my rental and stopping to get jetboil fuel. The return flight is a few hours longer, but not by much. where I sit don't matter much and I don't care if I have to gate check my carry on I'm more concerned about cancelled flights screwing me.

Unless they cancel a flight, which they often do. Then it may be 3 days

 

[mtnbiker208]

I have been flying with them for over a decade. no issues, but mainly non stop flights.

I don't know of any airline that does not have issues right now.

 

[schmalzy]

Happy SW guy. 2 free bags makes a big difference when hunting. If they fly where you want to go tough to beat imho.


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[Rob5589]

Have flown multiple times without issue related to the airline itself. Usually weather is the issue. Check in right at the 24 hr prior to departure time to get in a higher boarding group.

 

[505Wapiti]

Flown southwest routinely for last 15 years for work. Lately I’ve been flying Delta, United and American more. They all have a place and some advantages over others depending on location, connections, etc. Lately with SW I’ve had issues with no directs where there used to be and the connections have had delays which have totally screwed me on arrivals and travel time; however, that can be a risk with any airline. Early on I liked the open seating but the older I got and the more miles I’ve traveled I have grown to like the assigned seating with the others. Unless you are an A list preferred or pay for upgraded boarding, the open seating can suck.

 

[Gutshotem]

I've flown them a couple times because they have direct flights into Denver and I don't like dealing with connections when I'm flying with guns and minimal hunting days. I've never had any issues but I just saw where WalletHub ranked them as the worst airline in the US.

I call them Jesus's airline because everyone is rolling in wheelchairs or limping for that priority boarding but seem to be 100% healed at the baggage carousel.

 

[GSPHUNTER]

I use to love flying. Now days it's just to much hassle. Airline makes no difference.

 

[swavescatter]

I just had to change my flight with Southwest. They claim weather issues are delaying flights out of Denver, resulting in 2AM arrival. Meanwhile colleagues on United report no such delays out of the same airport.

I used to say southwest was the best (excluding the seat selection thing) but now I only use them when I’m out of United points and they’re MUCH cheaper.

I wouldn’t NOT use them though.