Booking airfare with Southwest

[Disney Addicted]

I've been keeping an eye on flights here out of Toronto and Buffalo. It's been over $500 CAN a person for awhile. Now, today, I can get us flights out of Buffalo for $226 US / $287 CAN a person with Southwest.

Six out of 7 of us have current passports. My Dad let his expire. He was too busy looking after Mom for a couple of years to even think about passports. Last week he applied for a new one.

I don't remember how this works... The last time I purchased airfare was to WDW back in 2010!

Do I need everyone's passports when I book/purchase flights? Or can I purchase flights without them? I know I need them while checking in/printing out the boarding passes a day or so before the flight. But now?

 

[Donald - my hero]

I've been keeping an eye on flights here out of Toronto and Buffalo. It's been over $500 CAN a person for awhile. Now, today, I can get us flights out of Buffalo for $226 US / $287 CAN a person with Southwest.

Six out of 7 of us have current passports. My Dad let his expire. He was too busy looking after Mom for a couple of years to even think about passports. Last week he applied for a new one.

I don't remember how this works... The last time I purchased airfare was to WDW back in 2010!

Do I need everyone's passports when I book/purchase flights? Or can I purchase flights without them? I know I need them while checking in/printing out the boarding passes a day or so before the flight. But now?

Did a bunch of searching for you and it appears that you don't need to enter passport info for domestic flights. Even if you do need to enter that for international flights it seems that Southwest lets you do it at any point, up to and including at the kiosk in the airport!
From their website:
Required traveler information.
To reduce wait times at the airport, we highly recommend that you enter your required valid passport information online at southwest.com® prior to travel. You can do so during the booking process or post-booking at southwest.com, during the online checkin process, or at the airport on your day of travel using a kiosk or at the Southwest Airlines Ticket Counter. You will be required to present your valid passport in addition to other required documentation at the airport on the day of travel.


This is quite different from booking here -- had to enter that info when we booked & then again had some sort of random screening when doing our 24 hour check-in that required me to enter it AGAIN.

 

[Disney Addicted]

Thank you Jacqueline. I tried googling and searching their FAQs and couldn't figure it out.

Ironically enough shortly after I posted my Dad came over with his passport application so I could fill out the guarantor section. He didn't hand it in last week after all.

And our friends don't want to purchase airfare yet it turns out. They are still deciding driving versus flying and apparently do not want to decide until January. Ugh.. I really dislike plans up in the air. We're at 6 months out. I don't want to spend a fortune on airfare at the last minute. Driving is fine with us but I have to figure out where our daughter will stay if we end up taking 2 weeks. Her aunt only volunteered to look after her for a week. I don't really want to ask her about 2 weeks if turns out we're flying. (sigh)

 

[iluveeyore]

You don't need a passport to book, just everyone's full name and DOB as it appears on the passport, then you will show your passports at the border crossing, and again at security at the Buffalo airport before going to your gate. Then you can put it away until you get home! I fly out on Southwest tomorrow and have already checked in for my flight - love them!