Taylor Swift is in the midst of her Eras Tour, which began on March 17, 2023 and ends on August 17, 2024. The Grammy-award winning singer will perform 131 concerts across five continents, making the Eras Tour Taylor Swift’s most expansive. And while she may travel in style these days (she has an estimated worth of $740 million), that wasn’t always the case. She reminisced about her old Southwest Airlines days recently. RELATED: How to Vacation Like Taylor Swift This Summer
Taylor Swift received an honorary degree from NYU in May, 2022 and she delivered the commencement address to the Class of 2022 at Yankees Stadium. My nephew was one of the graduates, so I read the transcript of her speech, which you can watch below:
One thing that stood out to me was when she spoke about people thinking she had such a glamorous life (in her earlier years) when in reality, it wasn’t as she ended up homeschooling and spending a lot of time on the road.
In her words: “I never got to have a normal college experience per se. I went to public high school until 10th grade and then finished my education doing homeschool work on the floors of airport terminals. Then I went out on the road for a radio tour, which sounds incredibly glamorous, but in reality, it consisted of a rental car, motels and my mom and I pretending to have loud mother/daughter fights with each other during boarding so no one would want the empty seat between us on Southwest.”
Ha! Now that’s funny and effective … and if you want to see an even funnier way, check out this hilarious video of another way to keep that seat next to you empty on Southwest or on a bus or train! But there’s another way that works even better. First of all, Southwest Airlines (SWA) is one of the few airlines that doesn’t assign seats, which is why this tip works. The reason Southwest doesn’t assign seats is because it speeds up the boarding process as it eliminates passengers trying to figure out where their seat is located. As easy as it sounds, it’s difficult for many first-time flyers and sometimes even seasoned fliers. Believe it or not, I’ve sat in the wrong seat (row) multiple times so I understand SWA’s rationale.
Tips for flying Southwest Airlines:
1. Check-In ASAP
Check-in as soon as you’re allowed, which is 24 hours before your flight. I mean, set your alarm for 24 hours and five minutes before and then check-in when the clock strikes 24 hours prior. Boarding assignments are first come, first serve. You can also pay extra for a Business Select fare to guarantee Group A1-A15 (meaning they will be one of the first 15 people to board and they usually choose the first few rows or the exit row).
2. Be on Time
Show up to the gate on time so you don’t miss your spot in line.
3. Split Up
If there are two of you in your party or four adults and you know the flight isn’t sold out (ask the gate agent), then pick a row at the back of the plane and have one person sit in the window and the other in the aisle, leaving the middle seat open. Southwest only flies 737 aircraft, which all have six seats across (three on each side of the aisle). Here are Seatguru’s pick for the best seats.
4. Taylor’s Tip or Tissues or ?
If the plane isn’t full, then you can try Taylor’s tip of fighting with your partner so no one wants to sit in between you. But you can also put a box of Kleenex on the middle seat with some crumpled up tissues next to the box. That might be more effective but with COVID still fresh on people’s minds, it also might get you kicked off the plane!
What’s your best tip for keeping the middle seat open on a Southwest flight?
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Love this..lol
We fly Southwest Pennsylvania to California a lot! All great tips.
Stephanie I, I don’t pretend to sleep, I actually sleep the whole flight no drugs needed…?
Definitely arrive at airpirt early and grab a bite…those snack mixes and cookies just don’t get it!!
PS I prefer the window seat so I can lean into it while passed out….
As a SWA flyer that has earned the companion pass 8 straight years, Ive got a lot of tips that I’ll keep to myself!
I place a bible and it has stopped many a sinner from sitting near me
I Love All the comments and suggestions from the previous individuals before me. First let me tell ALL of you Including Taylor, Thank you for flying Southwest and contributing to my Profit Sharing!!! Second, I Am a Flight Attendant for SWA and All your little so called tips and suggestions are Nothing original or new and you’re not putting anything over on us…to be quite frank and honest…those middle seats that you thought you were being sly and piling food, bags, babies or anything else to keep someone from sitting there are the FIRST choices we flight attendants pick to seat the last minute runners who are late for the flight (hoping that they too are coughing, sneezing ?, need the extra armrest space, etc) for your enjoyment…as the ‘ol saying goes, if you don’t want someone sitting next to you, buy a second seat!
Oh Mary Pat, you must not fly SWA much. While you cannot save seats in the exit rows, there is no prohibition against saving other seats. And no matter the stink you might raise, the flight attendants are not going to help you out.
I pretend to sleep
I paid $20 r/t for early check in. They did it automatically. On return I was with 2 other people, who were unable to pay online. They each paid $40 at the airport for early boarding. I thought that was a lot, however, to sit together, find space overhead for bags, totally worth it
Eat a lot of chicken wings the night before and once you find your seat let the bombs rip!
As a frequent Southwest flier I have seen some really nasty situations. You CANNOT save seats on SW period. Seems folks think one passenger can buy early boarding and save a seat. Come ON!! Placing something in the middle seat is not going to work so get over it!!!!.
A tip for those flying SWA into Hollywood/Burbank: upon arrival at BUR, SWA uses the front and rear doors of the plane to disembark (there are no jetways at BUR.) If you want to make a quick exit when you touch down, sit towards the back of the plane. (I can’t remember for sure, but I think they also use both doors for boarding, too.)
A few things that might also work.
1. Cough a LOT and Loud!
2. get a spray bottle, spray yourself to make it look like your are sweating profusely… and cough a lot.
3. Mess up your hair, untuck your shirt half way, and sitting there mumbling really loud.
They all have worked for me! :-)
Now that’s funny
That’s a great tip! I just flew SWA with my daughter and wish our arguments were staged- ha! One more way to get an early boarding position, I paid $15 each for our “Early-Bird” checkin which they describe as: “EarlyBird Check-In Customers will have their boarding positions reserved beginning 36 hours prior to their flight’s scheduled local departure time. Boarding passes can be accessed beginning 24 hours prior to the flight’s scheduled local departure time.” Now, they did not send me any notification that this 36-hour checkin was done, and it allowed us to do the on-the-minute, 24 hours in advance, checkin ourselves, and we did get A31 and A32, but I don’t know who gets the credit for the A positions, Southwest or moi. https://www.southwest.com/help/booking/earlybird-checkin