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American Airlines is updating its boarding process for the busy summer travel season. Starting today, May 1, 2025, boarding times will be extended, and passengers in first or business class and families with young children will now be able to preboard.
It’s the latest adjustment to American’s nine-group boarding system, which is more complex than any other major U.S. airline — at least for now.
The good news is that if you understand how the boarding groups work, you can sometimes move up and make boarding a little easier. Here’s what’s changing and how to take advantage of it.
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American Airlines Boarding Group Order
From top to bottom, the American Airlines boarding groups are designed to recognize the airline's most valuable customers and encourage others to spend more. With nine groups in total (plus a big preboarding group), there is plenty of room to offer a special place to everyone.
Except, of course, for those who book AA basic economy tickets; they get the privilege of watching everyone else board before cramming into the back of the plane.
So, what's the order of American’s new boarding groups? Here's a handy table:
| Boarding Group | Boarding Type |
|---|---|
| Preboard | • ConciergeKey® • First/Business • Families with children ages 2 and under |
| Group 1 | • AAdvantage Executive Platinum® • Active duty U.S. military with military I.D. |
| Group 2 | • AAdvantage Platinum Pro® • Oneworld® Emerald℠ |
| Group 3 | • AAdvantage Platinum® • Oneworld® Sapphire℠ |
| Group 4 | • AAdvantage Gold® • Oneworld® Ruby℠ • AirPass℠ (if you still have an active contract; this program ended in November 2022) • Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® holders |
| Group 5 | • Main Cabin Extra (excluding Basic Economy) • AAdvantage® members who earn 15,000 Loyalty Points • Eligible AAdvantage® credit cardmembers* |
| Group 6 | AAdvantage® members |
| Group 7 | Main Cabin |
| Group 8 | Main Cabin |
| Group 9 | Basic Economy |
The updated boarding order helps streamline the process for most travelers. Moving first- and business-class travelers into preboarding clears out Group 1, making it less congested for AAdvantage Executive Platinum members and active-duty U.S. military personnel. It also gives premium cabin passengers and families with young kids more time to settle in before the rest of the plane boards.
When does American Airlines boarding start?
Starting May 1, 2025, boarding will begin a bit earlier on most flights. How much earlier depends on the aircraft:
- Airbus A319 and A320: 35 minutes before departure
- Boeing 737, Airbus A321, and all widebody aircraft: 40 minutes before departure
How the American Airlines Boarding Process Works
Fortunately, when lining up to board an AA flight, there are not nine queues for you to choose from. Instead, the process is streamlined into two lines as follows:
- The priority line is for those preboarding and others in Groups 1 through 4.
- Groups 5 through 9 queue and board through the main line.
How to Get American Airlines Priority Boarding
As noted above, priority boarding refers to those who preboard or are assigned Groups 1 through 4. To receive priority boarding, you must meet one of the following conditions:
If you're flying in first or business class, you'll be allowed to preboard the aircraft.
Hold airline elite status
You receive priority boarding if you hold elite status with American Airlines or a Oneworld alliance partner airline.
- ConciergeKey members receive preboarding access.
- AA Executive Platinum members receive Group 1 boarding.
- AA Platinum Pro and Oneworld Emerald members receive Group 2 boarding.
- AA Platinum and Oneworld Sapphire members receive Group 3 boarding
- AA Gold, Oneworld Ruby receive Group 4 boarding.
Related: How to Get Reciprocal Upgrades on Alaska and American Airlines Flights as an Elite Member
Those with the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® are eligible to receive Group 4 boarding.
Be on active military duty
American Airlines honors active-duty military personnel with a valid military ID by allowing them to board with Group 1.
How to Get Preferred Boarding On American Airlines Flights
American Airlines preferred boarding refers to Group 5, which boards after groups 1 through 4. Preferred boarding can be easy to confuse with priority boarding, which is available for purchase and boards with Group 4.
To receive Group 5 boarding, you need to either purchase a Main Cabin Extra seat, earn 15,000 Loyalty Points in the AA status year, or hold one of the following American Airlines credit cards:
- Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®
- Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard®
- Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® American Express® (not open to new applicants)
- Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Visa® (not open to new applicants)
- AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®
- AAdvantage® Aviator® Silver Mastercard®
- AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Business Mastercard®
With these perks, it's easy to justify the annual fee of $99, waived for first 12 months.
- Free checked bags for you and up to 4 companions on domestic itineraries
- Priority boarding to help you win the race for overhead bin space
- A 25% discount on inflight food, beverage, and Wi-Fi purchases
- Earn 2X miles for every $1 spent at restaurants
- Earn 2X miles for every $1 spent at gas stations
- Earn 2X miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases
- Earn 1X mile for every $1 spent on all other purchases
How Many Boarding Groups Does American Airlines Have?
American Airlines has nine boarding groups — and that's before you consider ConciergeKey members, premium cabin passengers, and families with children under two, all of whom are now part of the “preboarding” process. Groups 1 through 4 are considered Priority Boarding and are for airline and alliance elites, active-duty military personnel, and AA Executive Card cardholders.
Preferred boarding consists of Group 5 and is reserved for other American Airlines co-brand credit card holders, those who have purchased Main Cabin Extra, and AAdvantage members who earn 15,000 Loyalty Points.
Group 6 extends a small privilege to folks who have taken the time to register for a free American AAdvantage account. Then, the remaining passengers board in groups 7 through 9, with higher-value fares boarding first within the last three groups.
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