I'm looking at being a commuter for at least the first year. I understand SW doesn't have a commuting policy. I saw on a previous post where someone said as long as you can show back up plans and miss only one or two a year that all should be well. Can someone else confirm that? Does that vary by base?

Also, what are some of the costs associated with commuting? For example, will I be responsible for parking costs? Is any lodging at base covered? I'd like to avoid some big financial surprises.