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Southwest Airlines has always had a unique boarding process — one that made checking in early beneficial to your boarding position. That will be changing, as the Dallas-based airline has outlined how their new boarding process will take place. We will compare the Southwest Airlines boarding process — both now and what is to come — and cover the multiple free and paid ways to enhance your boarding position.
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How Does the Southwest Airlines Boarding Process Currently Work?
Open seating policy
Most airlines offer assigned seating, allowing you to choose your exact seat when purchasing your ticket. Southwest Airlines, however, has always offered open seating. When you board a Southwest flight, you can choose any available seat. That's what makes the check-in and boarding process both unique and competitive.
Checking in and receiving a Southwest boarding pass
As long as you have a Southwest Airlines flight reserved 24 hours in advance of departure, you can check in for your flight online at Southwest.com or in the Southwest Airlines app. Alternatively, you can check in and/or get a boarding pass upon arrival at the airport at a self-service kiosk, at Skycap podiums (if available), or the Southwest Airlines ticket counter.
Southwest Airlines boarding groups
When you check in for your flight, Southwest will assign you to boarding group A, B, or C and give you a position number within that group. Your boarding pass will display both your group letter and your position within that group (for example: B9).
Seasoned Southwest travelers check in exactly 24 hours in advance in an attempt to obtain a boarding pass in group A. That’s because getting to the front of the boarding line ensures the ability to choose from the best seats on the plane. Depending on varying circumstances, travelers may want seats towards the front of the plane, the exit row with more legroom, a window or an aisle seat, or — most importantly for families and other groups traveling together — a better chance of sitting together.
Related: Best Airline Sweet Spots for Families: How To Stretch Points When Booking 3+ Seats
Lining up at the gate
At the airport, you’ll notice numbered posts at each Southwest Airlines gate. When gate agents call your boarding group, you’ll line up in numerical order by your group post (A, B, or C). Meanwhile, monitors at the front of the lines will display which group is currently boarding. If you have B9, you'll board after the person holding a ticket with B8. Expect people in the line to ask what number you have, so they can line up accordingly.
Southwest’s counter-cultural process from check-in through boarding makes Southwest's early boarding options hot commodities. Let's investigate all the ways to board early.
Free Ways To Board Early on Southwest Airlines Flights
Pre-boarding for those with qualifying disabilities
Before general boarding of groups A, B, and C begins, Southwest offers pre-boarding for customers with a disability. Specifically, customers necessitating a specific seat, anyone requiring assistance boarding the plane, or anyone who needs to stow an assistive device may qualify. Check with gate agents to determine whether you qualify.
Good news: If you do qualify, a travel companion can pre-board with you (ask the gate agents for exceptions to the one-companion rule). They’ll ask you a list of questions and then provide a new boarding pass marked with PRBD upon approval. The PRBD alerts the boarding agent that you have permission to pre-board.
If you're pre-boarding because you need a certain seat, let the boarding agent know as soon as you have your new boarding pass and before pre-boarding starts.
Customers with disabilities who don’t qualify for pre-boarding
Customers with disabilities who don’t qualify for pre-boarding but who need extra time boarding may board between groups A and B, directly before family boarding. Check with agents at the ticket counter or the departure gate to receive a new boarding pass marked XT. This will alert the boarding agent that you can board before Family Boarding.
Southwest family boarding
Southwest offers family boarding between groups A and B for families with young children who didn't get a group A position. During family boarding, up to two adults traveling with a child six years old or younger may board together.
Since no more than 60 passengers can board during group A, this ensures that at least one parent can sit with a child six years old or under. Additionally, families can speak with gate agents or flight attendants for assistance.
For families worried about not being able to sit next to all of their kids, rest assured: Southwest flight attendants will try to seat a child next to a friend or family member age 14 or older “to the maximum extent practicable and at no additional cost.”
Active duty military
Active-duty members of the U.S. Military (with a valid military ID) may also board between groups A and B — unless, of course, they received a group A boarding pass upon checking in.
Elite status priority boarding
Southwest Airlines offers two tiers of elite status. Earn A-List flying 20 one-way cash flight segments or earning 35,000 tier qualifying points in a calendar year, and earn A-List Preferred flying 40 one-way cash flights or earning 70,000 tier qualifying points in a calendar year.
Both tiers of status currently include priority boarding, a benefit allowing the status holder and those traveling on the same itinerary special check-in and boarding privileges.
Other benefits include:
| A-List | A-List Preferred | |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Benefits |
With priority boarding, Southwest will reserve a boarding position for you 36 hours before your flight’s departure. You will still need to check in within 24 hours of scheduled departure to obtain the boarding passes reserved for you.
Note that your reservation must be booked 36 hours before scheduled departure to qualify for Priority Boarding. Additionally, on Group Travel itineraries (discounted options for parties of 10 or more), priority boarding will only apply to A-List and A-List Preferred Members.
Related: How To Choose the Right Southwest Airlines Credit Card
Paid Ways To Board Early on Southwest Airlines
Get early boarding with a Choice Preferred or Choice Extra Fare
Southwest Airlines offers four re-named types of fares: Basic, Choice, Choice Preferred, and Choice Extra. Choice Preferred and Choice Extra fares cost more and include early boarding benefits.
Until January 27, 2026, Choice Extra fares will continue to get a guaranteed boarding number between A1 and A15. And the EarlyBird Check-In included with the Choice Preferred fare means you'll be automatically checked in 36 hours before departure, giving you a better number than those who can't check in until 24 hours before departure.
Another advantage of Choice Preferred tickets: Customers purchasing Choice Preferred fares receive priority over customers who book Basic or Choice fares and then purchase EarlyBird Check-In.
EarlyBird Check-In
When available, EarlyBird Check-In provides the convenience of automatic check-in 12 hours before the traditional 24-hour check-in. It doesn't guarantee boarding group A, but it does allow you to board the plane earlier than you otherwise would, improving your seat selection options. EarlyBird Check-In starts at $15 per person per segment — and increases from there based on the length of the flight.
Note that all customers on the same reservation must purchase EarlyBird Check-In. You can't just splurge for one traveler and hope that they can hold seats for the rest.
You can't use banked Southwest Airlines travel funds to purchase EarlyBird Check-In, and EarlyBird Check-In is non-refundable if you cancel your flight. However, if Southwest cancels the flight, you'll be reimbursed.
Upgraded Boarding
Too late to purchase EarlyBird Check-In? Don’t worry, there’s always Upgraded Boarding, which starts at $30 per person per segment. When you check into your flight 24 hours before departure time, depending on availability, you may be able to pay (per person, per flight) to upgrade your boarding position to A1–A15. As with EarlyBird Check-In, you can't use banked Southwest Airlines travel funds to pay for Upgraded Boarding.
Changes to Early Bird Check-In and Upgraded Boarding coming soon
EarlyBird Check-In as well as Upgraded Boarding will end on January 27 when the new boarding process begins. One important note, any Southwest co-branded credit card that come with free EarlyBird Check-In or Upgraded Boarding as a perk of the card will be able to redeem those for flights ending December 31, 2025. They will not be available for flights in January before the change kicks in.
Choosing Your Seat After Boarding
Once you're on the plane, any open seat can be yours. Take whatever suits your interest. You may notice that people who boarded early will try to save seats for others who are boarding later, such as putting a jacket or backpack on the seat for someone who has a later boarding number.
There's no written rule for or against this policy, which means flight attendants have no rule to enforce if a disagreement occurs. However, Southwest has an open seating policy, which you can point to if you decide to sit in a seat that doesn't have a person in it. It's first come, first serve, after all. Someone might not like it, but you didn't break any rules if you choose to take up that attractive aisle seat in the exit row that someone says they're saving.
Barring this, simply claim a seat that works for you, stow your items in the overhead bin, and you're all set.
New Southwest Boarding Process
Southwest has already shared details and begun taking bookings for seat selection, beginning with flights on January 27, 2026. On that date, Southwest will do away with their A, B, C boarding groups and their numbered stanchions. In its place, the airline will introduce eight boarding groups. Which group you board in depends on several factors, including the fare purchased, Southwest Rapid Rewards status, and having a Southwest credit card.
| Group Numbers | Rapid Rewards tier status | Fare Purchased |
|---|---|---|
| Groups 1-2 | - A-List Preferred Members - A-List Members who upgrade to an Extra Legroom seat | - Choice Extra fare - Passengers who purchase an upgrade to Extra Legroom seat with any fare bundle |
| Groups 3-5 | - A-List Members with a Premium or Standard seat | - Choice Preferred fare - Southwest Cardmembers will board with Group 5, if they are not assigned an earlier boarding position based on seat type, fare type, or tier status. |
| Groups 5-8 | - Choice fare - Basic fare (last to board) |
As with so much about the evolving Southwest Rapid Rewards program, having a Southwest credit card will make traveling easier. Even if you book a Basic fare — which is assigned “Last to Board” in Southwest's new boarding process — you'll get Group 5 boarding just by being a Southwest cardholder.
If you're planning to fly Southwest in 2026 and aren't already a cardholder, here are some of your Southwest credit card options:
- 2X points per $1 spent on Southwest® purchases
- 2 points for every $1 you spend at gas stations and grocery stores on the first $5,000 in combined purchases per anniversary year
- 1X point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- 4X points per $1 spent on all Southwest® purchases
- 2X points per $1 spent at gas stations and restaurants
- 1X point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- 4X points per $1 spent on Southwest® purchases
- 2X points per $1 spent at gas stations and restaurants
- 2X points per $1 on hotel accommodations booked directly with the hotel
- 2X points per $1 spent on rideshare
- 1X point per $1 spent on all other purchases
Southwest still has some details to share as the new boarding process gets closer, but they have answered some questions related to special circumstances.
What about family boarding?
The familiar place for families to board together will be a thing of the past. Once the new procedure begins, Southwest claims that families on the same reservation will be given the same boarding group number. For those on Basic fares, the airline will attempt to seat children under 13 next to at least one adult, but that may not be guaranteed. But families will at least be able to board together.
What about those with disabilities?
Customers with disabilities who meet specific criteria will still be able to pre-board.
What about Companion Pass travelers?
Any companion will have the same boarding benefits of the Companion Pass holder — whether by fare purchased, status, or credit card benefits.
Likewise, up to 8 passengers on the same reservation of a passenger with boarding benefits will board in the same boarding group. Those who may have friends or family on a separate reservation will not be conferred the same boarding benefit.
Priority Boarding
Although the details are scarce here, Southwest has said that customers will be able to purchase Priority Boarding beginning 24 hours prior to departure to be among the first to board once flights with assigned seating take off on January 27, 2026. This sounds like the “newer” version of Upgraded Boarding as it currently exists. This can be a way for Basic or Choice fare holders to board earlier and snag that coveted overhead space, which is becoming more valuable now that Southwest is charging bag fees.
Bottom Line
Southwest is moving from its non-traditional boarding and seating process to a more cookie-cutter boarding group approach beginning January 27, 2026. No matter the process, there are multiple ways to get paid or free upgrades for a better boarding position. For now, understanding how it works can help you get an earlier boarding position for a better array of seat choices on your next flight.
Beginning in January, if boarding early is a priority, knowing the ways to get on the plane faster can turn you into a savvy traveler.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card (Rates & Fees), Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card (Rates & Fees), and Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card (Rates & Fees)
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