#Southwest airlines booking

[flightstravel]

How to Book Flight with Southwest Airlines?

Learn how to book a flight with Southwest Airlines easily. Explore different booking methods, including online, via the mobile app, or phone. Get step-by-step guidance on securing your next flight with Southwest's user-friendly options.

[handweavers]

found a copy of this book at an antiques mall the other day. it's a visitor's guide to aleppo dated 1965, filled with black and white photographs and descriptions of the city and its history. i don't know how many of the places and objects in the photos still exist, nor how many copies of these photos still exist, so i hope to make scans of them

what's also interesting has been researching the american friends of the middle east (AFME), which was a CIA-linked org founded in 1951. my reading has suggested that AFME played a role in the US government establishing its intelligence network in the southwest asia ("the middle east") after ww2

the text, from top to bottom:

soubhi saouaf, technical attache of the antiquities service technical advisor of the archaeological society of aleppo

aleppo, past and present. its history, its citadel, its museum and its antique monuments. 3rd edition

visitors' guide aleppo 1965

english edition by georges f. miller representative in aleppo of the american friends of the middle east

the back page is an advertisement for middle east airlines in arabic

[saywhat-politics]

Southwest Airlines will begin charging customers $35 to check one bag and $45 for the second bag on Wednesday, ending its popular “bags fly free” policy.

When asked for comment, Southwest Airlines directed HuffPost to its website, which says customers flying on Business Select or those that have top loyalty status with the airline will get two free checked bags, while those with a Southwest credit card and those who book the airline’s second-most-premium seating option will get one free checked bag. 

[thedishonestmedia]

[threepatchpodcast]

Hello Threepatch! Long time listener here with a question about 221b con 2025: Have the dates been announced yet? I only recently found out it'll be the last one, and seeing as I've never gone before I would love to go, but costs and travelling from the opposite end of the globe aside, my main obstacle might be the dates and if I can schedule around university.

Thanks! Can't wait to possibly see you there next year!

Hi there nonny! Caroline here answering, and thank you for the ask! @221bcon 2025 is indeed on the books and the hotel block is open -- the dates are April 13-15, 2025.

You can buy a membership and book your room at the con rate on the con's website at 221bcon.com. Membership costs do get a little more expensive as you get closer to con, so better jump on that sooner rather than later. (Unless, @221bcon, you have any plans for a membership sale between now and April?)

But the biggest way to defray costs would be get at least one roommate for your stay. For airfare, Atlanta is relatively cheap to fly to domestically (look into Southwest airlines, which don't always show up on all multi-search sites), but if you're traveling from abroad and flying directly into Atlanta, that might not be the case. Also, food might be pricey depending on your budget, so buddying up with anyone for things like grocery runs, splitting a door dash or delivery order, that kind of thing, can also potentially save you from doing $15-25 meals in the hotel restaurant. And if our TPP con suite is anything like previous years, we'll have some type of food at some point, so definitely come by and say hello, grab freebies and things, all that jazz. We'd love to see you!

2025's con was announced this year to be the last con in planning, but there's a possibility, as announced at the Last Bow panel, that it might not be if the stars truly align in terms of finances, energy, and attendance. There hasn't been any further updates, as far as I'm aware, beyond that, so don't quote me; there's basically nothing to quote. Plenty of us are operating on the assumption that it really is the last hurrah for this fantastic con, and lots of people are mourning that, planning to attend 2025's, and hoping it either continues or has something else the fandom can attend in its place. Either way, I hope you and others are able to make it and have the wonderful time that we do each year.

[dertaglichedan]

K9 Hurricane, the most decorated dog in US history, has died

https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/5151503-k9-hurricane-secret-service-white-house-dog/

(WPHL) – A four-legged American hero has died.

K9 Hurricane, a 16-year-old Belgian Malinois who was the most decorated dog in U.S. history, has passed away.

“As much as we knew this time was coming there was no way to prepare. We miss him so much. A huge hole that can never be replaced,” his handler, Marshall Mirarchi, said Monday.

A former Special Operations Canine with the U.S. Secret Service, K9 Hurricane became the nation’s most decorated dog for taking down a White House intruder in 2014 when then-President Obama and his family were inside.

Hurricane was medically retired in 2016 due to the injuries he sustained during the incident.

In recognition of his valor, Hurricane received numerous honors, including the United States Secret Service Award for Merit, the Department of Homeland Security Award for Valor, the PDSA (People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals) Order of Merit, and the American Medical Center Top Dog. He also made history as the first dog to receive the Animals in War and Peace Distinguished Service Medal, which earned him a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records.

Hurricane and Mirarchi were also awarded the Secretary’s Award for Valor by Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson for their efforts in protecting the Obama family.

After his retirement, Hurricane’s legacy lived on through the foundation Hurricane’s Heroes, established in his name to help cover medical expenses for retired working dogs. Since 2020, Hurricane’s Heroes has cared for over 150 retired military and government working dogs.

Before his passing, Hurricane was honored on Feb. 11 by Southwest Airlines, which flew him back home to Washington, D.C., on its Freedom One plane.

Marshall Mirarchi, former United States Secret Service Special Operations officer and “Dad” to K9 Hurricane. Mirarchi is also president and founder of K9 Hurricanes Heroes. (Credit: Hurricane’s Heroes)

Hurricane was also reunited in the White House with his old Secret Service working team. They presented Hurricane with a plaque and an American Flag which flew at the Secret Service K9 Training Center.

USSS Emergency Response Team (ERT) Special Operations-K9. The team members, with whom Hurricane served, presented Hurricane with an American Flag that flew at the USSS K9 Training Center and a plaque. (Credit: Hurricane’s Heroes)

In honor of Hurricane’s life, the non-profit Hurricane’s Heroes will continue to raise funds to cover the medical expenses of retired K9 heroes.

“Our nonprofit which is Hurricane’s legacy is more important to us now than ever before,” said Mirarchi.

[charmcoin]

the innocent intellectual: surely this one hour flight which saves almost no time over a five hour drive that departs at 9 am will not be completely booked

the sinful southwest airlines gate: *full of people*

[thetrashiestoftrash]

Recently I booked a trip to visit my parents in a month or two. I don't particularly look forward to existing in Texas again, but my G'ma's health is declining, so I figured I probably ought to make the time. I scheduled a few days off work and found a reasonable travel package through a discount program at work.

The only affordable return flight was through Spirit Airlines. No biggie, right? I've flown Spirit before, I know how it goes. Fees for everything, and you'd better read all the fine print.

Well, it turns out that it's been a very long time since I last used Spirit, and they certainly haven't used that time to improve. The confirmation email found an old "Free Spirit" account from 2016, before I had changed my name. I double-checked the booking itself, which is correct, but the profile is wrong. All my emails from them, including itinerary updates, are addressed to the wrong name.

Retrieved the password (their website security is awful. I was able to get a temporary password sent to my email with no further verification). Went to update the profile and found a notice that you can't change your first or last name online, but rather to call their customer support number. Fine. I can do that.

I called the phone number. The first guy thought I had an issue with my reservation, then transferred me to someone from the "loyalty" department. The loyalty agent listened to my issue, and said "Okay, what you need to do is navigate to our website, click on 'Contact Us,' open a chat, and request an agent. I can't change your name on your loyalty account because I can't see your ID."

I will remind you that my job involves looking at ID submissions through a secure link that's submitted via text to force a live photo instead of uploading a saved image. The technology exists.

Anyway. The chat wouldn't work on my phone, so I opened my computer. It still wouldn't work in Firefox, so I dredged out Edge, which I keep solely for websites that insist Firefox isn't a real browser. I started a chat, despite the website having specifically told me to call. The chat agent said he would need to see my ID. I asked how I should submit that. He said, "Oh, just drop it in the chat." No special link, just an "upload" button. I took a picture on phone, emailed it to myself, saved it to my computer, and then attached that image to the chat, all the while thinking that this has got to be the least secure way to verify anyone about anything.

He said he couldn't do anything about it because they couldn't change both my first name and my last name.

I debated cancelling, because I found a more convenient Southwest flight that includes carry-ons, but the ticket has a $99 cancellation fee, which is actually more than the flight itself costs. It's sort of tempting to buy the Southwest ticket anyway (which is ALSO less than $99) and just not take the Spirit flight, but knowing Spirit's fondness for fees, they'd probably find a way to charge me anyway. Reports from reddit suggest that simply no-showing will incur a $69 fee.

I went to their website to submit a complaint. The "Submit Feedback" page just straight up does not load on Firefox. I tried it in Chrome and Edge, and there is a feedback form visible for a split second, which is immediately replaced with a link to the chat again, and a physical mailing address for written feedback.

[whumped-by-glitter]

I saw this post about crazy museum stories, and I see lots of retail stories, but I don’t see a lot of airport stories….

So here are some of my craziest stories from working at an airport.

Airport behind the scenes:

• The random passenger who told me to get off the carousel (I was fixing it) then absolutely couldn’t believe I was a female and a mechanic. Then he proceeded to insinuate my military rank before getting out meant I messed up (AF just ranks slower, we had a bit of a bottleneck problem when I was in). He then suggested my supervisor didn’t know how to do his job well and could “just take us all under his wing”. All of this before asking for a job…..

• The passenger who insisted I check him in for his flight that left 2 hrs ago, when I was fixing the ticket counter conveyor belt, all the lights were off and I was literally black up to my elbows in grease….

• The woman who rode up and down the glass elevator in ticketing, lifting her skirt repeatedly, until the sheriffs had to come get her. Bonus points: it was only around noon, and no she wasn’t flying anywhere.

• The woman who got demanded she get on a plane at 11 pm, when flights are no longer going out, with no ID or money, to a city that was literally a 45 min drive away, with no airport. She proceeded to stop pick up traffic with an airport use wheelchair.

• A man who went through an armed door to the ramp, took all of his clothes of and sat there (that one made news).

• A woman who decided to take off all of her clothes and run around the main part of the airport. A sheriff and 2 cleaners had to catch her, she ran through the parking structure at 1am, in January in the northern Midwest.

• The absolutely insane contract manager that almost got sued by Southwest Airlines for wearing disguises and hiding to catch their ticket counter agents putting begs on the belt wrong (they weren’t, also wearing 2 hats and a fake mustache is not inconspicuous sir) that was the talk of the airport for quite a while…

• The gate agent that somehow messed up the jetbridge so bad I had to take every single limit sensor apart so I could override it. When he called it in all I was told was “the wheel locked up and I kept moving it, and I made an ooopsies.”

• The coworker that would insist on wanting to empty the lavs (which is easier than loading bags) but would mess it up at least once every other week and spill on himself, then just look horrified but not move….

• A woman rode an unattended baggage belt, luckily she was read as an oversize bag and sent directly to TSA, she literally could have been killed. She scared the daylights out of some TSA agents though. Could you imagine- you expect a golf club bag or something and get a person popping out?

• The lady who was really scared to fly, got really drunk, and fell down an up escalator. It was Christmas and luckily the gate agents were able to book her on a new flight the next day for free. But when asked if she had someone to pick her up, she called her husband, in Texas… (this is an airport near Chicago) she literally didn’t even know what airport she was at. A sheriff took her to a hotel to let her sleep it off, and to my knowledge she made it out safe the next morning.

I found a cat stuck in a wall, well actually she climbed through the wall and became trapped in a plumbing closet. She is really lucky some Southwest agents heard her crying and called us (they figured since we worked on conveyors and had tons of tools, we might be able to help. We called airport ops to open the closet door, and there she was. I still have her to this day, her name is Delta, and she is a very weird cat, I blame it on the fumes 🤣

All of this and more, and I work at a relatively small airport, and I was only there 5 years, and primarily worked 3rd shift as a mechanic.

@karmaisntab

[cheaptripsguide]

How to Find Last-Minute Cheap Flights in 2025 (Proven Hacks)

✈️ 10 Insider Tricks for Last-Minute Flight Deals

1. Use the "24-Hour Drop" Strategy

Airlines often slash prices 24-48 hours before departure

Best for: Midweek flights (Tuesday/Wednesday departures)Tools: Google Flights "Track Prices", Hopper alerts

2. Search Incognito + Clear Cookies

Airlines hike prices if they see repeated searches Pro Tip: Use VPN to change location for better deals

3. Target "Empty Leg" Flights

When: Sunday evenings & Monday mornings Why: Business travelers cancel bookings, freeing up seats 2025 Trend: United now shows "Likely to Drop" tags

4. Book Through Discount Airlines

Best for last-minute: Spirit ($19 fare sales) Frontier (App-exclusive deals) Southwest (No change fees)

5. Try Skiplagged (Hidden City Ticketing)

Save up to 60% by booking connecting flights Example: NYC→Miami→Orlando (exit in Miami)

6. Check Alternate Airports

Major Savings Examples: Fly into Oakland instead of SFO Choose Burbank over LAX Use Fort Lauderdale (FLL) vs Miami

7. Leverage Credit Card Perks

2025's Best Cards: Chase Sapphire: 25% bonus on last-minute bookings Amex Platinum: $200 airline fee credit

8. Use AI-Powered Deal Finders

New Tools: Going (formerly Scott's Cheap Flights) Premium Matt's Flights AI deal predictor

9. Volunteer for Bumping

Get $500+ vouchers when overbooked Best airports: DEN, ORD, ATL

10. Check Foreign OTAs

Often cheaper than US sites:

Kiwi.com

Skyscanner (set to "Everywhere")

💰 2025-Specific Savings Data

Average last-minute savings: $87 (Domestic), $231 (International) Best day to book: Sunday at 1 PM ET Worst day: Friday evenings

[xxslurkuxx]

My mom called me up and informed me that starting May 7th you need a real state ID in order to travel or access any federal services. I had to re-book another flight to the shittiest airline alive and lost $300 to fucking SouthWest since it's been over 24hrs since I got my tickets.

I'm so fucking tired.

[alphagodith]

tips for flying about the usa

what to wear

comfy shoes you can take off and put back on easily/quickly, such as flip flops or velcro shoes/zipper boots. if going somewhere requiring a different kind of shoe, you'll need to decide whether you want to get through security faster, or have more room in your suitcase.

light jacket with large, secure(can close/things won't fall out easily) pockets for storing phone, wallet, and any other especially important items, so you can simply remove the entire jacket without having to empty pockets during screening, and don't risk losing said items if a bag needs checked or is otherwise lost.

comfy pants that don't require a belt(which would need to be removed for screening), such as sweatpants, and if they have pockets, don't use them so you don't have to empty them for security.

a face mask is recommended due to the high volume and density of both airports and planes, as well as the higher risk of illness from foreign bugs you may be newly exposed to and thus have no natural immunity for. just be aware you will probably be asked to remove the mask briefly during the initial security check to compare your face to your id.

choosing tickets

from my personal experience, southwest airlines suck (the layover they gave us wound up too short and our next plane left before we could even disembark the first one, and they did not reimburse us for the hotel we had to get while waiting for the next available flight), and united is good.

also just from my personal experience, la quinta inns are just nastier, shoddily put together versions of the nicer holiday express inns. (like they had the same exact showers but the ones at la quinta were put together wrong so the shower curtain couldn't close at all and stuff like that)

try to book tickets several months in advance, and use private browsing/clear your cache often, to get lower prices

early morning flights are best as they are less crowded, the staff are nicer, and you are less likely to be tempted to try to squeeze in more activities before departing, thus risking missing your flight entirely

plan to get to the airport no less than 2 hours early in case of traffic, issues getting through security, or other unforeseen delays

if possible, try to avoid any layovers that are less than 1 1/2 hours long, as they often result in either rushing or just straight up missing your next flight. if you can afford it, it may be worth manually booking individual flights, or just staying overnight somewhere rather than risking a tight layover.

try to only fly 2 hours or less per day if possible so that you can feasibly drive the distance in a day instead in case you miss a flight.

luggage

pack light. wear clothes multiple times and only bring what you are HIGHLY likely to need. do not bring extra entertainment items. your destination and/or phone apps should be plenty.

if you must pack an extra pair of shoes, maximize space efficiency by putting small clothing items like socks and underwear into plastic bags and then into the extra shoes.

miniature bottles of toothpaste and meds should be stored in clear plastic bags but likely won't need to be removed from suitcase during security check. you may want to pack them so they are easily accessible just in case though.

electronics larger than a phone may or may not need to be pulled out so pack them in a way that makes them quick to pull out and put back.

no knives. ever. some airports allow small ones but some don't, so you may get them through initially and then not be able to take them back home.

don't bring neck pillows, there's typically not enough room to use them on the plane anyway.

try to leave some room in your main suitcase/carry-on if you can, and bring an additional purse or other smaller bag even if you don't need it, so you can fit potential souvenirs.

verify that all tags on luggage have up-to-date address and phone number, and make sure bag isn't too easy for others to mistake as theirs. (if you like plain black suitcases like i do, cover it in ribbons or keychains to make it easy to identify at a distance. i've had someone mistakenly take my bag and then turn it into security when they realized it wasn't theirs before)

other general tips

don't eat less than an hour before any flight, as you may become ill due to turbulence/gas fuel smell and the enclosed space of an airplane is pretty much the WORST place to be sick.

if you have time before a flight, go to the restroom even if you don't currently feel a need to. you REALLY don't want to have to go on the plane.

don't be afraid to ask to swap seats if your ticket doesn't get you where you want to be. people are generally nice about it, especially within the same row. (just be prepared to accept a no- they payed for that seat and aren't obligated to give it to you)

if you drive yourself to the airport, make note of exactly where you parked. the spots are usually numbered and lettered.

[acommonloon]

A last few thoughts on our trip to California.

Southwest Airlines provided flawless service for our four flights. After reading many accounts of poor behavior, mostly by fliers but also airline personnel, I was pleased to witness nothing but courteous service by staff and kind behavior by fellow passengers. The flight attendants were especially welcoming and in good humor. All flights were on time and I got exit row seats for every leg...lol.

California dreaming is something I totally get, even after being there for only a week. To my surprise, D wasn't as enamored with it as I was. It was serendipitous we and Hurricane Hillary coincided there as the temps we experienced in SoCal were cooler than normal. For us, it brought one evening of steady rain and...said lower temps. I found Rancho Cucamonga (delightfully cooky name) to be lovely.

We had a day at Venice Beach, also lovely. There we witnessed more illegal drug use in a few hours than we'd normally see in a year. Still, there was nothing menacing about it. The human condition in the best of settings I suppose. I had the muscles at the Ale House there and they were not good. Lol the bread was fantastic though and the broth was tasty. An hour later I was drinking at the famous Firestone Walker Brewery and everything was fine.

After, we experienced an hour and a half of the storied LA traffic to get to Macleod Ale Brewing in Highland Park. With 4 cask conditioned ales on it was OUTSTANDING! I yearn for it now.

Throughout I was constantly in wonder at the sublime flora of SoCal. The trees and flowers were strange and precisely exquisite. Most everyone I encountered was friendly...except the woman overseeing the self-checkout at Ralph's. Truely she was New York nasty! Lol

The food?...was fine. Our trip wasn't aimed to be a foodie endeavor. I twice had interesting Mexican food but nothing remarkable. Had a good tri-tip sandwich heaped with tender slices of steak, chilli relleno, tacos del buche, regretable mussels, and sundry other tacos. One tasty burger and perfect onion rings at the side of a picturesque river but we never got to In-N-Out or any other fast food restaurant.

I found amazing sour beer and drank a bunch of West Coast IPA's. Oddly, I drank the east coast's most famous IPA, "Heady Topper" for the first time as well. Before traveling to California, I was talking to a bartender in Louisville, who was from the west coast, and she said west coast IPAs tasted different on the west coast. I asked why she thought that might be and she said it was likely the water. I drank at least 10 different west coast IPAs on my visit and I think they tasted like they taste everywhere else -anyway.

The night before Sequoia, we rented a home at the town of Three Rivers (Rosie called it our mountain house) near the southern entry to Sequoia National Park and TBH I think the views and surroundings there were my favorite of the whole trip. I wish we'd booked more time there.

The best constant of our trip was our granddaughter. She is very bright, funny, and more than a little head strong. I'm glad she is experiencing SoCal and can't wait until she's back here.

[longwindedbore]

Today in Boeing 737 Safety Issues

My Thoughts:

1. Bring back enforcement of anti-trust laws still on the books and break up the USA’s airplane manufacturing ‘too-big-to-fail’ duopoly.

2. Indict the current/ex- Boeing Execs and Directors for flagrant violations of safety regulations.

3. Indict the Boeing Executives responsible for the self-crashing software that killed 300 crew and passengers and any involved on the attempted coverup.

4. Have the Federal government investigate the ‘Suicide’ and ‘Mysterious Virus Death’ of the Boeing Whistle blowers.

[nimuetheseawitch]

getting to know you tag

Thanks for the tag @colonelshepparrrrd!

Relationship Status: Living with my partner for many years

Favorite Color: Green!

Favorite Food: So many. I joke that my favorite food is butter because everything is better with butter, but if I have to seriously pick something, I'm going to go for pie.

Song Stuck in My Head: All My Friends by The Revivalists

Last thing you Googled: Southwest airlines (I have a flight soon)

Time: 5:58 PM

Dream Trip: One where I don't have to fly but get to do cool things, so probably one of those luxury train adventures.

Last Thing You Read: Been rereading whizzy's black helicopters fic series

Last Book You Enjoyed Reading: Last book I finished was Fugitive Telemetry by Martha Wells, and I very much enjoyed it.

Favorite Thing to Cook/Bake: Pie.

Favorite Craft to do in Your Free Time: knitting

Most Niche Dislike: pineapple. Everyone seems to like pineapple, but I hate it.

Opinion on Circuses: never been. I really know nothing about them, but stiltwalkers are cool.

Do You Have Any Sense of Direction: Generally, yes. Last time I went on vacation with friends, I was the one reading the maps and figuring out how to walk to places. But driving sometimes can be a lot harder (one way streets!)

[marmolita]

are we just cursed in December or??? details behind the cut, cw for cancer, death (don't worry me and my husband and kids are fine)

So last December we went to visit my family for the holidays as usual and it was kind of a total nightmare. Mr Lita was having panic attacks because we found that chipmunks had excavated a city under our porch and destabilized it and he was afraid of rodents getting into our house, my sister had COVID, and Southwest airlines totally fucked up so that we had to book a different flight home days later than we intended. It was altogether a miserable month.

This year, my mom's coming out here and everything was looking good! Mr Lita was doing fine, nothing's wrong with the house, etc.

Except, we just found out his dad has stage 4 pancreatic cancer. This was literally a couple days ago so we don't have much info yet but his parents had a friend pass from pancreatic cancer recently and it was only six weeks from her diagnosis to passing. He's already trying to sort out his financial papers and make funeral plans and he hasn't even had a biopsy yet. I believe he intends to only seek palliative or hospice care, which tbh is very reasonable given the extremely short timeline for most people with pancreatic cancer.

The day after we found that out, my kid who has anxiety and emetophobia had her first major panic attack in months because having a cold with a wet cough freaked her out, and is still not quite back to her normal yet. We haven't told the kids about their grandpa's cancer yet.

My mom's coming out to spend the holidays with us next Friday and I'm like gosh!!! How am I gonna make this a fun holiday season for my kids when their grandpa is dying!!! How am I gonna make sure my anxious kid doesn't start having panic attacks about whether she herself might have cancer!!! I don't know if he's going to die in two weeks or a month or six months and I don't know how to plan fun things for my kids with the knowledge that we may have to cancel at any moment if things go south even faster than they already are.

My sister-in-law is on vacation in New Zealand for this entire month so gosh I hope he at least has a month of time so she can get back to see him. He has a biopsy on Tuesday and his first appointment with the oncologist the day after Christmas which seems interminably far away. I feel completely helpless to help my in-laws or my husband right now and I fucking suck at keeping a brave face because i will cry at a moment's notice.

We're going to have to tell the kids tomorrow I think because my brother-in-law is gonna come down and they'll want to get together and so they'll need to know. I know it's better for my kids if I can be calm and confident talking to them about it but I simply cannot have a conversation about this without bawling.

And I wanted to do all this fun stuff with my kids and my mom for Christmas! And I know that my father in law wants my kids to be happy and having fun and not worrying about him! But how am I supposed to do that!! My sister and her family are coming a couple days after Christmas too and idk whether everything will be fine or whether there will be additional drama there. 😩 What do I do if he takes a turn for the worse very rapidly and doesn't even make it through the month?

I kind of hate how this part of it was easier at least when my dad passed away. He was in ill health for a long time and we knew he probably wouldn't be around more than another year but we didn't have a specific terminal outcome for most of that time so it was easy to not think about it too much. Then when he couldn't do dialysis anymore it was basically a very specific timeline and we knew he would not be around more than two weeks from that point. It was awful and I hated it but at least we knew.